The North Carolina State Beekeepers Association

NCSBA logo North Carolina State Beekeepers Association

Uncategorized

Welsh Honey Judge Training Workshop

By

Honey Judge Training

Ever thought about becoming a honey show judge? How to prepare items for entry into a honey show? We have just the class for you!

The North Carolina State Beekeepers Association and the faculty of the American Honey Show Training Council will be offering the Introductory Training for the Welsh Honey Judge program on March 9, 2023, at the Union County Extension Office in Monroe, NC! The training will be held on the Thursday immediately prior to the NCSBA Spring Conference, and it will be an all-day affair. Program curriculum and requirements will be identical to those posted on the Young Harris-UGA Beekeeping Institute website.

Cost: $75
Time: 8:30am-4:00pm, attendees should plan to arrive at 8:00am
Location: New upper auditorium on cooperative extension grounds

The class includes: An all day training/instruction with senior honey judges and honey show experts, thumb drive with all reference materials, white honey steward/judge smock lab coat, certificate of completion of level I training in the Welsh Honey Judge Program, and lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required for this event.

GETTING BACK TO NORMAL – SILENT AUCTIONS ARE BACK!

By

“ANYTHING GOES” will be our theme for the silent auction at the NCSBA state conference on March 10-11, 2023, in Monroe, NC. The Chatham County Beekeepers have taken on the task of organizing auctions next year. We challenge every association to donate a few treasures. No worries if you are not attending but would like to donate. Regional directors, our state inspectors, or a member from your association that is attending the conference can collect items for the auction.

We have not had a silent auction in a few years. For those who have not participated in one, the following explanation should help you understand the procedure. First, donate items for the auction. Each item will be accompanied by a bidding sheet that will include the item information, value of gift, minimum/opening bid, and what dollar amount for increased bids. For example, an item valued at $35.00 could have an opening bid of $15.00 with $2.00 increments (next bid is $17.00). The bidding deadline is the end of the morning break on Saturday, March 11th. Top bidders can pay for and collect items at lunchtime on March 11th.

We all love our “bee stuff” but please consider donating those birthday or Christmas gifts that don’t fit your style to ANYTHING GOES Silent Auction. Items that are typically found at our auctions include hive equipment and tools, products of the hive, bee plants, bee jewelry, photography or art work, books, decorated hive bodies, pottery, mead, wine, and more. You get the idea!

Please help by contributing to our silent auction. More information will follow when the conference schedule is finalized.

If anybody has questions, please email Pat Weisbrodt, beegalpat@gmail.com.

Thank you!

Spring 2020 Message from the NCSBA President

By

Beekeeping season is about to be in full swing and the Beekeepers of the NCSBA are getting excited! We are hearing reports that the honey flow already on for some of our members in the southern counties. The swarm lists are starting to get active so if you haven’t already got your supers dusted off – get ready!

Spring Meeting Notes

New Bern Convention Center

The 2020 Spring meeting in New Bern was a success. We had over 550 attendees and most of the feedback so far has been very positive. Look for information about the Summer meeting in the coming months.

BEES Academy Enrollment Extended

I know that some bee schools have been cancelled or postponed. To help beekeepers affected by this or for those that didn’t have a chance to enroll in a bee school, the NCSU apiculture program has extended enrollment for its online BEES Academy until March 25. Although the class has already started, there is plenty of time to catch up. Dr. Tarpy will be also be adding an additional Q&A session for those students beginning now. This is a great opportunity for some beekeeping training with NSCU’s Dr. Tarpy from the comfort of your home.
Learn More

Queen rearing Workshop

The Born and Bred Queen rearing Workshop is filling up fast. We announced it at the Spring meeting and as of this writing there are less than 40 spots left. It will be held in Pittsboro on May 9th. If you are considering attending, I would encourage you to register soon.

Check Your Mite Levels

Finally, I encourage you to monitor your mites if you aren’t already. I have heard from quite a few people that their mites numbers are higher than expected. The mild winter may have played a part in that.There is a good article available by NCSBA Master Beekeeper Randall Austin about the importance of monitoring mites.

Here’s to wishing you a happy, safe, and successful Spring!  

