Please join us for an informal get together for coffee, tea and lots of talk about bees. No formal agenda. You do not have to be a member to attend. We’ve reserved a large table and will have a new game available to play!
New beekeepers come with your questions! Seasoned beekeepers come with answers!
Saturday, February 22nd 10:30am – 12:30am
Location:
The Paladins League
Map https://maps.app.goo.gl/BfA4xdkMxmQ69ms1A?g_st=ic
4765 NE Fremont Street
Portland, OR 97213
https://www.thepaladinsleague.com/
Menu is here
https://www.thepaladinsleague.com/our-menu
Brian Wagstaff
February 2025 Presentation
Dead Bees Don’t Make Honey
with Theresa Martin
Theresa Martin comes to us from Williamsburg, Kentucky. She is a Cornell University Master Beekeeper, author, and founder of Little Wolf Nature Preserve. With six years of experience managing 20–25 colonies, she has achieved high survival rates and strong production by following the model of how bees survive in the wild, employing integrated pest management, and providing high support yet low intervention. Theresa serves as President of the Whitley County Beekeepers Association and sits on the Board of Directors for the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association. Previously, she worked in IT and operations management at Fidelity Investments and Procter & Gamble.
link to recording (coming shortly)
Resources
Mite Numbers Lower in Dispersed Colonies
Nolan, M.P. IV & Delaplane, K.S. (2017). Distance between honey bee Apis mellifera colonies regulates populations of Varroa destructor at a landscape scale.
Apidologie 48: 8-16.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13592-016-0443-9
Winter Management Hesbach, W. (2016, Oct 21).
https://www.beeculture.com/winter-management/
Condensing Colony Hesbach, W.
https://bluetoad.com/publication/?i=646365&article id=3579902&view=articleBrowser
Darwinian Black Box
Blacquière, T., Boot, W., Calis, J. et al. (2019).
Darwinian black box selection for resistance to settled invasive Varroa destructor parasites in honey bees. Biol Invasions 21, 2519-2528.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-019-02001-0#citeas
Varroa IMP Practices Compared
Cameron J Jack, James D Ellis, Integrated Pest Management Control of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the Most Damaging Pest of (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)Colonies, Journal of Insect Science, Volume 21, Issue 5, September 2021, 6,
https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieab058
BIP Best Management Practices Kulhanek, K. et al. (2021). Survey-derived best management practices for backyard beekeepers improve colony health and reduce mortality
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7810333/
The Lives of Bees – The Untold Story of the Honey Bee in the Wild by Thomas D. Seeley
https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691166766/the-lives-of-bees
Bee Informed Partnership
www.beeinformed.org
Honey Bee Health Coalition
https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/
Bee Immune Systems
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/sick-bees-part-3-the-bee-immune-system/
Propolis Envelope
Cynthia R L Hodges, C. R. et al. (2019, April). Textured Hive Interiors Increase Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Propolis-Hoarding Behavior, Journal of Economic Entomology,
Volume 112, Issue 2, April 2019, Pages 986-990,
https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy363
Hive Spacing
Dynes, T.L., Berry J.A., Delaplane K.S., Brosi, B.J., & de Roode, J.C. (2019). Reduced density and visually complex apiaries reduce parasite load and promote honey production and overwintering survival in honey bees. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0216286
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216286
Management Practices Improves Survival and Productivity
Underwood, R.M., Lawrence, B.L., Turley, N.E. et al. A longitudinal experiment demonstrates that honey bee colonies managed
organically are as healthy and productive as those managed conventionally. Sci Rep 13, 6072 (2023).
ps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32824-w
Swarming Benefits, Hive Size
Loftus JC, Smith ML, Seeley TD. (2016, Mar 11). How Honey Bee Colonies Survive in the Wild: Testing the Importance of Small Nests and Frequent Swarming.
PLoS One. 11(3):e0150362. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0150362.
