PPlleennttyy ooff TTiimmee ttoo PPrreeppaarree ffoorr tthhee EEAASS HHoonneeyy SShhooww AAnnnnee FFrreeyyEAS is speeding towards us, with only a few

months left to wait! What do you need to do tobesides register, reserve lodging, and hire a petsitter? Well, plan out your Honey Showentries, ofcourse! Check out the newinformative Honey Show Page on the

EasternApicultural Society website andyou'll find tips, instructions, photos, videos,webinars, rules and more. This webpage isextremely useful for simply preparing itemsfor market even ifyou don't plan to enter ashow. It has been created with learning inmind, and the highest-quality links, articles,and presentations on the internet have beengathered here for you. Take a look at therecently added Photography segment providedby Zachary Huang. Just search for EasternApiculture 2012 using any search engine.While you work your hives this spring and

summer, remember to leave some time to getyour Honey Show entries ready. Instead ofbeing bummed out on that rainy or cold daythat's no good for beekeeping, why not meltsome wax and make some candles or a 'WaxCake, 2lbs. orMore' ? Also, aGiftArrangement takes some thought andattention. It should include a variety ofhiveproducts, arranged attractively. What aboutthat weird little thingy you built a few yearsago that works just right but will never befound in any catalog? That would be great for

the Gadgets classes (small or large device).Do you have a basement full ofmead or honeybeer? Check out all those bottles for the bestones. Do you have a computer file or an actualbox ofprints ofbees and beekeeping-themedsubjects? Riffle through those and find thebest ones. There's still time to get themmounted according to the Show Rules.Consult the EAS Honey Show Rules beforepreparing any entries. Read the General Rulesas well as the rules for the classes you areentering.

Honey Show FoiblesAs a novice, I was so excited to enter shows, I

tended to skim the Rules and rush to preparemy entries. Early on, I arrived at the CountyFair with my submission, a lovely jar ofhoneywith my own label on it. No labels allowed!Another time, at EAS, I proudly showed up atthe drop-offtable with a single jar for eachhoney class I was entering. Foolish me – youneed to bring 3 jars for each class. I oncearrived at EAS and immediately went out tolunch with friends, forgetting my creamedhoney entries were still locked in the car. Hotcars also endanger comb, candle and waxentries. Transportation is a seriousconsideration. Ifyou're flying, think aboutpassing your entries to a friend who is driving.No glass jars in carry-on bags!

I've never yet entered a photography class, butI've heard ofpeople arriving with their photosframed (not allowed), mounted incorrectly, orwanting to enter a whole stack (only one entryper class permitted). I've heard ofexhibitorsgetting pretty steamed at the volunteers at thedrop-offtable. Before the Rules werepublished they were examined with a fine-tooth comb by the Honey Show Committee,and are very clear. Please read them carefully!EAS volunteers and judges will be using thesame Rules you are using and there should beno need for disputes. Have you ever noticedthat the angriest you've ever been was whenyou were angry at yourself? Please be kind tothe volunteers and honest with yourself.It's fun to enter a Show, and later you'll learn a

lot from your score card which will help youimprove for future Shows. Check out theHoney Show page on the EAS website, andlet's make 2012 a year to remember!EAS is August 1 3-17 in Burlington, Vermont.

People can come to the Short Course (2 1 /2days ofworkshops and beeyard instruction), orthe Conference (2 1 /2 days ofpresentationsboth large and small), choose a single day tovisit, or stay the whole 5 days! Registrationbegins in May. For more information, visitwww.easternapiculture.org/conferences/eas-2012/2012-honey-show.html

There is nothing that compares to the coming ofSpring in Illinois, andwhat a Spring this is shaping up to be! This past March set records asthe warmest in recorded history. We had eight consecutive days ofrecord breaking heat with temperatures in the eighties. This heatwavehas affected the entire nation with Illinois and eight other Midweststates recording their warmest March in history. On Sunday, March25th, the Chicago Tribune reported that the snow cover was virtuallygone from the continental U.S. and here in northeastern Illinois we areexperiencing blooms that are four to six weeks ahead of their normalschedule. This warm weather has allowed our bees to fly much earlierthan normal and hopefully will decrease the severity ofnosema wehave suffered in the past few years.

This season’s weather is not the only change we are experiencing thisyear. The Executive Board of the ISBA is extremely excited about theappointment ofour new ISBA Bulletin editor, Eleanor Balson.Eleanor’s enthusiasm, journalistic skills and beekeeping knowledgemake her a natural for this appointment. My sincere thanks go to herfor accepting this position. I also want to thank our past editor, LarryKrengel, for all ofhis years ofservice. The ISBA Board has accepted

his resignation and wishes him well.

