Minutes
of the East Central Iowa Beekeepers Association
September
11, 2017
The
meeting was called to order by President Dave Irvin at 6:35 pm.
President’s
Notes:
Dave
announced that our checking account was closed at the bank for
being below the minimum. We currently have only about $15 in the
treasury.
The
Iowa County Conservation Commission is doing preliminary planning for
an event to be held in roughly a year from now. The program will be
held near Marengo, to be named something like Honey Fest or Pollen
Fest. They are looking for vendors to be present, so if you are
interested contact a member of the Iowa County Conservation
Commission.
Paul Campbell of Tipton, one of our members, is ill and has a number of hives to be taken care of. If anyone is interested in helping with the bees they should contact his home. Call Dave Irvin for more information.
Vice-President’s
Notes:
Floyd
began a discussion of sources of seed for bee-friendly plantings.
Alfalfa (hay) seed was suggested. Various plants that bees seem to
be attracted to late summer include shallots, broccili and lavender.
How
to prevent swarms? A discussion ensued about the use of entrance
reducers. Many beekeepers, including Matt Stewart, keep hives pretty
well closed up at the entrance even through the summer to reduce the
chances of swarming.
November
10th
and 11th
are the dates for the Iowa Honey Producers annual meeting. Forms for
registration are found online at
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/91f0a1_288b5d8d80d34e3c9c5afb02044542e2.pdf,
which is the September newsletter. They hope to have online
registration available for the 2018 meeting.
Floyd
also mentioned an article in The Buzz about the use of Roundup
herbicide. Dr. Bruce Rafoth talks about the damage to bees and other
organisms as the chemical can destroy essential gut flora, thereby
killing the organisms and cautions against its overuse.
Floyd
asked if anyone attended the summer Field Day held at Wickiup Hill.
James Miller attended and mentioned new formulas were presented for
pollen patties and there were demonstrations of jigs for making hive
equipment and learned about how to make creamed honey. There was
also a seminar on mite control and a good crowd was on hand.
The
State Fair had a good number of entries this year, though there were
only 3 in the comb honey category. Some expressed frustration with
trying to get the bees to produce comb honey.
Floyd
mentioned problems he has had getting bees in some hives to move
through a queen excluder. Having a hive entrance above the supers
can help, as can having a honey barrier above the brood nest inhibit
a queen’s movement above such a barrier, members suggested.
Jim
Davis will serve as club secretary, now that Erin Miller is taking on
other duties in her area.
Matt
Stewart:
Matt
informed the group about the passing of a former club member and past
president of the Iowa Honey Producers Association, Paul Goossen.
Paul had also been the original owner of Noble Bee Honey and sold the
business to Matt and Pat.
Matt
also talked about the problems with neonicotinoids remaining in the
ground for a long time and the effects that can have on bees.
These
items were brought in by Dave Irvin to be identified. Matt Stewart
suggested the top item was to be put in the front entrance to prevent
the queen and drones from leaving, to prevent swarming. The lower
item could be used for moving a hive.
General
Discussion:
Shane
Bixby announced dthe creation of a new bee club out of Wickiup Hill
Learning Center. They will meet monthly, the third Tuesday of the
month. Contact Wickiup Hill for more information. Shane said that
the honey crop from the northern counties was very good this year.
A
reminder about bee stings—several reports were given about people
having severe reactions to bee stings. Allergic reactions to the
stings can happen at any time, even after years of being stung. A
severe reaction to stings can be fatal and needs to be taken
seriously. Beekeepers are encouraged to have medications such as
liquid benadryl or, better yet, epipens accessible.
Yellow
jackets are also a problem this time of year as they tend to get
more aggressive and are out in large numbers. Methods of killing
hives were discussed, including pouring soapy water in their nest or
using Sevin.
A
question about purchasing bees’ wax was asked. Two sources
mentioned are:
Dennis
Navs in Doddsville 319-393-7947
Dennis
Nielson in Newhall 319-223-5806
The
meeting officially ended at 7:50 with time for general socializing.
