PRESENT:

Frank Lindsay (President), and 35 persons as listed in the attendance book

VISITORS:

Jack Strong from Holland, here on a working holiday for a month; and John Pallisen, Otaki

APOLOGIES:

Andrew Yung, Pam McDowell. Moved by Ken Breden that these apologies be accepted, seconded Amor Walter, CARRIED

MINUTES OF THE MEETING held 11 November 2002:

It was moved by Amor Walter, and seconded by Andrew Beach, that these Minutes be accepted, CARRIED

MATTERS ARISING:

DECCA Course went well, all but two passed. About 1400 have passed nationally, about 200 haven’t, mostly through mistakes with pictures.

Swarms appear to be over.

Because it was such a warm winter last year, there are mice everywhere. Be aware and put guards on early, before the flow finishes. In some areas the flow is finishing now. This season has been one out of the box. To kill mice, put a plastic bottle with crushed Talon tablets under the hive.

Start testing for varroa now, sugar shake or new bottom boards and observe over a week.

Order your new queens now because we don’t know what spring will be like.

Mesh: Thanks to Fritz for organising the cutting of the stainless steel mesh and bringing same to the meeting. There are 150 ‘squares’ available at $8.00 each.

Andrew Beach pointed out that it is illegal to use your Smoker during the current Fire Ban. After considerable enquiries on Andrew’s part, Wellington City Council advised him that "providing the smoker was lit in a building, away from combustible material, or in a car, and that a fire extinguisher was taken along with it, it would be permissible to use a smoker". Kapiti Coast advised that they would give a Fire Permit valid for one month.

Cappings: In response to a query as to how to separate manuka cappings from honey, it was suggested that a heat lamp be suspended over the cappings, which should be sitting on a mesh so the honey can get away without getting too hot. The melted wax will float on top of the honey and will have to be separated afterwards – a lovely sticky job and, according to Mary-Ann Lindsay, the bath is the best place to do it!

Alternatively, wash the cappings, save the juice and make mead.

Plastic Frames: Frank Lindsay interspersed plastic and wooden frames and the bees have not drawn them properly. He didn’t have time to brush the plastic with wax first. Dipping the plastic frames for 5 seconds in melted wax has worked perfectly for other members.

Ingredients Labelling: From 19 December 2002 ingredients must appear on labels on your honey; eg ‘honey’ – so much fat, calcium etc. The only exception is if you pack in front of somebody. A sample of a label is to be included in the March Newsletter.

Comb Honey: Ivan Pederson told how a customer at his stall asked what one did with comb honey? Ivan explained that "you ate it". The customer then bought a punnet of comb honey, acquired a spoon, sat down beside Ivan’s stall and ate the lot, wax and all!

Insecure loads!: Frank Lindsay dropped a Honey Box full of plastic frames (but no bees) off his truck. The Policeman was really nice and Frank thought he had got away with it but the $600 fine arrived in the mail a couple of days later! Incidentally, plastic frames are very durable and almost survived being run over by a truck. They went back on the hive regardless.

NBA: James asked as to the current situation with the NBA. Frank advised that there are now two groups, Canterbury Branch and South Island beekeepers are going with the Federated Farmers. The President and executive member resigned and set this up. The secretary has carried on. The NBA is currently being carried on by a beekeeper’s wife. A vote will be held, possibly in April, whether the magazine will be monthly, quarterly or whatever, yet to be decided.

Pest Management Strategy: Stalled at the moment. With the MAF who are looking at the proposal.

Varroa Line: The line is scheduled to be removed in April. Frank Lindsay and Vaughan Keans would both like to see the line stay. Vaughan has previously suggested a five year moratorium to negate any possible benefits from "salting" below the line. The Meeting endorsed these sentiments.

Cappings Fork: Amor Walter advised that an aluminium horse mane comb, with sharpened tines, will work about as well as a cappings fork and can be conveniently carried in a pocket. Approximate cost is $3.