Please mark your calendars for this year’sAnnual Summer Meeting which will be heldon Saturday, June 30th at Kaskaskia Collegein Vandalia, Illinois. Co-sponsoring themeeting will be the St. Clair BeekeepersAssociation. My sincere thanks go to Terry Combs and the membersof the St. Clair Beekeepers for all their hard work in organizing thismeeting. The Summer Meeting keynote speaker will be Dr. DeweyCaron, Professor Emeritus University ofDelaware. Dr. Caron willspeak on 'What We Can Do to Reduce Losses and Keep Our BeesHealthy' and on 'Inspecting the Hive or How Best to Read What theBees Know'. Joining Dr. Caron will be Kathleen Prough, the ChiefApiary Inspector for the State ofIndiana. Ms. Prough will talk on'Gardening for Honeybees' and 'Diseases that Affect the Hive'. Pleasenote that those who wish to have the catered lunch must contact KevinGerstenecker at kgersty@gmail.com no later than Friday June22,2012. I hope to see all ofyou there.

LLeetttteerr ffrroomm tthhee PPrreessiiddeenntt JJiimm BBeellllii

Illinois State Beekeepers AssociationBulletinMay/June 2012 Volume 94 Number 3

Page 1

Page 2

AAPPIIAARRYY IINNSSPPEECCTTIIOONN SSUUPPEERRVVIISSOORR’’SS RREEPPOORRTTSStteevvee CChhaarrdd,, IIlllliinnooiiss DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt ooff AAggrriiccuullttuurreeGreetings! Things are really booming so

far this year with honeybees. The mildwinter and very favorable spring weatherhave created some excellent conditions forhoneybees and beekeepers. For example,we have received a much higher number ofswarm calls this year than usual and thishas been going on since early April. Weeven had a large swarm at our CommunityGarden that was unrelated to the 2 colonieswe keep nearby. Hope that your bees camethrough the winter fine and are flourishing.

I would like to make you aware of a newdevelopment that impacts our ApiaryInspection Program. Department ApiaryInspectors Eleanor Balson, Susan Kivikko,Peter Hansen and Jim Wellwood are undera yearly contract with the Department toprovide inspection services. Their contractswith the Department have expired andunfortunately getting new contractsapproved is taking quite a bit of time. Dueto the State’s current fiscal crises, contractapprovals in general are making their waythrough the system at a slower pace thanusual. What this means is that Eleanor,Susan, Peter and Jim cannot perform apiaryinspections, handle moving permits, attendmeetings on behalf of the Department, etc.until the new contracts are approved. Thissituation is very frustrating for us and I’msure for you as well. If you need

inspections in the meantime, please call meat 217/785-2661 and we’ll do our best toaccommodate. I’m hoping that this will allbe resolved soon and things can get back tonormal. Thank you for your patience.

On a different note, surprisingly, we havereceived what I consider to be a highnumber of calls from citizens who havequite a bit of concern over their next doorneighbor keeping honeybees. TheDepartment has also received several callsfrom Chicago property owners complainingthat their next door neighbor’s bees preventthem from fully using their back yards.Tighter urban spaces are contributing tothese problems in Chicago. We aregenerally surprised about the high numberof calls of this nature, particularlyconsidering all the media attention given toCCD and its affects on honeybeepopulations. The Department has advisedthese folks to visit with their beekeeperneighbors to see if they can reach somecommon ground. On the otherhand, it’salways advantegous for beekeepers to workpositively with their neighbors to achieveas much compatibility as possible betweentheir apiary and their neighbor’s property.Good neighborly relations will alwaysbenefit beekeeping operations.

On the good news front, new apiaryregistrations are coming in fast and furious

to the Department. From January 1 to thepresent, almost 1 50 beekeepers haveregistered with the Department for the firsttime. We presume that the vast majority ofthe registrants are new beekeepers, so it’sreally great to see this happening. If youhaven’t registered with the Department,please do so as soon as possible. It’s free,as well as the inspections that theDepartment performs. In this day in age,that’s unusual!

The Department has been asked ifbeekeepers previously enrolled into theDriftwatch™ program must re-registertheir colony locations into the program for2012. The answer is no, those locationsautomatically have carried over to thisyear’s database. If you haven’t registeredyour colony locations(s) on Driftwatch™program, you can do so on the IllinoisDepartment ofAgriculture's website atwww.agr.state.il.us and clicking on theDriftwatch™ link. Another way of quicklygaining access to Driftwatch™ is bylogging on to www.Illinoisbees.com

The pest Small Hive Beetle continues tospread across the state. The beetle has nowbeen found in 48 Illinois counties. Be onthe lookout for this destructive pest toprotect your colonies. We understand thatthere has been success with the SHB trapscurrently on the market.

