1
Novem ber 2018
- Presidents Repor t
- Apiar y Repor t
- Natural Beekeeping Repor t
- Biosecur i ty
- Equipment for sale
- Equipment for loan
- Swarm List
- Club News
- Bee News
- Calendar
- Committee Members
INSIDE t his ISSUE
CCABA Newsletter
2
Pr esidents Repor t
Dear members,
Cool evenings and warming days... Is there a better
time of year for bees?
There is still a bit of swarming going on, Silky Oaks, Brush Box, Iron Barks, Tea trees
(melaleuca and leptospermum) and our iconic Angophora?s are covered in flowers
and gardens around the coast are looking great.
I am starting to see a fair bit of Small Hive Beetle in hives so make sure you have
your controls in place, with the rain in recent times and some hot days the humidity
will jump up and condition for SHB will be ideal. If in doubt ask someone what to
do, no one wants to see the mess SHB can make of a hive in a few short days.
Vented bases are great for keeping the humidity out of colonies that SHB love so
that?s a good place to start.
Club event wise the Woytopia festival was a washout and cancelled on the day
which was a real shame with the amount of effort put into the organisation.
Unfortunately, when the grounds were flooded there was no choice but to cancel
the event. Thank you to all club members involved and apologies on missing out on
a sleep in.
The club then attended the Kids Day Out event at Narara Valley High school in early
November, the day was well attended by the public and although honey sales were
slow, there was a lot of information passed onto the public on the day and this
always makes such events worthwhile. Thank you to all involved and we?ll likely
attend again in 2019.
continued...
3
Pr esidents Repor t cont 'd
Membership renewals commence on the 1st
of December and ABA membership fees
have been reduced from $50.00 down to
$40.00 for the year (calendar year) with a
$10.00 early bird discount in place if you join between the 1st and 31st of
December.
The Central Coast club fee remains at $10.00 so you can rejoin in December
for a total of $40.00 or after the 1st of January for $50.00.
The optional beekeepers insurance has also been reduced to a $20.00 flat
fee for anyone with 1-100 hives and taken out at any time of year.
Remember you do need to be registered with the DPI as a beekeeper to
obtain the insurance offered through the ABA.
These cost reductions have been a result of the strength in numbers we now
have as an association and through some great work by the ABA exec in
using that fact to achieve the cost reductions offered to members for 2019
and beyond.
Attendance numbers at our past two monthly meetings have been 90 or
more people and at last count we had 199 members across the Central
Coast, the Amateur beekeepers Association (ABA) now has some 2100 +
members across the state in a total of 23 clubs.
continued...
4
Pr esidents Repor t cont 'd
Next meet ingwednesday
20 november
The Central Coast Club?s inaugural
beekeepers calendar is currently being
printed and should be available at the
November meeting for the princely sum of $10.00 each (cash only please). All
images are from our club members with some stunning images submitted,
they will make great Christmas presents, and not for just beekeepers.
We have placed an initial order for 100 calendars and can have more printed
for the December meeting if we run out.
I believe we?re the first to attempt this and here?s hoping it will become an
annual publication.
Also don?t forget if you have ordered queens they will be available at the
November meeting and are $40.00 each, again, cash only and please bring
the correct amount.
See you on Wednesday night
Regards
Len Verrenkamp
5
Bees are going strong in most cases. The hives are overflowing with bees
and as a result we have seen many swarms. On the other hand, I have seen
some weaker hives going into stress during the long rainy periods.
Most of the club hives are going strong.
Our strongest hives are Hive 1 and Hive 2.
They had an early head start because of
their position.
These 2 hives have sun most of the year
and start expanding earlier than the
other Langstroth hives.
On the 3rd of November I inspected the
hives and made a split from Hive 1 for
swarm prevention as I noticed a few
queen cups. All other Langstroth hives
have good numbers, but need room for
honey production. We are planning to
extract honey on the 17th November
during the Box Building Workshop.
Apiar y Repor t
NOVEMBER
continued...
6
Hive 5, our problem child, has recovered a litt le, but is still relatively weak
compared to the other hives I am planning to requeen that hive with one of
the Queens we ordered. There are still a number of old frames in the brood
box that I am planning to remove.
