Beekeepers’ Society of South Australia Inc. www.bees.org.au NEWSLETTER Edition 108 January 2021 Correspondence to: CONTENTS: The Secretary Committee meetings page 3 Beekeepers’ Society of SA Inc General meetings page 3 PO Box 283 Beeginners' Etc Meeting page 3 Fullarton SA 5063 BSSA Apiary site page 3 Subscriptions page 3 email: [email protected] Mentor List page 3 ________________________________ BSSA Swarm list page 3 Extractors Available For Use page 4 Many thanks to those who provide articles for Vale – Gordon Telford page 4 the newsletter. Members’ Lunch page 4 Field Days - practical beekeeping page 5 Contributors: President’s Report page 5 Education Program page 6 Bob Beer KI Build a Box Project page 6 Trevor Greenfield Recent Events page 7 Trisha Blanks Articles of Interest page 8 Susan Speck Queen Bee Shortage National Honey Library New Research Shows Bees Can Do Maths ________________________________ Bee Seeing You at Night Bee-Friendly Plant to Grow page 13 BUZZWORD Book Corner page 14 (The Beekeepers' Society Newsletter) Recipes page 14 Articles are always being sought by the editor for Fun Facts page 15 inclusion in the newsletter. Please feel free to Have You Seen the Buzz? page 16 email or write in and provide any interesting experiences about the management of your 2020-2021 Office Bearers: hives. President: Susan Lonie Vice-President Adrian Makarowsky If you wish to discuss any aspect of the Treasurer: Phil de Courcey newsletter please contact: Secretary: Trisha Blanks 0437 713 790 [email protected] Barbara Horwood, editor, on 8296 8478 email: [email protected] Committee Members: ________________________________ Sandra Ullrich Josh D’Ambrosio Trevor Greenfield WEBSITE: www.bees.org.au Minute Secretary: Julie King Co-ordinators Website: James Field See us on FACEBOOK. Go to Facebook: Phil de Courcey www.facebook.com/beekeeperssa/ Beeginners’ and Intermediate Group John Silverblade, Roy Frisby-Smith, You can view a host of interesting material, Ulrich Schade, Grant Gotley photos and comments - you can "like" us and Junior Beekeepers: Alexis and Joel Hayes leave a comment of your own. Librarian: Sue Speck Equipment/Extractor Officers: Eugene McEwen (North) 8261 0514 Supper Team: Melissa Hooper and John Elliot Susan Lonie (South) 0417 811 067 Trisha Blanks (Central) 0437 713 790 2 Committee Meetings Subscriptions Third Monday of each month, 7 pm, at Subscriptions are due as from 1st July each year. Kensington. The membership fee for the financial year _____________________________ commencing 1 July 2020 is: General Meetings $65 single General meetings are held at Burnside Civic $35 junior Centre Hall, 401 Greenhill Road, Tusmore on the $100 family (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + first MONDAY of each month at 7.30 pm 3 children). Any additional child/member $20. Supper is available (gold coin donation). Membership application and renewal forms can General meetings have resumed in be downloaded from the link found on the person at the Burnside Civic Centre Beekeepers' Society of SA website following relaxation of COVID-19 (www.bees.org.au) restrictions. _____________________________ Queen colours Livestream meetings from past months Last digit of the year can still be viewed via the BSSA 0 or 5: Blue website or Facebook. 1 or 6: white _____________________________ 2 or 7: yellow 3 or 8: red BEEGINNERS' AND INTERMEDIATES 4 or 9: green EDUCATION _____________________________ STARTS AT 6.30 PM (BEFORE THE START OF MONTHLY Field Days GENERAL MEETING) Practical aspects of beekeeping will be demonstrated on a number of occasions during Teaching sessions commence at 6.30 pm for the year. Please refer to Buzzword Field Days beginner beekeepers to participate in an hour page and the BSSA website for details. of question-and-information exchange prior to the start of the main monthly general The field days are a must for all new meeting. Participants need to register in beekeepers. advance. See page 7 for more information. _____________________________ _____________________________ MENTOR LIST BSSA Apiary Site A mentoring service is available to our new The BSSA hives are located at: beekeepers who would like assistance at home. Selgar Avenue, Clovelly Park - about Please contact the BSSA secretary for more 200 metres west off South Road and behind the information. Tonsley Hotel. _____________________________ The BSSA hive is situated at the SA Museum on BSSA SWARM LIST North Terrace is currently not available for viewing by the public. If any BSSA member is interested in having their name as a swarm collector listed on the BSSA Department of Primary Industries (PIRSA) website please contact either Trisha Blanks Project Coordinator, Apiaries: (BSSA Secretary) or Sandra Ullrich at Michael Stedman - 8429 0872 [email protected] _____________________________ _____________________________ 3 EXTRACTORS AVAILABLE FOR USE Barmera, South Australia, where he BY MEMBERS welcomed his first grandchild. A