Hello ISBA Bulletin Readers,I feel very fortunate to work on the ISBA

Bulletin. Connecting and collaboratingwith beekeepers throughout our state is afantastic privilege!

We have a lot to look forward to asmembers of the ISBA. Along with newofficers come new aspirations. We want notonly to expand membership, but also tohave more significant relationships withmembers. One priority is finding ways ofconnecting.

We hope to deepen the quality of anISBA membership. To enrich the value ofclub membership, we call on you, ourmembers, to step forward and contribute.We encourage your participation in theclub. We'd like to hear from you aboutwhat you'd like to see in the ISBA. Anexcellent way to do this would be to writeto the ISBA Bulletin.

Consider this Bulletin to be a forum

where Illinois voices in beekeeping can beheard. Think of the Bulletin as a platformto share your ideas, and a resource to stayinformed about all that is happening inIllinois beekeeping. The ISBA can best bewhat you would like it to be with yourinput. Whether you'd like just to send us acomment or criticism, or involve yourselfactively in ISBA developments – we hopeyou'll take part in helping us grow!

Enjoy the Bulletin. You'll see some newfeatures, some ofwhich will improve withyour involvement. You'll notice a pagecalled the “Brood Chamber”. We want torecognize the young beekeepers in Illinoisfor their experiences and hear what theyhave to say. We also have a new featurecalled “Waxing Philosophical.” Everyissue, we'll present a puzzling question thatdeals with 'problem solving in beekeeping,'and looks for answers to less-solvedmysteries about why bees do what they do.

We'll publish the best answers we get frombeekeepers around the state.

These new features are dependent onyour contributions, and we are counting onyour input. We're also looking for newwriters of informative articles. We wantyou to take us up on this invitation to sharewhat you know by submitting articles andideas to your ISBA Bulletin.

Please feel free to contact me directlywith comments and contributions. Sendthem by email or USPS. I can't wait to hearfrom you!

Your new ISBA Bulletin Editor,Eleanor BalsonP.O. Box 361 , Pocahontas IL 62275bubblebubb@gmail.com

LLeetttteerr ffrroomm tthhee EEddiittoorr......

Page 2

IIlllliinnooiiss AAppiiaarryy IInnssppeeccttiioonn PPrrooggrraamm PPaaggeeAs an inspector, I see all different types of bees

and beekeepers. There doesn’t seem to be a morediverse group of people than beekeepers. Just asdiverse are their opinions on keeping bees – thereare as many schools of thought as there arebeekeepers! There are also quite a few constants.Beekeepers an enthusiastic bunch! Get us talkingabout our bees and you might as well put on afresh pot of coffee. As a society, beekeepers arevery helpful to our brethren. The love of ourhoney bees dissolves any difference we mighthave otherwise. Ifwe didn’t know before westarted, we quickly learned that honey bees arean important part of agriculture and subsequentlyan integral part of our lives. This is a good thing.If there is one that doesn’t care about his or herbees, you know as well as I do they won’t bedoing it for long. This too, is a good thing.

There is much hardship today that the honeybee faces. We are all keeping track of themultitude of viruses, bacterium, pests, andchemicals that are impacting honeybeesnationwide. Now more than ever we need to payattention to our bees.

Even though beekeeping is in the field ofagriculture, there are some common agriculturalpractices that are often overlooked. In animalhusbandry, farmers use hygienic behavior as theymove among their livestock, sanitizing so as notto spread disease. As a society of beekeepers whydon't we promote sanitizing when we move fromone yard to another? Or when going to visitanother beekeeper for mentoring or giving thema hand? We really should. A few simple steps willalleviate a substantial portion of diseasetransmission. Scraping down tools and flushinggloves with bleach water should be an essentialwhen moving from yard to yard. If a disease issuspected, sanitizing between hives couldn't hurteither.

Another detriment we often face is in our ownfrugality. New stuff is expensive. Whether it isbuying cheap used equipment, or trying to rationtreatments, both are wrought with pitfalls. If youabsolutely HAVE to have that equipment anotherbeekeeper is selling cheap, save yourself someanguish- STERLIZE! Burn any frames andcomb. Use a mapp gas torch and apply ascorching flame to all of the wooden-ware.Follow it up with a strong bleach cleansing afterit cools. You’ll never be sorry that you took theextra time and effort. You’ll always be sorry if

you didn’t and your bees come down withsomething.

