Maine State Beekeepers Association
We love honeybees - you should too
This is an article that I think I might have to struggle with. When I attend an EAS meeting, much of my time is devoted to teaching in the short course. Then I try to catch up on how all my friends are doing. The EAS meetings for me are as much a social event as one of learning. Did I learn things at EAS this last August? Yep, I believe I did. I learned that the diseases and pests are … [Read more...]
As beekeepers, we are sometimes expected to help out with unforeseen events. We help the neighbors with nuisance wasps, hornets and yellow-jackets. We are asked to help fellow beekeepers, catch swarms and maybe even cut out a colony from a building. But we also have to be ready for the unexpected. This summer, as a full-time teacher, I had a couple months off to regroup, think about the next year … [Read more...]
The October annual meeting is around the corner and the York County chapter is organizing an amazing day of beekeeping education. We are very honored to have such world-class beekeepers as our speakers. Medhat Nasr has just returned from speaking in Australia (where varroa are not yet present, but the beekeepers? are preparing fortheir eventual arrival). After our meeting, he will be … [Read more...]
Brunswick [Cumberland County] Beekeeper Since: Whole life, kinda...see below Hives: 4 rural hives & 2 growing suburban nucs Day Job: Communications at Bowdoin Beginnings: My father was a beekeeper, so I have always been around bees. We even had an observation hive in the dining room growing up. It was only a couple of years ago that I got my own — when my father-in-law’s CSA farm … [Read more...]
Welcome to this new feature of The Bee Line, thanks to a suggestion by MSBA member David Israel. David thought it might be interesting to periodically learn about beekeepers from around the state via featured profiles, so it only makes sense to me to make his profile the first. At the very least, these profiles will prove fun and informative, helping us all appreciate the myriad of perspectives … [Read more...]
By nearly any measure one can think of, the 2010 MSBA annual meeting held on March 27th was a great success. Good food, lots of beekeepers and “wanna bees,” and impressive speakers made for a day that any beekeeper could thoroughly enjoy. As always, the crew at the Calumet Club provided great food and friendly service. This was no easy task, given the near- capacity crowd of 272 people at … [Read more...]
NORMAL AND ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO INSECT STINGS I. Normal, non-allergic reactions at the time of the sting Pain, sometimes sharp and piercing b. Burning, or itching burn c. Redness (erythema) around sting site A white area (wheal) immediately surrounding the sting site Swelling (edema) Tenderness to touch II. Normal, non-allergic reactions hours or days after … [Read more...]
Letter to the nominating committee: We would like to nominate Nick Kelley for the Beekeeper of the Year award. In 1993 a small group of beekeepers from Franklin and Oxford County began meeting monthly to discuss beekeeping. These meetings were the foundation of the Western Maine Beekeepers Association (WMBA) and Nick Kelley has been a cornerstone of the club since day one. His enthusiasm … [Read more...]
Word puzzles for fun and learning. Try a Maze. Don't get lost Home Sweet Home Maze (PDF) Do The Waggle (PDF) Where's The Swarm? (PDF) Word Jumbles are Fun Too What's in the Hive? (PDF) Products of the Hive (PDF)) Word Mix-Up What's In The Hive (PDF) Hive Products (PDF) Honeybee Problems (PDF) Crossword Puzzle … [Read more...]
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Members of the Maine State Beekeepers Association are indicated with a bee icon … [Read More...]
This document is intended as a reference and standard for honeybee management in Maine, with particular emphasis on urban/suburban … [Read More...]
Annual Bee Schools are sponsored by Local Chapters, Adult Education Programs, and sometimes in cooperation with the County Extension Service. These … [Read More...]
Propolis, Propolis Everywhere
The 2010 honey harvest is complete and many beekeepers report a good summer crop and a disappointing fall harvest. In many areas of the state the honey flow shut off like a spigot during the early part of August due to the drought conditions during the summer. Plants resumed nectar production after some late summer rain, but it was too little, too late. In general the goldenrod honey flow didn’t … [Read more...]