buzz-201507

ILLAWARRA BEEKEEPERS ASSOC.

JULY 2015

Greetings members and friends of the Illawarra Beekeepers Assoc. Ltd. and welcome to our third edition of our newsletter “the Buzz”. Thank you once again for all the positive feedback we receive and we welcome more! We are also looking for contributions from our members and friends so if you have something to say, please contact us.

NIGHT MEETING 09.07.2015

Topic: Testing Honeys for Biological Activity
Presented by: Dr Peter Brooks
This month we are pleased to present Dr Peter Brooks, from the University of the Sunshine Coast. testing Honeys for Biological Activity. Dr Brooks has extensive research experience in analytical, environmental and organic chemistry. A presentation not to miss!
READ MORE HERE

FIELD DAY: 26.07.2015
Hive Health in Winter
We will review a hive to determine how it is coping under winter conditions such as check on honey stores as it may need supplementary feeding, has it been sufficiently reduced to sustain a cosy environment for the brood and attendant bees. Checking for any signs of diseases, observing the activity of the foraging bees etc.
READ MORE HERE

WHAT WE DID LAST MONTH

Our evening meeting featured a presentation on the Rise of Sugar and Fall of Honey by Liane Colwell. Liane’s observations included how honey has played a big part through history and food culture. It was an insightful and informative presentation enjoyed by all. A big thanks to Liane for sharing her knowledge.

Our field day was held on a fantastic winter sunny day. It was the perfect weather to put on our suits and inspect hives in the apiary. All hives seem to be doing quite well and they should sustain their numbers ready for the warmer spring season not too far away. We are always doing things at our club so make sure you don't miss out on our next meetings!

JUNE 2015 FIELD DAY

view the photos taken on the day

VIEW NOW

HASSLE FREE READY MADE HIVES AVAILABLE NOW IN THE BEE SHOP

READYMADE HIVES IN SHOP NOW

Ivan has been busy in the workshop putting together some ready to go hives that take all the hassle out of putting them together yourself. We have 2 choices. The standard timber hot wax dipped 8 frame double box with frames for $350. The second option is a new one called polystyrene 10 frame triple hive complete with 30 frames for $460. If you do have the time for the DIY version of the polystyrene hive, it’s also available for $220 unassembled (no frames).

AFB ALERT FROM
THE DPI

A member from Menai [2234] has received a letter from the DPI advising of an AFB alert in the area. Whilst he has not observed any evidence whatsoever of AFB within hives a thorough check was conducted for any signs. One free AFB test kit is available to each member. If you need another they are available at low cost. See the facts on AFB from the DPI here.

COURSE DATE ANNOUNCED

The date for our first Beekeeping course for Spring 2015 has now been announced. These courses are aimed at beekeeping for beginners and are always a big success. You will learn a bit of theory plus get your hands on bees guided by experienced beekeepers. We supply Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea plus you’ll get to sample some yummy raw honey from our apiary.We plan to have 3 more but if you’d like to attend and to avoid disappointment it’s a good idea to reserve your place in the course now.

1/2 YEAR MEMBERSHIP ON SALE NOW

The middle of the year bring half price membership for new members. This means if you join up from now you’ll only be charged half the price to enjoy the benefits our members get until the new year comes along in January. READ MORE HERE

WHAT TO DO NOW IN THE APIARY

Sydney has had a mild winter so far with some nice sunny days but nights that have been below 5 degrees celsius so beekeepers hopefully have taken measures to winter their beehives. It’s not a good idea to open the hive this time of year, unless absolutely necessary, but a beekeepers can still observe bees taking flight to and from the hive in good numbers, a good sign of a healthy hive. Take some time through winter to service bee equipment and make sure everything is ready when the honey flow returns.

William-Broughton-Carr-Double-Wall-Vintage-Beehive-Illawarra-Beekeepers-Association

BEE GARDEN AND MUSEUM VISITS

Are you part of a community group, school or organisation that wants to learn a little bit more about bees? Our association with the support of the Amateur Beekeepers Assoc. of NSW and the Sutherland Shire Council is privileged to have a fantastic bee museum and bee garden in Sutherland. It's open for visits by arrangement with our club.For more info, please click the link below and we'll get in touch with you.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DR MARK GRECO

You will remember Dr Mark Greco, Radio Entomologist and member of our association, who spoke to us after a few months back after his return from Switzerland and England conducting research in beehives using MRI’s. We are happy to report Dr Greco has now been appointed as a senior lecturer at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. Congratulations, we look forward to learn more of this great work soon.

BIOSECURITY WORKSHOP @ PENRITH

On the 1st of July 2015, the NSW Apiarists Association hosted an event at the Panthers club in Penrith featuring representatives from the DPI, Bee Aware and other experts in the be industry. Topics discussed included measures taken to protect our bees and a plan to educate and inform beekeepers on bio-security. It was encouraging to see so many attendees from industry professionals and amateurs alike. We can expect to hear more about bio-security issues raised from this workshop soon. Thanks to all those who organised this very informative event. You can get more great info on biosecurity by visiting the Bee Aware website at www.beeaware.org.au

LAST MONTH’S POLL

Thanks to all of you that participated in our previous polls. Last month we asked a simple yes or no to the question “Have you ever used honey for wound dressing?” The results show more than 85% voted in the affirmative so it seems people do turn to honey for dressing wounds… nice.

The previous month’s poll was about the likelihood of individuals buying a flow hive in the next 12 months. The breakdown of the results were 31% of people marked the likelihood of buying a flow hive in the next 12 months as "0/10" and yet 26% said "9/10 or 10/10" with the average score = 4/10. So it seems from our survey opinions are fairly divided yet many are prepared to buy the new innovation. It will be interesting to see if this changes after the flow hives are out there and in use by fellow beekeepers. More polls are coming soon, so keep your eye out for it.