“So, You Want To Be A Beekeeper” Presentations, & Beginning Beekeeper’s Course

Posted on November 17, 2018 by

Members of the New River Valley Beekeepers’ Association (NRVBA) will present “So, You Want To Be  a Beekeeper” sessions at regional library branches in January 2019 (see dates and locations below) addressing all aspects of getting started in beekeeping (costs, equipment needed, time required, procedures for acquiring and keeping bees, expectations for honey harvest, etc.)  Presentations last approximately one hour and are free.  No sign-up or pre-registration required.  Address questions to Jerry Borger, 540-382-1798.

Schedule of presentations:

Saturday 5 January at 1:30 pm
Jessie Peterman Library
321 West Main Street
Floyd		 Sunday 20 January at 1:30 pm
Meadowbrook Public Library
267 Alleghany Spring Road
Shawsville
Saturday 19 January at 1:30 pm
Christiansburg Library
125 Sheltman Street
Christiansburg		 Saturday 26 January at 1:30 pm
Blacksburg Library
200 Miller Street
Blacksburg
Saturday 12 January at 10:30 am (note: time is different from
other presentations)
Free Memorial Public Library
300 Giles Ave Dublin

Those interested will be able to sign up for a Beginning Beekeeper’s Course in person at one of the sessions described above or on-line at nrvba.org/bbc2019/ The course lasts two Saturdays, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, 9 February and 13 April 2019.  Cost is $60 per student and includes a beginner’s book, course materials, and lunch; $30 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 (weather permitting) a hands-on session in the NRVBA apiary. Seating is limited and pre-registration not later than 31 January 2019 is mandatory.  Registration will close on 31 January or when the class is full.  Address questions to Jerry Borger, 540-382-1798.

 

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November 8th Meeting – The Couvillon Lab at VT

Posted on November 2, 2018 by

Sadly, one of our members, Larry Larson, passed away last month. His family wants to sell all his bee-keeping equipment, so there will be a sale in the parking lot before the meeting. Information about the items and the time of the sale will be sent separately.

The Couvillon Lab at Virginia Tech: Recent work on honeybee foraging.

A recent addition to the faculty at Virginia Tech, Dr. Margaret Couvillon has set up a lab to study the foraging habits of pollinators, especially those of honeybees.  While it is generally recognized that among the major factors causing colony loss in honeybees is the decrease in forage availability, precious little work has been done in this area.  The Couvillon Lab has set out to investigate how pollinators collect food in the landscape with a focus on foraging, recruitment and health.  Dr. Couvillon will share with us her most recent research.

Please join us on Thursday 8th November 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg to hear this presentation.

Meeting Agenda

-Business:

  • Treasurer’s report
  • Apiary  report
  • Hokie Bug Fest Report:
  • T-shirts/ball caps update
  • Elections
  • Audit

-What you should be doing with your bees

-Fred’s Follies:

What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!

-The Buffalo Jack Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:

  •  10 deep Groove Top frames with crimp-wired wax foundation (unassembled)
  • A 10-frame deep box (unassembled)
  • 20 sheets of medium cut-comb foundation
  • A bag of smoker fuel
  • A gently used smoker (from Jack)

-Featured Presentation:  The Couvillon Lab at Virginia Tech: Recent work on honeybee foraging. Dr Margaret Couvillon

-Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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Tonights meeting (Oct 11th) is cancelled due to weather

Posted on October 11, 2018 by

October 11th Meeting: The Couvillon Lab at VT has been cancelled

 

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October 11th Meeting: The Couvillon Lab at VT

Posted on October 4, 2018 by

The Couvillon Lab at Virginia Tech: Recent work on honeybee foraging.

A recent addition to the faculty at Virginia Tech, Dr. Margaret Couvillon has set up a lab to study the foraging habits of pollinators, especially those of honeybees.  While it is generally recognized that among the major factors causing colony loss in honeybees is the decrease in forage availability, precious little work has been done in this area.  The Couvillon Lab has set out to investigate how pollinators collect food in the landscape with a focus on foraging, recruitment and health.  Dr. Couvillon will share with us her most recent research.

Please join us on Thursday 11th October 2018 at 6:30pm at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg to hear this presentation.

Meeting Agenda

-Business:

  • Treasurer’s report
  • Apiary  report
  • Hokie Bug Fest: October 20th @ Squires Student Center
  • Elections
  • Audit

-What you should be doing with your bees

-Fred’s Follies:

What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!

