PRESENT : Richard Hatfield (Pres.), John Burnet (Sec.) and 41 members and visitors as listed in the attendance book.

APOLOGIES : Mary Ann Lindsay, Marie & Chris Christofel, David Parkes, May Larsen.

NEW MEMBERS AND VISITORS : Scott Macky (actor & playwright from Mt Cook), Jean Watkin (Miramar), Reinhold & Heidilore Pauly (Mainz, Germany).

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING : Minutes of meeting held 13 December as detailed in Feb newsletter were confirmed.

MATTERS ARISING :

Deca Training : Next training session/exam is scheduled for end March/beginning April.

TREASURER’S REPORT : It was agreed that in future major Income & Expenditure items would be detailed in the monthly newsletter.

CORRESPONDENCE :

• Newsletters had been received from Christchurch and Taranaki Beekeeping Clubs.
• President advised he had received a letter from Cliff Hulston expressing concern over the accounting process used in the last annual financial accounts. Issue will be discussed directly with the President and Treasurer.

GENERAL BUSINESS :

Issues discussed -

• Frank Lindsay’s recent media attention & swarm collection notoriety (two photographs in the Evening Post within a month - one on the front page).
• Seasonal Management - Currently flowering - Eucalyptus, manuka, clover. 8 - 12 supers reported on some hives.
• Continued unsettled weather still causing swarms throughout the region.
• Shifting hives - must be less than one metre or over 2.5 km.
• Differences in taste and appearance between kanuka (light yellow) and manuka honey (dark) outlined in detail in the latest edition of Growing Today.
• Ivan Pedersen - produced a frame with a common wasp queen cell on bottom bar and also recounted a recent experience about ignorant neighbours who learned respect for bees the hard way.
• Liquid smoke - now available in NZ through Eckroyds.
• Beegoes - alternative method to remove bees from supers (made from artificial oil of almonds).
• Vinegar made from honey - an old recipe was described by Jean Watkin.

PRESENTATION :

Check brood for disease, remove bees from supers - various options available. In suburban areas brushing bees off frames can antagonise bees with resulting unpopular impact on neighbours. Overnight escape boards are best for populated areas.

Optimum temperature for extraction 32-35 degrees. Use incubator to maintain temperature or stack of supers over a 60 watt light bulb. Place queen excluder with sheet of newspaper covering most of the mesh to disperse rising heat round sides of supers - otherwise concentrated heat will melt honey and wax on adjacent super (often with disastrous effects).

Dealing with cappings - any remaining honey can be separated from the wax using hot water method (or microwave) or fed back to the bees inside the hive (Bees will remove all honey and leave a wax powder which can be melted down to a solid block).

Wets (supers with freshly extracted frames) must be returned to the original hives after dark to prevent robbing.

Extraction by hand was demonstrated by Andrew Beach using one of the Club’s two four frame extractors (available for hire through the Treasurer - $10 per hireage)

Meeting closed at 9.30 pm with usual supper.