A S S O C I A T I O N O F F I C E R S
President: Rachel Morrison
[email protected]
Vice President: Tiffany White
[email protected]
Secretary: Debbi Gable
[email protected]
Treasurer: Doug Houck
[email protected]
Past President: Nathan Amboy
CONTACTS
Class Coordinator: Bar Shacterman
[email protected]
Membership: Debbi Gable
[email protected]
Presenta�ons: Rachel Morrison
Educa�on/Community Outreach:
Mar0 Ikehara
Honey Bee Ordinance Commi ee:
Ernie Buda
Inventory: Kenneth White
Library: Doug & Gail Houck
Mentor Coordinator: Nathan Amboy
Webmaster: Mar0 Ikehara
Newsle er: Richard Begley
[email protected]
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
TTTTHISHISHISHIS ISSUEISSUEISSUEISSUE
President’s Corner 2
Holiday Potluck Pics 2
HBOC News 3
Presenta0ons 3
New Members 3
January in the Apiaries 4-5
Hive Space Management 6
Bee-Friendly Plants 7
Links of the Month 7
Calendar of Events 8
2017 Beekeeping Classes 8
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Mission StatementMission StatementMission StatementMission Statement
To promote interest in, and
awareness of, the vital im-
portance of the honey bee and
beekeeping to agriculture,
commerce, and the public at
large.
2017—Issue 1 January 2017
www.sacbeekeepers.org / e-mail: [email protected]
Sacramento Area Beekeepers Associa�on
________ The Bee Line ________________ The Bee Line ________________ The Bee Line ________________ The Bee Line ________
Hate Na�on’s Bees
I’m pre=y fussy about the shows I catch. Unless
they include bees – then I’ll watch almost any-
thing. The folks over at the London School of
Economics beekeeping site men0oned a Bri0sh
dystopian thriller, Black Mirror: Hated in the
Na!on. Not my usual choice, but when learned
it had murderous roboc bees, developed by
the Bri0sh to replace ex0nct pollinators, I was
on to it.
So here’s the deal. Black Mirror is a series of fu-
turis0c dramas – loosely related episodes about
some bad kar-
ma hiBng us a few
years from now.
I was unaware of the show un0l yesterday, but I’m glad I saw
this par0cular installment (Hated in the Na!on: Season 3;
Episode 6; released October 2016). The world’s honey bees
have colony-collapsed, so an asep0c ag-company develops
swarms of robo0c drones (actually, workers, I should think),
to pollinate England’s legendary flower gardens. It apparent-
ly takes just 23,000 swarms (each of 4,000 mechanical bees)
to do the job – but I’m guessing that the solar-powered ro-
bo0c avatars work day and night and don’t mess with nectar –
they just pollinate and pollinate. It wouldn’t be much of a show if things didn’t go badly
wrong, but for that, you’ll have to watch it yourself.
This isn’t my normal movie fare, but I liked it quite a
lot. Be aware that there are a handful of gore scenes
and some colorful language, but if you’re a rugged
adult and make a habit of peeking at bees, you can
probably handle it. The backstory includes intriguing
thoughts on the way bullies use social media to
cause grief and it offers one fellow’s solu0on to the
problem. Now playing on NeIlix (at least here in
Canada).
Ron Miksha, http://www.badbeekeeping.com/index.html ©2016
Mechanical bees’ nest – coming soon to a
dystopia near you?
He’ll bee OK
Tireless and no s0nger: What could
possibly go wrong?
The President’s Corner
What a great year SABA had in 2016! I'm so grateful for the community we share at SABA and excited about
beginning 2017 con0nuing our mission and learning together. I hope that you and your bees are enjoying the
quiet winter months and are geBng ready for the weather to warm and flowers that provide forage to our
bees to begin blooming.
This year we have many classes scheduled for beekeepers at all levels, opportuni0es for members to mentor
and learn from and with each other and events planned to provide outreach to the community about bees
and beekeeping. Make sure to renew your membership this month!
Do you have some ideas about ways that SABA could improve, grow, con0nue doing things you find inter-
es0ng and useful, or change to be=er accomplish our mission? Let us know! Email [email protected] or
a=end the monthly mee0ngs to stay involved.