Honey Pots: Stowers, Sydney Street, Petone, 60-80c per plastic pot; and Moore Wilson. Arthur Holmes for glass containers.

Honey Competition: Coming up. Mary-Ann will bring containers to the March meeting.

FINANCIAL:

The Club has $7155.23 in the bank, following payment of the Church annual rental.

Levies: The PMS is currently before the Minister, $23 plus so much per hive. Yet to be approved so probably a couple of months away.

A Varroa PMS is currently under discussion, though only for the South Island, to fund surveillance of the line and the hives.

(by your Roving Varroa:)

MITES
Stuart Smith has found a few mites in his hives at Judgeford, half way between both finds in the restricted area.
All beekeepers in the restricted area (Pauatahanui to Trentham to Naenae) should get their honey off this month.  They should also test their hives with the sugar shake method or an apistan strip in a jar for mites.  Some surveillance work will be undertaken shortly by MAF to determine the mites spread but we are not sure how many hives will be surveyed.  It's up to beekeepers to find and treat mites in their hives. All mite finds should be reported to AgriQuality 0800 424490.

SUGAR SHAKE METHOD For those not familiar with the sugar shake method. Shake the bees off two or three brood nest frames into the hive lid.  Bump the corner of the lid on the ground so that all the bees fall into one corner.   Then
proceed to tip the bees into a small AG type jar until it is half full. Screw down the mesh lid and pour in a table spoon of icing sugar.  Cover mesh with your hand and shake for 30 seconds.  Empty the icing sugar on to a white cloth. Repeat this action again with another tablespoon of icing sugar for another minute.  Pour sugar on to the cloth.

Unscrew the jar lid and dump the bees on to the frames of the hive. They will quickly clean themselves up.  Look carefully through the icing sugar on the cloth for mites.  1 mite represents 100 mites in your hive.  Treatments must start when there are 1000 mites in your hive. Treat all hives in the apiary and in the surrounding apiaries.  Varroa mites are quite big.  The smaller round mites are pollen mites and are harmless.  If you are not sure what you are looking at consult another club member.

CAPPING FORK – for an alternative quick and easy method of looking for mites, use your capping fork to lift brood, preferably drone, while in the white pupae stage. Mites will show up readily, you need only disturb the hive once, and it costs nothing. (IP)

FIND THOSE FERAL HIVES Beekeepers with hives in the restricted areas should spend a little time tracking down feral hives.  Perhaps advertise in the local papers to those with feral hives in sheds, houses and trees to contact them.  They can be killed with fly spray over 4-5 days (30 second burst morning and evening) and sealed in with expanding foam.  If you can get at the combs, take a couple of buckets along to save the honey before dispatching the bees.

CLOSE DOWN YOUR HIVES As stated at last months meeting its time to close hive entrances down to stop robbing and prevent mice entering the hive.  I suggest you close the entrance down to 8mm by 100 mm.

REQUEEN HIVES Any hives that were swarms, didn't produce well or have spotty brood should be requeened now while there is a dribble of a flow from the
eucalyptus trees.  One must remove the old queen before replacing a new
queen in the hive.  One of the safest methods is to create a nucleus
hive using a split board on top of the existing hive. (Two frames of
emerging brood, one with pollen and honey and the other just honey -
inspect for the queen after gently shaking off the field bees.)   Once
the new queen is laying , kill the old queen and combine the nuc and the
old hive using two sheets of newspaper.

Submission deadline 28 February. It's been a busy week with deadline for two lots of submissions, comments were required on the Draft Biosecurity Strategy and one for the Varroa PMS.  We in the Southern North Island are supporting the
continuation of the existing Movement Control Line across the centre of
the NI.  This has been very successful in limiting the spread of mites
south.  There are areas that could be free of mites for another two or
three years if the line stays in place.

Stainless Steel bottom board mesh.  These are still available from Frank
Lindsay at a cost of $8.00 each to club members.  Mesh bottom boards can
be used as part of an integrated pest management system and for
surveying natural mite fall.  Not essential but a good idea if you are
replacing old bottom boards.

