Subject: May 1994 'Buzz' - Iowa Beekeepers newsletter

From: [email-masked] (Terry Dahms)
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 1994 22:08:24 GMT

Submitted by: Terry Dahms, Pres.
       East Central Iowa Beekeepers Assoc.
       internet: [email-masked]
       sorry for the delay in posting.
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                     THE BUZZ                     MAY, 1994
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       A newsletter published monthly as a cooperative effort by The Iowa
       Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and The Iowa  Honey 
       Producers  Association  (IHPA),  an affiliate member of  the  Iowa
       Horticultural Society.   Copy deadline is the 20th of each  month. 
       Your  ideas,  comments  and letters are welcomed  and  encouraged. 
       EDITOR:   Bob  Cox,  State Apiarist,  Iowa Dept.  of  Agriculture,
       Wallace Building,  Des Monies, IA.   50319 Phone:  (515) 281-5736. 
       IHPA  MEMBERSHIP:   Membership dues in the  Iowa  Honey  Producers
       Assn. are $5.00/year.  Send to Gordon Powell, IHPA Treasurer.
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       HANDLING BEE PROBLEM CALLS
          Spring  is the time when insects become active and some of  the
       insects   cause  people  problems.    Beekeepers,   pest   control
       operators, bee inspectors, county extension, ASCS, police and fire
       department  personnel may all receive telephone  calls  concerning
       "bees"  causing problems.  Many of these situations do not involve
       honey bees.
          Problems  range  from bees digging burrows in  the  garden,  to
       angry  hornets,  to a large scale honey bee hive spill  due  to  a
       truck wreck.   Your first job in fielding this type of call is  to
       determine,  as best as you can, if it is an emergency because bees
       are stinging people and what type of insect is involved.
          The best way, if it is an emergency or you are close by and you
       have the time, is to go over and check out the situation yourself. 
       However,  that  is  not  often  possible  and  you  should  gather
       information over the phone.  Ask about the location of the caller,
       the appearance of the insect, the number of insects,  the location
       of the bees'  activity or nest and the appearance of the nest,  if
       they can see it.
          If  there  has  been a highway accident with  honey  bee  hives
       spilled  out on the road,  call a fire department to come  to  the
       scene  with  water and hoses.   The fire department needs  to  add
       liquid soap or film forming foam to the water and spray bees  down
       with this solution.   A solution of at least 3% soap or foam  will
       knock bees down and kill them.  A fine spray is most affective for
       clearing the air of bees and making it safe to rescue victims from
       the wreckage.
          The  time  of the year will give you a clue as to the  type  of
       insect.   Generally  most  calls in the spring  and  early  summer
       involve swarms of honey bees. These may be either hanging from the
       limb  of  a tree or nesting inside a tree or inside  the  wall  or
       soffit  of a home or other building.   If their combs are  visible
       you will notice that they hang vertically.  About 3/4 of the calls
       that  come into the State Apiarists office here  involved  problem
       bees or wasps inside structures and the remainder are free hanging
       swarms of honey bees.
          The free hanging swarms (clusters) of bees that are low to  the
       ground (up to 10 feet) are valuable to some beekeepers, especially
       in  the month of May.   Most beekeepers do not feel that  removing
       colonies  of  bees from inside structures is a profitable  use  of
       time.   But occasionally,  there is a beekeeper who will remove  a
       colony of bees from a building for a fee.
          If  you determine that the caller has honey bees,  call one  of
       the beekeepers listed on the cover of THE BUZZ located nearest  to
       you  to obtain name of beekeeper in your local area.   The  county
       ASCS  office may also have names and phone numbers  of  beekeepers
       registered for pesticide notification in your county.
          Honey  bees do not often swarm after July.   Therefore most  of
       the calls in late summer and fall involve yellow jacket wasps  and
       hornets.   Hornets make a gray paper nest the shape of a  football
       that  hangs from the limb of a tree.   The nest  contains  several
       horizontally  stacked  paper  combs  connected  by  pedestals  and
       covered by several paper envelopes. An individual hornet is  black
       in appearance with white markings and is larger than a honey bee.
          Yellow  jackets range in size from smaller than a honey bee  to
       as  large  as a hornet and have bright yellow and  black  stripes. 
       Their  paper  nests are inside a structure like  honey  bees,  but
       unlike honey bees, some species may also nest underground.  If the
       nest  is visible,  you may see several layers of outside  covering
       like  the hornet nest and horizontal combs hanging by one or  more
       pedestals.  Some  of these colonies may  contain  several  hundred
       thousand individuals.   These insects are the ones that ruin  your
       picnics  in the late summer and fall.   They like anything  sweet:
       your  peanut butter and jelly sandwich,  soda pop or fruit.   They
       also eat insects and forage on car grills, eating the dead insects
       deposited there while driving.
          If  you  determine that the caller has yellow jacket  wasps  or
       hornets, it is best to refer them to local pest control operators.