A new issue showed in our Top Bar hive. The bee numbers are low and the
stores in the hive seem to be gone down significantly. Not sure whether they
swarmed or one of the huntsman spiders got the queen. There is young
larvae in the hive, so the hive is queen right. I will continue to monitor this
hive.
Apiar y Repor t cont 'd
Happy Beekeeping. Enjoy Your Bees!
7
Natur al Beekeeping Repor t
What a great workshop on harvesting
honey. Although obtaining honey from
our bees is not the main objective in
natural beekeeping far from it really, but
there are times when we are able to enjoy the fruits of our bee?s labour.
We looked at 4 frames of honey that were all interlocked with one another &
marvelled at the ingenious way the bees had manoeuvred them in absolute
perfect architecture, amazing.
We tasted comb honey, three different lots, everyone agreeing they were all
delicious!
We demonstrated extracting from frames into the press & then how to
separate the wax.
Jim Mahoney showed us how to do this in a slow cooker.
We also had a solar wax melter on display & Barbara brought hers to show
us as well.
Beautiful clean wax is the results from the solar wax melter.
Jim also demonstrated how to put a hole for a honey gate into a bucket.
Brian & Mandy supplied a delicious supper again. Many thanks.
I am always appreciative of your enthusiastic participation & support in
everything that we do.
Thank you
Cheers
Barry
Thur sday 25.10.18
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A short survey has been developed to find out how healthy
Australian honey bees are and what pests and diseases might
be causing problems for beekeepers. The results from the
survey will be used to decide what help beekeepers might need
to keep their honey bees healthy. It will also provide statistics
which will be used by the industry.
The Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, Plant Health
Australia, and AgriFutures Australia, encourage all Australian
beekeepers to take part. The survey can be found at
http://bit.ly/BeeHealthSurvey
Survey closes 14 Decem ber 2018.
For more information go to http://beeaware.org.au/contact-us
Biosecur i t y
DPI Bee Biosecur it y
ht t ps:/ /www.facebook.com /groups/NSWBeeBiosecCom m unit y/
honey bee heal t h sur vey
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Equipm ent for Sale
BEE CLUB EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Pr ice List (as of Oct ober 2018)
Ext ernal Front Feeders $5.50
Full Dept h Fram es (unassem bled and sold per 10) $15.00
Full Dept h Foundat ion (per sheet ) $2.50
8F Full Dept h Boxes (unassem bled) $28.80
8F Bt m Boards (unassem bled) $21.00
8F Migrat ory Lids (unassem bled) $21.00
8F Met al Queen Excluder $22.80
8F Escape Boards $24.00
Apit hor $7.00
Honey club Labels $0.30
"Made in Aust ralia" Labels (per sheet ) $5.00
Glass Jars w it h Lid $1.05
Em locks (Hive St rap) $14.00
We have 2 w ire f ram ing j igs available t o club m em bers. There w il l be a sm all
charge of 50c per f ram e t o cover t he cost of t he eyelet s, glue, nails and w ire.
If you want t o order it em s for delivery t o next m eet ing please send m e an em ail
on har t m ut .pet [email protected] and I w il l prepare t he order and br ing in t o
t he m eet ing.
To order it em s please cont act Har t
Mobile: 0417 674 687
Em ail: har t m ut .pet [email protected] .
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Loan Equipm ent
Club ext ract ion equipm ent for use by m em bers
This equipment is stored and maintained by club member St eve Calcrof t at Lisarow.
The protocol for use of the equipment is to contact Steve in advance of when you?re expecting to carry out an extraction, try and plan 1-2 weeks ahead as when the flow is on the equipment can be in high demand.
Steve will advise availability and a pick up and drop off time, please adhere to these times as other members may be in line to use the gear after you.
Steve will request a small deposit of around $20.00 (depending on how much gear you borrow) and refund this deposit when the gear is returned cleaned and ready to use by another member.
If it?s covered in wax or honey etc you may not get your deposit back, this is entirely up to Steve.
Any dam age or breakages are t he responsibil i t y of t he m em ber bor row ing t he equipm ent t o rect ify or replace at t heir cost so check t he equipm ent when you collect i t . If you not ice anyt hing wrong, please not ify St eve im m ediat ely.
