header
Hello,

I hope this finds you well! :-)

Be safe, be smart, take your vitamins, say your prayers, eat healthy (no cookies! lol), be sane, keep your humanity and sense of humor, don't operate from fear. Be a force of light in the world. Peace.

Deep into Wuhan Covid19 time!! Again there will be NO IN PERSON meeting but there will be a Conference Call on Monday, April 20th, 6.30pm, Call Info below. Rob and Tom will be on (hopefully Rob this time! lol). :-) How are your hives doing? Anybody seeing queen cups? Swarming getting ready to kick off if not already depending on where you are. Hear you there!



CALL INFO

You can either dial in via phone or join online, no account needed. Am not sure if there will be slides (Rob/Tom?), but if you join online you will be able to see those slides. But not promising slides. lol

Call In:
712-770-4010
Access Code:
499172
Video/Screen Sharing:
https://join.freeconferencecall.com/beeimprovement
Online Meeting ID: bee improvement



Queen 16 Days, Worker 21 Days, Drone 24 Days...

Music
As always, something to listen to whilst you read on... Opens a new window. It's from a a 2005 Beowulf and Grendel movie, base on a Norse Saga. Some violence, but the song is wonderful. :-)
Garmarna - Herr Mannelig



Special Announcements.

It doesn't look like Roger Patterson will come in May given the current Wuhan Covid situation. Stay tuned for date of BeeGroup meeting for May, it may be Roger calls in for the conference call, but nothing is settled as of yet. Stay tuned...





Courses

As I understand it, definitely up in the air regarding courses. Those of you who have signed up, Tom/Rob will be in touch with you. If you are still interested and have not yet signed up, please contact Tom directly. It is dependent on how Wuhan Covid progresses.

Please click on the linked headlines for more info.

QUEEN REARING INTENSIVE apiary
with ROGER PATTERSON
MAY 9th and 10th

BEGINNERS BOOTCAMP apiary
MAY 19 9 AM-3 PM
MAY 20. 9 AM-3 PM


MIDSEASON BOOTCAMP apiary
JULY 11. 9 AM-3 PM

END SEASON BOOTCAMP apiary
AUG 23. 9 AM-3 PM

SEASON LONG MASTERCLASS APPRENTICESHIP apiary and classroom
80 HRS


NUCS
Locally bred and locally acclimatized. No Florida package sh#$ here!

BEING WITH BEES
A new beekeeping blog from Tom Sotiridy.

For more information:
www.beeimprovement.com
914 213 2303

IMPORTANT
Beltsville Lab: If your bees die, God Forbid!, please send a sample to the Beltsville Lab in Maryland. The analysis is free and they will email you the results. They check for Nosema and Mites. I sent a sample down a month ago and my hive was loaded with mites -- in December! Please share results with Rob,Tom and the BeeGroup so we can help keep tabs on what is happening in the 'hood. Thanks! CLICK HERE for details on how to submit a sample.

Available: Rob's Slovenian Hive has sold. But contact Rob if you are interested. - rob@bushkillventures.com

If you have any topics, ideas, selling bee equipment, or questions, feel free to contact us at BeeGroup@HVHiives.com.



Please whitelist beegroup@hvhives.com to ensure proper mail delivery from Hudson Valley Hives.



Keep on BZZZzzz'n...

Growing Wildflowers for Bees and Butterflies

I am continually planting flowers for bees and pollinators. And continually looking for plants that bloom in August as that is the dearth time. Interesting article on planting wildflowers...I even convinced my neighboring farmer to plant about a quarter mile of roadside with wildflowers! Int that awesome of them?!!!

CLICK HERE to read more.
wildflower-meadow-2x-2
RWS_IMG0082

Northeast Pollinator Plant List

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Recommended native plants that are highly attractive to pollinators such as native bees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.... CLICK HERE to read more...

Honeybee farmers facing 'desperate situation' as bee imports slow

Canadian beekeepers buy thousands of packages of bees every year to replace hives that died over the winter, but this year those bees aren't getting into the country. What does this say if we need to import so many bees from across the sea? REALLY DRIVES HOME THE NEED TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO MAKE OUR OWN BEES AT HOME!. CLICK HERE to read on...
scandia
hornet_t2500

Hunt is on in Washington for giant, bee-killing hornet

The Asian giant hornet, the world’s largest hornet and an invasive species first documented in the state late last year, can attack and kill a honeybee colony in a few hours. The state Department of Agriculture confirmed the first two sightings of the predator in December, and reported two unconfirmed but probable sightings. All of the sightings were in Whatcom County. The insect has also been documented in British Columbia.
CLICK HERE to read on...

Honey Bee Microbiome Bacteria Engineered to Protect against Pathogens and Pests

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have harnessed specially engineered symbiotic honey bee gut bacteria to protect the insects from Varroa mites and deformed wing virus, two key honey bee pathogens that represent major causes of colony collapse. The engineered bacteria live as part of the the honeybee gut microbiome, and effectively act as biological factories that produce double stranded RNA (dsRNA) to alter gene expression and trigger immune responses. The researchers believe their approach could feasibly be scaled up for agricultural use, because the engineered bacteria are easy to grow, inoculating the bees is straightforward, and the engineered bacteria are unlikely to spread beyond bees. CLICK HERE to read on...
image2-1392x922
40467ab8-e29f-4397-aa06-40a7bc14d355.sized-1000x1000

Honeybees dying from "deformed wing virus," research finds

University researchers found a key link between a common bee virus and colony decline.
CLICK HERE to view video...

Resources:

For Honeybee information, videos, podcasts and workshops please visit the links below. Workshops are being updated as we speak!
HVHIVES.com
BeeImprovement.com

Dave Cushman Beekeeping Website maintained by Roger Patterson.
Go to Dave-Cushman.net

With Special Thanks for providing the Venue: Olive Free Library

Welsh Beekeepers Association Bee Disease Guide: It is important for all beekeepers to be familiar with the appearance of healthy worker brood, in order to recognise abnormalities which may indicate the presence of disease.

Honey Bee Healthy Recipe

NOSEMA: Treatment Procedure. Don't forget to treat for Nosema! Click Here for procedure.

HONEYBEE LIFE CYCLE - Very Important to know. This is the building block of understanding your hives.
Click Here for video...
Click here for chart and discussion.

Queen 16 Days, Worker 21 Days, Drone 24 Days...

images
No Meeting, Conference Calls for now...

What: Bee Group
Where: Olive Free Library, West Shokan
When: 3rd Monday of the Month - 6:30PM

Hudson Valley Hives is a beekeeping group that meets at the Olive Free Library on a monthly basis and discuss all things beekeeping. The meeting is driven by members questions and sharing experiences with the goal of spreading timely knowledge among fellow beekeepers. It is very informal and we welcome anyone interested to participate. If you are just thinking about getting started in beekeeping, a new beekeeper, or a seasoned beekeeper, you will benefit from the group discussions. There is no membership fee. The Olive Free Library graciously provides a meeting place for our group and we encourage you to make a donation to the library if you find the BeeGroup helpful.

Have family or friends that might be interested in beekeeping? Forward this email so they can Subscribe to our Mail List.