       SUMMER BEEKEEPING FIELD DAY
          Saturday,  July 23rd the Iowa Honey Producers and Central  Iowa
       Beekeepers  Association  will hold a beekeeping field day  at  the
       Riverside Bible Camp near Story City, Iowa.   There is easy access
       to  the  camp which is located just 2 miles off of I-35  about  20
       miles north of Ames. Registration is at 8:30 a.m.  and the program
       will last until 4:00.
          The  University  of  Minnesota  Bee  Research  Laboratory  will
       present a program on queen management:  finding and evaluating the
       queen, queen selection, breeding, rearing methods, replacement and
       introduction methods.   Everyone attending will get a copy of  the
       new disease booklet published by the University of Minnesota.   We
       are planning on door prizes and honey-made snacks that you bring.
          The morning will start out with a walking tour of bee plants on
       the  grounds.   Breakout sessions in the  afternoon  will  include
       choices  of  Comb  Honey Production,  Pollen  Trapping,  Beginning
       Beekeeping,  or Bee Diseases and Pests.  We will finish up the day
       with a research update from the University of Minnesota and a "Hot
       Topics" question and answer session.
          The  camp  setting is a great place for  beekeepers  and  their
       families.   There  is  a beeyard with  a  screened-in  observation
       building  on the property.   Some of the talks and the  noon  meal
       will    be   held   in   an   air-conditioned   retreat    center. 
       Pre-registration  is required for a prepared meal or you may bring
       your own lunch and eat at picnic tables outside.
          For  more  information contact one of  the  committee  members: 
       Margaret Hala,  Leo Stattelman, Margaret Hala, Gordon Powell,  Jim
       Cherry or Bob Cox.
                                        
       TO DO IN THE BEEYARD
          SWARM  PREVENTION - Because the colonies that survived  are  so
       full of brood, you will need to split colonies,  equalize brood or
       make   two-queen  colonies  to  prevent  swarming   this   Spring. 
       Reversing  the  two  hive bodies when the top box  fills  up  with
       brood,   honey  and  bees  will  also  help  discourage  swarming.
       Prevention is the key!
       CAUTION:  Cutting out sealed queen cells may result in a queenless
       colony and will not usually stop swarming anyway; it's too late.
          MAKING INCREASE - Early in the month you can still make  splits
       to  replace  winter losses and increase the  number  of  colonies. 
       Make them a little larger now (e.g. 6-7 frames of brood).
          CHECK  FOR  VARROA & FOULBROOD - ignoring these will  not  make
       them go away.

       CALENDAR OF EVENTS
       MAY 7-8      Queen Rearing Short Course, University of Minnesota
                    St. Paul Campus, Call Dr. Spivak at (612) 624-2275.
       JUNE         
       11           IHPA Board Mtg. 1:00 p.m. at Royal Cafe in Huxley.
       13           Eastcentral Iowa Beekeepers Meeting 7:00 p.m. in
                    Montgomery  Hall,  Johnson County  Fairgrounds,  Iowa
       City
       18           Central Iowa Beekeepers Meeting 6:30 p.m. at Royal
                    Cafe in Huxley.
       JULY
       13-15        Eastern Apicultural Society Annual Conference in
                    Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Contact Maryann Frazier
                    telephone: (814) 865-4621.

       23           IHPA/CIBA Summer Field Day at Riverside Church Camp,
                    Story City,  Iowa.   Contact Gordon Powell or Bob Cox
                    for further details.
       NOVEMBER     
       11-12        Iowa Honey Producers Annual Meeting in Marshalltown.

