11.06.2014
10.30.2014
Honey Bees activity
The bees are starting to slow a bit in activity right now as the weather cools a bit.
I went out and checked the hives this week. I am now up to six working hives.
Italian and Russian.
I always wear my suit and bonnet and still have received less than ten stings in my four years for working with bees, but then I try to respect them and approach them with care. Below are both my honeybees and native pollinators at work in my garden and yard right now.
I went out and checked the hives this week. I am now up to six working hives.
Italian and Russian.
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Always wear a bonnet when you work with bees. It just makes for a more relaxed experience. |
I always wear my suit and bonnet and still have received less than ten stings in my four years for working with bees, but then I try to respect them and approach them with care. Below are both my honeybees and native pollinators at work in my garden and yard right now.
8.24.2014
8.22.2014
Pollinator Stewardship
http://pollinatorstewardship.org/
Report any Bee kills please
http://pollinatorstewardship.org/?page_id=1428
Mosquitos are flying and Bees are dying
http://pollinatorstewardship.org/?p=2576
Report any Bee kills please
http://pollinatorstewardship.org/?page_id=1428
Mosquitos are flying and Bees are dying
http://pollinatorstewardship.org/?p=2576
Russian Honeybee Breeders Association, Inc.
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Conceived in 1990 by members of the USDA Agricultural Research Service Baton Rouge Bee lab they are currently maintaining, and selecting to improve, seventeen (17) separate lines. Learn more at their website: http://www.russianbreeder.org/ |
8.20.2014
18th Annual Field Day at the USDA Honey Bee Lab in Baton Rouge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Margaret Prell
Phone: 985.863.3641
Email: martp@bellsouth.net
18th Annual Field Day at the USDA Honey Bee Lab in Baton Rouge
The USDA Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory and the Louisiana State
Beekeepers Association will hold the 18th Annual Field Day on Saturday, October 11, 2014. The
event will be held at the laboratory, located at 1157 Ben Hur Rd. This is near the intersection of
Nicholson Drive (Hwy 30) and Brightside Dr., which is about two miles south of the LSU
football stadium.
Gates will open at 9:30 a.m.; activities are scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A
nonrefundable pre-registration fee of $30.00 is required for attendees 12 years of age and above.
Children eleven and under, must stay with their parents at all times.
You must pre-register by October 1, 2014.
You must pre-register by October 1, 2014.
You may register on-line at labeekeepers.org and pay through PayPal or credit
card or you may mail your registration form that is located on the labeekeepers.org web site and
your check payable to the Louisiana Beekeepers Association to: David Ferguson, P.O. Box 716,
Brusly, LA 70719. If you do not pre-register by October 1, 2014, the cost will be $35.00 per
person.
The registration fee covers expenses including coffee, pastries and a great-catered lunch that
includes Bar B Q Chicken Leg Quarters, Smoked Sausage, Dirty Rice, Bar B Q Beans, and
Garden Salad with choice of 4 Dressings, Fresh Baked Honey Wheat Rolls, Honey Bee Cake and
Coke Products.
The Field Day will include courses for beginners and more experienced beekeepers as well as
workshops for those interested in a variety of topics. The beginning beekeeper course will begin
with how to get started for those who do not yet own bees, then will progress to how to manage a
few colonies. Topics will include equipment needs for the beginner, nectar producing plants,
maintenance of colonies, pests, safety and etiquette in beekeeping, and hands on training in an
active colony. The intermediate beekeeping course was a hit last year and it will be offered
again with a variety of topics focused on the beekeeper with a moderate amount of experience
that is now ready to take it to the next level. Topics will include anticipating equipment needs
throughout a season, pest management, honey processing, and swarm catching. There will be a
variety of focused workshops for those not attending the courses (typically the more advanced
beekeepers), i.e., queen rearing, instrumental insemination, small hive beetle control, good honey
plants and artificial nutrition sources. These workshops will represent both the USDA-ARS Bee
Lab’s research and beekeeper experiences. At the end of the day, the intermediate and advanced
groups will come together over active colonies. Here they will have the opportunity to discuss a
variety of topics and ask laboratory personnel and experienced beekeepers questions while
gaining some hands-on experience in an open hive.
For additional information please contact Dr. Lanie Bourgeois (225-767-9299), Sandra Hineman
(225-767-9280) or Joe Sanroma (318-346-2805).
8.18.2014
8.09.2014
A Little Bee Humor
Why do bees have sticky hair?
Because they use "honey combs"
8.06.2014
8.05.2014
8.01.2014
So very excited to be moderating a panel on Pollinators tommorrow at the International Farm to Table Symposium!
http://f2t-it.com/
http://f2t-it.com/
Yahoo! Good Yahoo News for bees and other pollinators!
