Message forum etiquette 

The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between registered club members. The forum is not open to non-club members.The message forum is perfect for the exchange of ideas related to beekeeping and club issues or questions. All registered club members will receive a notification that there is a new message posted on the forum and have the ability to post a response.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

HOW TO USE THE MESSAGE FORUM:
To create a new meaage or reply to an existing message select, POST RESPONSE and add your message/reply. You may always return to the message forum to edit or delete your response. Just select, EDIT or the DELETE choice above your message and make the modifications. It's that easy! Remember, the message forum posts responses from oldest to the newest. On the top right side select, VIEW NEWEST AT THE TOP to view the latest message. I'd be glad to assist you if you have any message forum issues.
Please send me an email, Paul Peters 

Laurie L. Shifflett

European hornet  recipe that I use, equal amounts

Red cider vinegar

Grape jelly

Sugar 

Warm water to dissolve everything.

Adding a banana peel will repel honey bees.

This will attract, yellow jackets, European hornet, and wax moths. 

As it developes it's fruity scent, you know it's working. I have used both milk jugs and open totes. The problem with open totes is when it rains it can dilute the potion.

You need to keep it 2 inches deep.

Paul Peters

BONS Members,

The BONS Library is up and running.  All the books have been cataloged, however, we are missing the following titles:

Beekeeping For Dummies, Howland Blackiston, 2009
Queen Rearing Essentials, Lawrence John Conner, 2009
The Beekeepers Bible, Richard Jones, date unknown
Simple Smart Beekeeping, Kirsten and Michael Traynor, 2015

Please check to see if any of these books might have gotten mixed in with your personal library.  If you have any of the missing books, please email me at rdgarfola@gmail.com and we can set up a time and place to meet. Additionally, we are always looking for books and other beekeeping-related reading material to expand our library. I appreciate all donations.

Remember, the winter time is a great time to do some reading and research.

Thank you for your time. 
Rick Garfola, BONS Librarian 

PS. Donations are always welcome

Paul Peters

BONS Monthly Newsletter

Club newsletters are emailed once a month to all members who have entered their email address while registering for the BONS website. If you have not been receiving a newsletter please contact Paul Peters.
Newsletters are only available through email.

Newsletters (click here) for full index

Paul Peters

Doug & Lee Bowen

Swarm in Front Royal yesterday morning

Marianne & Mark Thomas(*)

Yesterday, 4/24, a swarm arrived on the garden fence post. I contacted our wonderful friend and neighbor, the Swarm Queen, aka Denise Vowell, to let her know that I had a swarm and that I was going to attempt to capture them. Denise and her daughter (visiting with her two sons) arrived to assist. We managed to get the main part of the swarm into a hive (two eight frame boxes). It did take a couple of more hours to transfer most of the girls from the fence into the hive. The rain arrived and I had to discontinue the process. Today, the bees left the hive and returned to the fence post. Arrrrgh!!!! My husband and I managed to recapture the girls and return them to the hive. Denise provide coaching for us (so grateful)!! At this point the girls are in the hive with some 1:1 syrup  in a  top feeder and a queen excluder at the bottom. I checked on them at 6:30 this eveing and they were very busy in the feeder. A HUGE thanks to Denise Vowell for her guidance, support and lending of woodenward. Also, a thanks to William Johnston for lending a queen excluder. 

Paul Peters

Have you seen our photo gallery lately?

Queen Rearing Class Photos (click here)
BONS Photo Gallery Page (click here)
BONS Video Gallery (click here)
Mother's Day Event (click here)
BONS Family Picnic (click here)

Do you have pictures or videos you'd like to add to our galleries? Send them to Paul!

Jerrold Pike

I have about 10 virgin queens if any one is interested in them give me a call 5405390980

Dane Wence

Anthony- Avery has an online label editor and printing service. I've used it a few times for our honey and duck egg labels with excellent results. You can pick your label size/shape and it will create the label for that size. You can either download the design to print yourself, or they will print and ship it to you. Usually it's at your doorstep in a week flat. I'm pretty sure I have a 10% off coupon floating around I can post when I get home.

We use the 22820- 2"x3-1/3" Oval labels which fit well on both the 1/2lb and 1lb queenline bottles. We tried a few of the materials and found that the films holds up best to a few washings. When they need to be replaced, the film comes off easier than the paper ones, which tend to disintegrate. We get a lot of our bottles back, so if you're not expecting to re-use bottles, the cheaper paper labels would be fine. 

William Mathews, Jr.

Does anyone have a mated queen they would like to sell? Willam Mathews thanks

Denise Vowell

Does anyone have a nuc for sale?  Or some bees that are excess to your needs?  Or willing to donate a late swarm?

Sky Meadows State Park finally has its observation hive ready for bees.  I had offered them a free swarm, but the observation hive was not ready for bees while my hive were busy dividing.  If you can help their observation hive education program out, please contact Chief Ranger Vistor Experience Erin Clark at erin.clark@dcr.virginia.gov  or at her office number (540-592-3556)

Steven Sabol

Yellow jackets have recently taken over my bird bath I use for the bees. I don't see my bees at the water anymore.  I hung a yellow jacket trap next to the bird bath but so far no luck trapping any. I am unable to locate the nest on my property. Any suggestions?  Thanks Steven Sabol

Paul Peters

MEMBERS - PLEASE REMEMBER TO
CHECK, UPDATE, AND/OR CORRECT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!
We can't reach you if your address is incorrect

Thomas L. Clarke

I would like to buy 5 deep frames of brood and food...and the  nurse bees.  Maybe a 5 frame Nuc, no queen.  though!  Thank you!  Tom  540 664 1715  or thomaslclarke@yahoo.com

Anthony Caccavale

Anthony Murray

Hello all, I know this is early in the year to ask but does anyone have any ideas for how to build winter windbreaks? Thank you

Ron Clevenger

All,

What is everyone selling their honey for this year? I just want to be in line with everyone. Thanks.

Timo & Shannon Brandstetter

Ron- We sell a pound for $13

Ron Clevenger

Wondering about honey prices this year. What is everyone charging? 

Ron Clevenger

Marty & Tom Morrow

Our first harvest this year.  We looked up average prices and found Virginia was a little over $10/ pound.  We sell a pint jar, which hold 1 pound 7 ounces for $17 (includes $2 labor and materials cost) and with comb $19.