January 2012 - Regular Meeting Minutes
January 2012 - Regular Meeting Minutes
Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association
January 2012– Regular Meeting Minutes
01-06-12 7:00 PM
Minutes of the December meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s Report: (amount available at monthly meeting)
Membership Annual dues: $20.00, collected by treasurer, Sarah White.
Announcement: University of Florida Bee College Seminar, March 9 – 10, St. Augustine: Introduction for beginners and for the very experienced: artificial insemination, queen production, etc. Requirements: currently a beekeeper, 1 year. Master Beekeeping Program: 5 levels. Apprentice: 1 beehive registered with the state.
Guest Speaker, Dr. William H. Kern Jr. Lecture: Honey Bee Pest & Diseases.
I.Parasites – Mites
Varroa destructor & Asian Acarapis Woodi (tracheal mites). Euvarroa sinhai. Where found? Drone brood, acts as vectors for several viruses. Monitoring: uncapping brood, sticky board test (IPM board; screen bottom board to increase ventilation), ether roll test, powdered sugar shake test (50 – 100 bees).
Mites, caused by dry honey, humidity, varroa mites in fall. Controlled with:
Fluvalinate (Apistan), Coumaphos, Thymol, sucrose octanoate ester – Sucrocide oxalic acid & formic acid (gel packs of Mite-Away).
Trachea, when healthy should look shinny and silvery. Diseased trachea, will look black, dirty with tracheal mites.
K-Wings Syndrome: very harmful, no longer holds the 2 wings together and the wing looks like the letter K.
Trahceal Mite Control:
Grease patties: 1 part vegetable shortening mixed with 3-4 parts of powdered sugar. Mites will not be able to hold to the bee.
Apocephalus borealis: Phorid fly - implants eggs into the abdomen of the bee. Bee begins to loose control of its ability to think and walk, flying Blindly toward Light. (Catch a few and study them).
American Foul Brood Disease, caused by a spore forming bacterium, paenibacillusIt kills the Larvae. Forming pupa with tongue protruding. AFB- dead melted-down larvae.
Prevention of AFB: Tetracycline or Oxytetracycline Terramycin (no honey flow).
NO CURE:
1.Burning – preventing spread
2.GAMMA radiation – irradiate. (Mulberry, facility for bee equipment infected with AFB).
3.Bleach cleaning, an oxidizer
4.Torch cleaning
5.Hot Water Steaming
B.EFB – European Foul Brood bacteria, caused by Mellissococcus pluton.
C.Chalk Brood Disease, caused by fungus, AscosphaeraAscosphaerosis – a disease of the larvae, mummies looking, chalkie. No treatment. Place in sunny area, no cold, no dumpness.
D.Stone Brood – a fungal disease caused by opportunistic fungus, a self limited disease.
E.Nosema Disease, Nosemosis, parasitic intracellular parasites lying, fungus in the lining of the mid-gut of theCaused by Nosema apis parasite, also called “Bee dysentery”, affects western honey bee during winter season. (African colonies brood all winter). NEW: Nosema ceranae, affects western honey bee (must have a good resolution microscope to detect, found in Colony Collapse Disorder, once studied). Nosema, highly specialized fungus like a yeast, problems in the bee digestive system.
F.FAMILY Dicistroviridae:
Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV or APV)
Israel acute paralysis virus
Kashmir bee virus
Black Queen cell virus
G.Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), Vector, varroa mite.
H.Sacbrood Disease caused by Sacbrood virus (SBV), Morator aetofulas, occurs inSymptoms: plenty food, queen brood, no workers. Nosema shortens the life span of the adult bee, does not survive without the bee. (Invertebrate Iridescent Virus, Family Dicistroviridae, Nosema ceranae, Synergistic effect – pesticides).
II. Pests
Beetles, moths (wax), Galleria mellonella. Small Hive Beetle: Aethina termida – 1 day differs in the drone development, this gives the chance for the varroa mite to exist.
III.Ten Best Management Practices
Keep colonies strong
Continues Maintainance of bee-hive
Remove bad colonies ASAP
Place colonies under the SUN
Feeding pollen patties (make sure these are consumed in 2 days only).
Keep in-hive feeders and bottom boards clean
Extract honey within 2-3 days before massive hatching of eggs occurs
Chemical Controls:
Better Beetle blaster, CD case, brake off one peg, place near, check mite and coumaphos.
Gard Star – drenching the soil with Tile Star, parithroid
Insect Tangle Foot
Lesser Wax Moth – Achroia grisella
Bears – bear damage, electric fencing
Amendment to article 7 of the constitution to change the discretionary spending from $100 to $300 was voted and amended.
Association T-shirts are available for sale for $10.00 after the meeting.
Outreach:
The Rare Fruit Council approached the association to partner with them in showing of the movie “Vanishing of the Bees” with a question and answer period afterward with the movies director on February 10th. The cost of our participation of $150.00 was approved by vote of the membership.
Update on the South Florida Fair: Most of the time slots have been filled but there are still some times when no one has signed up. Members were encouraged to review the schedule on our web site and fill in the remaining slots. January 7th is the date for the booth setup. Volunteers are encouraged to come out and help set up the booth.
New Business:
Boynton Beach Backyard Beekeeping: 2 beehives per lot.
Leonard Khan: Extractor donated, he suggested to be auctioned. He also mentioned, that 8-10 people must sign in order to continue conducting the once a month lectures for beginners.
Al Zalopek: mentioned Bee Conference in Orlando, Apiaries to be run by Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association’ members, suggested to form a sub-committee to assist with the Bee Seminar in April, Introduced new interests: form a sub-committee with volunteers to accomplish specific goals. If interested contact Al. Needs assistance with Splitting, implement 5 hours of mandatory attendance at our club’s apiary. Incentive; offer a bee hive for free. Also suggested, splitting our own hives to have enough to provide new members with their own.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM
Minutes respectfully submitted by: Alexandra Kaufman