May 2013 – The Beekeepers Calendar
→ Inspect the brood pattern at the beginning of dandelion bloom. → Check the queen's performance, symptoms of brood disease and Varroa. → Reverse brood chambers if bees are in the upper box only. → Apply mite treatments and requeen failing queens if necessary. → Divide and requeen colonies at fruit bloom via multiple frame splits or colony divides to recoup winter loss, increase apiary size and swarm control. → Treat for mites if detected on workers or in drone brood. → Inspect package bee … Read More...
Guidance: How to Deal with Bears and Bees
from information provided by Judy Camuso, Wildlife Biologist, MDIFW Bears are often hungry in the spring (there is less food available and the females are feeding their young), and spring is when we typically get the most “nuisance” bear complaints. Our primary recommendation to people is pretty basic: remove the food source, so… take down bird feeders, feed pets indoors, keep all trash cleaned up, clean the grill after use, put two strands of electric fence around bee hives, as bears do not like the shock, and one … Read More...
Home Made Queen Marking Tube
Though this guy seems to have more shop tools than many have at their disposal, it is a nifty idea. Thanks to Prince William Regional Beekeepers for pointing us to this video. … Read More...
Recent News
Show Support for Beekeeper Limited Liability Law
There will be a PUBLIC HEARING on Thursday, April 04, 2013, 1:00 PM, Cross Building, Room 214 on the … [Read More...]
2013 Bee Informed Partnership Surveys – Deadline Extended to Midnight April 30th
The Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) is a USDA/NIFA (U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute … [Read More...]
EAS 2013 to be held in West Chester, Pennsylvania August 5-9
Easter Apiculture Society presents the 2013 EAS Conference and Short Course, hosted by Pennsylvania … [Read More...]
Huffington Post: Erin MacGregor-Forbes: Master Beekeeper
Erin MacGregor-Forbes, Master Beekeeper and Past President of the Maine State Beekeepers Association … [Read More...]
From the Bee Line
Why Is It Called a Super?
With all the terms and jargon that go with beekeeping, knowing the underlying meaning of words may … [Read More...]
A Comparison of Strength and Survivability of Honey Bee Colonies with Conventional Versus Northern-Requeened Packages: Our New SARE-Funded Project
Those of you who have been members of the Maine State Beekeepers Association for a few years … [Read More...]
Inspector’s Comments: Back to the Future
By now, a number of Maine’s beekeepers have had the opportunity to meet and inspect their hives … [Read More...]
Varroa Treatment Comparison
Maine beekeepers are thinking about their bees and parasitic mite controls, spurred by the arrival … [Read More...]