A Note About Packages

I am writing to remind you of the importance of reporting any issues with your bee packages immediately upon receipt of the spring order. Prompt communication ensures that we can address and resolve any problems efficiently and effectively.

Should you encounter any issues with your bee packages, such as health concerns, please notify us (Ann Rein as the coordinator of package sales, and/or any member of the executive board as listed on the website) as soon as possible following distribution. Immediate reporting allows us to provide the best possible support and solutions. At that time, we will recommend a mentor and/or state apiary inspector visit the hive to learn more. Without a specific chain of custody and tight timeline of concern, along with verified illness, we cannot create causal relationships between bee package health and the distributor. In addition, the nature of livestock is such that issues may occur following your installation that were not present at the time of distribution.

That being said, we also will be responsive to concerns that are raised in a timely manner and bring any such occurrences to the distributor for resolution. If we don't know, we can't help, and social media is not the correct venue for this inquiry. Please refrain from blasting any individual or business on email or social media and instead reach out to a board member who will log and track your concern specifically with the club and help bring it forward to the appropriate parties. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. We appreciate your dedication to maintaining healthy and thriving bee colonies.

We Need Volunteers!

This club operates on the good will and hard work of its volunteers. Ahead of our biggest annual outreach and educational opportunity of the club at the Marshfield Fair, we are always looking for volunteers for various tasks and events. Right now, we have an open Publications Director position available (and we are always accepting content!), Swarm Coordinator opening, and soon we need volunteers for Glassware Distribution, Bee Barn Cleanup, and Marshfield Fair shifts. We are also regularly looking for members willing to present to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Garden Clubs, Schools and nonprofit children's programs. There are so many ways to get involved, so please reach out and answer the call to join us in helping make our club the best it can be.

There are social events, too, like the Jones River BBQ on June 22nd and Potluck at the Fairgrounds on August 13. We hope you'll come meet new people and talk about bees over a barbecue and potluck against the backdrop of a beautiful, picturesque location.

On the Facebook Page

There are no sales, barters, recommendations, or transfer of goods on the Facebook page. As a nonprofit, educational site, please use the Facebook page to discuss your hives, bees, and bee-related educational topics. Please join the PCBA Sales and Recommendations page for all your sale-related posts.

Did you know the website has a members only forum? You just have to click on the forum tab and you can start or respond to a topic! This will replace all emailing on the Google Group, which is no longer supervised by the club.

MA Bee

The MA Bee Field Day is this upcoming Saturday! See below for details.

In addition, save the date! PCBA is excited to announce that we will be hosting the Fall MA Bee meeting on November 2, 2024 at Plymouth North High School. We hope our members will have a strong showing with a close meeting this fall!

Glassware Ordering

Glassware ordering will be available now-June 22nd at the end of the Jones River BBQ. Please do not send a check before you receive an invoice. Once the order is placed, shipping costs are assessed and shared across all orders, so final costs are determined at that time. The costs listed for each item are approximate prior to the final prices being set and you are invoiced via email. Only active club members in good standing can order.

There are two ways to order:

1- Fill out the linked order form, also available at https://forms.gle/eVKAM2x9WeLKdbaG6

2- If you are unable to fill out the order form, email Lisa Maguire at lmaguirepcba@gmail.com or call Lisa Maguire at 781.985.5926 between 4 and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and place your order verbally over the phone. If there is no answer, please leave a message for a callback to place your order.

Ordering will be open until Saturday, June 22nd. After June 22, the order will be submitted for processing, and your order may not be included.

Approximate glassware distribution is anticipated any time prior to mid-July in Pembroke. When the shipping date is confirmed with the vendor, an announcement will go out through the website, via email and on the Facebook page.

Please order early and share this information with your PCBA friends. Glassware never goes bad, so it’s wise to order now.

Styles, case counts, and initial costs are included below. All caps are included with each case. Thank you for your patience as we navigate the bulk glassware order. We are pleased to continue offering glassware sales to our membership! - Lisa & The PCBA Executive Board

The ordering link is available here.

Let’s dive into Dr. Tracy Farone’s fascinating work. In a February 2024 PCBA Hive newsletter interview, Dr. Farone discussed her involvement with the Grove City College Bee Project. She shared with PCBA highlights of her career, working with the Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium, recommending members check out the Honey Bee Health Coalition (HBHC) Varroa management resources and mentioned she was writing a book.

