Dr. Brenna Traver

Read minutes from the meeting here.

Dr. Brenna Traver, a postdoctoral researcher in Virginia Tech’s entomology department will speak at the New River Valley Beekeepers Association meeting at 6:30 p.m. on May 9.

Traver specializes in the study of Nosema ceranae, a pathogen of the Asian honey bee that has in recent years been found in U.S. honey bees.

Traver received her Ph.D. from Tech in 2011, and has continued to do grant-funded research with Dr. Rick Fell’s team. In 2012, Traver and Fell co-authored “Low Natural Levels of Nosema ceranae in Apis mellifera queens” for the  Journal of Invertebrate Pathology.

Traver’s talk will give an overview of N. ceranae and the findings of her research so far. She will also discuss new lines of research recently funded through the Virginia Department of Agriculture.

So join us at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 S. Pepper St., Christiansburg.

Time spent educating the public about honey bees and beekeeping counts towards the service requirements for Virginia Master Beekeeper certification.

Combine your trip to the festival with a screening of the new short documentary “Bee People,” at the Grandin Theatre’s Earth Day film festival. Two beekeepers featured in the film will be on hand for discussions.

Honey bee packages still available.

Also, please note that the membership has voted to change our meeting time to 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the in the Community Room of the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building, 210 Pepper Street St., Christiansburg, Va. No meeting is held in July or December.

Join us as the Christiansburg Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., at 7 p.m. April 11 for our spring starter meeting, featuring presentations on swarm catching and planting for bees.

One of VP Richard Reid’s bait hives drew a large swarm in 2010.

NRVBA VP Richard Reid

VT horticulture professor Holly Scoggins

We’ll also have the the monthly beekeeper’s raffle and business meeting. Please read the minutes from the March meeting, and send any proposed changes to Secretary Sam Price.

Please note that the club’s honey bee packages are sold out. Delivery is tentatively set for April 21.

If you did not get an order in and still need bees, NRVBA President Mark Chorba says he can get bees for the following week. He can be reached at 540-204-6882.

Seats are still available in the May 7 nuc and queen rearing workshop with Dr. Larry Connor. Sign up today.

Dr. Larry Connor

Join the NRVBA and co-sponsor the YMCA at Virginia Tech on May 7 for an evening workshop with nationally-known beekeeping author and educator, Dr. Larry Connor.

Connor is author of several books on beekeeping, including “Increase Essentials” and “Queen Rearing Essentials.” He travels the country giving workshops, lectures and master classes to beekeepers who want to expand their apiary operations, or just protect themselves against hive losses.

The workshop begins at 4:30 p.m. with a field session at the 5-acre Hale–YMCA Community Garden off Maywood Street in Blacksburg, and continues nearby with a potluck dinner and lecture with Connor. Click for Google map directions.

Cost is $30 for NRVBA members and $35 for nonmembers. Register here.

Questions? Contact NRVBA Program Director Tonia Moxley.

NRVBA member Clem Von Claparede hands out honey bee packages in April 2012. Photo courtesy of Matt Gentry.

The 2013 package bees are now sold out!

For those who ordered bees, the packages will include about 12,000 Italian bees and one young mated queen to be delivered on April 21, 2013.

The delivery date is subject to change. Notification of any changes will be via email and/or on thehive listserv.

Thanks for your participation in this club project.

In addition to our popular raffle and our “what should you be doing with your hives” information session, our first NRVBA meeting of the spring beekeeping season will feature member Jerry Borger presenting a simple method for hobbyists to raise queens.

Join us as the Christiansburg Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., at 7 p.m. on March 14 to learn about using a double screen to raise queens. No grafting or cell builder required.

Jerry says: “This method is intended for use on a strong hive with two hive bodies in the spring or during a nectar flow period. The intent is threefold: 1) to minimize the swarming urge, 2) to maximize honey reserves, 3) and to encourage the production of quality queen cells to keep the line of a good queen going.”

Jerry promises the method, which keeps the queen rearing colony in full honey production requires minimal equipment readily available at a reasonable price from beekeeping supply houses.

So join your fellow beekeepers to learn another way to become a more self-sufficient apiarist.

Note to members: Please review the minutes from the February meeting before the March meeting. This allows us to speed up the housekeeping items on the agenda.

Continue your education in how to increase your apiary through nucleus hives and simple queen rearing with our special guest, Dr. Larry Connor, on May 7.

Have you ordered your bees yet for the spring? Again this year the NRVBA has arranged discounted prices for members on package bees from Dadant. Order today.

State Apiarist for Virginia, Keith Tignor spoke about the commonwealth’s Bee Hive Grant program at the Feb. 14 NRVBA meeting. Photo courtesy of Keith Tignor.

Update: Click here for the handout from Keith Tignor’s presentation. Read a .pdf copy of the February newsletter.

Spend Valentine’s Day with your fellow beekeepers this year, and learn about the Virginia Bee Hive Grant program, approved by last year’s General Assembly.

We meet as usual at 7 p.m. at the Christiansburg Health and Human Services Building. Bring your sweetheart and some sweet treats to share!

State Apiarist Keith Tignor will be our guest speaker. He will explain the grant program and the status of legislative funding for it. He will also address the program’s guidelines and the application process, which were established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Plant Industry Services Division.

And don’t forget; if you haven’t renewed your membership yet, do it now online or with cash or check at the meeting. The membership rolls will be updated on Feb. 15.

A worker bee wrestles a drone away from the hive entrance in fall 2012. Don’t let this happen to you; renew your membership today! Photo courtesy of Maureen Peters.

2012 members have until Feb. 15 to renew online, at the Feb. 14 meeting (directions) or by mail to Jack Price, NRVBA treasurer, 3800 Buffalo Mtn. Rd., Willis VA 24380.

Benefits of membership include access to “thehive” listserv of experienced beekeepers, discounts on workshops and package bees, entry to the annual beekeeper’s ball and a vote on all matters pertaining to the club. We also help members advertise their swarm removal and cut-out services.

An NRVBA membership also offers numerous opportunities for you to support fellow beekeepers and promote awareness of the importance of honey bees.

Dues are $10 for an individual and $15 for a family.

The Beginning Beekeeping Workshop lasts two Saturdays, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, 2 February, 2013 and 6 April, 2013. Cost is $55 per student and includes a beginner’s book, course materials, and lunch; $25 for additional family members who share the book and course materials.

The course will be held at 220 Price Hall on the Virginia Tech Campus and will include a hands-on session at the Virginia Tech apiary on the second part of the workshop.

Pre-registration not later than 21 January 2013 is mandatory.

Beekeeper’s Workshop Registration may sign up on-line at https://secure.west-point.org/nrvba/index.mhtml

Beginning Beekeeper’s Course Syllabus

Address questions to Jerry Borger, 540-382-1798. twoltcols@verizon.net