" The move follows a regional wildlife chief’s decision on July 9 to ban neonics
in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands by 2016.
The nationwide ban, however, goes further as it also prohibits the use of genetically modified seeds to grow crops to feed wildlife.
A FWS spokesperson declined to comment on why the agency was banning genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in wildlife refuges.
But in his memo, Kurth cited existing agency policy. “We do not use genetically modified organisms in refuge management unless we determine their use is essential to accomplishing refuge purpose(s),” he wrote. “We have demonstrated our ability to successfully accomplish refuge purposes over the past two years without using genetically modified crops, therefore it is no longer to say their use is essential to meet wildlife management objectives.”
GMOs have not been linked directly to the bee die-off. But the dominance of GMO crops has led to the widespread use of pesticides like neonicotinoids and industrial farming practices that biologists believe are harming other pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly
.
Neonicotinoids account for 40 percent of the global pesticide market and are used to treat most corn and soybean crops in the U.S.
“We are gratified that the Fish and Wildlife Service has finally concluded that industrial agriculture, with GE crops and powerful pesticides, is both bad for wildlife and inappropriate on refuge lands,” Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said in a statement. "
Buckwheat + Beehives = delicious honey in the making
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Side view of the hives - now at six, in our apiary; Hope, Faith, Love, Grace, Charity & Patience |
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Buckwheat sprouts in my garden |
Why Buckwheat? the nectar produces a darker and more complex honey than citrus.
and evidently, it is good for you;
" The study found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications." http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203164750.htm
7.29.2014
More on NEONICS from USGS
http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/neonics.html
and links there to more articles on pesticide runoff
and links there to more articles on pesticide runoff
From USGS on NEONICS
" Neonicotinoid insecticides dissolve easily in water, but do not break down quickly in the environment."
" This is the first broad-scale investigation of neonicotinoid insecticides in the Midwestern United States and one of the first conducted within the United States."
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3941#.U9gnPYBdX9f
" This is the first broad-scale investigation of neonicotinoid insecticides in the Midwestern United States and one of the first conducted within the United States."
"
“We noticed higher levels of these insecticides after rain storms during crop planting, which is similar to the spring flushing of herbicides that has been documented in Midwestern U.S. rivers and streams,” said USGS scientist Michelle Hladik, the report’s lead author. “In fact, the insecticides also were detected prior to their first use during the growing season, which indicates that they can persist from applications in prior years.”
"One of the chemicals, imidacloprid, is known to be toxic to aquatic organisms at 10-100 nanograms per liter if the aquatic organisms are exposed to it for an extended period of time. Clothianidin and thiamethoxam behave similarly to imidacloprid, and are therefore anticipated to have similar effect levels. Maximum concentrations of clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid measured in this study were 257, 185, and 42.7 nanograms per liter, respectively."
Read the full article here - plus images and contact information
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3941#.U9gnPYBdX9f
BEE LAB DATE - BATON ROUGE
The Louisiana Beekeepers Association (LBA) will hold the 18th annual field day on Saturday , October 11, at the Honey Bee Lab in Baton Rouge.
7.22.2014
7.20.2014
Our Bees "Bearding" on Love's Hive on a Hot Summer Night
7.13.2014
7.09.2014
The Xerxes Society
"Of the more than one million species of animals in the world, 94 percent are invertebrates. The services they perform, Pollination, seed dispersal, food for wildlife, nutrient recycling, are critical to life on our planet. Indeed, without them whole ecosystems would collapse. But when decisions are made about environmental policy and land management, these vital and diverse creatures are often overlooked.
The Xerces Society works to address this situation through advocacy, policy, education and outreach, applied research, and publications."
Learn more about this amazing advocacy group at their website
http://www.xerces.org/
The Xerces Society works to address this situation through advocacy, policy, education and outreach, applied research, and publications."
Learn more about this amazing advocacy group at their website
http://www.xerces.org/
6.26.2014
My Beekeeping Library
People ask me what I did to prepare to keep bees. Well I have over one hundred really great mentors at our bee club. More specifically what books did I read? I have several that I have collected over the years, some well before beekeeping and some recently given as gifts. Here is my list of books that I use as a reference and guide. Not much has changed over the thousands of years that people have been interacting with bees (except, pests and pesticides).
