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Madison
County
Beekeepers
Activities |
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Beekeeping
Education
Next
Scheduled Class
Practical
Beekeeping Class
Anyone interested in becoming a beekeeper or that is just curious about
honeybees and beekeeping is welcome to attend.
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If
you would like to get on the mailing list for class updates
click
here.
Please check back here for the latest updates.
The
class typically meets from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Madison
County Cooperative Extension Office on
Cook Avenue
on the following evenings:
Scheduled
of Current Class
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First
session
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Tuesday
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January
5, 2010
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Second
session
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Tuesday
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January
19, 2010
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Third
Session
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Tuesday
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February
2, 2010
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Fourth
Session
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Tuesday
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February
16, 2010
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Class
sessions typically run the full 2 hours including a 10 minute break but can be
longer based on questions ask by the students. For additional
information please email the instructor:
Bob
Fanning
K4vb@knology.net
Phone:
256 883 9601
Class
Location
MADISON
COUNTY
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE
CHARLES
H STONE AG,
819 COOK AVE NW
HUNTSVILLE
,
AL
35801-5983
Phone:
(256) 532-1578
Fax:
(256) 539-6484
Click
here for a map
(Across
the street from the Farmer’s Market)
A
special thanks or the
Alabama
County
Cooperative Extension Office in
Huntsville
,
AL
USA
for their support and for providing the class room space that makes this class
possible at no cost to the students. This is a free
class and no prior beekeeping experience is required. It is
open to anyone wishing to become a beekeeper as well as to anyone just curious
about honeybees and beekeeping.
This
class is based on the VCR video series by Dr Keith Deleplane entitled:
Honeybees
and Beekeeping - A Year in the Life of an Apiary
The
class covers basic beekeeping fundamentals as well as all activities required by
a new beekeeper for one full year in the apiary.
The January
and February time frame for this class was chosen because that is the least busy
time in the beekeeping hobby or business. It is also a time
when potential students have less other activities for the class to compete
with. It allows those interested in becoming beekeepers
time to purchase bees and equipment in time to start beekeeping this year.
About
the Instructors
Photos
by Chris Cambron
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Bob
Fanning
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Chris
Cambron
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Bob
Fanning is a retired engineer from Motorola. He is a second
generation beekeeper who owns and operates a 100-colony apiary in south
Huntsville
that has been in continuous operation since 1910. He manages eight
different "bee yards" scattered around the city of
Huntsville
. He is a past president of the
Madison
County
Beekeepers Association where he currently serves on the Board of Directors and
past president of the
Alabama
State
Beekeepers Association. Bob was selected Beekeeper of the Year in
1999 by the
Alabama
Beekeepers Association.
Chris
Cambron still works for a living as a crew leader for the
Huntsville
Utilities Gas division. Chris has 20 colonies in a
couple of locations and is active in honeybee removals from homes and buildings.
He has served as Secretary/Treasure and is currently on the Board of Directors
for the
Madison
County
beekeepers.
A
very special thanks to the
Madison
County
Cooperative Extension office for hosting this class.
Thanks
also to Scott and Frances Akridge for their assistance in selecting suitable
class room facilities.
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INTRODUCTION
TO BEEKEEPING
The Madison County
Beekeepers Association normally teaches
this class at the Huntsville Botanical
Garden. We will however teach it at most
any other facility in the Huntsville area
that you can provide. The facility must
have a Power Point projector available.
The student is required to make all
arrangements with any facility other than
the Huntsville Botanical Garden.
The Madison County
Beekeepers Association does not charge to
teach this class, however the host
facility may. Any fee charges must be
handled between the student and the
facility; the Madison County Beekeepers
Association can not be involved in
collecting fees.
Date and time offered can
normally be per the student’s request.
To request this class at the Huntsville
Botanical Garden, call them at 256 430
3572 . For questions regarding the class
or to having it taught at another
facility, email the instructor, Bob
Fanning, at k4vb@knology.net.
This class is designed to
teach those interested in honeybees the
basics of beekeeping and will serve as a
refresher for those with previous
beekeeping experience. It is an excellent
class for those curious about beekeeping
but not interested in or not sure you want
to become a beekeeper. It is a good
introductory class for those interested in
taking the more advanced "Practical
beekeeping" class described below.
The class also covers the
bare basics of beekeeping as well as
"beekeeping equipment and hive
parts", "getting your first
hives", "basic honeybee
biology", "treatment for
disease" and will touch lightly on
pollination.
Last
updated 12/ 07 bob fanning
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THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE HONEYBEE
Instructor Bob Fanning
The
next class is unscheduled at the
Huntsville Botanical Garden
This class is designed for
school teachers on their summer break. It is a
two hour course that covers the life cycle of
the honeybee from egg (fertile or non-fertile,
either will produce a honeybee) to the causes of
death. It includes interesting facts about the
honeybee’s complex navigation and communication
capability, job assignments and an explanation
of how a male honeybee has a grandfather but no
father. It includes honeybee anatomy from her 5
eyes to her stinger. It also
includes how they make
honey, what other products they make and why,
general makeup of honey and why honeys differ in
color. Students will be given the opportunity to
taste honeys from different floral sources. The
basic beehive will be described as well as a
brief history of its development. This is a fun
class, don’t miss it.