       NEW NHB HONEY RECIPE FOLDER
          A  new brochure (depicted on the front cover) published by  the
       National Honey Board teaches cooks how to "make magic in  minutes"
       with honey.  The three-color, eight panel brochure is a collection
       of  quick and easy tips for adding honey to  dressings,  desserts,
       drinks,  sauces and spreads.  Recipes vary from broiled bananas to
       lemonade to Dijon tarragon sauce.  As the brochure cover explains: 
       it's  easy  to drizzle,  to dabble, to sizzle,  to dazzle  --  use
       honey.  For a free sample of the "Make Magic in Minutes" brochure,
       send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:   National Honey Board
       Magic, 421 - 21st Ave., Ste. 203, Longmont, CO 80501.   Quantities
       are available for 15 cents each.
       HAWKEYE SCIENCE FAIR AWARDS
          The  state-wide Hawkeye Science Fair was held April 8-9 at  the
       Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines.  Two science fair projects involving
       honey bees deserve special recognition.
          Carol Fassbinder,  7th grader of Valley-Elgin school,  had  the
       best honey bee project and received a $50.00 award.   In addition,
       she  placed 2nd overall in the 7th grade Biology division.   Carol
       studied  the  effect of treating for nosema disease  and  wrapping
       colonies on winter survival of honey bee colonies belonging to her
       family.   Carol is the daughter of commercial beekeepers  Bob  and
       Kathy  Fassbinder of Elgin,  Iowa.  A research article about  this
       project will appear in the June BUZZ.
          Kristin  Burgess,   10th  grader  from   Stuart-Menlo   school,
       received  a  $25 award for her interesting project  entitled  "The
       Smelling  Bee".   She obtained worker honey bees from  Ken  Lappe,
       beekeeper from Casey,  to test the bees'  preference for different
       fruit  odors.    She  constructed a simple  olfactometer  and  her
       testing  revealed that the bees most often preferred the pear  and
       least  often to the orange and the apple in between when  given  a
       choice.

       EASTERN APICULTURE SOCIETY SHORT COURSE AND CONFERENCE
          The  annual  EAS short course and conference will  be  held  in
       Lancaster, Pennsylvania July 11-15.  The short course will offer a
       choice  of beginning beekeeping or beekeeping as a  business  July
       11,  12 and the morning of the 13th.   The conference will be held
       during the balance of the week.   Other activities include a  tour
       of  Dutch Gold Honey packing business and Kitchen Kettle  Village,
       located in an Amish community.
          Speakers for the conference include:   Andrew Matheson  (IBRA),
       Jim Tew (USDA), William Towne, David Fletcher,  Clarence Collison,
       Cliff Sunflower,  and Theodor Cherbuliez;  Master Beekeeper & M.D.
       on Apitherapy.   Workshop highlights include presentations by  Kim
       Flottum on "Generating Good Public Relations for Your  Association
       or Business"  and "Writing the Perfect Newsletter,"  Tom McCormack
       on  marketing,  Dennis  Keeney on backyard  queen  rearing,  Cliff
       Sunflower  on developing effective school programs and much,  much
       more.
          For  more  information  on  the  conference  and  short  course
       including  a  registration form and copy of  the  program,  please
       contact:
               Joe Duffy                           Maryann Frazier
               309 Clivden Street       or         Dept. of Entomology
               Glenside, PA 19038                  501 ASI Bldg.
               (717) 885-1681                      Univ. Park, PA 16802
                                                   (814) 865-4621

