Beeswax Products...

At our final bee school session of 2013, HCBA's new President and first lady, Jeff & Pam Rys covered the topic of Beeswax Products.   I grabbed a quick photo of their set up before they packed it up for the night...

When it comes to beeswax, Pam does it all!  And since she's not busy enough with the bees and the HCBA, she also belongs to a Bull Terrier dog club.  When they needed trophies for an event, Pam came through with her beeswax skills and made these...

Bull Terrier votive beeswax candles!

If you've got any questions about beeswax or beeswax products, Jeff and Pam have answers!  Thanks to you both for sharing your knowledge and craft with us! 

Beekeeping School 2013...

Due to popular demand, Hampden County Beekeeping School will be back in session in 2013! 

There are 8 classes, held twice a month on Thursdays from January to April. 

Members old and new are welcome to attend any and all school sessions.  It's never too late to learn something new!

Beekeeping school will be held at our regular meeting location:

Willimanset Heights Improvement League (WHIL)

                       118 Mount Vernon Rd.

                       Chicopee, MA 01013

Beekeeping School 2013 Schedule:

January 10th & 24th

February 7th & 21st

March 7th & 21st

April 11th & 25th

Classes are from 7pm-9pm

Beekeeping school is $75.00* per person and includes your beginning beekeeping manual, a 1 year membership in the HCBA, a Beekeeping School Certificate upon graduation, and the chance to win a complete starter hive on April 25th.

*$125.00 for two people if you share a book. 

If you know someone who may be interested in enrolling in our Beekeeping School as a new student, please have them contact our treasurer, Cheryl Robare for more information. 
Phone: 413-782-7371
Email:  hcmbeekeepers@aol.com

Space is limited, so sign up early!

Bee-ing a Member of HCBA Has Many Benefits...

I just received this email from HCBA new member Laura Martin. Laura's email is a great example of how the support of a club can be so helpful to beekeepers seasoned and new! Plus, her excitement about her new bees is contagious! As you read, you can remember how exciting it was the first time YOU saw eggs and larvae! I know all beekeepers can relate to that, regardless of your experience level. Thanks to Laura for letting me share, and to Sue Goddard for setting such a good example for the HCBA!

And now here's Laura's email...
I'm so excited! ....I have eggs! .....I have larvae! ....I even have some developing prepupa!

A big, Thank You!, to Sue Godard who kindly visited my hive with me and viewed the frames for signs of laying. She showed me how to tilt the frame, just so, in order to see those tiny, tiny, little white "sticks" that are the bee eggs. I had brought a magnifying glass with me, just in case, but I didn't end up needing it.

Sue also gave me some helpful tips: I need to get my hive up higher off the ground than it currently is (it's on top of two very large white 5" thick bricks). She said it should ideally be about 18" off the ground. So, today, I'm off to look for something that will accomplish this.

She also pointed out that, for rain, the top should be slid all the way toward the front of the hive (where the bee opening is) so the rain won't get in through the bee door.

She helped me to cut off the excess comb that the bees were building out from the frames and explained that keeping the frames tightly together will help keep the bees from this excess building. She told me to keep the wax for candle making later. In a little bit of the trimmed comb there was some uncured honey - extremely pale in color and made from sugar water but still yummy and honey-tasting! I did not expect this. It was very little; probably around 1/8 of a teaspoon in total.

I asked her some questions regarding beekeeping - various little things that have cropped up since starting this new hobby. She was very knowledgeable and interesting to listen to.
I think this is one of the best things in having a bee mentor to help out first-timers like myself - there always seems to be new questions I have and it's equally helpful to have someone there to show me how to apply the information we've learned in bee school to the practical, real-life experiences of beekeeping. We learn by doing.
I'm so grateful to Sue for her help and assistance!

Laura Martin

Gamma Radiation...

Some very good information came through my email from HCBA member Matt. Matt purchased some used equipment that had been stored for possibly up to 20 years. Though the beekeepers did not lose their bees to disease, it was recommended to Matt by Ken Warchol, that he send the equipment through gamma radiation. According to Ken, American Foulbrood (AFB) spores can lie dormant for 60+ years. The gamma radiation is to eradicate the chance of these spores ruining your hive. I found an article on-line on the subject, called GAMMA RADIATION: A SANITATING TREATMENT OF AFB CONTAMINATED BEEKEEPING EQUIPMENT and here's a link.

The following information was passed around at bee school last week, so if you weren't there or were but didn't get your hands on it, here it is again...
Radiation Coordination
George O'Neil
658 Sunrise Ave.
Barre, MA 01005
Cell: 978-434-1200
Home: 978-355-2442
Email: autumnmorningfarm@charter.com

If you think you may need some equipment treated, please contact George.