an excellent resource! Dale is an incredible speaker. Don't miss him this August at Farm to Table
The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture; A Cyclopeadia of Everything pertaining to the care of the Honey-bee; Bees, Hives, Honey, Implements, Honey-plants, etc. Facts Gleaned from the Experience of Thousands of Bee-keepers, and Afterward Verified in Our Apiary.A.I. Root and E.R. Root 1910, first edition 1877
The Hive and the Honeybee
The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture; A Cyclopeadia of Everything pertaining to the care of the Honey-bee; Bees, Hives, Honey, Implements, Honey-plants, etc. Facts Gleaned from the Experience of Thousands of Bee-keepers, and Afterward Verified in Our Apiary.A.I. Root and E.R. Root 1910, first edition 1877
The Hive and the Honeybee
Tammy Horn
Beconomy; What Women and Bees Can Teach Us about Local Trade and the Global MarketTammy Horn
The Backyard Beekeeper; An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden
Beconomy; What Women and Bees Can Teach Us about Local Trade and the Global MarketTammy Horn
The Backyard Beekeeper; An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden
and of course I had to read the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. but it was not really about beekeeping...
New Bee Bonnet
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My new bee bonnet is easier to wear and see out of |
I am no macho beekeeper.
I wear a suit, gloves, boots and a bonnet.
Oh, and yes, occasionally pearls ; D
I have only been stung about 4or 5 times so far while working my hives,
and each time, it was because I was not following proper procedure;
not enough protection, working the hives before a thunderstorm,
or wearing shorts.( what was I thinking?)...
So when my friend asked if I had another bonnet that she could use,
since her husband does not wear any bee suits
and is into the Tao or Zen of beekeeping...
I gave her one of my extra bonnets.
She asked if it was really okay that she wanted to wear one??
Heck yea!.
Bees are not trained pets. They can act however they wish.
It is up to you the beekeeper to be prepared.
Bees seem to be able to smell fear and anxiety.
Wearing proper attire makes for a calmer experience
in the event of a misstep, or mishap.
Feel comfortable and confident.
You will be happier.
The bees will be too.
Honey for a Wedding Day
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Honey from Love and Patience's Hives |
Recently a dear friend got married.
I went out early in the morning on the day of their wedding and gathered some honey as a gift for her Wedding and "Honeymoon". I took a frame from both "Love"s hive and from "Patience"'s hive.
I know that some people think I am daft for naming my hives instead of numbering them, but I think its important to give the queens a name. I enjoy the poetry of it. "Faith"'s hive always takes more work than the others. "Love" is always a very active hive. When my Veterinarian came over to open my hives with me, I cautioned her that "Love"'s hive was not as gentle as "Grace"'s hive, which we had just opened. She quickly replied- "Love needs to be fierce".. and so a bit of honey from "Love", and from "Patience, I thought, was a nice way to start a marriage.
6.06.2014
5.22.2014
3.28.2014
Grace's Field Bees
My Father was an Air Traffic Controller with the FAA.
He read me books about meteorology and stars and the planets when I was a kid and gave me a love of the heavens and clouds, lightning and the vast unknowns of space.
I grew up visiting him at the radar room and the control tower from a very early age.
At the urging of my Dad, I even took the ATC test in my early twenties and passed.
But I am not someone who could do that for a living as my Father did.
I wanted to be a fighter pilot, but my myopic vision and difficulty with math steered me otherwise
Watching the comings and goings of my bees in and out of the 1/ inch opening on the hives,
I can't help but think of my Father trying to help navigate heavy air traffic.
I have always marvelled at the flight paths of my bees to and from the hives as they stay out of each other's way and quarrel only with intruders that the guard bees keep out of the hives..
To take this video of Grace's Field bees coming and going like Jets at Moisant Air Field,
I placed myself under the hive with my android phone and trying to steady my hand as much as possible as the clouds rolled by.
Bees, much like pilots who fly planes, do not like inclement weather and prefer to fly on a sunny day.
I will try to take another video when the weather permits once Winter's grey skies have left us.
Enjoy!
1.23.2014
American Bee Federation Baton Rouge
I attended the Expo and met some wonderful people from all over the world. Here are a few photos of my experience. Nicest was the free shipping offers from various suppliers for ordering at the event. Greatest joy was seeing old friends and mentors such as Dave Ferguson and Robert Taylor from the Louisiana Beekeepers Club and also meeting some of my beekeeping heros like Marla Spivak and Tammy Horn. Suppliers to the industry had some styling new Bee Suit wear and lovely hives.. and lots of beetle traps and mite killers. Of course there Beekeeping Queens and a Bee Quilt Raffle, as well as Honey and a honey auction. The most interesting new thing there for me? Hive tracks http://hivetracks.com/ check 'em out!
Our Bees in Winter
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One of our Italian Honeybees on the thawing bee waterer |
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One of our Italian Honeybees drinking from the thawed bee waterer |
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Two of our Russian Honeybees gathering pollen on our Toki-No-Hagasane Camellia |
I attended the ABF and the LBC conventions and events and will post photos shortly. Bee ordered for this year from the club will arrive in April. Check back soon!
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