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Happy 2011 everyone!
Honey bees on the Big Island are really under assault from invasive pests, with even the best beekeepers losing as much as 2/3 of their colonies. The Big Island Beekeepers Association is currently conducting a survey of all beeks islandwide.
We're trying very hard to get an accurate assessment of both managed and feral bee colonies so if you are or know of anyone managing bees or gathering honey in the wild, would you please complete the survey and turn other beeks onto it?
The survey is available online at:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BPB4DKNLE/
Those without computer access are welcome to call me at 965-8945 and I will get a hard copy of the survey to those people. Thanks for everyone's cooperation in this community effort. Mahalo nui loa and malama pono, Frankie
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Looks like my hive is done for, the small hive beetle took it over. I hadn't been going in regularly, my fault, I thought they were alright. The feral hive I was watching next door is wiped out, not a bee left just tons of empty comb. The beetle may have moved to my hive after wiping that one out. I will go the the website and take the survey.
edit: just did the survey
Scott
Posts: 310
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Does anyone know where I can buy #6 mesh? It would b about 1/8 inch openings. I need to make a beetle trap in a hurry. Thanks.
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Thanks, Scott, for taking the survey. If you visit the Big Island Beekeepers Association website at bibahawaiibees.org, you'll see a tab for Marketplace, also one for Links. There are people listed who can help you. Again, it's http://www.bibahawaiibees.org
BIBA holds quarterly meetings open to all and the next one will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the Komohana Ag Extension Service Bldg., 875 Komohana St. upstairs in Conference Room A. Please come, we're all working on finding what works and what doesn't with these terrible invasive pests we're dealing with. And we've FINALLY got a State Apiculturalist and she's stationed here in Hilo. That's really good news. Malama pono, Frankie
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oh, that's disappointing to hear about your bees Scott. Frankie, did you ever get started with bees?
Enjoy the day! Ann
Enjoy the day! Ann
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Hi Ann...The weather got my first one, Small Hive Beetle came with my second one so they never had a chance. I'm still working on getting a healthy colony but so is just about everyone now. We just got a state apiculturist and we've had a change in state administration so things are beginning to look up. [:I] thanks for asking. You've gone thru lots of changes you'sef, I see on FB. Happy 2011!!!
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Oh Frankie, that's tough! Please, please, keep with it! When I started I had problems too, then moved away and didn't get a chance to really realize my potential as a bee "helper". Glad to hear it's looking up. Hope to see you for lunch on my next visit, in April :-)
Enjoy the day! Ann
Enjoy the day! Ann
Posts: 310
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Joined: Feb 2004
I am still trying to save the hive, fighting them by hand, made an entrance trap, and have 4 beetle blasters in the hive. You can buy the beetle blasters from BEI. Also reduced the hive entrance. I was just out there this evening and killed 20 trying to get in. Also talked to a neighbor and he said two wild hives up the road were killed off, so that's 3 wild hives within a 1/2 mile.
Scott
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Scott, the more light you can get into your hive, the better. The SHB goes for dark hiding places. The word now is to remove frames that aren't be used because the beetles use them to hide.
The other thing the experts are telling us is that the beetles only go after hives that have been weakened with mites and/or nosema. So work on really building up the healthy hives you do have.
We had an emergency meeting Sunday and we're going to get some microscopes and training from the new state apiarist on how to recognize the 2 varieties of nosema. People here have not been testing for nosema and there are those who think we've had nosema pretty prevalently and that left Hawaii bees vulnerable to the varroa mite and small hive beetle. But we're all still working trying to find solutions.
Big Island Beekeepers next quarterly meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the Komohana Extension Service Bldg in Hilo. Try come! Malama aina, Frankie
Posts: 310
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My hive is coming back, I installed a bottom board trap and a few beetle blaster traps. Inspected the hive a few days ago and only seen a few beetles and the population is coming up. I also captured a swarm yesterday and am looking for some frames and foundation. Frankie, do you know where I can purchase bee hive components locally? Anyone else know?
Thanks, Scott