"It is a bee that is beau0fully social. We can see it in their harmonious socie0es, wherein tens of thousands of worker bees, through
enlightened self-interest, cooperate to serve a colony's common good". - Honeybee Democracy by Thomas Seeley
Rachel MorrisonRachel MorrisonRachel MorrisonRachel Morrison
Page 2 ———- THE BEE LINE ——— January 2017
SABA beekeepers are fabulous cooks! Regardless that I had been to a lunch potluck, I stuffed myself with the wonder-
ful food that over 40 people brought to the holiday potluck on December 6. The evening started with Kirk Williams
showing a gizmo he invented in response to Randy Oliver’s challenge to find a be=er way to ascertain varroa mite
count than the one he showed in the Advanced Beekeeping class in July and described in his website: http://
scientificbeekeeping.com/an-improved-but-not-yet-perfect-varroa-mite-washer/. Kirk had manufactured a prototype
and wanted feedback on the design and viable price point.
The room was set up and decorated by Tiffany White, Kiyoko Latham, and Mar0 Ikeha-
ra, and featured red ribbons, grapevine wreaths, ornaments, and fes0ve red table-
cloths. APer a most sa0sfying meal, a raffle was held for the dozen or so prizes, with
President-elect Rachel Morrison selec0ng the winning 0ckets. Last year I reported that
two people won two 0mes; this year we topped that when THREE peo-
ple won twice!! This can happen because people can enter as many
0ckets as they have into the bag relevant to each prize. We would like
to thank our generous donors: Debbi Gable provided a set of long-
sleeved gloves, Sacramento Beekeeping Supply (SBS) provided a giP
cer0ficate, and Green Acres (GA) provided some prizes as shown in the photo.
Paul Legacki won both SBS giP cards, with 0ckets in two different bags! The
lucky recipients of the donated GA giPs are: Andre Couvillion holding a very
fancy hose sprayer, the Steve/Leah/son Hays family with a rosemary plant
(and they won a 2nd prize), Janet Mistchenko with a giP card, and JoEllen Ar-
nold with a plant nanny.
APer this excitement, we got to sample two different sparkling mead wines from Heidrum
Meadery located in Pt Reyes Sta0on. One was Meadowfoam, which is a low-growing herba-
ceous annual with white flowers, and the other was Orange Blossom. Un0l
the party ended shortly before 8 p.m., we enjoyed the camaraderie of
chaBng with each other.
Mar! Ikehara
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
How did the Mar0n Luther King, Jr. Elementary School Robo0cs team do? Those of you who a=ended the
November SABA mee0ng were impressed and enchanted by the 'Bee' team. who demonstrated for us the
presenta0on they had put together for a compe00on involving Lego modules and robo0cs electronics,
with the theme "Animal Allies. Teacher/mentor Denise Wa=s told us "The “Bee” team won the first award
of the night – the Judges Award. They scored almost perfect scores for their presenta0on!
Page 3 ———- THE BEE LINE ——— January 2017
Urban Beekeeping Approved by Planning Commission
We’re down to one final step! The proposed changes to the Sacramento
County ordinance will bring urban beekeeping “out of the shadows.” Under
the terms of the proposed ordinance, urban beekeeping will be allowed in
virtually all of unincorporated Sacramento County, with reasonable condi-
0ons imposed regarding hive numbers and provisions addressing “public
safety” concerns. Urban beekeeping is only a por0on of the overall ordi-
nance, which deals with urban agriculture in general, such as allowing the
keeping of small animals and fowl. It will allow the sale of produce grown
and honey produced at a residence to be sold to the public. Again, there are
some condi0ons, but for the most part they are reasonable.
There were no reserva0ons expressed by the Planning Commissioners or the public regarding the keeping of honey
bees. The only ques0on from the public concerned the fee for the permit(s) required for the farm stand. This fee
will be waived during the first year that the ordinances are in effect, and will be re-considered aPer that. The only
formal requirement for beekeeping is apiary registra0on with the County Agricultural Commissioner required by cur-
rent State statue, for a very modest fee of ten dollars.
The next and final step will be considera0on and passage by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. The hear-
ing for that vote is tenta0vely set for Tuesday, January 24th
, 2017. This mee0ng runs from 9:30 to 5:00; the agenda
0me for items hasn’t been set. We again invite and encourage SABA members and supporters in general to a=end,
as public presence is very helpful. One of the Planning Commission members specifically thanked those in a=end-
ance for their presence and comments. Thank you to the nearly one dozen SABA members who showed their sup-
port at the Commission mee0ng. A similar show of support at the Supervisors mee0ng will help solidify and make
visible our posi0on!
