Announcements

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Pemi-Baker Beekeepers Mask

Good evening PBBA members,

We hope this message finds you and your hives doing well!

The executive board is taking a poll to see if you would be interested in fabric face masks with the PBBA screen printed logo on them?  The masks are washable/reusable and would cost $5.00 each.  There is a minimum order so we would greatly appreciate your feedback before placing an order.  Please email or text Jen by Monday the 29th if you are interested.  The screen printers are extremely busy so it is unlikely that the masks would be ready for the July meeting, but we would like to ensure they would be here for the August meeting by placing the order as soon as we can, provided there is enough interest from the club.

Bee happy & healthy,

Your PBBA executive board

Contact Jen at:
dirtnfur@aol.com, please put “mask” in the subject line
Or text me at 728-8523

Thanks!

PemiBaker Bee Keeper Mask


American Foul Brood Detected

On Friday May 21, 2020 American Foul Brood (AFB) was detected via field tests in one of three colonies at an apiary location in New Boston, NH. A comb sample has been sent to USDA Bee Lab in Beltsville, Maryland for lab analysis confirmation of the field findings.  Beekeepers should familiarize themselves with AFB symptoms and observe carefully when inspecting colonies and equipment. Any suspect findings should be reported immediately to NH
Division of Plant Industry (603-271-2561).

AFB symptoms include:
“Appearance of the brood comb:  Sealed brood discolored, sunken, or punctured cappings
Age of dead brood:  Usually older sealed larvae or young pupae
Color of dead brood:  Dull white becoming light brown to dark brown or almost black
Consistency of dead brood:  Soft, becoming sticky to ropy
Odor of dead brood:  Slight to pronounced ‘dirty sock’ odor
Scale characteristics:  Uniformly lies flat on lower side of cell, Adheres tightly to cell wall; fine threadlike tongue of dead pupae adheres to roof of cell; head lies flat”
(Above quoted from: “Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping” – D.M. Caron)


Message from our NH EAS Director

Greetings to all!

I want to thank Gerard and Mary Ellen and Jan Mercieri for getting right back to me when I mailed this announcement  last month.

A reminder that this needs to go out to the  membership of your clubs.

While EAS retains a list of members, there is no way for them to know who might have been planning to renew or initiate membership when they registered for the conference this year. Since registration is on hold until the vote THIS SATURDAY, April 11, it is imperative to get the word out.

Presidents and representatives, I need your help to accurately speak the voice of EAS members in NH.

Please re-read this entire notice, my plea to all of you and the directive from EAS.

May this find you all as well as you can be during these times, stay connected, create a community by email, phone or zoom, and enjoy your bees. Reach out to the rest of us if you need assistance.

Best regards,
Dorinda Priebe
EAS Director, NH

 

After a long meeting with much discussion last evening, and a notice from our  EAS President, Peggy McLaughlin this morning, I awaited official notification from the Chairperson of the Executive Board to present  the message that would go to the membership.

Please read this important update and forward to your club members. EAS needs to hear from all members and potential members to accurately assess beekeepers concerns and intentions regarding the conference for 2020.

When I vote at the executive board meeting in April, your responses and questions will be brought before the group, and my vote will reflect the voice of our New Hampshire EAS members.

Lou Naylor, Chairperson, has asked each of you to reach out to me, and I look forward to hearing from you. Email me as directed below and be sure to indicate your EAS member status.

With changes within the clubs, whenever there is a new president or representative, please have that person contact me with their email in order that they receive updates to pass along to their club members. If you have received this and you are no longer holding office, please forward to the new officer.

Dear Dorinda Priebe,

Dear EAS Members,

 

At our Board of Directors meeting held on March 21, 2020 we discussed the possibility of not being able to hold the EAS 2020 conference.  Consideration has been given to the evolving Corona Virus Situation.  Currently the University of Maine Orono where the 2020 EAS conference is planned, is closed.  A number of other Universities have suspended on campus classes, activities and graduation through the end of this current semester.

Continued planning for the conference is difficult, due to our concern for the safety of our attendees, and cancellation deadlines.

Our Executive board will need to make a decision in early April.  We know that many of you are being impacted by the need to take care of your loved ones, reduced hours or loss of employment, closure of schools and daycare providers,  We know that this makes planning for your attendance at the conference difficult.

Please reach out to your State Director and let them know your concerns and availability to attend the conference in Maine.

https://www.easternapiculture.org/about-eas/eas-contacts.html

We are considering offering Webinars and Journal articles exclusively to our members in the event that the conference needs to be cancelled.

We will not be opening registration until the Executive Board makes a final decision.  We appreciate your patience and flexibility during this difficult time.

In this crisis EAS still needs your support, we hope you will keep your membership up to date. Most importantly please take care of yourselves, loved ones, your neighbors and fellow beekeepers and our beloved bees.  We will get through this !

 

Sincerely,

Lou ( Eloise) Naylor

Chairman of the Executive Board

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A Note from the PBBA President:

Whoa!!  What a spring!  We all have so much on our plate with this darn virus…

Our first thought is that we hope everyone in our bee community (and all others) is safe and healthy…Better times are coming…

At this point – the Executive Board has decided to cancel all club meetings until further notice…Our bees do not know what’s going on in this crazy world.  So we still have to tend to their needs…

On a good sunny day they should be flying in search of nectar and pollen there is some pollen available right now – (pussy willows, maple, and poplar) but very little nectar. This is why I hope you have been checking on your honey stores…the weather is now permitting us to feed them the spring mix of sugar syrup.  It is cool – so if you can put the feeders inside (a false super – will help with this) to keep the syrup as warm as possible.  The queen should be turning out brood to beat the band as the weather warms. And with these warmer temperatures – we can clean out the dead bees and quickly check for the brood, this will tell you what shape your hive(s) are in…

For our new beekeepers, the bee packages will be here soon—-REALLY SOON!  So make up your spring sugar water – 1:1 ratio – 2 ½ quarts of water, pinch of pink Himalayan salt (if you have it) and 5 lbs. of granulated sugar:

  1. Bring the water to a rolling boil
  2. Turn off heat — let the bubbles stop
  3. Add the sugar and
  4. Stir until dissolved.
  5. Let this cool…Put in a clean container––– DO NOT REFRIGERATE

Good luck installing your bees!  Remember – we are here to help – send us an email or give us a call and we’ll put you in touch with an experienced beekeeper to answer your questions….Bee Happy!

Best- the PBBA Executive Board:  Gerard, Jen, Clare, and Shannon

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Previous Notice Correction – from B-Line Apiaries (Alden Marshall)

Dear Valued Customer,

Due to the COVID-19 situation we are going to make every effort to expedite the dispensing of package bees this year. Although we do enjoy the lingering of our customers, under the circumstances it seems best to forgo that luxury this year. If you notice there are a couple customers at the table being waited on please try to keep the appropriate distance and wait till the coast is clear. We will have packaged pollen supplement available @$3.50 ea. and two for $6.00.

REMINDER: If you have purchased an Italian queen package the queen will be in with the packaged bees. If you have purchased a Carniolan package the queen will not be in with the packaged bees but separate, please be sure you have this caged queen in hand before you leave. If there is a problem or concern about your package after leaving you probably will not be able to contact us by phone that day so call on Wednesday or later.

Again, the pickup date for the Aspen Group is Tuesday, May 5 only, from 8 AM to 8 PM and the Maple Group is May 23rd the same hours as previous pickup. It is very unlikely that this date will change at this time but don’t hesitate to check with the on-line store for any last-minute updates.

www.b-lineapiaries.com

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