The Buzz Newsletter

December 2004

 

 

Page 3

North Iowa Bee Club to Meet

A meeting will be held on Jan 22nd at Pat Ennis' home from 1-4 PM. The address is 1040 Union Ave, Goodell, Ia, 50439 You can contact Pat at 641-444-4767. The topic covered will be getting equipment ready for Spring. This will include building frames and installing wax. Arvin Foell will be present to give a demo on installing wax. There will also be a demo on building bottoms and inner covers.

2005 Beginning Bee Class

Indian Creek Nature Center
6665 Otis Road SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403
319-362-0664

naturecenter@aol.com
www.Indiancreeknaturecenter.org

This eight session series is designed for individuals serious about starting a beekeeping hobby. The class will take the participant through the annual cycle of beekeeping from establishing a hive to harvesting and marketing the honey produced. The class members will be activity involved in learning activities by working with the hives at the Indian Creek Nature Center.

Instructor: Bob Wolff 319-366-5415

Fee:
$40 series/Members or
$6 each session/Members

$65 series/Non-Members or
$12 each session/Non-Member

 

Intermediate Beekeeping Class

Phil Meyer will teach a class for beekeepers who wish to progress beyond the beginning stages. We will teach comb honey production, queen and bee biology, and other techniques. 5 weeks at the Pleasant Hill Library mid December-January for $20.
Call 515-262-4392

 

Layered Taco Dip

1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp. Honey
1 8oz. Package cream cheese, softened
1 8oz. Container sour cream
1 Cup salsa
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup chopped tomato
1/2 Cup chopped green pepper
1/2 Cup black olives, sliced

Beat honey, cream cheese, and sour cream together until smooth. Spread on the bottom of a serving platter or 9 inch square dish. Layer remaining ingredients in the order given. Refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe by Donna Brahms

 

IHPA Awards to Help Fund Bee Research and Education

The IHPA has designated an award of $2500 to both Marla Spivak and Marion Ellis for their ongoing research. Controlling varroa mites is a problem beekeepers are all too familiar with from year to year. Marion Ellis, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska’s Dept. of Entomology, explains “I will apply your gift to ongoing studies on controlling varroa mites with oxalic acid in sugar syrup. Preliminary work is very encouraging. Beekeepers are experiencing widespread failure of Apistan and Checkmite+ to adequately control mite populations, and oxalic acid appears to offer a safe and inexpensive alternative.” Marla Spivak, Professor of Apiculture and Social Insects at the University of Minnesota, is researching hygienic behavior in honey bees as mechanism of disease resistance and as a defense against the parasitic mite, Varroa jacobsoni.

A sum of $6000 has also been designated for an education program. The program will provide additional beekeeping classes in the state to promote and strengthen interest in beekeeping. Additionally a sum of $5000 has been designated for the inspection program.

Through the support from members of the IHPA, beekeeping in Iowa will continue to grow and prosper.