August Meeting

The topic of the August meeting will be

 “When and How to Requeen, 

and Differences in European Honey Bee and Africanized Honey Bees”,

 with guest speaker Stephanie Tarwater.  

Stephanie has been a beekeeper for many years and after college she started as a migratory beekeeper in GA, TN, VA, KY and NC.  She has managed between 400 and 500 colonies.  She is a local inspector for Blount Co. Association, worked six years with the Florida Dept. of Agriculture as Apiary Inspector and an Africanized Technologist.  She is a Master Beekeeper from Univ. of Florida.

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If you are a new TBA member and member of any local beekeeping association, you can sign up at the meeting for a drawing of a $25 Scholarship to the TBA Fall Conference. The drawing will be held at the end of our meeting on Thursday, August 22nd at 7:00 p.m. at the Valley Farmers Co-op in Athens.

Field Day

Also, we are having a Field Meeting on Requeening at Dean Womac’s home on Saturday, August 24th at 2:00 p.m., with a watermelon treat afterward. His address will be available at the meeting or please call one of the officers.

 PRESIDENTS NOTES:  Hive beetles seem to be a big problem this year.  Do your homework and manage per your findings.  Suggestions: use beetle traps to catch adult beetles, Goldstar for ground drench; this helps kill beetle larva; agricultural lime and salt pellets also helps.  Chemicals such as Check Mite can be used to kill adult larva and adults. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS.  If you don’t want to use chemicals, try freezing the comb for at least 24 hrs.  Combs containing beetle-spoiled honey will not be accepted by bees.  Wash the honey off with a garden hose and the bees will normally reuse the comb. Keep your eyes open for varroa mites; this time of year the population increases.  Treat ASAP.

REMINDER

TENNESSEE BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE

 September 27th & 28th, 2013

Cookeville, TN

To register, you can download a registration form on the website, www.tnbeekeepers.org, or we will have some at the August meeting. Early registration discount ends September 20th.