 |  |  |  |  |
| PRESIDENTS LETTER March 1, 2010 Finally March is here, the Maples are beginning to bloom and on warm days the honeybees seem to be as happy as the beekeepers that have worked and worried about their well-being. It’s truly amazing to watch this time of year, the fresh pollen is a sign of spring and as the bees gather this protein with a touch of nectar we begin to see new bees. The cluster begins to grow and the bees start to make fresh honeycomb and expand the brood nest. Beekeepers should make an extra effort to insure that the bees have honey stores because as the colony grows in size the food stores disappear quickly. Don’t get too excited, keep the bees tight right now, the warmer they are the more eggs the queen can lay, if you put empty boxes on too early the queen will shut down; give them a chance to pack the box with bees first. In about 10 days or so, the weather will begin to warm and as the temperature begins to rise the bees really take off and by April- life is good. The State Beekeepers Association had an executive meeting in Columbia and voted on several new and exciting things. First of all, the money raised with the “Save The Bee” bracelets will be used in the state of South Carolina for honeybee research. It was also agreed upon that a committee would make the decision on whom or which associations would receive the grant money. So if you have an idea that would benefit honeybees or beekeepers begin to work on your letter of request with specific data. This committee is also responsible for policing the projects that receive money and following up to make sure the money is being spent properly. No idea or project is too small so think it through and plan your strategy. You may have to spend many hours on your project outline but it could save you a little cash or give you an extra boost so you can try something fun. The PCBA March meeting is March 11th at the Farm Bureau building on Hwy 178, arrive for refreshments around 6:30 and the meeting will begin at 7:00 pm. The meeting will begin with a discussion on the weather and the bees with a brief question and answer session. I also have been documenting my travels so I can give you a visual of things happening this time of year. Some bee suppliers are already scooting their customers pick up dates later because of the extreme cold temps while others are still on schedule. Everyone agrees winter has been challenging to say the least. Cindi Banks will be in charge of our special presentation which is a movie called “ TALES FROM THE HIVE”. Special Thanks to all of you who have helped with the Certified Level Beekeeping Course - your teaching was enjoyed by all and was very informative and extremely well presented. The projector has made a huge impact and the discussions are exciting and full of great information. Each of you deserves a pat on the back or a sting on the chin. I hope you have a great bee season and look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Bee Well Kerry |