       EAST CENTRAL IOWA BEEKEEPERS MEETING
          Monday  March  14 the East Central Iowa Beekeepers met  at  the
       Fairgrounds  in  Iowa City.   The 14 members present  reported  an
       average of 33% winter loss out of 186 hives collectively.
          An  announcement  was  made  about  Paul  Goossen  teaching   a
       beekeeping  class  at  the Amana Middle School  in  Middle  Amana.   
       This is an 8-week course taught through Kirkwood Community College
       and beginning April 9th at 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
          Dave  Irwin  lead a discussion about participating  again  this
       year at the Johnson County Fair. It was the consensus of the group
       to  set up a table again with an observation bee hive if the  fair
       board will give permission and to hand out honey candy.
          Cleo   Troyer   brought  a  video  entitled   Controlling   Bee
       Emergencies  to show to the group.   The group watched  the  video
       which was produced for fire departments to instruct them on how to
       handle an overturned truck load of bee hives or nuisance colonies.
          The  evening ended with the members attempting to  assemble  an
       observation bee hive that President,  Terry Dahms,  had purchased. 
       The  next meeting meeting is scheduled for June 13th at 7:00  p.m.
       in  the  basement  of  Montgomery  Hall  at  the  Johnson   County
       Fairgrounds  in  Iowa City.   Anyone interested in  beekeeping  is
       invited.

       NEW UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA VARROA RESEARCH
          New  research  from The University of Georgia may  support  the
       notion  that secondary pathogens compound damage to  bee  colonies
       from  Varroa mites.   Experimental colonies infested  with  Varroa
       mites  were  treated  with  various  combinations  of   Terramycin
       antibiotic  and  Apistan miticide.  Each  product  increased  body
       weight   of  mature  hive  bees  of  mixed  ages.    Additionally,
       Terramycin increased body weight of newly-emerged bees.
          Reduced  body weight is one of the best documented  effects  of
       Varroa  mites on honey bees,  and low body weight is linked  to  a
       shortened lifespan.   Since Terramycin counteracted this  negative
       effect,  supplemental antibiotic treatments,  along  with  Apistan
       miticide, may optimize benefit to Varroa infested colonies.
       (from January 1994 APIS newsletter, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville)

       BAKERS WILL GET SWEET SURPRISE IN WELBILT BREAD MACHINES
          Purchasers  of Welbilt bread machines will soon get a bonus  --
       the  National  Honey  Board's "Breads &  Spreads"  brochure.   The
       brochure includes recipes for Honey Whole Wheat Bread,  Poppy Seed
       Loaf,  Dutch Dill Bread and Cajun Tomato Bread.  Honey spreads are
       highlighted  in  the brochure as delectable toppings  for  breads,
       muffins and rolls.  The Welbilt Corporation inserted the brochures
       in 100,000 of its bread machines.
          "I  tried  all  of  the recipes myself  and  the  results  were
       delicious"  said Mary Humann,  marketing director for the National
       Honey Board.   Humann added that the bread recipes were  developed
       especially for the Welbilt machines -- adjustments to the  recipes
       may be required when they are used with other machines.
          The  Honey  Board  has  a limited  quantity  of  bread  machine
       brochures available.   If you would like a free copy,  please send
       your request to:
             Bread Machine Brochure
             National Honey Board
             421 - 21st Ave., #203
             Longmont, CO 80501

                              HONEY BARBECUE SAUCE
                            1/2    cup minced onion
                              1    clove garlic, minced
                              1    tablespoon vegetable oil
                              1    can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
                            1/2    cup honey
                              2    tablespoons vinegar
                              2    tablespoons minced parsley
                              1    tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
                            1/4    teaspoon black pepper
                            1/8    teaspoon cayenne pepper

       Saute  onion  and  garlic in oil until  softened.   Add  remaining
       ingredients and bring to boil;  reduce heat and simmer 5  minutes. 
       Makes 1 cup.   Marinate beef, chicken or pork in sauce.   Brush on
       meat during barbecuing or broiling.

       Quick tip:   Add 1/4 cup honey to 1 cup of your favorite  prepared
       barbecue sauce.

                           HONEY HERB BARBECUE SAUCE
                            1/2    cup honey
                            1/2    cup minced onion
                            1/4    cup dry white wine
                              1    tablespoon   each  lemon   juice   and
                                    chopped fresh rosemary*
                              1    clove garlic, minced
                                   Salt and pepper to taste

       Combine  all  ingredients in saucepan and bring to  boil.   Reduce
       heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Makes 1 cup.   Marinate chicken pieces
       at  least  1/2 hour before barbecuing or broiling;  brush  chicken
       with sauce during cooking.

       *One teaspoon dried crushed rosemary may be substituted.

