Queen's Castle Beekeepers Assoc.

11th Minutes for the Queen’s Castle Beekeepers Assoc.

Sept 24, 2011

       21980 U. S. Hwy 29, Andalusia, AL  36420, 334-222-0751/376-9824

    The minutes from last month were read and accepted as is.

     Old or Ongoing Business: 

     Still need to work club by-laws.

     New Club House – OJ and Lucy will start with the bathrooms soon.  They are waiting for the county to do the perk test for the sewage lines.

Donna and Jason – has more ground covering available for you to buy, a great way to reduce weeds and grass around hives.

     New Business:

    The meeting began by us watching a video about how to get bees out of a house/wall using a vacuum system.  Jason Phillard brought an example of a homemade vacuum box that another beekeeper near them built to get bees out of where they decided to live.  Then you can put them in a box after that.  The video showed how to use the comb that is usable in your box hive using rubber bands to hold them on the frame.  The video demonstrated how to handle the queen and bees to get them into a new location in a prepared box.  New tricks are using the rubber bands and water down the bees to keep as many of them from flying.

   Then another video was shown to demonstrate getting bees out of a tree.  They showed how to cut the tree down and how to cut the bees out without killing too many bees.  You cut the bees out in chunks. And they shook the bees off the comb as they cut a part of the tree.  Once they got the queen all the bees started going in.  And they showed putting the tree comb in frames using cotton string. 

   Some members were interested in getting the Stinger paper.  So we explained that if you join the Alabama Beekeepers Association you will be sent the Stinger either by mail or email.

·         The state convention is coming up in a week and we encouraged everyone to attend if possible.

·         Keith – Showed the Lufa he grew and encourage the membership to try them for the flowers.

·         OJ took the group outside to demonstrate his new Top Bar Hive.

·         New sign will be put up to tell others on the highway about us. 

·         When construction starts on the new club house all beekeeper help will be much appreciated.  The date is still to be determined.  First the bathroom will be built then the main building.  They are also looking for a contractor to do the work.

·         Sharon – brought up that OJ has hives for sale.  $150.00 equals a top, screen top, brood box with bees and comb and bottom board.  He will be downsizing and selling about 50 hives that are available for all bee keepers.  ·       Vitex is blooming now.  OJ recommended everyone have at least an acre of vitex for your bees to work.    When the “Popcorn” tree  is blooming bees love it too but there are pros and cons to this tree.  Mimosa is not very good for bees.  White Dutch clover is best for early spring, and it is best to have another clover like sweet clover which starts blooming soon after White Dutch.  Oaks have honey dew that bees go for and they use it for their babies.  It is has aphid that bees kill and feed the young.  River Birch is good for the bee’s foraging also.  Buck wheat is still great  

·         to do year round, not great honey but gives flowers for our bees. Mr. Blount has a couple books that tell us what flowers are best for the honeybee. And he would loan it to you to read.

·         OJ talked about the entrance to the Queen’s Castle hive. To protect the hives from pests is why he shortened the entrance the way he did.  The bees can better protect a smaller opening.  The Runway design is for their landing area.  He talked again about the perforated metal design and how it helps keep the hive cleaner and many pests fall down through the holes, wax moth larva, small hive beetles and mites.  Only the youngest bees fall through, after a few days they are too big to fall through.  This year’s addition to the hive is a 2 inch space below the metal.  This larger area makes it easier for the beekeeper to clean out all the trash. 

·         Keith – success story with converting all his hives to the perforated metal doubled his apiary.

OJ said using old motor oil mixed with termite chemical around the posts helps stop other pest.  And use powder lime in a jar (with holes in top) to shake onto the bottom sheet metal.

Another great lunch with enough food supplied by several members.

People present were: Lucy and OJ Blount, Keith Robinson, Kip and Susan Carter, Sharon Campbell, Donna Blair, Jason Piland, Gary and Vicky Barrow, and James Higdon from Scottsboro, Alabama.

  Donna Blair, Secretary