As for treatments, don’t bother going toyour local farm supply store to get the bigbag of supplement that has some of thetreatment substance you need. If it doesn’tlist honey bees on the application label, itis not meant for bees and will not be theright dosage. Then, there are some thatthink if a little is good then a lot is better.Or there are those that don’t like treatingat all so the dosage is cut by 2/3. As tightas I like to run my bee operation, pinchinga penny to make Lincoln squeal, I alsokeep in mind that there are scientistsstudying this stuff for a living. They don’tpublish their findings until their tests arerepeated several times. We need to followtheir recommendations.

As beekeepers in our quest to helpothers, we apiary inspectors need yourhelp in conveying this to those that maynot be familiar with the age oldagricultural practice of santizing toprevent the spread of diseases. Theselittle things will go a long way to helppreserve and protect the honey andpollination industry in Illinois ofwhichevery beekeeper is a part.

Steve Chard, Supervisor

Illinois Department ofAgricultureDivision ofNatural ResourcesP.O. Box 19281Springfield, IL 62794-9281217/782-6297

Eleanor Balson Inspector

P.O. Box 361Pocahontas, IL 62275Cell: 510/285-7879bubblebubb@gmail.com

Mike Gerard Inspector

206 N. 4th, Box 79Danforth, IL 60930mikegerard333@gmail.com815/269-2026cell: 217/390-4399

Peter Hansen Inspector

P.O. Box 596Ashkum, IL 60911Cell: 81 5/341 -0248peterbeekeep@gmail.com

Susan Kivikko Inspector

18029 East Mowers RoadEsmond, IL 60129815/494-1403 or 815/393-3524northernbeekeepers@gmail.com

Rita Taylor Inspector

4274 Taylor Homestead Rd.Pleasant Plains, IL 62677-4024217/626-1 319rtaylor39@hughes.net

Jim Wellwood Inspector

12410 North 500 East RoadGridley, IL 61744309/310-4843jpwell@gridcom.net

Dan Wright Inspector

P.O. Box 83Kansas, IL 61933217/948-5121 (place of business)dwrightbc@mchsi.com

AANN IINNSSPPEECCTTOORR''SS PPOOIINNTT OOFF VVIIEEWWbbyy SSuussaann KKiivviikkkkoo

Page 3

MMeeaassuurree TTwwiiccee,, CCuutt OOnncceefrom the round table of L. L. Studer and Farmer Fred (sometimes)

Page 4

Fred and I sat across from each other ata large round oak table, as Fred woulddescribe, in the semi-comfort of somenicely styled kitchen chairs to explore,generate ideas, and develop an effectivestrategy to care for our honey bees incase of a long, hot, dry summer.

We both recall trying to keep thingsalive while lacking adequate moistureduring summers so continuously hotthat plants stopped growing just tosurvive. Our collaborative practiceshave given us great results in getting ourhives through the long, cold NorthernIllinois winters. Now Fred and Ioutlined a plan for an oppositeenvironment.

Anticipating that the summer could getso extremely hot and dry that thesummer floral resources for the beesdisappear, we asked “what should we bedoing differently or better, to care forour colonies?”

First, we set ground rules for our brainstorming session: we would go back andforth, offering ideas to be written on alist. While writing the list, nojudgemental comments were allowed,only questions for clarification. Weflipped a coin to see who would go first.Fred lost, so I placed my first thoughton the yellow tablet without Fred’scomments. Fred offered the next andrecorded it. I offered no comment.Amazingly, the ideas got recorded fairlyquickly, even when out of turn, allwithout comment or evaluation.

The second step included ranking themas to their importance and placing themso in our outline. This created a spiritedand lively atmosphere for thejudgmental debate. Lively and spirited itwas, but we got it done. We recordedthe following:

PRE SUMMERSEASON COLONYPREPARATION

1 . Address and eliminatestressful situations asquickly as possible- Allow our honey bee

population in each colony

to grow to capacity

- Consider relocating

hives ifcolonies receive

location based stress

2. Only keep healthycolonies- Re-queen introducing VSHquality

stock (Varroa Sensitive Hygiene)

- Combine or destroy failing colonies

- Divide or reallocate surplus resources

from oversized colonies

3. Monitor Varroa mite populationsmonthly- Visual observation is not effective, use

ether or powdered sugar rolls

- Respond with approved treatments

when mite populations dictate

(This is a lot ofwork, but it will

keep our bees alive and productive!)

4. Maintain the health of the honey beecolonies- Supplement the nutrition as insurance

against deficiencies

5. Place water in hive feeders for 24/7availability-While weather offers hot or dry

conditions

- Mandatory, when day time

temperatures are above 90°F

(Fred said we finally have a use for

that box ofold rusty entrance feeders!)

