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RI Beekeepers' News Blog

August Monthly Meeting

Sunday, August 8 @ 2:00 PM

Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban
23 Fort Avenue
Cranston (Pawtuxet village)
401-467-2857

The program will include: 1) Announcements and business: Mark Robar, the Langstroth Memorial in  Philadelphia, other items  2) report from those just returned from the EAS meeting in Boone, NC, Ed, Celeste, Tony, Everett; next year in RI  3) a presentation on honey judging by RIBA webmaster Jason Kerr  4) Hive demonstration (I have one boomer and one failing colony I just discovered has wax moth infestation) by Everett Zurlinden (bring your veils)

Please remember to bring chairs and food & drink are always appreciated.

Directions:
Take I-95 North or South to Thurbers Ave. Exit (exit 18); exit onto Allens Ave. heading south, past Johnson and Wales Harborside campus and dormitory (Providence river/Narragansett bay should be on your left), past Norwood Ave in Cranston where Allens Ave becomes Narragansett Blvd., continue to the end where you will see the RI Yacht Club on the left; at Ocean Avenue Stop sign turn left, then immediate first right onto Fort Avenue.

NOTE on PARKING: Due to the Sunday sailors at the Yacht Club, on street parking may be limited. Turn right onto Sheldon and first right onto Commercial where city of Cranston parking lot on same side as the Firehouse is available for RIBA’s use by permission of the City of Cranston. 

Posted by Editor at 8/4/2010 4:50 PM

July Monthly Meeting

July 11 @ 2:00 pm

Allen and Jane Dennison
325 Newman Avenue
Rumford RI 02916

Meeting topics will include a demonstration of the use of the Epi-Pen.

Please remember to bring chairs.

Directions:
95 North or South to 195 East, Exit 6
Right off the exit onto Warren, then the first right onto Broadway. Up Broadway and it will turn into North Broadway after passing the Henderson Bridge. Continue on North Broadway past the Rumford Fire Station and the Post Office (now road name changes to Newman Ave) to the intersection of 114/ 1/ 1A (Pawtucket Ave). Straight through the intersection (Newman Congregational Church on the left) and a few blocks up on the left is a yellow flag on a mailpost with a black mailbox. A small vegetable garden is evident also. The driveway to the setback lot is marked by the yellow flag.

Drop off passengers and park on a side road (Bishop Ave and Redland Ave are good parking options as the driveway is a circle and cars get blocked in).

Coming from the East Side, take the Henderson Bridge and left onto North Broadway.
Coming from Pawtucket, take Newport or Pawtucket Ave until they intersect with Newman Ave at the big white church, and take the left at the light onto Newman Ave.
Coming from The North/East (Rehoboth area), Get onto Route 152 and cross the causeway from Seekonk into RI and we are the third driveway on the right.

Posted by Editor at 7/8/2010 10:31 AM

Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth Historical Marker

The Philly Beekeepers have issued the following press release.
Please consider giving them your support!


The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild is proud to be the hometown sponsor of the worldwide effort to commemorate Lorenzo L. Langstroth on the occasion of his 200th birthday in 2010.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has approved an application to place an historic marker at the birthplace of L. L. Langstroth on 106 South Front Street in Philadelphia. Historic markers are a common sight in Philadelphia, a city with more than its share of political and social landmarks. One of Philadelphia's less well known but to us most important native sons was Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth. In a flash of genius, he fully comprehended how to functionally utilize "bee space" with a movable frame beehive system that is the basis for much of what we know globally as modern beekeeping. LLL, as he came to be widely known, was born and raised in Philadelphia and had his revolutionary insight here in 1851. He applied for a U. S. patent from Philadelphia and his invention was approved in 1852.  In 1872, while promoting bee culture at the Nation's Capitol, and on his way to his native city to attend, as the guest of honor, a reunion that included a few influential old classmates from Yale, Langstroth's foot was crushed by a street car.  As a result, the hometown recognition that he so richly deserved in his lifetime was cancelled.

The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild believes that it is high time that Langstroth is fully honored here at his birthplace and has joined with Matt Redman of the Maryland State Beekeepers Association to make this marker a reality. We are currently raising funds for the production, installation and dedication of the marker. Our goal is to raise $5,000 by September 1, 2010 to meet all the expenses of the marker itself and the reception to follow. This effort has been most graciously endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association with an initial donation of $1000.00. We thank them most sincerely for their support.

The dedication of the marker will take place on the afternoon of September 10, 2010. A public reception will be held following the dedication. The marker dedication and reception will be the inaugural event of the Philadelphia Honey Festival, which will occur on the weekend of September 10 - 12, 2010. 

Interested organizations and individuals may donate using the Paypal and Google Checkout links on the Guild’s website:

You may also send a check made payable to Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild with "Langstroth Marker" on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to our treasurer:

Matt Feldman
4837 Pulaski Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19144

All donors who do not express a wish to remain anonymous will be acknowledged on the web site. Otherwise, individual donors of amounts over $200 and organizations donating over $500 will be recognized at the dedication ceremony on September 10, 2010 and on this web site. 