-The Buffalo Jack Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:

  •  10 deep Groove Top frames with crimp-wired wax foundation (unassembled)
  • A 10-frame deep box (unassembled)
  • 20 sheets of medium cut-comb foundation
  • A bag of smoker fuel
  • A gently used smoker (from Jack)

-Featured Presentation:  The Couvillon Lab at Virginia Tech: Recent work on honeybee foraging. Dr Margaret Couvillon

-Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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September 13th meeting. Hunting the Feral Bee!

Posted on September 7, 2018 by

Hunting the Feral Bee: Kidnapping, Brain-washing, and Body Painting

Before there were beekeepers there were bee hunters.  This ancient practice was all but lost until Tom Seeley revived interest in the practice with his book, “Following the Wild Bees“. Our program will cover Seeley’s methods for tracking the locations of feral colonies.  Join us to discover the tools and methods used in this fascinating pursuit.

Please join us on Thursday 13th September 2018 at 6:30pm at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg to hear this presentation.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE SALE OF THE REST OF JACK PRICE’S EQUIPMENT BEFORE THE MEETING, AT 5:00 PM IN THE PARKING LOT.

NRVBA SEPTEMBER 2018 Meeting Agenda

-Business:

-What you should be doing with your bees

-Fred’s Follies:

What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!

-The Buffalo Jack Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:

  • 12 ea one-lb invertible, dripless honey jars
  • 1 non-electric de-capping knife
  • 1 pair leather gloves, sz Lg
  • 1 Ten-frame medium super, unassembled
  • 10 ea deep frames and wax foundation (unassembled)

-Featured Presentation: Hunting the Feral Bee: Kidnapping, Brain-washing, and Body Painting! by Fred Jones.

-Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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August 9th meeting, Master Beekeeper Dana Stahlman from Ohio.

Posted on August 2, 2018 by

The NRVBA speakers for 2018 thus far have drawn from local and regional beekeepers. For our August meeting we are fortunate to host someone with a broader view of beekeeping than what we typically provide. Dana Stahlman will be discussing IPM (integrated pest management) among other subjects.

Stahlman is a fourth generation beekeeper who resides in Ohio. He is a certified Master Beekeeper through EAS (Eastern Apicultural Society) and former professional beekeeper having experience in both migratory beekeeping and queen rearing. He was the founder of the Ohio Queen Project, has kept bees in Ohio and Georgia, and has been awarded Ohio Beekeeper of the Year in 1997 and the prestigious Ohio Beekeeper Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally he is the author of  “Beekeeping 101”, a handbook for beginning beekeepers.

Please join us on Thursday 9th August 2018 at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg to hear this presentation.

NRVBA August 2018 Meeting Agenda

-Business:

-What you should be doing with your bees

-Fred’s Follies:

What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!

-The Buffalo Jack Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:

  • 10-frame deep box (unassembled)
  • 10 medium GTGB frames with plastic foundation (unassembled)
  • Square cutter for cut comb honey
  • One dozen 110 ml hexagonal honey jars
  • Flour sack towel with printed bees/ insect jewelry/Queen bee lavender sachet

-Featured Speaker: Dana Stahlman

-Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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Whitebarrel Winery Honey Bee Festival Saturday June 30th

Posted on June 29, 2018 by

Whitebarrel Winery Honey Bee Festival

Saturday June 30th  12pm – 6pm

Whitebarrel Winery 4025 Childress Road:  Facebook

We will have a table there with our new banner and an observation hive. Come and join us, and/or volunteer to help staff the table, and enjoy the festival.  There will be other vendors,  a food truck (Toasted by Casey), live music, bee-themed events, activities for kids of all ages, tours of the bee sanctuary, and much more.

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June 14th Meeting: Greed in the Apiary: Robbing

Posted on June 6, 2018 by

As our nectar flow begins to slow, new management considerations come into play in our apiaries.  This month we will present a panel of veteran beekeepers who will discuss strategies on how to prevent the devastating phenomenon called “robbing”. There will be a video of robbing behavior for those who have never seen it and ideas on how to stop it if it does occur.  In addition the panel will give some insights into the growing problem of small hive beetles.

Please join us on Thursday 14th June 2018 at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg to hear this presentation.

NRVBA June 2018 Meeting Agenda

-Business:

  • Treasurer’s report
  • Apiary  report
  • Logo Committee: Announcement of winning logo
  • Picnic: Sunday July 29, 10am – dark @ Nellies Cave Park
  • Delivery of Tim Service queens (after meeting)

-What you should be doing with your bees

-Fred’s Follies:

What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!

