Our summer social is here
We're looking forward to meeting new, and reconnecting with returning members — it's been awhile! We have a great party planned and it looks like the weather will even be reasonable.
We'll be having our regular raffle and are looking for donations. So gather up those nice — but, not quite your style — bee gifts and bring them with you. Plant starts are also a popular item...or any other slightly used or regifted item.
Also on tap is a live auction. We have original art, a bee suit and more!
Bluestone Meadow Lavender Farm, 2025 Carson Rd, Placerville | 5 – 8 pm
We're looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday!
We'd like your feedback
The board has created a couple of short surveys that ask about your bee care and bees purchased through the club. These surveys will help us with choosing appropriate speakers and to further refine our class curriculum. Both surveys will be emailed on Sunday, August 8, and we would like your response. They're going out after the social, so check your inbox.
No club meeting this month, what's next?
Now that the dearth is here, we're pulling and bottling our reward — delicious, sweet honey, the topic of which we'll be spotlighting over the next couple of meetings. In September our presentation is on The Complexities of Honey, and for October, we'll be hosting our annual honey harvest and tasting event. So get busy and bottle that honey!
Mites! Mites! Mites!
Our colonies' population has peaked for the season and the brood nest is now contracting. But that's not the case for the dreaded mite, whose population is still expanding. This is the critical time of year to monitor your colonies and treat when necessary. We want healthy bees as we approach fall. That is when winter bees are being reared. These are the bees who extend their lives and can live up to six months instead of six weeks. These are the bees that winter over and jump start our colonies next spring. Bees with high mite and virus loads don't make it.
Mite wash alternatives for alcohol
Running low on alcohol for mite washes? Randy Oliver recommends using Dawn Ultra detergent, "It works very well for mite washes and is on par with 91% isopropyl, better than 70% isopropyl, and much better than windshield fluid."
To use, dilute to 1-2 T per gallon of water. A weaker solution is less efficacious and there is no benefit to making it stronger. Allow the bees to soak in the solution for a full minute before agitation, by which time most of the mites will have dropped to the bottom of their own accord. Final agitation should be a swirl action, with no up and down shaking. Little agitation is required for basic mite monitoring.
Got pollen?
The club has pollen patties for sale, $3 each. Placerville area, contact John Havicon at 916.996.8371, or for the Cameron Park area, contact Bernie Ruiz at 916.719.6708.
See you at the party!