Take care,  

Paul Newbold President, NCSBA

Queen Rearing Workshop for May 9 Announced

By

The NCSBA is offering a program of advanced beekeeper education in the field of queen rearing and colony management. The Born and Bred queen rearing workshops will be conducted with a curriculum of such substance that participants can effectively learn how to raise queens with the information presented and a degree of diligence on their part. Beekeepers of all levels will be able to gain an understanding of queen production that is controlled by the beekeeper and how environmental factors affect the behavior of the honey bee during queen production.

The daylong course will be offered in Pittsboro, NC on May 9, 2020. The cost is $75.00 per participant. Enrollment is limited and you must be an active member of the NCSBA in order to participate.

Register Now

You can find detailed information on Born and Bred page of our website.

Regards,  

Etienne Nadeau
NCSBA Born and Bred Program

2020 Spring Meeting Speakers Announced

By

The spring meeting in New Bern will offer us a unique opportunity to hear what speakers have to say about the world of apiculture.  Dr. Judy Wu-Smart joins us from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  Judy is well known in the industry and speaks on various topics including the effects of pesticides, hive health, and pollinators in general.  She is a force in beekeeping education and has worked with all the pillars of the beekeeping community.  For our traditionalists, we will have the America’s beekeeping professor, Dr. Dewey Caron.  Dewey has been working with bees, education, and research for over 50 years and is the author of “Beekeeping Biology” – a book all those working toward their master beekeeping certification will recognize.  Dewey will main-stage speak, offer a workshop, be available to sign and personalize his book, and discuss bees with you in person.  We will also have Leigh Kathryn Bonner, who founded Bee Downtown in an effort to save the dwindling honeybee population and simultaneously provided corporations with a novel approach to sustainability. Her focus is to install and maintain beehives on corporate campuses, and she works with companies such as Delta Airlines, Chick-Fil-A, and IBM. Our event will include updates from our state Apiary Inspectors, Dr. David Tarpy of NSCU, a full session on the NC Born & Bred Program, a variety of NCSBA updates and a plethora of other learning opportunities. 
Our workshops will host a variety of information and learning sessions.  We will be focused on our region and offer sessions on varroa mites and varroa mite treatments, bear fences, the business of bees, beekeeping husbandry, queen rearing, and many other interesting topics.  Finally, we are going to try something new – workshops from a distance where we will video conference in speakers live to teach and share vital information to help us keep our bees healthy!  Stay tuned, a complete schedule will be published very shortly!

With Kind Regards,

Frederick Proni

Certified Honey Producer Featured in Edible Asheville Article

By

Edible Asheville, a A seasonal magazine that tells the story of food and drink in Asheville and Western North Carolina, has a lengthy article featuring NCSBA Certified Honey Producers Doug and Sharry Mikell.

Celebrating the Sweetness of Sourwood by Chris Smith explains what exactly sourwood honey is, why it is special, and why it is so rare.

Do you know another Certified Honey Producer mentioned in the media? Let us know!

Hurricane/Storm Assistance Deadline October 31

By

The deadline is fast approaching to file a “Notice Of Loss”. Please refer to the link below to see how to file for assistance.

The USDA has a program for beekeepers that have certain honey bee losses.

Please refer to the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program Fact Sheet for more information. The website is www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2018/elap_fact_sheet_april2018.pdf

 

Please contact your local Farm Service Agency for assistance.

Town Beekeeping Requirements Inquiry

By

Town Beekeeping Requirements Inquiry

We are looking to compile a list of towns that require you to pay for a permit to have bees within the town limits.
We would also like to know what that fee is if you know.

We need to have of list of all towns in North Carolina;
also if any town have incentives to keep bees.

Thanks for your help. This will help as we go forward.

Paul Newbold
North Carolina State Beekeepers Association
Master Beekeeper Committee
Born & Bred Committee

Paul Newbold
beefarmer1349@gmail.com
252-264-0245 H
252-312-4629 C

WOLFPACK WAGGLE: APRIL 28, 2018

By

Latest issue of the Wolfpack’s Waggle
Hi everyone,

Greetings from the NC State Apiculture Program!

You can now access our latest issue of the our program’s newsletter, the Wolfpack’s Waggle, which can also be found as usual through:
https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/apiculture/wolfpacks-waggle-newsletter/

The slow start to the spring means a delayed research season, which has everyone on edge. Typically we are up and fully running at this point, but we are just only now gearing up to do our experiments for this summer. At last count, we have 20 different projects for which we are actively collecting data this year, which is an astounding level of productivity.