Equipm ent available:
2 x manual Honey extractors in 2 frame and 4 frame sizes
1 x Electric honey extractor - 3 frame
2 x Manual honey comb presses
2 x Electric uncapping knives
Uncapping tub and various strainers
Two person hive lifter for moving hives or removing / replacing supers
St eve?s cont act det ails:
Mobile: 0478 142 662
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SWARM LIST - 2018/ 19
Nam e Cont act Num ber
Em ail Collect ion Area & Post code
John Wighton 0427 753 615 [email protected] Wyoming 2250
Karen Smith 0408 618 445 [email protected] Woy Woy Peninsula 2256 2257
Robert Harvey 02 4341 7009 [email protected] Woy Woy Umina 2257
Max Rae 0424 168 590 [email protected] Matcham Holgate Wamberal
Don Suthers 02 4355 1101 Wyong 2229
Michael Graham
0409 450 339 [email protected] Erina Springfield East Gosford
Bridget Gibbins 0416 393 294 [email protected] Terrigal Erina Avoca Wamberal Gosford
Jim Sait 0400 292 322 [email protected] Umina Ettalong Bouddi Peninsula
Woy Woy
Sandra Wilson 0422 165 500 [email protected] Green Point
Johan DeKock 0423 399 567 [email protected] Erina Holgate Springfield
Ron Collins 0417 230 898 [email protected] Kulnura
Chris Gore 0413 363 194 [email protected] Somersby Kariong Mangrove Mt Peats Ridge
Dean Yates 0466 304 994 [email protected] Springfield 2251
continued...
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SWARM LIST - 2018/ 19 CONT'D Nam e Cont act
Num berEm ail Collect ion Area
& Post code
Brian Sawyer 0418 965 630 [email protected] Kincumber Avoca 2251 Copacabana Macmasters Beach
Gina Mitchell 0406 320 320 [email protected] Umina Pearl Beach Woy Woy
Barry Eslick 0414 769 337 [email protected] All Areas
Barbara Elkins 0419 742 388 barbaraelkins@ozemail,com.au Bateau Bay
Ed Simon 0413 489 898 [email protected] Ourimbah Wyong Berkley Vale
Hart Peters 0417 674 687 [email protected] Bensville Empire Bay Copacabana
Macmasters Beach
Ray Isaacs 0433 393 901 [email protected] Davistown Saratoga
Green Point
Michael Gentle 0423 540 605 [email protected] Woy Woy to The Entrance
Rodger Dixon 0415 079 406 [email protected] Jilliby,Dooralong
Richard Riley 0428 454 500 [email protected] All Areas
John Robertson 0409 512 200 [email protected] Wyong Toukley to Avoca and west
to Matcham Holgate
Peter Annabel 0413 331 544 [email protected] Toukley to Terrigal
John Stout 0417 677 578 Terrigal Wamberal Forresters Beach Matcham Holgate
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CLUB NEWS CCABA stal l at kids day out
Jim 's 'Beekeeper Prof i le'
The CCABA stall at Kids Day
Out on Saturday 4th
November raised $400 with
the help of club volunteers.
Children at the festival were
encouraged by Jim to make
their own beeswax candles
whilst being educated about
bees. We were also visited by
Federal Member for Dobell -
Emma McBride.
The club presentation on American Foulbrood provided
valuable information on recognising the signs,
confirming the diagnosis and treating the disease. The
presentation provided the essential links below
to online information on AFB:
- ht t ps:/ / beekeepers.asn.au/afb
- ht t ps:/ / beeaware.org.au
A booklet from the DPI entitled 'Managing AFB'
can be downloaded from the following link:
- ht t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 2DH1201
biosecur it y - Amer ican Foul br ood
Volunt eers Em m a and Ed
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CLUB NEWS Tocal cour se @ ag house
A group of CCABA members
recently attended a two day
course presented by DPI
instructors Mark and Rod which
covered bee pests and diseases.
Attendees confirmed the course
provided valuable information on
pests and diseases as well as
increasing their knowledge on a
number of additional topics.
The CCABA Chr ist m as par t y w il l be
held at our next club m eet ing on
Wednesday Decem ber 19. Please
br ing a plat e t o share.
chr ist mas par t y
15
BEE NEWS
t he Honey map
This community honey map connects consumers to beekeepers.
We suggest consumers purchase local raw honey direct from
beekeepers.
The solution to the global bee crisis is beautiful. According to the
United Nations Small Scale localised farming can feed the world.
