Thank you to Linda for hosting our first group swarm capture! It definitely took multiple people to grab from the apple tree — mentally and physically we used our creative brain power to work with what was available. We look forward to updates on its well-being.
We talked about the following:
J-hook hive tool: leverage against neighboring top bars (watch the first 20 seconds of this video https://youtu.be/1ULOAS_dFa4)
Thank you to the Kellys for hosting our first group hive inspection of the 2021 season. We were able to see all stages of development, from egg to queen cell! It was very educational and hopefully we’re helping each other set the stage for a successful season.
If you would like to have the club help inspect one of your hives for our next meeting, say so with the Contact Form. Here are my photos from the night – Julia
Dr. Judy Wu-Smart from UNL and Randall Cass from ISU Extension are going to host a 1 hr online extension event on Fridays for people to chat about bees: HapBEE Hour! We will be doing it via Zoom with this link:
EasterSeals serves the entire state of Iowa. Two programs in particular may be helpful to beekeepers who need accommodations — whether by accident, injury, aging, or disability; or lives in a community with less than 2,500 people — the Assistive Technology (AT) Program and Rural Solutions.
Assistive Technology Program consists of four components.
Demonstration Center @ Camp Sunnyside. For clients to see, feel, try things before an assistive technology is brought home. By appointment. Call 866-866-8782 or send email (click).
Lending Library. Trials on most items in the library help people make appropriate choices. Over 1000 items are available and free to use. Clients may try up to five items at a time for up to 30 days. Call 866-866-8782 or send email (click).
Iowa Assistive Technology Exchange. Classified ads, styled like Craig’s List, exclusively for AT. Staff will assist and qualify users and donors. View items at www.eastersealsia.at4all.com
Rural Solutions. This program consists of free site visits by a consultant (Kim) with ideas for accommodations, assessments, connections to resources, sustainable business planning, mental health that is customized to your particular situation. Additionally, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will fully funded appropriate clients by referral only.
Have a unique identifier for your woodenware such as branding
Place hives in an inconspicuous area or make it known that they are under surveillance/being monitored
Trackers placed on/in hives
GPS $40-60 each and motion activated
Tile, price varies. The app is $5 but works only with signal and other tile users https://www.thetileapp.com/
Other trackers
Cameras, but they tend to anger people
Friendly neighbors
Register your hive with the state
Other notes
We had a great meeting with roughly twenty people attending, full of technical support and fellowship and ending by looking at Judith’s bees in her top bar hives.
Different markets will determine sales success with respect to creamed honey and bottling choices.
Certified kitchens and related regulations are for real. The Mickle Center has a certified shared kitchen as well as cold and dry storage for rent. https://wallace.org/community-kitchen/
Thank you to our hosts Mike, Julie, and Susie and family! We were able to see how to make two different kinds of splits; queen cells capped, uncapped, swarm and supercedure, and chewed out; and discussed all sorts of things.
We had Mark Lohafer speak about his experience with the IDALS Pesticide Bureau. I appreciated his honesty and the time he took for each person asking a question.
Below are my notes, as well as a handout I made in response to students inquiring about keeping hives near conventionally farmed land. After this meeting, I feel that I will be able to respond better on department activity when asked by students and make informed decisions on hive placement.