Two of our off-campus postdoctoral researchers, Dan Charbonneau (UPenn) and Daiana De Souza (Galveston), are temporarily here at NC State to conduct their field research.

Samples have been flying into the Queen & Disease Clinic this year, so our services seem to be gaining traction in the industry.

All four of the graduate students in the program (James, Joe, Hannah, and Lauren) are heavily involved in their respective projects, but they each also have one or more side projects that they’re actively participating in.

It is clear that when we look back on things, this will be a very busy summer!

I hope everyone is keeping up with their bees this spring! Sincerely, David

******************************
David R. Tarpy
Professor and Extension Apiculturist
Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology
Campus Box 7613
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7613
TEL: (919) 515-1660
FAX: (919) 515-7746
LAB: (919) 513-7702
WEB: http://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/profile/david-tarpy/
EMAIL: david_tarpy@ncsu.edu
************
Join the new Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (BEES)
Like us on FaceBook
Follow us on Twitter (@NCSUApiculture)

BIP Sentinel Apiary Program for 2018

By

Bee Informed Partnership
(BIP) 2018 SENTINEL APIARY PROGRAM

The Bee Informed Partnership is looking for participants in their Sentinel Apiary Program. Below is the information we received from them.
________________________________________

My name is Dan Reynolds, and I’m a research specialist with the Bee Informed Partnership: https://beeinformed.org/

We research colony survivorship and provide diagnostics for beekeepers across the US.

I am reaching out to beekeeping organizations and representatives for participation in the fifth year of the Sentinel Apiary Program. We had a great year for participation in 2017 and are looking to do the same for 2018.

Spots are limited, so if this is something that you or your club might be interested in, please let me know and I can reserve a spot for you.
The program starts in May and we have a little over a month to get in those last applications.

This program is specifically suited to beekeeping groups or smaller beekeepers. Beekeeping organizations often use the program as a teaching tool for new beekeepers, or have an individual participate on behalf of the group as a benchmark diagnostic tool for colonies in your area.

You can find more information about the Sentinel Apiary Program on the Bee Informed Partnership website, which can be viewed here:

Sentinel Apiary Program

Please feel free to ask us about how beekeeping clubs specifically use the program.

Details:

The Program consists of six months of sampling (May-October) for either 4 or 8 colonies
(8 is recommended, but if you will only have 7 or fewer in 2018 then 4colonies is an option).

Participating in the Program means you will:

1. Take monthly samples of ~300 bees from each colony and mail them to our lab to be processed for Varroa and Nosema

2. Perform a routine health inspection of each colony during each sampling (we ask you to record Frames of Bees, Brood Pattern, and Queen Status)

3. Optional: share hive scale data (if you already have one or want to purchase one, we have several supported vendors which can be found here: https://beeinformed.org/programs/sentinel/

What we do for you is:
1. Provide all materials and instructions needed to complete sampling
2. Send you diagnostic reports about your Varroa and Nosema levels within two weeks of receiving your samples

3. Keep all of your data in a safe, anonymous online database so it can be viewed by beekeepers in your region as a “Sentinel” or first line of defense for watching Varroa levels.
Varroa map can be seen here: https://bip2.beeinformed.org/sentinel/
Hive Scale map can be seen here: https://bip2.beeinformed.org/hive-scales/public

Past Sentinel participants say the Program helps improve your colony health monitoring, record keeping, and Varroa management. It can also be used as a valuable teaching tool to share with new beekeepers, or other beekeepers in your area or beekeeping club. Plus, non-participating beekeepers in your area will benefit from being able to see your Sentinel data shared online as a benchmark for colony health in their region!

How to Sign Up & COSTS:

The price for the Program is:

$275 for 4 colonies or $499 for 8 colonies.

If you would like to participate, please fill out the enrollment form:
https://www.ncbeekeepers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018_Sentinel_Enroll.pdf

and send a check made payable to University of Maryland to:

Dan Reynolds
Bee Informed Partnership
4112 Plant Sciences Building
College Park, MD 20742

Please let me know if you have any questions at all. I’d be happy to talk more about the details of the Program!

