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 

Paul Peters

NUC REPORTS

 1.) Rusty Foltz

2.) Cindy Potter (activity photos)

(click here) then scroll to bottom of page to view reports

James Stewart

Jerrold Pike

These are actually European hornets set bait traps and keep strong hives and they shouldn't be a problem just annoying 

Jerrold Pike

These are actually European hornets set bait traps and keep strong hives and they shouldn't be a problem just annoying 

Paul Peters

BONS Members

MONTHLY DRIBBLE

To catch up or start fresh - (click here to read) .
Club newsletters are emailed once a month to all members who have entered their email address and registered for the club website. 


If you have not been receiving a newsletter please contact Paul Peters. 

Brian Pedersen(*)

BetterBee sent me the wrong item in a recent order. They didn't ask me to return it so would anyone like a free 35g package of Api-Bioxal Oxalic Acid? If interested, email me at brianeped@gmail.com and we can figure out how to get it to you.

Cynthia Potter (Hendricks)

Yes, Brian. I would like it if it is still available.  thanks, Cindy Potter

Anthony Murray

I have a couple questions. How many supers should I have for the bees to prepare for Winter? I have 2 on all of them except for one that has 3. My other question is what should I do with the supers while I am treating for Varroa. Thank you

Dane Wence

Anthony,

I've had pretty good luck overwintering with 2 deep brood boxes and 1 medium super. I'll harvest all extra supers around this time of the year, and cycle any uncapped frames into the single super I leave on the hive. I'll remove the queen excluder and start treating any hives for mites that need it. 

Occasionally I'll have to feed a little in the late winter, but not always. 

Timo & Shannon Brandstetter

Anthony- it depends what size equipment you use also. We have 8 frame, all mediums. We go into winter with 4  boxes with the top box being 6 frames of honey and a frame feeder. As for any surplus honey, extract it! (If it's natural honey and not sugar water honey) The club has an extractor you can use. If you're not extracting, and you plan to extract that honey next year, you must take the boxes off while you are treating (if treating with Formic acid, you can keep them on). Store honey frames in the freezer if you're not extracting. If you aren't going to extract any and don't plan on it, just leave the honey on the hives- you can use those next year for any splits or give to a hive that may need it.. I'd mite treat ASAP also, august is an important month to do so end of summer when your bee populations are decreasing. 

Steven Sabol

If I use the dribble method of oxalic acid in my hives do I have to remove all honey supers?  If yes how long do they need to be off of the hives?  Thank you 

Timo & Shannon Brandstetter

Steven- yes you have to remove the honey supers (that you plan on extracting  for human consumption). Are you planning on extracting? I don't know how long they need to be off.  OA is used with little to no brood, so this time of year isn't good for OA. Therefore, honey supers are usually removed by now and extracted and when OA is used in the winter months, honey isn't an issue. Formic Acid is the only treatment rated for use with honey supers, but temp ranges for the product is important to follow.

Here's a good article: https://beeinformed.org/2021/03/10/what-does-the-new-ruling-on-oxalic-acid-in-honey-mean/

Jennifer Blakley(*)

As the summer winds down, I wanted to send my  "Thanks" for all the instruction and guidance I've received via this club this year. Also, I wanted to express my gratitude to Doug Morris for being my mentor and advising me every time I have a question, for checking out my hive set-up to provide additional guidance, and for sending me to Clermont for hands-on training. Finally and most importantly, I want to thank Branson (and Doug and Cindy) for all the guidance at Clermont this summer. As a first-year, Clermont has been a game-changer for me. I wait to go into my hives until the afternoon of a Clermont instruction - because the hands-on experience there lets me know what I need to be doing with my own hives. Thank you all for all you have done to make this year a very enjoyable experience, I honestly don't like to think about how the year would have gone without all the help!

Luke Iwanowicz

Quick question. I am using screen bottom boards on my two hives. This is my first year using these. Can they be used during the winter? I have read conflicting articles on this.

Thanks in advance.

Dane Wence

Luke,

I put the cor-a-plast inserts in my screen bottom boards when things start cooling off.

If yours do not have the slots in the back for that, it may be worth swapping them for solid bottom boards for the winter time.

Wallys Peltier

Where did you get the cor-a-plast for bottoms?

Timo & Shannon Brandstetter

We just use our mite boards and it works just fine 

Luke Iwanowicz

All,

Thanks for the information. I made mites boards out of coroplast sheets that I picked up from Lowes during late Spring. It sounds like I'm good to go using these during the winter. 

Steven Sabol

We frequently sweep up dead bees on our back porch. Any ideas why this happens?

Thanks 

Larry Gniewek

Y'all remember the feeders we got with the ladders going down inside?  I called em the bee killers as every time I opened one up, there were hundreds of drowned bees inside. We went to the ramp style after that. Well, it was bugging me, so I pulled one out & studied it, the only way for bees to enter the thing was down the ladder, so I cut wine corks down and jammed them in the bottom of the ladder. I've tested over the last two months and haven't drowned a single bee yet. Easy peasey fix, or if you don't want yours, I'll take them!

Paul Peters

What is it and why do I need it?

Mouse guards, like the one pictured is a simple piece of equipment placed over the entrance of the hive that prevents mice from entering the hive while still allowing the bees to come and go freely. Typically, they’re made of metal so mice can’t chew through them. You can purchase them from most beekeeping supply stores, or you can do what I do and do-it-yourself.

(Below is a typical commercially produced mouse entrance guard) 

When should you put the mouse guard on your hives?
I install my mouse guard as soon as the weather begins to cool down in September. Generally, about the time we begin preparing for winter rodents begin to think about finding a place to call home for the winter.

Get buzzing and do it!
Whether you choose to purchase your mouse guard from a beekeeping supplier or prefer the do it yourself mouse guards, the important thing is that you make the time to get this equipment on before the mice move in. Like so many other instances in beekeeping, it’s all about timing.

Thanks to Doug Koch for reminding us to add our rodent protection!

Thomas L. Clarke

I have 2 strong hives, IMO, 1 deep- brood/ honey but 3 frames not drawn out.  I've checker boarded, and still not drawn out.  2 medium supers, both full of capped and uncapped honey.  Middle box ( super) also has some brood.

there are bees on all frames.  I do not have a queen excluder on.  Took it off early September.  I want to over winter them in the current configuration.  1 deep, 2 supers.  I have a in hive feeder in both, and have been feeding pro sweet for a couple months.  Mite treatment done end of august/ September.

Question- is the 1 deep,  2 supers a reasonable configuration, or is it too much room?

Denise Vowell

I have two packages of MAQS that expire in December.  Can anyone use them?  Free to a good home.

Laurie L. Shifflett

What a great day! I went to the Grand Opening of the Shenandoah Bee Supply store in Woodstock, Va. Met the owners and chatted about Bee's. They have A great supply of bee keeping equipment. We talked box hives, long langstoph,  and of course my favorite, TopBar. He said he would be able to order in whatever we needed. Just give him a call. 1(540)-481-9555.

After 33 years I finally won a drawing, get outta here! Second place!!! So heading back up next week to pick up my prize,.What a great day today was. Wish you could have been there too.

Douglas Koch

Does anyone have plans to build (DYI) solar wax melter you will share?  It could be a good winter project.

Thanks!  Either post or send to koch.doug@gmail.com