A local member was suited up and quietly engaged in brushing bees off a frame of honey when his little terrier went beserk up in the driveway. A loud whistle of recall revealed a young student couple trying to enter the property. When the girl had befriended the dog and calmed her partner, who had started unashamedly to run away, they asked to inspect the section for un-PC weeds, or garden plants on the WRC (Wgtn Regional Council) blacklist. "Ok" replied the landowner, "but wild ginger wouldn’t grow for me here, though passionfruit does. I’m not dressed up in this silly gear for fun – these bees resent me taking their honey. I promise to clear the weeds myself." However, the pair followed him down to where he was working, and the boy spotted the dreaded banana passionfruit and rushed up to repeat his spiel with emphasis. Halfway through he let out a shriek of pain, tore at his somewhat lank hair, ripped off his teeshirt, and yelped for "something to put on it". "Too late to save the poor bee son, aren’t you making yourself a bigger target?" quizzed the beekeeper. The girl, who had understood the warning, had remained wisely and demurely in the background, needing no advice to lead her sorry partner back up to the road.

The weeds remain uninspected. A pity the gorse and tradescantia on the very steep road reserves are probably not on the list of "undesirables" they are prepared to assist with the removal of. Max Aston

All the honey drained out of the cappings over a two-day period, the top bin was then removed and the honey was skimmed and then poured into a packing bucket.   Cost $25 and an hour’s labour. 

Servings per package: (insert number of servings)

Serving size: g (or mL or other units as appropriate)

Note that the values given in the above table will vary according to honey type and processing variations. The above figures are intended as a guide only.

QUEEN EXCLUDERS: These are one of your biggest aids in the Varroa fight. As soon as the flow is over, take them off. Bring them inside and clean them thoroughly with hot water then paint. As they are made of untreated timber they need the same care and attention as the rest of your woodware.

YOUNG BEEKEEPERS: Ivan Pederson has written to the Education Ministry proposing that New Zealand primary schools have 2 hours of beekeeping instruction a fortnight, for the next 10 years minimum, during the Spring/honey flow until harvest. NZ Clubs would provide about 20 beesuits, and the aim would be to eventually produce 1000 beekeepers a year when we no longer have any feral hives. The Ministry have indicated to Ivan that they are interested in his proposal and wish to discuss the matter further. Full marks Ivan for initiative.

FOR SALE

Stainless Steel ‘Pender’ 2 frame extractor, non-reversible. Lovely condition. $250 ono. Phone Jurgen at 293 2417 (home) or Wgtn 8020404. This is Jurgen’s workphone and should switch through.

5 hives between 3 and 5 supers high. 22 full depth supers with frames, fully assembled, metalexed, brand new, never used. 4 frame Stainless steel non-reversible extractor – new from Ecroyds, 10 excluders, 10 bee escapes, smoker, suit, brush, manuka roller, etc. Contact Richard Hunlick, 26 Ranfurly Street, Upper Hutt, phone (04) 528 0410

The hives are just within the 5 km mite find of Haywards Hill so must
remain within the restricted area or can be moved (under permit) north
of the movement control line across the middle of the North Island.  A
permit is required for any such movements from AgriQuality. 0800 424490

Richard just doesn't have time to pursue beekeeping.  This gear is top
quality and has been treated to last.  It would suit a new beekeeper who
wants ready-to-use gear to set up a hive.

Don’t forget when selling hives with bees, the seller must inform AgriQuality in Palmerston North so they can be tracked in the case of an exotic disease outbreak. Purchasers should sign the form supplied by AgriQuality (ph 06-351 7930, Fax 06-351 7906, PO Box 585, PN) who manage the Apiary Register on behalf of the NBA.

Membership of the Wellington Beekeepers Association runs from June to May of each year and costs $20.00, or $15.00 if you receive your newsletters by email.