                              HONEY LIME MARINADE
                            3/4    cup honey
                            2/3    cup fresh lime juice
                              1    tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
                              2    teaspoons minced garlic

       Combine all ingredients;  mix well.   Makes 1-3/4 cups.   Marinate
       chicken  or  turkey cutlets at least 1/2 hour before  grilling  or
       broiling; brush cutlets with marinade during cooking.
       (Recipes courtesy of the National Honey Board)

       IOWA HONEY PRODUCERS BOARD MEETING NEWS
          The board of directors of the Iowa Honey Producers  Association
       met  March  12th in Cambridge.   Highlights  included  planning  a
       summer field day,  the decision to sell honey lemonade instead  of
       honey  ice cream this year at the Iowa State Fair and  selling  of
       the  new  National  Honey  Board's  honey  cookbook.    These  new
       cookbooks are available now through the mail and will be available
       at the Summer Field Day in July (see article elsewhere in BUZZ).
          John  Johnson asked for more help for staffing the  State  Fair
       Salesbooth again this year.   Note was also made that the Fair  is
       one week earlier than in recent years.  Bid sheets for honey sales
       will  be  published  in  the June BUZZ  newsletter  and  the  work
       schedule sign-up in the July issue.
          The next meeting of the board is scheduled for Saturday June 11
       at 1:00 at the Royal Cafe in Huxley.

       CLEO TROYER OF KALONA DIES

          Cleo  Troyer,  just  10 days shy of  his  70th  birthday,  died
       Tuesday,  April 19 at University of Iowa Hospitals in  Iowa  City. 
       Cleo had surgery for a brain tumor at the end of March and  seemed
       to be doing fine when he died suddenly.   His funeral was April 22
       at the Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church near Kalona, where he was
       an active member.  The church is large and was packed with  family
       and friends.
          Cleo  was  a  long time beekeeper and was active  in  the  East
       Central  Iowa Beekeepers.  He will be remembered for the  help  he
       gave  to  us less experienced beekeepers and  his  enthusiasm  for
       beekeeping.   At past meetings he had demonstrated a  bee  removal
       vacuum he purchased,  a home-made video on beekeeping that starred
       himself, and at the March 14 meeting a video on bee emergencies he
       had purchased.  We will miss him. 
          For  a  combined total of 26 years he was either  on  the  City
       Council  or  mayor of Kalona.  In a Cedar Rapids  Gazette  article
       about Cleo,  a resident was quoted as saying Cleo knew where every
       line,  every  pipe  was  in Kalona,  along  with  the  history  of
       everything.  At  his funeral service, many were  wiping  eyes  and
       blowing noses.  The community of Kalona will dearly miss him too!
                                - Terry Dahms
                                  President, East Central Iowa Beekeepers

       FOR SALE:   Approx.  75 - 5 11/16"  honey supers with drawn  comb,
       fair condition $2.00 each.  Approx. 50 - 5 11/16"  honey supers w/
       and w/o frames and no comb, good condition $1.00 each.  Empty deep
       supers  (shells),  fair  condition $1.00  each.   Several  hundred
       unassembled 9 1/8" and 5 3/8" frames, grooved top bars.  Plus lots
       of misc. equipment.  Will sell cheap.  Great for a beginner.
       Call (712) 589-3606 in Braddyville, Iowa.

       FOR SALE:  CLOVER HONEY IN BARRELS OR PAILS.  
       CALL Lapp's Bee Supply Center.  1-800-321-1960

       WARNING!!
          The following warning was sent to Bob Cox, Iowa State Apiarist,
       by Mississippi's State Apiarist, Harry Fulton.  
          Russell Apiaries,  J.N.  Russell proprietor,  of Bolton,  MS is
       advertising  in  national bee magazines but is  not  certified  in
       Mississippi.   The  owner is refusing inspection.   Packages  from
       Russell  Apiaries  should not be purchased for  shipment  to  Iowa
       because it would be an illegal shipment.  Additionally, these bees
       may  be  carrying  diseases or parasites damaging  to  your  other
       colonies and your neighbor's.

                               A HONEY OF A VERSE

       "The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall
       he beg in harvest, and have nothing." (Proverbs 20:4)

       It's time to be in the beeyard preparing your bees to make honey.