This months meeting was again held at Rocky Hill Grange, February 8 2009. Attendance was good.
How many have lost their hives over winter? More than a few by the sounds of it. Cold weather has affected many more colonies this year. An assessment of the meeting reports suggests over 50% losses. Discussion includes mice and how to use excluders. Louis suggests some hives next to a dead colony will rob them out on a warm day. Other members offer suggestions to determine if the hive is still alive.
Nucs being sold out of Cumberland under name of  "Hive Depot." Everett has left a message inviting the owner to a meeting.
Discussion about Michael Palmer of Vermont: he wraps hives and weighs every colony. Leaves 60-80 pounds of honey for a 2 deep hive to see them through the winter months.
Kit says temperatures will keep bees quiet in a very cold winter and won't consume a lot of honey. As the temperatures warm up now they'll consume more and the queen will begin laying.
March losses are not uncommon because the bees are aging and the colony is living on dwindling stores.
New members introduced themselves to the meeting.
Sue Chien was the speaker. She is a biologist offering a diagnostic service to RI beekeepers. Tracheal mites and nosema can reduce worker life-span by 78%. Beekeepers will notice a reduction in honey crop and an increase of supercedure cells if the queen is infected.
The Treasurer then gave the financial report. $1290 collected. $868 expenses for liability insurance, books for the schools, post cards for mailings. $16,425 is in the association's bank account
Ed Lafferty offered to give his $600 donation, previously earmarked for BeeLearn expenses, to Sue Chen for testing expenses. Everett offered to match that donation.
Kit Meyers and Jeff McGuire were appointed to head up the nominating committee for the elections in April.
Roger has bee packages available and some used equipment to sell as a result of the recent death of one of his clients in Massachusetts.
Members were told that decisions to split and/or to order packages should be made soon.
The members agreed that we would vote on the new association logo at the April dinner.
The speaker for our April dinner meeting at Chelo's in Warwick will discuss nectar sources in our area.
The question of members voting who cannot, or do not wish to attend the dinner was brought up. Kit said the by-laws require the members to appear in person to cast their votes. Concerns about those members prompted discussion about how to accommodate them, and the president said he thought an arrangement could be made for them to cast their votes one half hour before the meeting commences.
The group also discussed changing the by-laws in time for next year's elections now that the association has a viable website and can use email extensively to communicate with membership.
Brought up for discussion about raising the yearly dues to $15.  It’s proposed that this item is brought up to vote on at the April dinner so that we have a good representation of members.