Photo above of Valkyrie hive inspection, Maltby Apiary.

 June 19, SnoKing Beekeepers Monthly Meeting

Topic: 'State of the Hive'

Jun 19, 2024 06:30 PM Pacific Time

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85614322478?pwd=rTNk7sGBsyDthSXSduJbbIsM93PUa8.1

Meeting ID: 856 1432 2478

Passcode: 522356

One tap mobile

+12532050468,,85614322478#,,,,*522356# US

+12532158782,,85614322478#,,,,*522356# US (Tacoma)

Let's gather 6:30PM this Wed June 19 to celebrate and commiserate about swarm management successes and failures and compare notes on blackberry flow and the coming summer. Although our focus is 'Remember to KISS  - Keep IT Simple in Spring!', it's good to talk about how it is going. Every year is different and weather changes the swarm schedule, patterns and predictability, or lack thereof!

We will include a quick update on how the weather affected the Queen Rearing Workshop so far.

Below you will find classes, volunteer opportunities, discussion group meetings and other networking/sharing in 2024. Our short summer is beginning. Don't delay anything beekeeping related. Try to stay proactive and one step ahead: adding needed space; swarm traps and yellow jacket traps deployed; deciding on varroa treatments, ordering them and other supplies.

CONTENTS:

Swarm List: to join, call or text Myke Gheparde 425-501-8100, par.none@yahoo.com

Apiaries open:

Granite Falls - Ron - beebuddy.skba@gmail.com 206-719-3604

Maltby - Eli - eliochel@snokingbka.org  206-859-7392, Saturdays through August 10

Queen Rearing Workshop

Classes:

Beginner starts 6:30PM Monday July 1st!

Apprentice starts 6:30PM June 20th on Thursdays.

Journeyman starts September 2024 or by appointment

Master Beekeeper Certificate at Cornell University

    33 1/3% discount for SnoKing members

Discussion Groups:

   The Hive Mind 4th Mondays for novice to experienced – June 22, 6-7PM

   Facebook SnoKing Beekeepers discussion group – all levels

   Trophallaxis 1st Wednesdays – July 3, 6:30PM-8PM 

 VETERAN REIMBURSEMENT AND SUPPORT:

GRuB (Garden-Raised Bounty) www.goodgrub.org .

Jennah Kemp, Veteran Program Manager (jennah@goodgrub.org 360-358-1910

and Alex Cumings, Veteran Program Coordinator 360-338-2256

alex@goodgrub.org

GRuB’s Veteran Program consists of a number of projects with a shared goal: to support military Veterans and their families access and utilize available resources that will help them achieve their personal and business goals, including through education, mentorship, one-on-one coaching, and community building. Its two main projects are Healing Through Hives and the Shepherd Project, both coordinated in partnership with the Washington Chapter of the Farmer

Veteran Coalition (WA-FVC).

Swarms

Reporting a Swarm: Names and phone number of the 3 primary contacts are on the www.snokingbka.org Home page.

To get on the Swarm Call List if you wish to collect swarms in your area, call or text Swarm List Manager Myke Gheparde 425-501-8100, or email him at par.none@yahoo.com

CALENDAR of UPCOMING EVENTS:

6/20 Thurs 6:30PM Apprentice class 1st of 7 sessions on consecutive Thursdays

6/22 Sat 12 noon-5PM Pollinator Fun Fest booth still needs a couple more members to staff the SnoKing booth Medicine Creek Winery, Olympia WA

6/22 Sat 10AM-noon Basic Hive Monitoring and Maintenance, Maltby Apiary

6/22 Sat 1PM-3PM Queen workshop continues Maltby Apiary for another month. Sign up in advance at the following link if possible. If not, call or text Eli 206-859-7392

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DAEAD2FA0FAC07-49722997-snoking

6/24 Mon 6PM-7PM The Hive Mind fourth Monday meeting. A monthly chance for beekeepers of all levels to check in with each other and ask questions. To join, email Gina ginacuff@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

6/29 Sat 10AM-noon Basic Hive Monitoring and Maintenance, Maltby Apiary

6/29 Sat 1PM-3PM Queen workshop continues Maltby Apiary for another month.

7/1 Mon 6:30PM Beginner class 1st of 7 sessions on consecutive Mondays

7/3 6:30PM – 8PM Trophallaxis first Wednesday meeting for Journeyman, Masters, and those who have taken or are taking the academic portion of Journeyman. The next topic will be "Requeening, Why and How". To join the discussion, email Eli eliochel@snokingbka.org for Zoom link.

7/4 Happy Fourth of July!

Volunteer opportunities in Apiaries:

Message from Granite Falls Apiary Manager Ron Robinson: “at the Granite Falls Apiary this season, we will focus on how to manage hives with a handicap/disability preventing us from using traditional hives. I will have top bar, long Lang, (possibly bringing back the famed bee barn) as well as using lighter weight Apimaye hives. Due to Ron’s shoulder injury and rehab, he can use help at the apiaries, so contact him about volunteer service opportunities. He would greatly appreciate the help and you can learn or mentor, too!