6. Increase effective hive ventilation- Elevate the edge ofcovers using a thin

block ofwood or other material

- Replace solid bottom boards with

screened bottom boards

(Fred would like to see the bottom

boards taken offall the time ifwe could

be sure to kill all the rodents!)

7. When extreme summer heatconditions arrive- Get the hives out ofthe direct

afternoon sun

- Construct temporary shade for hives

- Relocate hives to better environment

Much of beekeeping as we see itrequires thinking ahead. Our plan ofaction is based on anticipatedconditions. Our experience andobservation of conditions will triggerour management choices. Please use ourinformation as a guide to create yourown plan that suits your location,beekeeping skills, resources, andobjectives. They may or may not be thesame as ours.

Wishing you enjoyable and successfulbeekeeping,

Larry and Fred (sometimes)

The Officers and Members ofthe St. Clair BeekeepersAssociation are as busy as bees,preparing to host the IllinoisState Beekeepers AssociationSummer Meeting. We arelooking forward to hostingBeekeepers from the Midwestfor an informative day inVandalia, IL.

The ISBA invites you to joinus on Saturday, June 30th for aday of fun, information, andfellowship with otherbeekeepers. Event registrationbegins at 8:00 a.m. The meetingwill be called to order at 9:00a.m. by ISBA President JimBelli. After the various reportsfrom the officers of the ISBA, apacked schedule of informativeand knowledgeable speakerswill round out the day.

Dr. Dewey M. Caron,Professor Emeritus, UniversityofDelaware, will give apresentation on the things wecan do to reduce losses and keep

bees healthy and productive.Dr. Caron's afternoonpresentation will be on the bestway to inspect a hive, and howto best read what the bees know.

Kathleen Prough, ChiefApiary Inspector for the State ofIndiana will give a presentationon gardening for honey bees.She will also have an afternoonpresentation on diseases thataffect the hive.

Steve Chard, Acting Chief ofthe Illinois Bureau ofLand andWater Resources will give hisreport on Illinois Bees.

There will also be reportsfrom the regional directors ofthe ISBA, as well as apresentation from a Universityof Illinois Graduate Studentfeaturing an update from the Uof I in Urbana, IL.

This is a wonderfulopportunity for beekeepers fromthe Midwest to meet with otherbeekeepers, and gain somevaluable information from

leading honey bee experts. TheSt. Clair BeekeepersAssociation, along with theIllinois State BeekeepersAssociation is excited about the2012 Annual Summer Meeting.Make plans to join us, we wouldlove to see you there!

For more informationregarding the ISBA SummerMeeting, or to reserve your spot,please contact:Kevin Gerstenecker, SCBAPublic Information Officer208 Hazel StreetTroy, IL 62294(618) 795-4633kgersty@gmail.comThe ISBA Summer Meeting costis $20.00 per personA catered lunch is available for$10.00 per personWe ask that lunch reservationsbe made and paid for in advanceofmeeting, so we have anaccurate number ofmeals forthe caterer. Thank you!

The 2012 HeartlandApicultural Society Conferencewill be held July 12 – 14th onthe UMSL campus in St. Louis.The three-day conference willbe swarming with instructionalprograms in the classroom, and“hands-on” classes in the apiary.The program will includesessions designed forbeekeepers at all levels ofbeekeeping skill developmentincluding: beginners - with aspecial track for those with nobeekeeping experience,beekeepers with limited andmany years’ experience and

those in between. A three-dayqueen rearing course will alsobe part of the program. Therewill be a large vendor show,evening social events, andsightseeing tours in the St.Louis area during the day.

Speakers attending HAS thisyear include: Dr. Greg Hunt –Purdue University, Dr. TomWebster – Kentucky StateUniversity, Dr. Jim Tew – OhioState University, Kim Flottum –Bee Culture Magazine, JerryHayes – Monsanto Corporationand the American Bee Journal,Michael Bush – Bush Farm and

Phil Craft and others.There will be college

dormitory housing and mealsavailable at an economical costfor participants, as well asspecial rates at nearby hotels.Virtually all of the conferenceactivities will take place underone roof at the UMSL JC PennyConference Center. Labs andthe apiary will be about 200yards away.

Pre-registration forms andprogram details will beavailable for downloading athttp://www.heartlandbees.com/within a few days.