Thank you,
Joel Eckel
President
Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild

Posted by Editor at 6/24/2010 12:30 PM

June Monthly Meeting

Sunday, June 13 @ 2 PM

Rocky Hill Grange
1340 South County Trail
East Greenwich, RI

Meeting topics will include hive registration and inspections, colony reports from members, queen performance, mentoring, honey extraction, RIBA inventory.

Directions:
Take I-95 North or South to Exit 8
Make a right onto Rt-2 (Quaker Lane)
Go through the traffic lights at Division St., keeping the Walgreens to your left
The Grange is located just past the Walgreens on Rt-2


Swarm season started early this year with reports of swarms comming in as early as the third week of April. Although there was a lot of Spring rain it came all at once and not spread out over days and days. Moisture in the ground contributes to the nectar flow, and this year's black locust flow was one of the best in years.

Colony build up for my hived packages has been very disapointing for me this year, the worst I've ever experienced. Nuc build up will come too late for beginner beekeepers and at this point it looks like I will be disapointing 40+ nuc orders.

For experienced beekeepers with over-wintered colonies ready and supered up took advantage of early nectar flow and record honey production.

Last meeting's program did not go off without a hitch, and I apologize for that. Directly after the meeting Jim Praski's son took a look at the projector and found a loose connection, we will try again at a lkater date to do that program again.

---Mark Robar


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Posted by Editor at 6/9/2010 9:04 AM

May Monthly Meeting (New Location!)

Sunday, May 16, 2010 @ 2:00PM
Since May 9th is Mother's Day, our meeting will be on the third Sunday this month.

Meadowbrook Gardens
93 Kingstown Road, (Rt.138)
Richmond, RI

The program will be hiving a feral colony. RIBA members Bob Briggs and Mark Robar travel to Scotland, Conn. to hive a colony that has survived for the past 10 years in a hollow maple tree. The tree blew down in the early April storm.

Directions:
Take I-95 North or South to Wyoming / Richmond, exit 3A (Rt. 138E toward S. Kingstown)
Merge onto Rt. 138 / Kingstown Rd.
Travel approximately a mile past I-95, past several commercial lots
Meadowbrook Gardens will be on your right
(Map of location available below)

Please remember to bring chairs.

By now packages have been delivered to those that ordered packages and others that ordered nucleus colonies are patiently waiting their arrival. A question frequently asked by those picking up their bees is how long and what to feed. Spring sugar water mix should be a one to one mix, and keep feed on these bees until the don't take it. If you are not a beginner beekeeper you may find it handy to go to your over-wintered colony a remove a frame of honey to boost your hived packages. (Remember you have REMOVABLE FRAMES.)

Package queens are mass-produced and sometimes are not well mated, this may cause supercedure, this could set your hive population or colony build up back. You can let nature take it's course and let the colony raise their new queen, or you obtain a new proven queen to help keep the population growth without any setbacks. If you decide to re-queen with a proven queen, and have an over- wintered colony this is your chance to make an increase from your own stocks. Take the supercedure cell and a couple of frames of nurse bees and brood from your existing or over-wintered move them to a nuc box or standard equipment with a follower board. With this being done you have accomplished four goals in your apiary management program. 1 have helped to keep your population of package on the rise, 2 you have increased you apiary with your own stocks, 3 you have prevented a swarm by managing the population in your over-wintered  colony, and 4 you have rotated frames out of your existing colony and replaced them with foundation.

The next step is get ready for the honey flow. Do you have your supers ready? For seasoned beekeepers you may choose to use a queen excluder below your honey supers with drawn comb. If you are a New Bee this practice is not recommended when using foundation. Making a surplus of honey is not always easy the first year of beekeeping but sometimes accomplished when everything comes together. Don't be intimidated by those that have more beekeeping experience. In the fall RIBA hosts a fall festival that includes a honey judging contest and other activities, and blue ribbons have gone to many beginner beekeepers. So, set your goals early and follow a hive management program custom fit for your region, remembering that making honey is somewhat like the real-estate business, that is location, location, location, and whether, weather, and whether. That is whether or not you dedicate the time to your apiary, if the weather cooperates, and whether you take part in RIBA.

Hope we see you at the next RIBA meeting ! Until then GOOD BEEKEEPING.
Mark Robar



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Posted by Editor at 4/18/2010 7:55 AM

Update: April Meeting & Annual Dinner

The dinner will be held in the Atrium Room of the Crowne Plaza Hotel / 801 Greenwich Ave. / Warwick, RI.

Also, Celeste Nadworny has announced she is running for President of the Association.
______________________________

April Meeting & Annual Dinner


Saturday, April 10, 2010 @ 6:30PM 


Crowne Plaza Hotel

Atrium Room

801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI

401-732-6000


Exit 12 (N) / 12A (S) off I-95

Take Right off Ramp, Hotel on Right


Program

Silent Auction

Top-Bar Hive raffle (w/bees)

State of the Association Address

Election of Officers

Dinner

Guest speaker: Christy Hemenway, Goldstar Honey Bees, “The Benefits of Top Bar Hives”


Cost

Dinner $30 per person

Hive Raffle $5


Payable to:

RIBA

c/o Anthony DiGiulio-Treasurer

P.O. Box 114014

North Providence, RI 02911-0214


Candidates for Office

(listed alphabetically)

President: Celeste Nadworny, Mark Robar

Vice President: Louis Chasse III

Treasurer: Anthony DiGiulio

Secretary: Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, Robert Mortin


Anyone wishing to run for office should contact the Nomination Committee: Jeff McGuire or Kit Mayers.