Ernie Buda
Welcome, New Members
Ed and Karen Champoux, Sacramento Ellen, Joy and Carter McBride, Rocklin
Suzanne and William Hoover, Pa=erson Sandra and John Stampfl, Penryn
Presentations:Presentations:Presentations:Presentations:
SABA members provide presenta0ons, talks and bee related outreach to youth and adults in the Sacramento area as
part of our mission. We have many presenta0on tools, children's books, handouts and even honey s0cks to help you
engage with young people interested in bees and beekeeping. Let Rachel Morrison know if you are interested in
geBng involved or learning more: [email protected]
Current need: 4 - 6 SABA members to help lead mul0ple workshops at Co=age Elementary in Sacramento on March
16th. We will work as a group to give 30 minute bee talks and hands-on bee equipment explora0on to the different
classes at the school. SABA members should expect to spend the school day (approx 8 am - 3 pm) at the school. SA-
BA will provide the talking points, beekeeping equipment and props. All you need to bring is your beekeeping stories
and experiences, a smile and 0me to spend with the students at Co=age Elementary School.
Page 4 ———- THE BEE LINE ——— January 2017
Mid-Winter Hive Management by Serge Labesque
The colonies begin to build up for spring in mid-winter. Fragile at first, they are best leP undisturbed. Yet, there are
simple but consequen0al steps we can take without breaking the clusters in order to make sure they may develop
freely and well for the season of colony reproduc0on and in 0me for the honey flow. Ignoring these measures could
lead to poor colony development, lackluster performance, ill health, or early swarming.
Because it takes large numbers of foragers to gather nectar and pollen effec0vely, it is important that the growth of
the colonies be 0mely and sizeable. To fully appreciate this statement, consider that it takes six weeks to transform
eggs into foragers. This means, for example, that the mid-February brood nests contain the eggs that will become
early April foragers. Laggard colonies would miss a crucial opportunity in loca0ons where the honey flow occurs ear-
ly in the year. [See page 6, below]
The bees need enough space to augment their brood nests, to form their growing clusters and, possibly, to store any
nectar the foragers may collect on mild winter days. Because the equipment we use in our apiaries imposes spa0al
constraints upon the colonies, it falls upon us to manage it appropriately, if we want to achieve our goal of unimped-
ed colony growth. This may be accomplished on a nice day in mid-winter. Note, however, that the brood nests and
the lower parts of the hives will not be inspected then. To do so at that 0me of year would be too disrup0ve.
The procedure can be easily performed when Langstroth or many other types of ver0cal hives are used: A super with
a few frames and follower boards is simply placed on the brood chamber. Frequently, inser0ng one or two frames
between the cluster and the follower boards of the upper part of the brood chamber can provide valuable addi0onal
volume. Although the needs of small hives and overwintered nucs can be addressed similarly, large colonies, hives
that were leP with excess honey in the fall, and those that lack a place to accommodate the brood nests in the center
of the stores require a li=le more a=en0on. Yet, all that may be necessary in such cases is to relocate one or two
frames of stores from the side of the brood nests or from the center of the stores, as might be per0nent, and replac-
ing them with empty frames or frames with empty drawn combs. The stores that were removed may be used to bait
the bees into a new super. In any case, the brood nests should remain in direct contact with ample stores. Having
adequately prepared the hives in the fall may avoid some of these more intrusive steps.
Horizontal, top-bar, and Warré hives present unique challenges that require different and somewhat more compli-
cated approaches though, which may explain why they are notoriously prone to producing early swarms. Recogniz-
ing the peculiari0es of the type of equipment that is in use, and bearing in mind that the bees do not move down
into the cold lower parts of their nest cavi0es at this 0me of year can help the beekeeper devise ways to mi0gate
these issues.
A new beekeeping year has begun. Inside our hives, the bees are already working hard to prepare for spring. Let’s
give our colonies the space they need to develop well.
January in the apiaries
This season brings adverse condi0ons for the bees. The popula0ons are at their lowest level for the year and the
weather can be harsh. Yet, once past the winter sols0ce, the queens resume or increase their produc0on of small
numbers of eggs at first, but increasingly more every day. As a result, the brood nests are growing and great de-
mands are placed on the winter bees, which must work hard to keep the brood fed and warm. To do this they need
direct access to honey and bee bread.
