|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is the monthly publication of SIBA and a reminder for the upcoming meeting. Meetings occur the third Thursday of each month at the Sunman American Legion at 6:30pm. Check the website or visit us on Facebook to get upcoming meeting topics and be updated on other beekeeping-related events.
|
|
|
If there's an event you think is appropriate for our club calendar, suggest it to us by clicking below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 2022
MEETING REMINDER & UPDATE
|
|
Hello Beekeepers,
First and foremost on this most solemn and sacred day, let us never forget the loves ones who lost their lives on this day in 2001. Let us also never forget those who selflessly ran to their aid with no reservation or hesitation not knowing the outcome of that fateful, horrible day. They will all live in our hearts and minds forever.
September is a critical month for bees and the keeper. Hopefully by now, you have an idea if you will see a fall honey crop or not. I personally don't take honey every fall. It really depends on what I'm seeing in the hives. While I didn't see a hard dearth this season, I'm still planning to leave any honey now in the hives for the bees, and I'm planning my feeding regimen. I want to get my hives up to weight earlier than I did last season. Different apiaries yield different results. Unlike spring, if you take too much honey, the bees don't have the time or may not have the available forage to build more winter stores. Be careful during this time. I tip my hives to get an idea of their weight. It's not precise, but over time you will get an idea on how that weight should feel when tipped. It's hard to judge with honey supers on too. You want to have an idea when those will come off as the bees need to be packing some honey in the deeps you will overwinter them in.
I had re-queened 5 of my colonies with ripe queen cells. Last week, I checked them all (which was just about 3 weeks later) and I confirmed all of the queens took by seeing either the queen, or her eggs. Of note, the day before I put the new queen cells in the hives, I did formic flash treatments on them to really knock down all the phoretic mites. Over the next week or two, I'll be doing mite washes, and if needed, additional treatments to deal with any remaining mites in the hives. I can't express how important this is at this time. It's the last window you have to get your mite levels in check before the winter slumber. Elevated mite loads are exactly what sickens your bees over the winter... and while they often make it through until you pop the lid in the spring... one last cold snap of weather can take them out (the straw that breaks the camels back, or in our case, a spring dead-out).
Robbing can be a threat. Just be mindful while you are in the apiary. Have a goal for each hive.... get in, and get out in a timely manner. Hydrate in between. Take a good look at the condition of your woodenware. By now, weather, and constant prying on the boxes with the hive tool can take a toll on those corners. Swap out equipment, and bring in equipment that needs repaired, or trashed.
I have mixed up 2:1 sugar water... and I put a little in a jar feeder and set out to see if the bees took it. It was ignored on Wed, but they hit it and finished it up on Friday. With that, I plan to hive top feeders to the needed colonies and begin getting them up to weight for the winter.
As the weather cools, mice are looking for their winter nests. Right around now, and I think about candy boards, I also think about entrance mouse guards. Several hives still have my 1/2" hardware screen over the front entrances, but any that don't will get this. I follow up with a piece of tin stapled over the top of that to reduce the entrance to the desired size.
For more September Beekeeping tips, visit this blog on the website. Do you see anything missing or inaccurate in the article? If so, let us know!
Coming up for the SIBA September meeting is Dr. Gene Kritsky. He's not-to-be-missed so hope to see everyone there!
2022 River Sweep Cleanup!
The event will kick off with Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) educating our volunteers about the Ohio River aquatic life, water quality, and other river facts while enjoying Funny Farm Coffee before volunteers split off to clean the river bank. The Ohio River serves as a source of drinking water for over 5 million people! It’s also home to ~160 species of fish alone! Each volunteer gets a free t-shirt, water/drinks during the event, and free Strong’s Pizza after! Each volunteer will ALSO get a ticket that they can enter towards one of our gracious donations from a few of our local businesses! Blacklist skateboarding, Whit Acres, Busse Woodworking , Funny Farm Coffee, and K. Busse Greens are among the give-a-ways!
The river is a source of water, life, travel, and fun for many! Let’s clean it up!
Free parking on street and at Ivy Tech Lawrenceburg parking garage.
50 Walnut St
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Provided: Gloves, buckets, trash pickers, shovels, water and lunch
For protection, wear, bug spray, sturdy boots or tennis shoes and sunscreen
Click here for more information on the River Sweep.
2022 Aurora Farmers Fair
We have a few sign-ups for the Farmers Fair booth, but we need some more help! The fair this year is Wed. Sept. 28 through Sat. Oct. 1. We need you! Join your fellow SIBA friends by grabbing a shift. Here's your chance to package up your products from the hive (honey, wax, skin cream, lip balm, etc) and sell it at the booth. You can reserve your spot RIGHT NOW if you like! A few things...
1. Shifts are "filled" on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. New this year. You have to work a shift in order to sell your products at the booth.
3. Make sure all honey products are labeled properly.
4. I could use more help managing inventory, counting money, etc. Contact Jason Morgan!
If you have questions and want more detailed info, it's all right here on the site! Sign up for a shift today!
|
|
SEPTEMBER TOPIC
BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
|
|
|
 We're really excited to have Dr. Gene Kritsky of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati to present "Quest for the Perfect Hive" for our September meeting.
Dr. Kritsky is the dean of Behavioral and Natural Sciences and is a professor in the Department of Biology. Before coming to the Mount in 1983, he received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Entomology from the University of Illinois in 1977 and 1976 respectively, as well as a B.A. in Biology from Indiana University. Professor Kritsky serves as editor of American Entomologist, and has published five books and more than 100 papers on insect evolution, beekeeping history, egyptology, and Charles Darwin.
Dr. Kritsky donated the 9 frame extractor to SIBA. Known as "the cicada guy," he's considered the foremost authority on cicadas! Visit his website here!
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
BEE BUSY... LIKE A BEE
|
|
 SEPTEMBER 2022
Meet on Walnut Street by the clock tower by Ivy Tech. Volunteer registration begins at 8:30 Provided: Gloves, buckets, trash pickers, shovels, water and lunch For protection, wear, bug spray, sturdy boots or tennis shoes and sunscreen See flyer for additional information.
More information
Aurora, IN Aurora, IN
Join your fellow SIBA friends by grabbing a shift at the Farmers Fair. Here's your chance to package up your best products from the hive (honey, wax, skin cream, lip balm, etc) and sell it at our booth. The shift schedule and sign-up form is now posted online. Sign up today!
OCTOBER 2022
Sunman American Legion 412 Eastern Ave., Sunman
TOPIC TO BE ANOUNCED.
SIBA meetings occur the 3rd Thursday of each month, 6:30pm at the Sunman American Legion unless otherwise stated ahead of time. ALL are welcome! No dues. Monthly newsletters are sent out typically the Monday before the meeting. Subscribe to our newsletter for timely tips and meeting reminders from our website home page.
Terre Haute Convention Center 800 Wabash Ave, Terre Haute, IN
At the Terre Haute Convention Center. Jamie Ellis from the University of Florida, and Sam Comfort from Anarchy Apiary will be our Plenary Speakers.
NOVEMBER 2022
Sunman American Legion 412 Eastern Ave., Sunman
TOPIC TO BE ANOUNCED.
SIBA meetings occur the 3rd Thursday of each month, 6:30pm at the Sunman American Legion unless otherwise stated ahead of time. ALL are welcome! No dues. Monthly newsletters are sent out typically the Monday before the meeting. Subscribe to our newsletter for timely tips and meeting reminders from our website home page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