reminder that three extractors, uncapping trays In his later years, Gordon was an avid and wiring gigs are available for use on loan to beekeeper and was involved in many aspects financial members. of beekeeping in South Australia. He was especially proud to be able to contribute to Contacts: the rehabilitation of the Salisbury wetlands, where he had a number of beehives. Gordon Eugene McEwen (North) 8261 0514 also installed the first beehive on the Susan Lonie (South) 0417 811 067 Adelaide Showground Rooftop. Trisha Blanks (Central) 0437 713 790 He particularly enjoyed sharing his They must be returned in a clean and undamaged knowledge of bees and helping younger state. Please report any concerns/damage generations understand the importance of _____________________________ bees in the environment. VALE – GORDON TELFORD _____________________________ MEMBERS’ LUNCH Gordon Telford passed away peacefully on Friday 2 October 2020. All members are welcome to join the Gordon was born in Clermont, Queensland regular lunch group which will meet at the and his family moved to South Australia when he was a small child. He completed Rising Sun Hotel, Bridge Street, nd his high school education in Perth and after Kensington on the 2 Thursday of each graduating became a draftsman for Western new season, ie Summer, Autumn, Winter Australia’s railways and he was also in the and Spring. army reserves. Following this period of his life he started The next lunch is scheduled for Thursday, his own electrical contracting business 11 March. which included large-scale projects throughout WA and he went on to own and operate gold mines in North Western It is imperative that intending Australia. participants contact Bob Beer in advance (0413 208 835) Gordon was a man of many talents and owned a cattle and yabbie farm near _____________________________ 4 VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED to assist new beekeepers on field days. Contact BSSA secretary if you are interested. _____________________________ President’s Report Hello to all reading this and FIELD DAYS welcome to 2021. (Practical Beekeeping) I hope everyone is okay, HIVE INSPECTIONS having come through all PROGRAM OF MANAGEMENT FOR THE that 2020 brought with it. I BSSA HIVES trust that all had a happy, if not safe festive season and that 2021 is Honey extraction as required quite different and looking up. We have been in a La Nina weather pattern The BSSA hives are located at: this season, which whilst resulting in cooler Selgar Avenue, Clovelly Park - about days, had brought less rain; thus nectar flow 200 metres west off South Road and behind the in many parts have been low. Swarms Tonsley Hotel seemed to come to quite a stop. Field days have resumed under a In 2021 we are meeting in Burnside as COVID-Safe plan. Information is before - keeping our distance, recording available on the BSSA website. names and limiting numbers, running (pre- registered) classes and having supper. We All participants must have at least long sleeves, have a planned calendar, with class lessons long-leg trousers and a head veil. Attendance is of weeks 1 – 5 (thus over 5 months), which limited to 15 persons. are then repeated to new members, followed in December with Christmas. Currently these are for beginners and Saturday 20 February intermediate classes. ‘Master’ classes, to be held later in the year, are being Time: 1 pm developed, with consideration of them Wednesday 3 March occurring over weekends. Time: 1 pm Saturday 20 April An interesting, informative and relevant list Time: 1 pm of topics for ‘Strictly Beekeeping’ and of topic/guest speakers is also planned. The Wednesday 31 March hall will also have changing displays of Time: 1 pm relevant and informative tools and Saturday 24 April equipment. Time: 1 pm Please do let us know if there is anything you wish to know about or topics to suggest. Bookings can be made only through the In November we finally held our AGM. BSSA secretary or Bob Beer at Thank you to all who attended and [email protected] or mobile 0413 participated. Thank you especially for those 208 835. Cost - $10. who nominated, for any and all tasks, and who help in any way. 5 The ‘new’ BSSA committee met in January BEEGINNERS, INTERMEDIATE, to do some planning, the results of which JUNIORS AND MASTERS EDUCATION have begun to occur. A new system to help PROGRAM manage the Society’s running, including our website, emails and member details is being implemented, with planning for further 6.30 PM TO 7.30 PM subjects and directions of the BSSA (BEFORE THE START OF MONTHLY commenced. GENERAL MEETING) Remember to continue to check the health of your bees and report any required pests Planned structured Week 1 – 5 classes will start or diseases, ensure your hives are from February 2021 and be repeated from July. registered and reports kept. PIRSA are Participants need to register for each session. concerned about unregistered and Please contact the BSSA Secretary.