Honey Extraction Kit

Survey Results

A survey was taken during the November 2019 club meeting asking members to prioritize the purchase of potential items by ranking up to five items from 1 (highest priority) to 5. There were eleven items suggested for potential purchase. The club also voted to allocate up to $1,000 to purchase the top ranked items.

We then added up all of the “votes” an item received and divided the sum by the number of votes. A combination of votes and average score resulted in the following rankings.

RAnkItemVotesAvg Score
1Infrared Camera122.08
2Honey Extracting Kit112.27
3Bee Education Posters93.33
4Hive Scale82.25
5Candle / Wax Molds83.88
6Frame Assembly Jig64.0
7Dovetail Jig54.0
8BCBA Medallions54.4
9Laptop Computer12.0
10Printer13.0
11Polariscope14.0

As of March 2020 the club has purchased the Infrared Camera and the Honey Extracting Kit items. Both are currently available to rent for club members.

March Bee Management in NE Wisconsin

Our March meeting was cancelled where the topic for discussion was going to be “Spring Management Before Dandelions Bloom”. Here is a 3 minute video by Dave Elsen on that subject.

Learn about spring management before dandelions bloom for Northeast Wisconsin.

More Mite Information

Since Varroa mites were introduced into the United States in 1987 beekeepers have been searching for ways to eliminate them. The more one knows about mites the easier it is for the beekeeper to keep healthy hives. This article in Entomology Today talks about different controls one can use when following an Integrated Pest Management approach.

Honey Bee Jobs

Within a hive there are three types of bees. The queen, drones, and worker bees. There is only one queen in a hive, is female, and lays eggs to produce more bees. About 15% of the hive population are drone bees which are male and their only job is to mate with a different queen. Finally about 85% of the bees are female worker bees and they do all of the work around the hive. They take care of the brood, clean and defend the hive, and gather pollen and nectar.

Hive Location

There are numerous factors to consider when determining where to place your hive(s) which include they physical location, bee needs, and human needs. A good starting point is to do an internet search to determine if your local community has set guidelines for maintaining hives. Allouez Wisconsin, for one, has a number of rules to be followed.

Location

  • South facing is optimal – early morning wake-up to start foraging
  • Shade in the PM – so the hive doesn’t overheat in summer
  • Access to water – needed to make honey
  • Good air ventilation – so the hive doesn’t get damp
  • Wind block – can be man-made or natural to help hive survive the winter

Bee Needs

  • No obstruction in front of hive – bees like to exit and fly up
  • Slight lean to the front – so rainwater can drain out
  • Pollen and Nectar Sources – for honey production
  • Level side to side – bees don’t care but could hurt honey production

Human Needs

  • Accessible by vehicle or cart – honey and equipment are heavy
  • Permission – check local ordinances and neighbors
  • Accessible from the back of hive – best to work from the back of hive
  • Weeds and Mowing – keep the hive weed free and trimmed

Basic Equipment

The following video discusses the most basic bee equipment that a first time beekeeper will need. You will learn about different personal protection gear, gloves, hive tools, bee brushes and smokers.

April Kustov- Wisconsin State Hive Inspector

April Kustov, Wisc State Hive Inspector, spent 2 days with BCBA members inspecting hives and sharing her knowledge.  April was thorough and focused during hive inspections and spent a generous amount of time with each beekeeper, explaining and demonstrating as they went through each hive. 

She also was our featured speaker for the BCBA meeting (Wednesday 8/21/2019)   There was plenty of good conversation, great questions and valuable learning for all attending.  THANK YOU April !  So nice having you with us !  

Girl Scout Troop 4679 Partners with BCBA

BCBA participating in GIRL SCOUT Journey!

The Brown County Beekeepers Association recently partnered with Girl Scout Troop 4679 from West De Pere, WI to assist troop members on their Girl Scout journey. The members Brooklynn Steier, Nicki Waystedt, and Skylar Schultz, participated with  BCBA club members to construct, paint and install a hive as part of their Outdoor Journey. The Girl Scout Outdoor Journey is focused on environmental stewardship.  The girls learn how to care for our planet by minimizing our ecological impact and to be an advocate for nature.  Working with BCBA is a perfect fit for the girls to complete their Journey due to the important role bees play in our environment.  The girls certainly have talent painting and were very engaged in installing the nuc in their new home.