Presentation

“The Benefits of Top Bar Hives”

Christy Hemenway, Goldstar Honey Bees, Albion, Maine


“What did bees do before we gave them wax foundation?” 

Seeking the answers to the question of what bees did before humans came along to “help”, Christy Hemenway found herself on a bit of a quest!

Christy will demonstrate the features of the Gold Star Top Bar hive, and its focus on natural beeswax.  She will discuss how and why natural beeswax is important to the sustainability of honeybees. 

Christy will share her experiences as she learned to “think outside the box” with this natural system of beekeeping.  She invites questions from her audiences at the end of each presentation.

Posted by Editor at 4/7/2010 11:09 AM

April Meeting & Annual Dinner

Saturday, April 10, 2010 @ 6:30PM 

Crowne Plaza Hotel
Atrium Room
801 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI
401-732-6000

Exit 12 (N) / 12A (S) off I-95
Take Right off Ramp, Hotel on Right

Program
Silent Auction
Top-Bar Hive raffle (w/bees)
State of the Association Address
Election of Officers
Dinner 
Guest speaker: Christy Hemenway, Goldstar Honey Bees, “The Benefits of Top Bar Hives”

Cost
Dinner $30 per person
Hive Raffle $5 

Candidates for Office
(listed alphabetically)
President: Celeste Nadworny, Mark Robar
Vice President: Louis Chasse III
Treasurer: Anthony DiGiulio
Secretary: Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, Robert Mortin

Presentation
“The Benefits of Top Bar Hives”
Christy Hemenway, Goldstar Honey Bees, Albion, Maine

“What did bees do before we gave them wax foundation?” 
Seeking the answers to the question of what bees did before humans came along to “help”, Christy Hemenway found herself on a bit of a quest!
Christy will demonstrate the features of the Gold Star Top Bar hive, and its focus on natural beeswax.  She will discuss how and why natural beeswax is important to the sustainability of honeybees. 
Christy will share her experiences as she learned to “think outside the box” with this natural system of beekeeping.  She invites questions from her audiences at the end of each presentation.

Posted by Editor at 4/1/2010 12:35 PM

March Monthly Meeting

Sunday, March 14, 2010 @ 2:00PM

Rocky Hill Grange
1340 South County Trail
East Greenwich, RI

Topics
Pollination: The Grand Interaction Among Bees, Flowers, Beekeepers and Growers
Swarming: Do We Know All There Is About This Fascinating “Beehavior”

Who
Dr. John Skinner, is Professor and Extension Apiculture Specialist in the Department of 
Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN.

April Dinner Auction Donations
We are happy to accept your donated items at any meeting leading up to the Annual Dinner, or, we are 
happy to come to your house to pick them up. 

It’s Time To Order Bees & Nucs! 
We always announce this at this time of the year because bee 
suppliers quickly run out of bees.  Place your orders now to ensure spring delivery. 

Beehavin’ Apiary, 3# packages, Italians, RIBA group price $69, Gardner/Spell Bee, April 10 and April 24, (401) 885-5172, www.beehavin.com to order online and/or  to pay by credit card.  Nucs available too!

Roger Robitaille, 3# packages, Italians, Wilbanks Apiaries, $80, 2 shipments, dates TBD, (401) 732-6599

Trails End Farm, 3# packages, Carniolans, $80, April 10 and May 6, (401) 539-0434,
www.tefarm.com to order online. Nucs available too!

Posted by Editor at 2/23/2010 10:26 AM

February Monthly Meeting

Sunday, February 14, 2010 @ 2:00PM

Rocky Hill Grange
1340 South County Trail
East Greenwich, RI

How to make mead
and
All about bee insurance!

In addition, the business meeting will hear comments on proposed resolutions to the By-Laws.


Directions:
Take I-95 North or South to Exit 8
Make a right onto Rt-2 (Quaker Lane)
Go through the traffic lights at Division St., keeping the Walgreens to your left
The Grange is located just past the Walgreens on Rt-2

Posted by Editor at 2/12/2010 3:49 PM

January Monthly Meeting

Sunday, January 10, 2010 @ 2:00PM

Rocky Hill Grange
1340 South County Trail (Rte 2)
East Greenwich, RI

How To Make Creamed Honey

Bruce Seaman of Bee My Honey and the Worcester County Beekeepers' Association will give a presentation and do a hands-on demo of making creamed honey. We will have drinks and refreshments and/so please consider bringing a dessert or drink to share.

Directions
Take I-95 North or South to Exit 8
Make a right onto Rt-2 (Quaker Lane)
Go through the traffic lights at Division St., keeping the Walgreens to your left
The Grange is located just past the Walgreens on Rt-2


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Posted by Editor at 1/3/2010 12:48 PM
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