Growing food small scale means we can grow food without poisons.
If honeybees can thrive so will the human race. Bees teach us we
can all win if we cooperate.
What started of as a concept is now spreading around the world.
Please email hellobeet hecure@gm ail.com if you would like to be
added to the honey map, it is free. All you need t o send is t he
nam e of t he honey, address where t he honey is sold, phone
num ber and websit e.
The honeymap has been viewed more 600,000 times. You can find
it at www.beet hecure.com .au Honey is a sacred and should be
treated as such. Selling directly enables the beekeeper to sell at
retail prices. Hopefully this adds security for the beekeeper and
enables the local community to experience local raw honey.
https://www.beethecure.com.au/honey-map/
The Honey Map
Cour t esy of Save t he Bees Aust ralia
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The club has been contacted by Hannah Crossley, the
owner of a childcare centre, who would like to include
the care of bees in the educational program. Hannah
is based at Indigo Early Learning Centre in Forresters
Beach and can be contacted on
0432 825 626 or 02 4385 8545.
David Bouffier would also like to host some hives and sent the
following email:
"I was just reading your website as i am interested in getting
started with bees. I live on 5 acres in Ourimbah with lots of
flowering gums and fruit trees and as a start was offering if
anyone needed to place some hives which would give me the
chance to observe and help as required. Please pass this offer on
to your members."
Please contact Dave via his email [email protected] if you
are able to help.
BEE SITES AVAILABLE...
17
BEE NEWS
Even the industrious honey bee rests when the sun goes down, and
that goes for other solar disappearances as well.
Plenty of anecdotes support the notion that solar eclipses can trick
animals into performing their nighttime routines, but evidence in the
scientific literature has been sparse. Eclipse science moves in fits
and starts, in part because the chance to study them comes so
rarely.
When that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came for American
scientists in August 2017, researchers were prepared. The last time
the moon?s shadow touched U.S. soil, Sony was five months out from
releasing the Walkman cassette player.
This time, a team of entomologists at Missouri State University took
full advantage of more modern technology, delivering USB
microphones to groups of volunteer citizen scientists from Oregon
to Missouri, half of which were elementary school classrooms.
The data confirmed that honeybees and bumblebees, like humans,
have a hard time getting around during the darkness of an eclipse
and prefer to hunker down until the light returns? something earlier
reports had hinted at but not conclusively demonstrated.
Read the full story by Charlie Wood courtesy of Popular Science here:
ht t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 2qUrUkJ
bees deal wit h dar kness t he same way
humans do
Thanks t o Ananda Kum arasinhe for t h is m ont hs ar t icle.
Please send your news st or ies t o
edit or@cent ralcoast bees.org
18
Cal endarNovember 20
CCABA club m eet ing
Nat ive Bees
November
Bot t l i ng and Label l i ng
December
Xm as Par ty - Please br ing a plate
Januar y 2019
No m eet ing
Febr uar y
Cook ing w i th Honey and Mak ing Mead
Mar ch
Annual Gener al Meet ing
19
pr esident
Secr etar y
Publ icit y of f icer
newsl et t er edit or
Len Ver r enkam ppr esident@cent r al coastbees.or g
Com m i t tee Mem ber s 2018
Max Raesecr etar y@cent r al coastbees.or g
Ray Isaacst r easur er @cent r al coastbees.or g
t r easur er bio secur it y of f icer
apiar y of f icer
Quar t er Mast er l ibr ar ian
event co- or dinat or
Har t Peter shar tm ut .peter [email protected]
Achim Dr escherachim .dr escher @gm ai l .com
Bar r y Esl i ckgypsyr obaz@hotm ai l .com
Jim Mi tchel lf am i lym i tch@optusnet .com .au
equipment of f icer
Har t Peter shar tm ut .peter [email protected]
Bar bar a Elk insbar bar aelk ins@ozem ai l .com .au
Steve Calcr of tstevecalcr of t@l ive.com .au Next meet ing
wednesday20 november
Diana Sim onedi tor @cent r al coastbees.or g
assistant Secr etar yKer r y Naughtonker r ynaughton@hotm ai l .com
assistant apiar y of f icerMar leen Baetenbaetenm ar leen@gm ai l .com
Gor don Fostergwfoster s@optusnet .com .au
v ice pr esident