The Buzz Newsletter

May 2010

 

 

Page 12

Iowa Society Children of the American Revolution 63rd State Conference

Mike Brahms represented the Iowa Honey Producers Association by attending the 63rd State Conference of the Iowa Society Children of the American Revolution on March 27th, 2010.  The State President, Maja Sunleaf, had chosen as her state project to help the IHPA and honey bees by earning money for the Youth Scholarship beekeeping program.  Ms. Sunleaf and the C.A.R. group along with the IHPA sold honey bee pins to raise the money and also to raise the awareness of the plight of the honey bee.  The banquet was held at the Iowa State Historical Museum in Des Moines and the room was decorated with a honey bee theme.

Maja had worked with Bill and Louise Johnson at several farmers’ markets throughout the year.  Several members of the C.A.R. organization are members of the IHPA.  Several more also joined the IHPA to learn more about our organization and honey bees this past year.  The IHPA presented Maja Sunleaf with an IHPA award during the banquet at the Annual Meeting last October.  Maja was ill and could not attend. 

Mike Brahms and Maja Sunleaf at the Iowa Society Children of the American Revolution 63rd State Conference.

Mike was very happy to accept the check for the IHPA youth program.  The amount of money presented to the IHPA was $1775.00 which will certainly help make our youth beekeeping program very successful this year.

We certainly want to thank the C.A.R. members for their generosity.  If you know any C.A.R. members, please thank them for the donation.  The youth beekeeping program is a very important part of the IHPA and has been very successful in the four years it has been in existence. 

Submitted by Donna Brahms

Japan police hunt 'bee rustlers'

By Roland Buerk 
BBC News, Tokyo 

Japanese bee-keepers have been warned to be on their guard, following a spate of hive thefts.

The price of honeybees has doubled in recent years after a ban on imports. Police suspect a gang of specialist thieves is stealing honeybees to order.

In central Shizuoka prefecture, eight hives of 60,000 bees were taken in a single night from five separate farms.
The area is well known for strawberry growing and farmers need honeybees to pollinate their crops.

The insects have been in short supply in Japan after imports were banned for several years to try to prevent the spread of parasites.

The price of a swarm has doubled to more than $400 (£260).

The Japan Beekeepers and Honey Association says more than two million of the insects were stolen in 2009, and thefts are becoming more frequent.

The organization has urged its members to be alert, but has admitted it is difficult to protect hives around the clock on remote farms.