Book Release:

• Dr. Farone authored a book titled “Honey Bee Vet: The Adventures of a Veterinarian Seeking to Doctor One of the World’s Most Important Animals.”
• The book delves into her experiences and insights as a veterinarian working with honey bees.

• It’s available online through major book sellers, including Amazon.

Feel free to explore her book and learn more about the critical role veterinarians play in honey bee

health.

• Tool belt (to carry hive tool, queen clip, queen marking pens, flashlight)

• Hive tools (5 because you can never have enough)

• Flashlight to see into cells better (especially good for seeing eggs)

• Extra queen marking pens and queen clips

• A spackling scraper for cleaning off IPM boards rather than your hive tool (works faster and doesn’t compromise the cleanliness of your hive tool)

• Rubber bands (for installing queen cages or for taking comb from a NUC and creating a frame with bands holding the comb on an empty frame)

• Scissors

• Box cutter

• Cinnamon for dealing with ants

• Clorox wipes to sanitize and clean hive tools before/after and between colonies

• Brushes

• Fuel for blow torch

• Test kits for AFB/EFB

• Bee Disease Diagnosis and Research Laboratory test kits

• Tool box (can be used as an emergency NUC)

• Inspection checklist (on clipboard with pen)

• Beekeeping leather gloves

• Nitrile puncture resistant gloves

• Baby wipes

• Extra entrance reducers

• Small hive beetle traps

• Oil in a condiment bottle for traps

• Hive holder

• Magnifying glasses

• Pliers

• Duct tape

• Bandana

Not shown are a knife to cut comb and a kitchen blow torch.

Here are a couple of books worth having in your beekeeping library. While everything can be

googled, sometimes it’s nice to just have a book! Here are some suggestions:

• Bee Informed Partnership’s newly revised edition of “Diagnosis and Treatment of Common
  

Honey Bee Diseases” is a manual that is spiral bound with laminated front and back cover sheets

that include detailed images and descriptions of the signs of diseases a beekeeper may encounter in their hives. *” (*Dadant). What’s great is that you can also take it into your apiary and quickly check against the symptoms listed and pictures if you think something looks suspicious!

The Backyard Beekeeper by Kim Flottum is a great introduction to beekeeping and provides

invaluable information to new and seasoned beekeepers. This is a really good book to have as

a reference because it is well organized by subject such as “what is bee space” or what is

swarming” with great pictures and explanations.

The Honey Bee Health Coalition is a collaborative effort that brings together various stakeholders, including beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses, conservation groups, manufacturers, and consumer brands. Their mission is to enhance the health of honey bees, which play a crucial role in pollination and ecosystem health. PCBA members can leverage their resources, including the Varroa Management Tool Homepage - Honey Bee Health Coalition. One of the valuable resources provided by the Honey Bee Health Coalition is the Varroa Management Tool. This tool assists beekeepers in making informed decisions regarding varroa mite management and treatment. Here’s how it works:

1. Decision Process: The Varroa Management Tool guides beekeepers through a series of decisions related to managing varroa mites in their hives. These decisions include factors like treatment options, monitoring methods, and timing.

2. Questionnaire: Beekeepers answer specific questions within the tool. These questions cover aspects such as hive conditions, mite infestations, and available treatments.

3. Options: Based on the answers provided, the tool generates a list of recommended options for

managing varroa mites. These options may include various treatment strategies, monitoring

techniques, and best practices.

4. Additional Information: If beekeepers need more information to make an informed choice, the tool also provides relevant details to help them understand the implications of each option. Accessing the Varroa Management Tool:

• You can access the Varroa Management Tool directly on the Honey Bee Health Coalition website. Simply click on the image or link to get started.

• Additionally, the Honey Bee Health Coalition offers the Tools for Varroa Management Guide, which explains practical and effective methods for measuring varroa infestations and selecting appropriate control measures. This guide is available free of charge on their website .
• Beekeepers play a vital role in safeguarding honey bee health, and these resources can help them make informed decisions to protect their hives and support pollinator populations.

A USB 😆🤣

The Plymouth County Beekeepers Association (the “PCBA”), is a non-profit organization established in 1977. We are dedicated to the support of local agriculture and to educating the public about beekeeping through our school and participation in local fairs and festivals.

PCBA focuses on education, agriculture, and stewardship through many of the public outreach programs the club participates in and provides throughout the year. We have members who speak at schools, community centers, and professional meetings.

Website: plymouthcountybeekeepers.org
Location: 228 High Street, Hanson, MA, USA