HHeeaarrttllaanndd AAppiiccuullttuurraall SSoocciieettyy AAnnnnuuaall CCoonnffeerreennccee

IISSBBAA SSuummmmeerr MMeeeettiinngg KKeevviinn GGeerrsstteenneecckkeerr

UUnniivveerrssiittyy ooff MMiissssoouurrii aatt SStt.. LLoouuiiss,, JJuullyy 1122 –– 1144,, 22001122

CENTRAL EASTERN ILLINOISBEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATIONLorraine Wirges ~ Rantoul, ILmomwirges@aol.comCOOK-DUPAGE BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONCharles Williams ~ Glen Ellyn, ILPhone: 630.858.6308charles.w.williams@hud.govHEART OF ILLINOISBEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATIONJanet Hart ~ Brimfield, ILPhone: 309.446.3004harthoney@msn.comLAKE COUNTY BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONPerry Plescia ~ Grayslake, ILPhone: 847.223.6613p.plescia@sbcglobal.netLINCOLN LAND BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONSteve Petrilli ~ Springfield, ILPhone: 217.638.7891s.petrilli@comcast.netLITTLE EGYPT BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONBeverly Tanner ~ Fairfield, ILPhone: 618.842.3386ffpro2@verizon.netMISSISSIPPI VALLEYBEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATIONCara Bowman ~ Hannibal, MObowman@mywdo.comNORTHERN ILLINOISBEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATIONErik Whalen-Pedersen ~ SpringGrove, ILPhone:815.675.0426niba@mchsi.comST. CLAIR BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONVickie Piel ~ Edwardsville, ILPhone: 618.978.4369sleepyp@att.netSOUTHERN ILLINOISBEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATIONSusan Nellis ~ Ava, ILPhone: 618.319.0285teachmychild2@gmail.comSPOON VALLEY BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONLeslie Postin ~ Canton, ILPhone: 309.231 .3194lesliepostin@yahoo.comWILL COUNTY BEEKEEPERSASSOCIATIONDarien Kruss ~ Joliet, ILPhone: 630.557.6233info@willbees.org

Register Your Hives with Driftwatch

www.Driftwatch. org

Page 5

WWaaxxiinngg PPhhiilloossoopphhiiccaall ~~ tthhee BBeeeekkeeeeppiinngg PPuuzzzzlleeWWhhaatt ttoo ddoo wwiitthh eemmppttyy bbooxxeess ffiilllleedd wwiitthh wwiilldd ccoommbb??Here is a fun new feature – one that will depend on

your contribution! Every issue, we will publish a

“puzzling question” that has been submitted to the

Bulletin by an ISBA member. You, the reader, will send to

the editor your own ideas ofwhat an answer to that

puzzling question might be. We will publish the top

answers, and vote on the best one. Please participate in

Waxing Philosophical!

This from the wire ofthe unofficial, samaritan DBHS – the

Department ofBee Hive Services – one ofthe many wildlife rescue

involvements ofbeekeeper Jesse Will, an officer ofthe new Southern

Illinois Beekeepers Association in Murphysboro. Also known as S. I.

All-A-Buzz, this newest Illinois beekeepers club is extremely active

in mentoring and holds frequent hands-on demos. That deep-south

Illinois climate affords them plenty ofoutside time together as a

club.

QQuueessttiioonn:“A man called me for help the other day. He was having trouble

with swarms; F-5 swarms, mutiple-vortex-swarms, an unpredictablemeilei of swarming.

“We opened the first hive to find nothing but a gob pile all stuffedin. The girls made use of all of that frameless area. He said that hivehad swarmed numerous times, and he caught them every time. Whatdid he do with each swarm he caught? He put it right back in thehive it came from.

“It took over an hour to cut out and patch together enough comb toget it to a proper two deeps and one medium. While in it, there wasno sign of a queen or queen cells. It looked like they were just tryingto leave because the house was a mess. When I pulled into thedriveway there was a swarm that just took off and I bet that was thequeen from that hive.

“We finished patching up that hive and he asked me to look at therest of his hives.

“Oh my, you have more?” I said. Around the corner he had sixmore, and at first glance, I was afraid. We opened up two more andfound a bigger mess in each and it just got worse. I wondered ifthere were any other ways of dealing with all of these boxes full ofwild comb, because seven hives of untamed honey maze can gettedious. How to mix it up?”

AAnnsswweerrss::“I have my own little “honey icecream” recipe for situations like

this. I put two scoops ofvanilla icecream in a bowl, and with a

melon-baller, I scoop out little honey-globes and position them

around the icecream. Then add strawberries, drizzle coco or rum –

voila! Call it a “Skep Split!” Leave the bees on it, you get a Skep

Split Surprise!” - Beelinda Honeydew, Big Neck, Illinois ~ 1 vote

“What CAN'Tyou do with wild honeycomb?!” - Burt Beeherder,

Chillicothe, Illinois ~ 3 votes

"Keeping a queen excluder between the two, combine a weaker

hive with the wild hive, first using newspaper to acquaint bees with

one-another, putting the wild hive on top (make sure they have their

own entrance and can come and go independently). After several

days, remove the paper. Find the queen in the weaker hive. Move the

wild hive beneath a super or two, making sure the queen you just

found in the weaker hive is kept below the queen excluder. The hope

is that the wild queen will begin laying in the supers. Once the wild

queen is caught in the super, use that super to start a split, or

combine it with a queenless hive.

