Links
Online Forum
Our online forum, “mtbakerbees,” is a standard Yahoo! news group, also known as a list serve or listserv. Once you click on the “Join this Group” button and go through the simple registration, you can post messages, photos, and files for everyone else in the group to see. Open to MBBA members and anyone interested in beekeeping in our area. It’s a great way to keep in touch with what Whatcom County beekeepers area thinking about. For beginners, there’s no better way to ask a beekeeping question. MBBA meets just once a month, but mtbakerbees is available 24/7/365. We recommend you choose to get the “Daily Digest” of activity on mtbakerbees. That way, you’ll get one email a day with all the messages from mtbakerbees. You can reply to any message.
Things happen quickly during bee season. New beekeepers want to know what to do next. Veteran beekeepers want to keep up with the latest hive management techniques. It’s so helpful to know where to get just the beekeeping equipment you need when you need it. All this can be found on mtbakerbees. If you use email, you can use mtbakerbees. Click on the highlighted link or paste the following into your browser:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/mtbakerbees/?v=1&t=directory&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=dir&slk=299
Equipment & Suppliers
Belleville Honey Company (LOCAL in Burlington): email belleville@wavecable.com or call: 360-757-1073
Dadant & Sons Inc.: www.dadant.com
Mann Lake Ltd.: http://www.mannlakeltd.com/
Associations & Societies
Mt. Baker Beekeepers Association: http://www.mtbakerbeekeepersassn.org
Washington State Beekeepers Association: http://www.wasba.org/
Beekeeping “How To”
Online Forums
Beesource.com is one of the best online collections of beekeeping information. Check out the “Forums” to see what beekeepers around the nation are thinking about right now. Also includes plans for equipment, newbie information, “Point of View” pages for wisdom from the masters. An excellent resource.
BEE-L is an email newsgroup that features posts from researchers, commercial beekeepers, and thoughtful hobbyists from around the English speaking world. If you want to know what truly dedicated bee folks are thinking, with an international flavor, check out BEE-L. This group is way ahead of the curve. You will discover bee news as it happens and get in on ”hot-topic” debates.
Catch the Buzz is an email bee-news service from “Bee Culture” magazine. Kim Flottum, author and editor of Bee Culture, sends out Catch the Buzz whenever there is something new and important happening in the world of honeybees. Bee Culture comes out only once a month, but news pops up more frequently. You can subscribe and get it in your email, just follow the link.
Brushy Mountain Video and Webinar Library
Brushy Mountain Bee Farm has recorded a number of instructional bee videos and offers them here online. They have also recorded (audio) their online “Webinars” which cover dozens of bee topics. Very hands-on, how-to information. Maybe you’ll find a project that’s just what you and your bees need this season!
Bee Labs: Best to Test!
Whether or not your bees show signs of disease/parasites, it’s a good idea to send samples in for testing. Here’s a couple links for labs that will do this for free. Bee sure to follow all directions carefully, it’s different for each lab.
WSU Bee Diagnostic Service
This link takes you to a form and directions for preparing your bee sample. Also, a mailing address. WSU is our only local honeybee diagnostic lab. Several MBBA members have sent samples. When the results come back, you have a good idea how to treat, or maybe even NOT TREAT, your bees.
USDA Bee Lab – Beltsville, MD
MBBA members have used this service and report excellent, quick reports along with suggestions for how to treat if you do have disease/parasites.
Honeybees and Winterkill
Written by Medhat Nasr, the Provincial Apiculturist for Alberta, Canada. This article covers many hazards that bees face over the winter, how to prevent disease and deadouts, sanitizing hives after Nosema using acetic acid, and many other winter bee problems. He describes exact techniques fort treatments, so it’s definitely worthwhile reading. Lose bees this winter? Click here and get a handle on things.
Varroa Detection and Treatment
Here are links to two factsheets fromthe British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Excellent information on how to diagnose your Varroa Mite population and the various choices for treatment. With exact directions.
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture/factsheets/221_varroa.htm
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture/factsheets/222_vardetect.htm
Oxalic Acid Treatment for Varroa Mites
Here is an excellent introduction to Oxalic Acid, an effective winter treatment against varroa mites. The author is Dave Cushman, a UK beekeeper. Some terms may be different from U.S. usage, but you’ll get the drift. If you are contemplating Oxalic Acid, consider the “Dribble Method” first, as it is simple and does not require special equipment, (follow link in upper left of page). Be sure to follow all the links on Dave’s page for a complete overview of Oxalic Acid.
Powdered Sugar Treatment for Varroa Mites
Country Rubes Farm produces screened bottom boards, amongst other beekeeping items. Their website is a treasure of information. Also, here you can find the best instructions on Powdered Sugar Treatment for varroa mite control. There are plenty of pictures and even video. Surf around their entire website as there is lots to learn, guest articles and many useful links. Mouse-over the “Instructions” link on the left to see more pages about Powedered Sugar.
“Scientific Beekeeping”, Randy Oliver’s Website
Randy Oliver is a California Beekeeper. Somehow, he manages to run a commercial beekeeping/pollination business and be at the forefront of the latest research on beekeeping practices. His website is an excellent to track down a problem with your bees and find a way to deal with it. Included are some of Randy’s articles from the bee magazines. You’ll also find Randy an active debator on the BEE-L listserv.