Author Archives: patti

Hive Calendar – May

Posted on May 16, 2013 by patti

Feed new colonies and monitor existing ones. New colonies should have ample sugar syrup or honey in frames. Warm weather came early this year. Especially in overwintered colonies, watch for signs of swarming: backfilling brood cells with honey, overcrowding, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Hive Calendar | Leave a comment

May 7 Meeting – Hive Inspections, Splits & Combines

Posted on April 19, 2013 by patti

It’s spring! New packages are arriving, and the bigleaf maple is in full bloom! If you’re a new beekeeper, what should you be looking for in your new colonies?  Kate and Patti will review what to look for both outside … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements | 1 Comment

Bee Informed Partnership Survey – Due April 15

Posted on April 4, 2013 by patti

Bee Informed Partnership, a joint project among numerous universities and laboratories, aims to help beekeepers make better management decisions and reduce colony losses.  They need beekeepers, lots of beekeepers, to participate in two annual surveys, on winter losses and management. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, News | Leave a comment

Hive Calendar – April

Posted on March 23, 2013 by patti

Getting started on the season: evaluate, install packages, splits, combines. On a good warm day (>50 degrees), evaluate existing colonies: – Brood? How many frames? Where? – Honey stores: Adequate, or continue dry sugar feeding? What to do: – Install … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Hive Calendar | Leave a comment

April 2 Meeting – Packages, Swarms

Posted on March 23, 2013 by patti

Spring comes on so fast. Packages arrive in April, swarms begin in May. How do you set up a new hive? If you already have colonies, how do you prevent swarming? If you seek swarms to populate your hives, how … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Meetings | Leave a comment

Washington State Beekeepers Association – March Newsletter

Posted on March 19, 2013 by patti

The March 2013 issue of the Washington State Beekeepers Association newsletter is now available. Click here for the newsletter. Washington State Beekeepers Association: www.wasba.org This is our state beekeepers group, folks! Check it out.

Posted in Announcements | Leave a comment

Coming Event: Pacific Northwest Treatment-Free Beekeeping Conference

Posted on February 26, 2013 by patti

July 26-28, 2013 Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon $40 discount if you register before April 1. This is a unique opportunity to attend a treatment-free conference in the Pacific Northwest with a strong lineup of speakers, including Tom Seeley, Kirk … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, News | Leave a comment

March 5 Meeting – Feeders and Woodenware

Posted on February 25, 2013 by patti

Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Meadowbrook Interpretive Center. You don’t have to be a member to attend (see Organization: Meetings). March 5 agenda: 7:00-7:30  Beginners topic:  Feeders, feeding, and food — A complete … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Meetings | 3 Comments

Mentor Program

Posted on February 25, 2013 by patti

Snoqualmie Valley Beekeepers offers mentoring for club members. If you are brand new to beekeeping, you probably would like a mentor, right? If you have a few years under your belt, have successfully overwintered bees, and would like to help a … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Mentor Program | Leave a comment

Hive Calendar: February-March

Posted on February 2, 2013 by patti

If your colonies are alive in February, it means only that they have survived until February. The worst is yet to come. In the maritime Pacific Northwest, you will not know if they survived the winter until they make it … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Hive Calendar | Leave a comment