Within a few weeks, usually around the la=er part of January, young adults begin to emerge from their cells. There
are not enough of them ini0ally to compensate for the gradual loss of their older sisters, but soon, the popula0ons
rebound.
Although the bees spend most of their 0me inside in winter, on mild days the foragers can produce much ac0vity in
front of the hives for a few hours, as they fly out to collect nectar and pollen. What is not consumed immediately
must be stored. Although there may be empty comb available in the lower or distant parts of the hives, the bees
ignore it. It’s too cold there, and it’s too far away from the brood areas and from the diminu0ve clusters.
Con!nued on next page
Page 5 ———- THE BEE LINE ——— January 2017
January in the apiaries (con0nued)
It will take several more weeks before the bees begin the use those combs, and this will happen only when the popula0ons are
large enough, when the weather is milder, or when the upper brood chambers become completely congested.
The larger consump0on of honey that is necessitated by the burgeoning brood nests results in the condensa0on of remarkable
amounts of metabolic water inside the hives. Colonies that are nested in poorly configured hives may be harmed. To this end, I
rely on the use of follower boards, insula0on in the hive top feeders, and upper ven0la0on slots, all of which have proven bene-
ficial.
Our hive management at this 0me of year should seek to ensure the unimpeded development of our colonies. Around the end
of January or in early February, in addi0on to my rou0ne visits to the apiaries that include inspec0on of the entrances, fronts of
hives and monitoring trays for possible signs of health problems and other clues, I take advantages of a mild sunny day to per-
form rapid inspec0ons of the upper parts of the hives. I have with me enough supers, frames and follower boards to cover any
imminent needs of the colonies. What has to be done for a hive becomes evident as soon as its top and lid are liPed: A large
number of bees amassed in the upper part of the hive indicate the need for nectar storage space, and, quite possibly for addi-
0onal space to accommodate the expansion of the brood nest and cluster. At the very least, I place a super with a few frames
and two follower boards on top of the brood chamber. However, I also oPen insert one or two frames between the follower
boards of the upper part of the brood chambers and the clusters before placing the new supers. The hive is re-assembled im-
mediately, without examining it further.
When, on the contrary, only a li=le ac0vity is visible through the slot of the hive top feeder, this is a sign that the cluster may be
weak or is s0ll located deeper in the hive. Removing some of the honey that is in excess can help a small cluster by reducing the
nega0ve impact of this unnecessary thermal mass. If honey forms a solid mass on top of the brood nest, it is greatly beneficial
to open a pathway in its center for the cluster by inser0ng one or two empty frames or empty combs.
Regre=ably, some colonies won’t see the spring. We need to remove their hives from the apiary and try to figure out what may
have caused their demise as soon as feasible. We can learn a lot from this, and decide what to do with the equipment that held
the failed colonies.
Spring is only a few weeks away. We can look forward to it and make sure that our colonies will have gained as much strength
as possible when it actually arrives.
In summary, this month:
� Inspect the exterior condi!on of the hives:
� Hive tops should remain properly set and secured.
� Observe the entrances and the ground in front of the hives.
� Verify that the hive entrances are not obstructed.
� Maintain adequate and safe ven!la!on through the hives.
� Examine the monitoring trays.
� Watch for the appearance of drone brood cappings, and make a note of the date.
� Verify that mice have not entered hives. Telltale clues of their presence, such as coarse pieces of comb and mouse feces, etc.
are visible on the monitoring trays.
� When no ac!vity is observed, place your ear against the side of the hive, and listen for bee noises. If the colony is dead, close
the hive, remove it from the apiary, diagnose the problem, and discard or clean the equipment, as appropriate.
� In the la-er part of the month and weather permi.ng, quickly peek into the top of the hives to assess the loca!on of the clus-
ters.
� Place supers or addi!onal frames where and when warranted.
� Clean and scorch tools and equipment.
� Plan next season. Evaluate the need for equipment and bees.
� Procure, build and repair beekeeping equipment.
� Plant bee forage!
� Read and learn more about bees and beekeeping.
May your bee colonies bring you good health and intense joy
in 2017!