"Keep the wild-comb on top ofwhich ever hive you prefer – using

a queen excluder to keep it free ofqueen and brood. Come fall, bees

should move honey down into properly drawn comb, leaving the box

free for you to clean out and try again. You'll have a lot ofwax to

work with. Don't let the wax moths get it!" - Ozzy Beezborn,

Frogtown, Illinois ~ 3 votes

"Drumming – Put a new hive body

on top ofthe hive with the wild

comb. Take a couple ofsticks and drum like crazy on the bottom

box. The bees will go up into the new box (but you'd better be

wearing a bee suit). Slip a queen excluder in between the boxes. It

works best ifyou treat the super like a swarm, i. e. give them some

properly drawn comb and put a frame ofbrood and a frame of

honey in the new box to encourage the bees to stay in there. Then

add supers as summer goes on .In the earliest spring, before the honey flow, that bottom box

should be empty ofhoney and brood. You can take that box away

and melt down the wax". - Ray Chapman, Bunker Hill, Illinois

“The solution only requires some new frames, a hair dryer, some

bailing wire, a little Elmer's glue and a little "grit. " Suit up well for

this first - as it's hard work. It's best done outdoors, by the way. Cut

the combs out, one by one, near the top and use the hair dryer to

warm, soften, straighten and reshape the comb, ifit is needed.

Cross-wire the straightened comb with some ofthe bailing wire and

be sure to glue the combs to the top ofthe new frame using the glue.

You might then want to visit the Emergency Room for treatment and

then hope you actually recover before having to go check on the

girls again.” -DerekW. Beedersen, Gringo Stove, Illinois ~ 3 votes

Next issue's puzzling question: Why do bees sometimes up and

decide to stop working a certain kind offlower, like clover?

Please submit your own questions to the editor by emailing

bubblebubb@gmail. com. Would you like to be on the voting panel?

Just email and ask! We need you!

TToopp AAnnsswweerr -- 55 vvootteess::

Page 6

Retired Illinois Apiary Inspector

Udell Meyer shares some memories

ofkeeping and inspecting bees.

I bought my first bees before I wasmarried in 1953 and brought them home toCollinsville. I had the bees sitting there in apasture. One day a gentleman came up andhe introduced himself as the bee inspectorand asked if he cold have a look at my bees.I said “Sure, you just go right ahead and dowhat you've got to do.” Before that, I'dnever stuck my head in a beehive or knewwhat was going on. Mr. Leiper really tookme under his wing and helped me out awhole lot. He was one I've really got to givecredit to for keeping bees. He was mymentor.

I remember times working with LawrenceLeiper. We'd had our state meeting. Once Igot home, that night or so, Gene Killian, theChief Inspector called and said, “Come back

up here by the crack of dawn. There's atruck of bees that's overturned.” I left at 4 o'clock in the morning and got started rightaway. I went up there and met Mr. Leiper,and Gene and Ron Hunter. There were 450colonies of bees on a flat bed truck. Whatthey'd done was barreled through a sharpturn and rolled it in one completerevolution. Even though the hives were allstrapped down and under netting, everythingbroke loose. They really busted everythingup. It was all messed up and mixed up, justa tangled mess.

Out of the 450 colonies, we saved 90 justby putting pieces together. Ifwe found ahive body or a super that wasn't smashed,why we just stacked them on top of eachother. Then we started to burn what was leftand the first thing you know, the EPA camealong and said “Hey – you gotta quitburning that. You gotta put that stuff inbarrels and burn it.” Well we had no barrelsor anything, so we went around town and

finally rounded up four orfive 55 gallon drums. Andthat's what we did withthat old busted up comband everything. The airwas just full of bees.

After a while, the beesstarted getting rowdy, sothey had state cops onboth sides of the accidentand directing traffic around that turned-overtruck. But the bees weren't really too bad. Ithink I got one sting on the leg out of thewhole thing. But our clothes and everythingwere just covered with honey. We had honeyon our shoes like mud. You never knowwhat you'll run into.

Do you have an old story, or know

something about the history ofIllinois

beekeeping? Please share it with the ISBA

Bulletin!