Happy Beekeeping,

—
Dan Reynolds
Faculty Specialist
Bee Informed Partnership
University of Maryland
Entomology Department
4112 Plant Sciences Building
College Park, MD 20742
301-405-3799

NCSBA Summer Meeting Advance Registration Open Now

By

Subject: NCSBA Summer Meeting Advance Registration Open Now

NCSBA Beekeepers,

The information for the summer meeting is now posted on the NCSBA website and registration is open. The event will be held on July 19, 20, and 21 at Blue Ridge Community College which is located near Flat Rock and Asheville, NC. Our speakers will include: noted author and researcher, Dr. Tom Seeley of Cornell University; the President of the American Apitherapy Society, Fredrique Keller; NCSU researcher and North Carolina State Cooperative Extension Apiculturist, Dr. David Tarpy; and Phil Craft, the author of the “Ask Phil” column which appears in Bee Culture magazine. There will be expanded outdoor programs in the green spaces of the campus. Visit https://www.ncbeekeepers.org for complete information. Nearby hotel space is in high demand during the summer so make your reservations early.

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Subject: Spring Meeting Silent Auction

By

Subject: Spring Meeting Silent Auction

Dear Members:

Like you, we are looking forward to the Spring NCSBA meeting in New Bern March 1 through 3. The Silent Auction is a fun way for clubs and individuals to support NCSBA! If you or your chapter would like to enter one or more item we would LOVE to include them. Here is what you need to know:

• Print and complete a brief form (attached) for each item you would like included in the auction.
• Bring items (or have someone bring them) to the auction area at the Convention Center between 8 and 10 am on Thursday morning. Unfortunately, we will not have access to the space before then.
• Upon receipt, we will register items, prepare an auction sheet and display items.
• Some of the smaller, general use items may be moved to door prizes where your support will be announced to the group at large.
• The silent auction will close at 10 am Saturday and the winners will be announced and posted. All items should be collected by noon on Saturday.

Your participation is what has made the Silent Auction a successful part of the Spring Meeting in the past. We look forward to seeing what you bring this year!

Kirsten Lewis
Tar River Beekeepers
This Email was sent on February 24th 2018

Spring Meeting Silent Auction

By

Subject: Spring Meeting Silent Auction

Dear Members:

Like you, we are looking forward to the Spring NCSBA meeting in New Bern March 1 through 3. The Silent Auction is a fun way for clubs and individuals to support NCSBA! If you or your chapter would like to enter one or more item we would LOVE to include them. Here is what you need to know:

• Print and complete a brief form (attached) for each item you would like included in the auction.
• Bring items (or have someone bring them) to the auction area at the Convention Center between 8 and 10 am on Thursday morning. Unfortunately, we will not have access to the space before then.
• Upon receipt, we will register items, prepare an auction sheet and display items.
• Some of the smaller, general use items may be moved to door prizes where your support will be announced to the group at large.
• The silent auction will close at 10 am Saturday and the winners will be announced and posted. All items should be collected by noon on Saturday.

Your participation is what has made the Silent Auction a successful part of the Spring Meeting in the past. We look forward to seeing what you bring this year!

Kirsten Lewis
Tar River Beekeepers

Master Beekeeper Program Testing & Other Events Schedule at the Spring Meeting & beyond

By

Master Beekeeper Program
Testing & Other Events Schedule at the Spring Meeting

The Master Beekeeper Committee would like you to know that there are events that precede the opening of the NCSBA Spring Meeting in New Bern on Thursday, March 1st 2018.
The meeting will officially open at 12:30 and the first presentations will begin.
If you have arrived at the New Bern Convention Center and are looking for something to do before the meeting starts, and before the vendors are set-up and ready to conduct business, you may find these events interesting and beneficial.
Thursday, March 1st,
From 10 a.m. till noon, the MBP will be offering
1.) Advanced Review
2.) “Ask The Experts”

Advanced Review
As in the past, members of the Committee will be covering what to expect on a Journeyman or Master Beekeeper exam and offering tips on how to prepare to take one.
For this session, the topics highlighted for this review at the advanced level will be:
Colony sociology and behaviors;
Hive Products (honey, wax, propolis, pollen);
Pollination and Plants
(Past reviews have included anatomy, pests and diseases, anatomical systems, glands, pheromones, and colony communication.)

Ask the Experts
A panel made up of Master Beekeepers, Apiary Inspectors, and NC Cooperative Extension agents will be available to answer questions.
The panel will be:
Bill Moran: NCSBA Master Beekeeper, MBP Committee (research and practical exams)
Eric Talley: NCSBA Master Beekeeper, NCSBA Regional Director
Adolphus Leonard: NCDA&CS Apiary Inspector
Will Hicks: NCSDA&CS Apiary Inspector
Mike Carroll: NC Cooperative Extension Agent, Agriculture
Tom Glasgow: NC Cooperative Extension, Director Craven County, Horticulture

Bring your questions about beekeeping experiences; pests and diseases; the NCSBA organization; plants; agricultural practices, and more.

