Not the President's Message for November 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Joanne's OK now, but she's still recovering, so I'm
filling in for her as either Husband or Corresponding
Secretary, whichever is more appropriate under
Robert's Rules of Order.
Joanne tripped and hit the back of her head on a curb at noon on Halloween. The emergency room staff found that she had a subdural hematoma, so we spent 5 days in the Intensive Care Unit, she in a bed with all sorts of things hooked up to her, and me in a chair by her bed. She's home now, and while she is tired, has to use a walker for a while, and needs physical therapy to get her balance and strength back, she is in fairly good spirits considering the combined pain of the head wound and the 5 different places they put an IV in her.
As for beekeeping issues, we hope everyone had a decent harvest, and has done things like sugar rolls or sticky board drops to verify that varroa levels are near zero.
Once hives are broodless, those that still have troublesome varroa levels can be treated with 3.5 grams of Oxalic Acid (wood bleach at the hardware store) in 1 liter of 50/50 sugar syrup. Each hive can have 50 ml (or 50 cc) of the mix, dribbled out of a syringe between the top bars of the brood chamber area and onto the bees. Take care to be accurate in your measurements using a good scale that reads in grams, and do not over-dose your hives. Overdoses of Oxalic Acid can kill bees.
Nosema remains a problem nearly everywhere, so those with microscopes might want to check for spores in the midguts of a few dozen bees, and consider treating with Fumagillin in a gallon of syrup. I wish that NY State had spent the "apiarist money" on a mail-in lab rather than visiting inspectors, but with the economic downturn, the bee inspector position that would cover Long Island may never be filled.
Don't forget those mouse guards now that nights are getting cooler. I like cutting a 4-inch wide strip of 1/4-inch chicken-wire mesh to the same length as the entrance, folding it into a "V" shape, and shoving it in the entrance with a hive tool at night, where it stays put due to friction alone. I've never liked entrance reducers on any but the weakest colonies, as good winter ventilation cures a multitude of hive problems.
Joanne and I will likely not be attending the November meeting, but we expect to be able to attend the December Christmas party.
You're welcome to send a card, but it is unclear to me if a "Get Well" card or a "Sympathy" card (as she is stuck with me 24 hours a day for the duration) is more appropriate.
-Jim
November 16th meeting: Member Frank Hurley will tell us about giving talks to school children and other groups using a flip over chart and an observation hive. Something to think about and plan over the winter months!
We welcome two new members of the club: Fernando M. Silva and David Fisher.
Joanne tripped and hit the back of her head on a curb at noon on Halloween. The emergency room staff found that she had a subdural hematoma, so we spent 5 days in the Intensive Care Unit, she in a bed with all sorts of things hooked up to her, and me in a chair by her bed. She's home now, and while she is tired, has to use a walker for a while, and needs physical therapy to get her balance and strength back, she is in fairly good spirits considering the combined pain of the head wound and the 5 different places they put an IV in her.
As for beekeeping issues, we hope everyone had a decent harvest, and has done things like sugar rolls or sticky board drops to verify that varroa levels are near zero.
Once hives are broodless, those that still have troublesome varroa levels can be treated with 3.5 grams of Oxalic Acid (wood bleach at the hardware store) in 1 liter of 50/50 sugar syrup. Each hive can have 50 ml (or 50 cc) of the mix, dribbled out of a syringe between the top bars of the brood chamber area and onto the bees. Take care to be accurate in your measurements using a good scale that reads in grams, and do not over-dose your hives. Overdoses of Oxalic Acid can kill bees.
Nosema remains a problem nearly everywhere, so those with microscopes might want to check for spores in the midguts of a few dozen bees, and consider treating with Fumagillin in a gallon of syrup. I wish that NY State had spent the "apiarist money" on a mail-in lab rather than visiting inspectors, but with the economic downturn, the bee inspector position that would cover Long Island may never be filled.
Don't forget those mouse guards now that nights are getting cooler. I like cutting a 4-inch wide strip of 1/4-inch chicken-wire mesh to the same length as the entrance, folding it into a "V" shape, and shoving it in the entrance with a hive tool at night, where it stays put due to friction alone. I've never liked entrance reducers on any but the weakest colonies, as good winter ventilation cures a multitude of hive problems.
Joanne and I will likely not be attending the November meeting, but we expect to be able to attend the December Christmas party.
You're welcome to send a card, but it is unclear to me if a "Get Well" card or a "Sympathy" card (as she is stuck with me 24 hours a day for the duration) is more appropriate.
-Jim
November 16th meeting: Member Frank Hurley will tell us about giving talks to school children and other groups using a flip over chart and an observation hive. Something to think about and plan over the winter months!
We welcome two new members of the club: Fernando M. Silva and David Fisher.