General Meeting (June 2019)

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

This meeting usually starts with a beginners/intermediate beekeeper corner 30 minutes before the regular club proceedings start around 7pm.

Agenda

• 6pm – Setup
• 6.30pm – Pre-meeting discussions
  • New beekeepers corner (downstairs/lower hall) – Don L
    • Preventing swarms
  • Intermediate beekeepers corner (upstairs/upper hall) – Bob L

  Outyard tags will be for sale; cash or cheques in person

• 7.15pm – Regular meeting
  • Local pollinators – Kirby D
• 8pm – Club business
  • What’s in bloom? – Nairn H
  • What beekeepers are doing in June – Larry L
  • T-shirt design contest
  • Just so you know – All
• 8.30pm – Social – Bring a travel mug for tea and coffee
• 9pm – Close of meeting

Minutes

Bill Fosdick called the meeting to order at 7:21 PM. Bill informed the members that the tags for the Outyards have sold out.

Bill introduced the guest speaker for the evening, Kirby Delaney. Kirby’s presentation for evening was to inform the members of the different bees that are found on Southern Vancouver Island. This presentation was very informative and very well presented. Kirby is passionate about her subject.

Pollination threats – habitat loss, herbicides, pesticides, neonics. Loss of Gary Oaks meadows, climate change.

Pollination stewardship – creating habitat encouraging biodiversity advocacy.

Nairn Hollott – what’s in bloom – wild roses, sage, lavender, thyme, chives, blackberry, poppies, Linden trees and elderberry.

Neonicocides – growers are being asked not to use it. Home Depot, Lowes are now 100% free, Canadian Tire is 75%.

Larry Lindahl – What to do in the hive in June – add supers as the queen needs room, make sure equipment is in good condition, do all the colonies have good queens, try queen rearing, order honey containers, get ready for the farmer’s markets, June is the start of the nectar dearth, take healthy hives to the outyards and make sure the mite count is down.

Jim Henry will be away and Robin Q will have the club’s extractor.

Heinz K spoke to the members on how he changes the queen in his hives. He takes the old queen out in the evening and replace with the new queen. Check to see that the bees are making comb (a sign that the hive has accepted the queen). If not making comb check your hive for another queen.

Saanich Fair – Irene T asked the members to sign up as volunteers at the Saanich Fair. Free admission for the day. Honey tasting will happen again this year. There is now a junior division.

T-Shirt Design – members are asked to present their designs at the July meeting. “CRBA – Know Your Beekeeper”

Day of the Honeybee at the Legislature – Honey tasting – Ross Rounds, Stan Reist brought his observation hive with a marked queen. The Provincial government had stickers, tattoos for the children and West Coast Seeds had made up seed packs for the bees. Great event and well received by the public.

Outyards – Alanna Morbin notified the members that the yard is not set up yet. There will be four yards and the Key will be in a lockbox. Brad Alexander will be in charge of the Outyard.

Meeting adjourned at 8:40 PM for Ice Cream!