Drawings by

beekeeper

Grace Baum

Greenville IL

Lastweekmy Dad and I got a call from ourlocal Extension Office in Monroe County,Illinois. The lady on the phone said “I have acluster ofbees on the tree outside. Canyou comeand get them?” My Dad said “Yes.” I got reallyexcitedwhen he askedme ifI wanted to comewith him to see ifitwas a swarm. I said “Yes Ido.”I am aBeekeeper like my Dad. Each swarm

seems like a new adventure to see and learn. Onthe way there, I was thinking ofthe benefits forthe Beekeeper, Bees and the local Communityby whatwe were doing. How it helps theBeekeeper is you get a new hive ofbees and youget to have the knowledge ofhow to get thatswarm. Each swarm is different in it's recovery.How it helps the bees - they do not get sprayedwith an insect killer and get killed. They get anew home with us. How it helps the Communityis the increased pollination for local crops,expanding knowledge about bees/beekeepingand increased ties to local Honey Producers.When we got to the Extension Office, we

looked at the tree and saw the bees on a low Pearbranch. Dadwent to the car and came backwitha 5 frame nuc. He went to the tree andput the nuc

under the swarm. Then, he carefully shook thebranch. The bees fell right into the box. Whilewe were taking care ofthe swarm, a few peoplecame out and took some photos.Afterwe were done, a nice Lady came up. We

started to talkabout bees andhowsmart theyare.She asked aboutwhy they swarmed. I said“When a new queen hatches, she takes some ofthe bees and goes away from the hive to makeher own place to live. She sends out scouts beesto find a new home. Thatmay be a tree, house,shed or a barn. When the scouts come back theydo a dance. That dance says how good the placeis and how far away it is. Then the bees go totheir new home. Ifyou see them while they areheading for their new home, it will be like asmall black cloud.” Then she asked, “Why dowe need bees?” I told her that some ofour plantsneed the bees to pollinate them.We had to go so we said goodbye. Alittle after

darkwe came back to get them. It is best totransport your recovered swarm in the dark.Especially when you'll be moving them in theback ofyourVan right behindwhere you aresitting! Even ifyou have your bee suit on –safety first.

As Beekeepers, we are theAmbassadorsbetween Bees and People. Swarms provide anew learning experience and brings awarenessfor ourHoney Bees.

11 year oldAstridSabo keeps between 7 and9

beehives in Monroe County. She began

beekeepingwith her Dad, Mike Sabo when she

was 6. In 2010, Astridworkedwith her father as a

leader in the movement to draft and pass Public

Act 96-1028, a law ensuring that beekeepers who

produce or sell less than 500 lbs ofhoney will

continue to process and package their honey in

their un-modified honey houses, or kitchens.

Their efforts were recognizedwhen they were

awarded ISBA's Beekeepers ofthe Year in 2010.OOlldd TTiimmee AAppiiccuullttuurree

Page 7

Issue 1 Page 8

Illinois State Beekeepers AssociationP.O. Box 21094Springfield IL 62703

OFFICERS:President

Jim BelliWadsworth, IL(847) 838-0207j im@belli-belli.com

Vice President

Rich RamseyRochester, IL(217) 498-9374rramsey2@gmail.com

Secretary

Susan KivikkoEsmond, IL(815) 393-3524northernbeekeeper@gmail.com

Treasurer

Michael MasonRiverton, IL(217) 629-5436mike.r.mason@comcast.net

DIRECTORS:Northern Region

Erik Whalen-PedersenSpring Grove, IL(815) 675-0426niba@mchsi.com

Central Region

Janet HartBrimfield, IL(309) 446-3004harthoney@msn.com

Southern Region

Ray ChapmanBunker Hill, IL(618) 585-4506honey.1@frontier.com

ISBA Bulletin Editor

Eleanor BalsonP.O. Box 361Pocahontas, IL(510) 285-7879bubblebubb@gmail.com

Membership in the I l l inois State Beekeepers Association is open toall persons interested in bees and beekeeping. Beekeepers areurged to join through their local associations or individual ly if nolocal associations are available. Dues for 201 2 are $1 0 for thecalendar year January 1 through December 31 only. Dues include asubscription to this newsletter, the ISBA Bulletin. Beekeepingjournals are available to ISBA members at about 25% discount.Mention membership in ISBA when sending your subscriptionpayment to the publishers. Rates are subject to change without priornotice.

Make checks for membership payable to: I l l inois State BeekeepersAssociation and mail to: Mike Mason, Treasurer, P.O. Box 21 094,Springfield, IL 62703.

Address Changes: Send old and new address six weeks prior todate of change when practical to the association secretary.

Reduced Journal Rates for 201 2 (members only)

1 yr 2 yr 3 yrAmerican Bee Journal 1 9.50 37.00 52.1 5Bee Culture 21 .00 38.00 N/AThe Speedy Bee 1 3.25 25.25 34.00