This class is taught by Bob Fanning who is a
retired Engineer that grew up on a farm in S.E.
Huntsville working with honeybees in his
father’s apiary. Bob continued to operate the
apiary after his father’s death. This last year
marked his apiary’s 84th year of continuous
operation in the same location on Four Mile Post
Rd.
The class will be conducted at
the Huntsville Botanical Garden, at a time to be
determined by the garden. Call the garden
(256 430 3572 Ext. 226) for time and further
details or to request this class.
CANDLE
MAKING CLASSES
The
Madison County Beekeepers Association offers
candle-making classes on demand. Future classes
will be scheduled as requested. This class is
offered through the Huntsville Botanical
Garden’s education outreach program. If you
would like to attend a
candle making class, please call the
Huntsville Botanical Garden, 256 430 3572 Ext.
226 and request a new class or email
Bill
Mullins for his schedule on other classes he
might be teaching.
OTHER CLASSES :
If you
have a specific need regarding beekeeping,
pollination or hive products please call the
garden or email Bob Fanning at k4vb@knology.net. |
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PROGRAM
SCHEDULE 2010 - 2011
At
the beginning of each meeting, 5 minutes is devoted to
“Beginner’s Corner”.
Beginner’s Corner is a timely and important reminder
for beekeepers of what’s needed for the next two months and an
updating on new developments in the industry, plus answering any and
all questions members may have concerning their bees.
Sept
9, 2010 Topic of speaker’s choice
related to beekeeping in
Alabama
. The
program will be presented by either the State Bee Inspector for
North Alabama
, John Mynard or the State Chief Apiarist, Dennis Barclift.
Nov
11, 2010 Annual
Holiday
Dinner “Eating Meeting” at a local restaurant to be determined.
This is an informal Dutch treat dinner designed to encourage
socializing with little or no formal meeting.
Jan
13. 2011 To
be determined
Mar
10, 2011 To
be determined
May
12, 2011 To
be determined
July 14, 2011
Election of Officers and Gadget Night.
July is the annual election of officers for the following 12
months after which all members are invited to bring some beekeeping
item that they have developed and do a “show and tell”.
Following Gadget Night is a free period for socializing.
In
addition to the July regular meeting, the MCBA has traditionally had
an annual picnic on a weekend in July however plans were not made in
time for a picnic in 2010. There
will be a picnic in 2011 at a site to be determined, probably
Monte
Sano
State Park
.
All
programs are coordinated through our Vice President Roger Owens.
If you would like to be considered for giving a program of
interest to beekeepers please contact Roger
Owens.
If
there is a subject that you would like covered in a program, please
contact Roger
Owens.
If
unable to contact Roger, please contact Bob
Fanning.
This
is your organization, we need your input!
End
of file BRF 7/18/10
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World BEEKEEPERS
LINKS
WARNING - Not all sites will be written in English
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The Powdered-Sugar Shake:
Detecting Varroa While Not Killing Bees
The following article describes a method of detecting Varroa mites by coating the bees
(and mites) with powdered sugar using a procedure much like the "ether roll"
test where sugar replaces the ether resulting in a better test that does not kill
the bees.
First obtain a wide mouth canning jar with a two piece lid (ring and lid). Use the lid
as a template to cut out a #8 mesh hardware cloth replacement for the lid (the circular,
center portion).
Collect 200-300 bees in the jar. A funnel can be used to facilitate the process. Put
the modified lid (ring and #8 mesh lid replacement) on and add about a tablespoon of
powdered sugar through the screen. Roll the jar to distribute the sugar. Wait a few
minutes, swirl the jar again, and pour the sugar and mites through the screen into another
container. The mites can be separated from the sugar by pouring the mixture through the
window screen. The bees can be returned to the colony where their hive mates will lick
them clean.
This was first reported by a University of Nebraska graduate student (Paula Macedo),
according to the January
2000 edition of Bee Tidings , a cooperative publication of the University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension Service and the Nebraska Honey Producer's Association, written by
Dr. Marion Ellis.
Dr. Ellis suggests three reasons why this might work:
- Varroa mites have a sticky pad called the empodium that helps them adhere to their host.
The presence of powdered sugar could make it difficult for the mites to adhere to their
host.
- Powdered sugar stimulates the bees' grooming behavior.
- The powdered sugar on the mite's body stimulates mites to release from feeding to groom
themselves.
This technique works well according to the article. It is superior to the ether roll,
separating up to 90 percent of the mites from the bees. Some states have switched to this
method primarily because the powdered sugar shake may well mean more Varroa testing by
beekeepers now that their bees don't have to be sacrificed as part of the procedure.
END OF ARTICLE
Two Queens Piping
Here is very interesting audio track you can download
but beware of significant download time according to your modem and phone
connection. It is well worth it so just be patient. This audio is
two queens piping.
Double click on two queens piping and hear this
amazing sound track. It is a wav type file and all windows
media players or quick time players should be
able to read, however, it may take several seconds to get started
in your player. It appears to be two queens within the same
unit confronting each other.
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