Saturday’s education field trip was a resounding success, providing ample learning opportunities and visual aids. Education Coordinator Gary Keuffer facilitated a show and tell format with many veteran club members providing insights and demonstrating equipment they personally utilize.
While instructing on the correct way to perform a full hive inspection, Gary did a thorough break down of what a beekeeper should expect to see on frames. Items covered included size of the bees, brood patterns, honey and pollen stores and their importance going into winter. He also covered warning signs and provided suggestions on different methods to deal with any concerns.
The Apiary was provided by Karl Sekol who had an assortment of different feeders that he has used throughout the years along with explanations as to why he chose to continue or stop using certain types of feeders. There were also visual demonstrations of different types of oxalic acid treatments commonly used for Varroa mites, different types of hive beetle traps and deterrents, and finally, example frames of wax moth infestation with a discussion on the damage they can do to a hive.
2020 has been a rough year for education, which is why it felt so good to see so many in our local bee community come out to learn and share knowledge. We look forward to seeing many of you again during our next meeting at Rhonemus Hall in the Brown County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, October 13th. Remember, even though the meeting starts at 7PM, the space opens at 6PM to allow fellow beekeepers to interact with each other 1 on 1.