Serge Labesque © 2016
Page 6 ———- THE BEE LINE ——— January 2017
Page 7 ———- THE BEE LINE ——— January 2017
January 2017 Bee Plants of the Month
Note: This year I intend to explore a few of our most important bee and pollinator habitat plants. I plan to spend 3
months on each species, as they are so large they have several varie0es that are interes0ng and useful.
Manzanitas / Arctostaphylos species / Ericiaceae family
We can hardly think of California na0ve habitat plants without manzanitas. So im-
portant are they, that Anna’s hummingbird is able to live in California year-round be-
cause of abundant nectar available to them from these winter- spring blooming
plants. Of course, honey bees and na0ve bees also depend on the high quality nectar
borne in the pre=y white to pink hanging blossoms.
All manzanitas can withstand summer drought once they are established. In fact,
they will die or develop diseases if given too much water or humidity. In a winter
drought, they will appreciate water if no rains appear.
A. manzanita , Common manzanita
This is the tall growing beauty we see in the hills and mountains, at 0mes towering up to 15
feet tall. The smooth burnished red bark is a delight to run your fingers over when out on
a hike. Large green leaves contrast beau0fully with the trunks and branches. White or
light pink fairy lantern blossoms appear in winter to late spring, followed by fruits that rip-
en to a deep red and a=ract birds and mammals.
‘Dr Hurd’ is a well-known cul0var, with white flowers. ‘Hood Mountain’ is na0ve to Sono-
ma County, and has more purplish bark with gray-green leaves and a more spreading
growth habit.
A. glauca , Bigberry manzanita
Bigberry manzanita also is tall ,growing to a tree-like height of 15 or 20 feet tall. Na0ve to
chaparral regions in California, all the way down to Baja. The leaves are waxy, gray-green,
with dark brown-red bark. Flowers are white or light pink. The round, red fruit is s0cky and
thin-skinned but beloved by many animals.
Bigberry can tolerate a wide variety of soils, tolera0ng some heavy soil, with good drainage,
but also thriving in alkaline and grani0c areas.
May 2017 bring you and yours health and happiness!
Alice Ford-Sala, Sonoma County Beekeepers Associa!on
LINKS OF THE MONTH
Copy & Paste in Your Browser, or Click on It.
1. The Vanishing Franklin Bumblebee; 2. Tasmanian Bee Exports; 3. Asian Hornet in the U.K.? ; 4. Mondavi Honey & Pollination News; 5. Experimental Insecticide Explodes Mosquitoes
1. http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/11/us/vanishing-sutter-franklins-bumblebee/index.html
2. http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/11/us/vanishing-sutter-franklins-bumblebee/index.html
3. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36349379
4. http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=9d89a5a216486d5b19f45aaeb&id=a619e8a8c1&e=6bd6e3f2a4
5. http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5fd2b1aa990e63193af2a573d&id=fd2af55cc4&e=52a8d1e6c5
CCCC A L E N D A RA L E N D A RA L E N D A RA L E N D A R O FO FO FO F EEEE V E N TV E N TV E N TV E N T SSSS
� September 5 - 9, 2017 - The 2017 Western Apicultural Society Conference will be on the UC Davis cam-
pus with its new President, Dr. Eric Mussen, presiding. The society was born at UCD in 1977 so it will
be a 40-year birthday celebra0on as well. Read more at: http://www.westernapiculturalsociety.org/
������������������������������������������������������������
S A C R A M E N T O A R E A B E E K E E P E R S A S S O C I A T I O N
P . O . B O X 1 8 8 8 5 1
S A C R A M E N T O , C A 9 5 8 1 8
Website: www.sacbeekeepers.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Membership: www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4cabaf2ba6f94-saba2
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/365785396939251/
Newsletter Editor: [email protected]
2017 Beekeeping Classes
Beginning Level______ Advanced Level______
February 19, Randy Oliver April 23, Randy Oliver
March 19, Serge Labesque July 22, Serge Labesque
May 20, Bernardo D. Niño August 26, Bernardo D. Niño
June 17, Randy Oliver
Class fees: $45
COURSE COORDINATOR: Bar Shacterman at 916.961.5049 or [email protected]
All classes will be held at the UCD Extension Center, 4145 Branch Center Road (off Kiefer Road one block west of Bradshaw Road). Classes
start at 8:30 a.m., end at approximately 4:30 p.m.