TESTING will be on Friday from 1pm to 4pm. March 2nd
No written test issued after 2pm. Journeyman and Master practical done 1 till 4

TESTING on Saturday from 9am till 12 noon. March 3rd
No written test issued after 10am. Journeyman and Master practical done 9 till noon

Those wishing to take the written test – please email mbp@ncbeekeepers.org and let us for planning on how many copies to have on-hand, and for space & time for practical exams.
We need just your name the test you plan to take.

If you have additional questions call or email
Paul Newbold at 252-312-4629
Doug Galloway at 828-612-1531
Email: mbp@ncbeekeepers.org

Anticipated MBP Testing for 2018/2018 (Journeyman and Master exams are only given at state events)
2018: March NCSBA Spring Meeting New Bern
2018: July NCSBA Summer Meeting, near Asheville
2018: October MBP Fall Regional Testing (only one location this year – likely mid-state)
2019: Spring NCSBA joint meeting with SCBA, likely near Charlotte

Paul Newbold
beefarmer1349@gmail.com
252-264-0245 H
252-312- 4629 C

Master Beekeeper Program schedule for Spring Conference – New Bern – March 1, 2, & 3rd 2018

By

Master Beekeeper Program update for Spring Conference at New Bern

Before the Conference begins…

Thursday morning 10am till 12 noon:
Refresher and Review for Journeyman and Masters. Also meet the MBP Committee.

Thursday morning 10 am till 12 noon.
Ask the Experts

If you have a question, we’ll have an answer.
Bring your question to our panel of “EXPERTS”. Master Beekeepers Bill Moran and Eric Talley and State Inspectors Adolphus Leonard and William Hicks, and representatives from the NC Cooperative Extension

TESTING will be on Friday from 1pm to 4pm. No written test issued after 2pm. Journeyman and Master practical done 1 till 4

TESTING on Saturday from 9am till 12 noon. No written test issued after 10am. Journeyman and Master practical done 9 till noon

Those wishing to take the written test, please email mbp@ncbeekeepers.org and let us know for planning purposes – thank you.
We need just your name the the test you plan to take.

If you have additional questions call or email
Paul Newbold at 252-312-4629
Doug Galloway at 828-612-1531
Email: mbp@ncbeekeepers.org

Paul Newbold
beefarmer1349@gmail.com
252-264-0245 H
252-312-4629 C

WOLFPACK’s WAGGLE

By

Latest Issue of the WOLFPACK’S WAGGLE

Hi everyone,
Greetings from the NC State Apiculture Program! You can now access our latest issue of the our program’s newsletter, the Wolfpack’s Waggle, which can also be found as usual through:
https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/apiculture/wolfpacks-waggle-newsletter/
The beginning of a new year always brings reflection about the previous. We’ve had another successful year, with 11 peer-reviewed publications (a record high for our program, second year in a row) and 8 presentations at scientific meetings. We had 14 active grants totaling $3.2M, and we have 20 people in the program. We have been joined by our new project manager, Sharon Munger, who has really helped to facilitate all of the logistics within the program and has been a fantastic addition to our team. On the extension side, collectively we delivered ~15 presentations and workshops to various beekeeper groups for ~2,800 individual contacts, and we were covered by four media stories on our work. Our Queen & Disease Clinic is growing ever-more popular among beekeepers and queen producers, and it is really starting to gain traction in becoming a self-sustaining resource for beekeepers to ascertain the reproductive quality of queens (and drones) and the disease levels in their colonies. Overall, 2017 was a great year, and we hope the same for 2018!
I hope everyone is getting their bees ready for winter, and may they all survive happy and healthy through next spring! Sincerely, David

******************************
David R. Tarpy
Professor and Extension Apiculturist
Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology
Campus Box 7613
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7613
TEL: (919) 515-1660
FAX: (919) 515-7746
LAB: (919) 513-7702
WEB: http://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/profile/david-tarpy/
EMAIL: david_tarpy@ncsu.edu
************
Join the new Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (BEES)
Like us on FaceBook
Follow us on Twitter (@NCSUApiculture)