Linking Local Beekeepers with Honeybee Researchers

In October, the Center for Honey Bee Research hosted the conference, “What Turns Bees On?” in conjunction with international honeybee researchers. Lecturers included: Cristofer Bang, PhD, Arizona State University; Adam Dolezal, Arizona State University; Tom Seeley, PhD, Cornell University; David Tarpy, PhD, NCSU; Stan Schneider, PhD, UNCC; Olav Ruepell, PhD, UNCG; Humberto Boncristiani, PhD, UNCG; Juliana Rangel, PhD, NCSU.

Dr. Tom Seeley was the keynote speaker and presented his findings regarding the processes swarms use to choose a new site. Through his research, Seeley has been able to determine that scout bees promote future potential colony sites through waggle dances. The scout bees then garner consensus for a final destination through a quorum via waggle dances. Once the scouts have a quorum, they rally the swarm to relocate to its new home.

In his latest book, Honey Bee Democracy, Seeley provides detailed explanations of the swarm’s behavior and discusses implications for human organizations. His book is available locally at Malaprops.

The other presenters rounded out the conference with reports from their research on: the affect of urban environments on pollinator diversity; the lives of social insects; and how colonies decide when to swarm and who leaves with the swarm. Dr David Tarpy provided the final presentation on his latest research regarding colony survival related to queen bee phenotypes.

During the daylong conference, the Center for Honeybee Research also announced the winners of the Black Jar Honey Contest. Contest winners were: Janet Peterson won 3rd place, Virginia Webb 2nd, and Carl Caudle was named the grand winner.

Congratulations to the Center for Honey Bee Research for their excellent conference. Their linking of researchers to beekeepers has given local beekeepers opportunities for continuing education never available before. To become involved in the Center for Honeybee Research visit their website at: www.centerforhoneybeeresearch.org

Potluck and Bee-Bowl

Our next BCBC
Buncombe County
Bee meeting will be Monday,
November 7, at 7:00 pm
at Groce United Methodist Church in Asheville.

We will have a potluck dinner starting at 6:30.
Bring your favorite dish
to share.

Cooking with honey
is delicious but not required.

Brush up your Bee Knowledge
and come ready to be placed on teams in our
Quiz Bowl type "Bee Bowl!"

Answer questions like:
"How long does a worker bee live?"
"How many eyes does a bee have?"
"How many days from egg to adult of a worker, drone and queen?"
"Name the scent gland of the honeybee."

You and your team will come up with answers
to compete and hopefully win.

Food and fun at our November meeting.



There is no December meeting.
After November, join us again in January.
Stay tuned for details!

Come Hear Natural Beekeeping Author!

Presentation By and Conversations With Ross Conrad

What: CCD and the Current State of Beekeeping: Ross covers the latest
on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the current state of beekeeping,
and how we can help the bees during this time of stress.
When: Monday, November 14, 2011, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (Doors open 6:30)
Where: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center,
Fletcher, NC (just south of Asheville, I-26 Airport exit)
Suggested donation: $10

Ross Conrad learned his craft from world-renowned beekeeper and apitherapist, Charles Mraz, and Charlie's son Bill. Conrad is a former president of the
Vermont Beekeepers Association, a regular contributor to Bee Culture - The
Magazine of American Beekeeping, and author of Natural Beekeeping: Organic
Approaches To Modern Apiculture. Ross has given bee-related presentations
and led organic beekeeping workshops and classes throughout North
America for many years. His small, human-scale beekeeping business, Dancing
Bee Gardens, sells honey and candles among other bee-related products,
directly to friends, neighbors, and the local community.

Directions: Interstate 26 to Exit #40 (the Asheville Regional Airport exit).
Turn toward the airport/Brevard onto NC Hwy 280. Just past the end of the
airport runway, the highway curves to the right. Turn right at the first road after
the runway onto Old Fanning Bridge Road. Go approx. 1 1/2 mile to the
MHCR&EC building on the right at the top of the hill.
For more information: Debra Roberts, (828) 712-0880

Beekeeping Classes from Beehealing.org

Tuesday, October 25, 6-9 PM - Natural Beekeeping Class.
Learn about Natural Beekeeping from the Bee's point of view. No harsh or soft chemicals, no sugar shakes, no beetle traps, etc. Learn how your bees can become resistant and why. Go to http://beehealing.org/buzz.html for more details of location and cost and to sign up.

Wednesday, October 26, 6-9 - Learn the rhythm of the earth's plant cycle as it relates to honeybees and humans.
Discover how Mother's timing of growing her plants are for our health and that of the honeybees, especially the autoimmune systems, throughout the growing season - what parts of the body, and how. The honeybee is a link to humans most folks don't realize or think about when it comes to our health and the health of the earth. Their immune systems almost have the same requirements as human beings. We are so connected to the honeybee; if they die, so does the human race. Go to http://beehealing.org/buzz.html for more details of location and cost and to sign up. There is a discount of you also take the Natural Beekeeping Class.

BCBC Members at WNC State Fair

BCBC volunteers shared their knowledge of bees with attendees at the 2011 WNC State Fair. Chapter members ranked among the ribbon winners for their entries of hive products. The following pictures are: Jeff Hambley giving out hand stamps for finding the queen; the BCBC exhibit; Janet Peterson talking with Fair guests; Janet Peterson's 3rd place block wax entry; Juanita Sanders' Best in Show for 3lb wax sunflower; Jared Sanders' shallow comb entries win 1st-3rd places; and, Wayne Holland's 1st place Dark Extract.
Other BCBC members with ribbon winning entries: Mary Ellen placed 3rd in Wax Novelties; Jared Sanders placed 2nd and Cynthia Schwartz placed 3rd in Dark Extracted.
A very special thank you to all the volunteers who coordinated and assisted with the Fair Exhibit and to Janet Peterson for the photos and report.

October BCBC Meeting

Our next Buncombe County Bee meeting
will be Monday evening, October 3 at 7:00 pm
at Groce United Methodist Church in Asheville.

We will preview the upcoming event
What Turns Bees On Conference
sponsored by the Center for Honeybee Research
that is headquartered here in Buncombe County.
World class honeybee scholars and cutting edge research!

We will also engage in a honey tasting
to sample honey from different pollen sources
and to see what it tastes like when someone
adds artificial ingredients to honey for market.

We will also talk about how and when to feed our bees
when their honey stores are not ample for winter.

Come join us!

BCBC member Edd Buchanan featured in USA Today

Edd Buchanan was recently featured in an USA Today article on beekeeping. Edd is a founding member of Buncombe County Beekeepers Chapter and is a 4th generation beekeeper. See Edd at the monthly chapter meeting in September (9-6-2011) for an autograph! The full article can be viewed at: www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2011-09-04/Beekeeping-can-supply-you-andneighbors-with-honey/50244004/1
Story and photo credited to Dean Fosdick, Associated Press published in USA Today 9-4-2011.