General Meeting (April 2016)

The Capital Regional Beekeepers Association (CRBA) meets on the second Thursday of every month.

This meeting usually starts with a beginner’s corner 30 minutes before the regular club proceedings start around 7pm.

Agenda

• 6:30-7:00pm – New beekeepers’ corner – Carolyn H, Don L and Graeme N
• 7:00pm – Club business – Bill F & committee chairs
• 7:15pm – What’s blooming – Nairn H
• 7:20pm – What beekeepers are doing this month – Bill J
• 7:30pm – Queen rearing equipment – Heinz K
• 7:40pm – Young Parents Support Network – Jacqueline G
• 8:00pm – Beekeeping in Rwanda – Barry D
• 8:30pm – Refreshments and social
• 9:00pm – Close

Minutes

Bill Fosdick called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm welcoming the members and guests.

Club Business

• Swarm season has started – 6 calls so far
• Wendi has found AFB in the area of the airport
• Reminder for the renewing of the membership in the CRBA
• Apitherapy class to be held in Comox – see the Comox Valley Beekeepers web site for information
• Creativity United for the Planet – to be held April 16 at Royal Bay School – Mechosin – Nairn would like more volunteers for the afternoon shift.

What is Blooming Now – Nairn Hollott

Nairn listed what is in bloom in the garden at this time that the bees would be gathering pollen and nectar from. The CRBA’s web site has a list of plants that are especially attractive to the bees.

Nairn informed the members that a very good reference book for plants for the bees is “Plants for Beekeeping in Canada”

Queen Rearing Equipment – Heinz Kaemmerer

Heinz gave a very interesting an informative talk on how he manages his bees in preventing swarms and queen rearing. How he makes splits his hives to prevent swarms. He has many inventive ideas on different equipment he uses and builds.

Beekeeping in Rwanda – Barry Denluck

Barry gave a presentation both narrative and pictorial on his experience in teaching beekeeping in Rwanda. He found it challenging to teach in Rwanda, as his lessons had to be translated through an interpreter. An interesting revelation was that the Rwandans wore black bee suits and as the bees do not like the colour black, the beekeepers were attacked. When they wore the white bee suits they found the bees left them alone.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm for refreshments.

Approximately 140 members and guests attended the meeting.