-Featured Speaker: Panel on Robbing/Small Hive Beetles

  1. Bob Whiton
  2. Mark Chorba
  3. Richard Reid

The Buffalo Jack Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:

  • 10 medium frames with plastic foundation; assembled
  • Nuc hive top feeder; plastic
  • Smoker (From Jack, almost new)
  • 10 frame deep box; unassembled
  • 10 frame queen excluder

Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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May 10th Meeting – Yard Sale plus Jerry Borger on Cutouts

Posted on May 4, 2018 by

After one of the most extended winters in recent memory, we are finally beginning to see some warm days and our bees are responding robustly.  Many of us are rebuilding after heavy winter losses. The first group of packages have arrived. This is one of the most exciting times of the year for beekeepers.

Our May meeting will be a special event members will not want to miss.  While previous meeting topics this year have focused on colony management, the subject of this meeting will cover a specialized discipline in beekeeping: removing colonies of honey bees from structures and cavities where they have become nuisances.

Please join us on Thursday 10th May 2018 at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg to hear this presentation.

Spring is a time for yard sales. Imagine a yard sale tailored for beekeepers. Our May meeting will feature just such an event.  Upon his death, our treasurer Jack Price donated all of his beekeeping equipment to the NRVBA. Some of the equipment will be retained for our apiary and some for our meeting raffles. Beginning at 5 PM prior to our May 10th meeting  (which will start as usual at 6:30 pm) we will hold a sale of the remainder of his beekeeping supplies at rock bottom prices in the health department parking lot. Among the items will be many frames of drawn comb that should be of particular interest to new beekeepers with packages. A partial list of items will be posted to the Hive prior to the event.

NRVBA May 2018 Meeting Agenda

-Business:

  • Treasurer’s report
  • Apiary  report
  • Package Bees Report
  • Upcoming Beekeeping Meetings
  • Report From Logo Committee: unveiling the new NRVBA logo!

-What you should be doing with your bees

-Fred’s Follies:

What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!

-Featured Speaker: Jerry Borger; Cutouts

Our speaker, Jerry Borger, has extensive experience in this area and is willing to share his methods and stories.  It is not everyday that people will invite you to rip open the walls of their homes and thank you for it!  After Jerry’s talk, you too may want to join in the fun by partnering with an experienced bee remover.

Jerry began beekeeping in 2006.  He is a two-year past president of the NRVBA and has managed the Association’s Beginning Beekeeper’s Course for the past eight years. In addition to removing honey bees from buildings,  he raises a few nucs and “mini-nucs” to sell each year, and sells products he makes from beeswax.

The Buffalo Jack Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:

  • Medium 10-frame super, unassembled
  • Frame grip
  • 10-frame plastic Hive Top Feeder
  • Plastic 9-frame spacer (for spacing 9 frames in a 10 frame box)
  • Cowhide gloves, size Medium

Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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April 12th Meeting- Feeding Colonies

Posted on April 5, 2018 by

Feeding time at the zoo bee yard.
2018 is providing us with yet another cold, wet spring.  Snow is in the forecast for Saturday and Monday.  Eventually the nectar flow will begin, however, and packages will arrive at the end of the month.  Beekeepers can expect things to heat up both literally and figuratively very soon!

One of the most confusing management problems for beekeepers surrounds the feeding of colonies.  Until now the subject has been addressed through the NRVBA in bits and pieces and much uncertainty remains. Our speaker for this meeting is NRVBA member Sue Hossack who will tackle the topic head on. Please join us at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday 12th April 2018 at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg.

Primarily aimed at beginners, this talk will cover the details of feeding (or not feeding) colonies throughout the year, starting with packages, or nucs in the spring; discussing feeding needs in summer, fall and winter, then finally looking at the different criteria for feeding a thriving colony the following spring. Pros and cons of various feeding methods and feeders will be discussed and demonstrated, along with the Why, What and How of each season.

NRVBA April 2018 Meeting Agenda

  • Business:
    • The loss of our long time Treasurer Jack Price. Jim Hill has offered to take Jack’s position
    • Report From Logo Committee
    • Report From Mentor Program Committee
    • Apiary committee report
    • Updates on package bees delivery
    • 501 (c)  status for NRVBA
  • What you should be doing with your bees
  • Fred’s Follies: What you should have learned at last month’s meeting had you been paying attention!
  • Main Topic: “Feeding time at the zoo bee yard.” by Sue Hossack
  • Raffle: Note, there will be no intermission. Buy your tickets before the meeting or, quietly, any time during the meeting in the back of the room. Items will include:
    • 10-frame screened bottom board
    • Swarm Essentials – book
    • 5 Small hive beetle traps
    • 10 Deep frames with plasticell foundation, unassembled
    • Nuc hive-top feeder
  • Close of formal meeting and, for many, the beginning of the “real” meeting. Join in for socializing, refreshments, and a time for asking questions.  Please consider bringing a snack or beverage to share.

-Fred Jones, NRVBA President.

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