Next Maltby Apiary class will be June 22 Hive Inspection10AM-noon: “How does the heaviest Westerm Washington flow show in my hives?”

Above: Queen Rearing Workshop 2024, Maltby Apiary

Club Apiaries -

Email eliochel@snokingbka.org for exact address for each Hiveside, to confirm that there are no last minute changes to date and time, and to tell SnoKing that you are attending. If the decision to come is last-minute, text/call to make sure there have been no changes. We have spare bee jackets and veils.

If you are interested in attending the apiary classes at either location, email eliochel@snokingbka.org and we will put your email on a list to notify when the dates and times each of the apiaries will be open. Maltby Apiary is open Saturdays April 27 through mid-August; dates and times can be found on the Calendar page at www.snokingbka.org . We also occasionally post them on the FB group discussion page but it is best to get on the email notification list by contacting Eli.

There are also a few opportunities to come by on weekdays during the summer and talk bees and help out, usually because some volunteers are working on the queen rearing project those days. Contact Ron or Eli directly for those opportunities. Stay in touch and stay tuned for updates.

Apiary Managers:

Granite Falls - Ron - beebuddy.skba@gmail.com 206-719-3604

Maltby - Eli - eliochel@snokingbka.org  206-859-7392

CLASSES offered year-round via Zoom with SnoKing Beekeepers Assn. can be found at www.snokingbka.org/classes

All class fees include manual, online testing, WASBA certificate, annual SnoKing dues, and WASBA 2024 dues.

NEXT CLASSES START: 

APPRENTICE weekly on 7 Thursdays June 20 & 27; July 11, 18 & 25; August 1 & 8, 2024 6:30-8:00PM. Please note no class on July 4th.

BEGINNER weekly on 7 consecutive Mondays 6:30PM July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29; August 5 & 12.

MASTER BEEKEEPER Certificate at Cornell University https://ecornell.cornell.edu/certificates/beekeeping/master-beekeeping/ BEFORE registering, email Eli eliochel@snokingbka.org for discount code because the    33 1/3% discount for SnoKing members is still available.

Queen Wheel pictured above is available for pickup at the Queen Rearing Workshop.

QUEEN PROJECT

The queen rearing project is timed to take advantage of the best Western Washington weather for queen rearing. If interested in participating, contact Eli for Maltby Apiary workshop. The process runs for almost 2 months and students come when they can, mostly on Saturdays and Wednesdays but also there are some mid-week participation opportunities. We have set up the cell builder hives, inserted grafts by Doolittle and cassette (Nicot) methods, set up mating nucs, transferred queen cells into those nucs, are now checking emergence of the new queens and willl end by verifying (‘proofing’) the productivity of those queens. Contact Eli 206-859-7392 eliochel@snokingbka.org for more information, precise schedule and to receive email notifications.

An overview of the purpose and method of the club queen rearing project is presented at: https://youtu.be/oi0wMU6-59c?si=ZIzAN9DtTwkidE9T this is the publicly listed first of a series of short videos explaining and supporting the workshop. For access to additional unlisted videos, email eliochel@snokingbka.org to be placed on the workshop email notifications as the videos are produced. 

BUMBLE BEE RELOCATION:

Alex Wikstrom, owner of Wasp Away!, is looking for anyone interested in volunteering to survey and relocate bumble bee nest populations or to educate the public about nest relocation.

Alex Wikstrom

Wasp Away!

Stinging Insect Control Specialist

Cell# (360) 348-1278

Email: wa.waspaway@gmail.com

Website: www.keepwaspsaway.com

FREE for pickup by SnoKing members at the Maltby Apiary. Free cinder blocks and burlap bags donated to our club by fellow beekeepers. Text Eli 206-859-7392 or email eliochel@snokingbka.org .

Policy Statement: There will be one essential rule at Trophallaxis and at any meeting or activity hosted by SnoKing Beekeepers. Ron Robinson stated it best for our Facebook discussion group, when he said:

"SKBA prides itself on the fact we are not like other groups on Facebook. We have become known as a safe group for keepers of all levels to comfortably ask questions and opinions without being blasted or publicly humiliated for asking what may seem like a very basic question to others. Any harassing, bullying, demeaning behavior, or such will not be tolerated. We have a zero tolerance policy and such behavior will result in immediate removal from club and all club activities."

We look forward to talking bees with you at 3rd Wednesday monthly meetings. Zoom link for the next meeting:

'State of the Hive'

Jun 19, 2024 06:30 PM Pacific Time

Let's celebrate and commiserate about swarm management successes and failures and compare notes on blackberry flow and the coming summer.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85614322478?pwd=rTNk7sGBsyDthSXSduJbbIsM93PUa8.1

Meeting ID: 856 1432 2478

Passcode: 522356

One tap mobile

+12532050468,,85614322478#,,,,*522356# US

+12532158782,,85614322478#,,,,*522356# US (Tacoma)

The mission of the SKBA, a 501c3 member club of WASBA, is to provide educational opportunities, networking and support to beekeepers and people interested in honey bees, particularly those involved in small-scale beekeeping in Washington State west of the Cascades.

"We talk bees!" at SnoKing Beekeepers Association.