PMID: 26968000; PMCID: PMC4788434.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4788434/?fbclid=IwAR2A2x-3usF2t8hgWmU5aRgg-DQd57eHm86xVA68t-B10m2v4REEpseotro
Broodminder T2SM Temperature Sensor
https://broodminder.com/products/broodminder-t2-internal-hive-monitor
Honey Better for Bees than Syrup
Bugarova V, Godocikova J, Bucekova M, Brodschneider R, Majtan J. (2021). Effects of the Carbohydrate Sources Nectar, Sucrose and Invert Sugar on Antibacterial Activity of Honey and Bee-Processed Syrups. Antibiotics. 10(8):985.
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/8/985
Swarm Cell Eggs Larger
Yu L, Shi X, He X, Zeng Z, Yan W, Wu X. (2022 May 23). High-Quality Queens Produce High-Quality Offspring Queens. Insects,
13(5):486. doi:10.3390/insects13050486. PMID: 35621820; PMCID: PMC9146148.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9146148/
November 2024 Presentation
Vitellogenin Presentation
Charlie Vanden Heuvel
Charlie began his beekeeping experience when his ‘frustrated farmer’ father brought two hives to our El Paso Texas residence. Observing them in their coming and goings nurtured the love for these girls. Most interesting was when the girls would hang on our screen door waiting to enter the house to acquire nectar and pollen from our Bougainvillea vines. They would then go back to the screen door once again wait for someone to allow their return to the hive. Just like a dog or cat would, but far more patient.
As an avid researcher, multiple articles were written propelled by involvement in the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program. Attaining his Journey Level Certification in 2018. Charlie also traveled to Nebraska for Michael Bush’s Bee Camp this spring to immerse for two weeks in apiaries and bee discussions with Michael Bush.
He is a member of four Beekeeping Clubs in the Portland Metropolitan area as well as state, regional and national bee organizations. The beginning of 2016 we had three hives which rapidly grew to fifteen along with multiple NUCS. Presentations in schools has been a great opportunity to share our joy of these lovelies. Not only do the children eagerly devour the presentations, but we have been filled with joy through our sharing.
For more follow his work http://bg-bees.com
January 2025 Presentation
How Bees use Sound/Vibrations to Communicate
- Paul Longwell
- Cornell University Master Beekeeper
- Montana University Master Beekeeper
- Washington State Master Beekeeper
Paul first developed his interest in bees at a young age while watching the commercial beekeepers’ hives on his aunt’s farm in Yamhill Oregon. After a long career serving in the Army and as a public employee, his love and interest in keeping and working with bees raised back to the forefront in 2008.Paul first developed his interest in bees at a young age while watching the commercial beekeepers’ hivesPaul first developed his interest in bees at a young age while watching the commercial beekeepers’ hives on his aunt’s farm in Yamhill Oregon. After a long career serving in the Army and as a public employee, his love and interest in keeping and working with bees raised back to the forefront in 2008.
An avid beekeeper and member of the Olympia Beekeepers Association, Paul enjoys teaching and sharing his love of bees. As a Montana and Washington state master beekeeper, Paul has gained experience in both Langstroth, Top-Bar and Slovenian AZ hives. He noticed how the local maritime winter weather influenced his honeybees and beehive losses. Paul’s research for solutions lead him to better understand the Slovenian bee houses and AZ hives. Discovering better honeybee health and longevity, Paul converted a storage building into a bee house and installed several AZ-type hives.
Additional Details
Paul actively shares his knowledge by giving beekeeping presentations in-person, during podcasts and Zoom classes. He has taught several beekeeping classes for the Washington State Beekeeping Association, including the apprenticeship course to inmates at Cedar Creek Prison. Paul also serves as one of the clubs’ mentors to new beekeepers. He serves on the Thurston County Fairgrounds and Event Center board.
Along with his wife Penny Longwell who is a master gardener, they co-developed the Pollinator demonstration garden at the Thurston County Fairgrounds and Event Center. They also offer pollinator classes for the local Master Gardener Interns.
References
1.Response characteristics of vibration-sensitive interneurons related to Johnston’s organ in the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Hiroyuki Ai, Jürgen Rybak, Randolf Menzel, Tsunao Itoh. First published: 06 May 2009 https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.22042
2. Transmission Of Vibration Across Honeycombs and Its Detection By Bee Leg Receptors, D. C. Sandeman, J. Tautz, M. Lindauer J Exp Biol (1996) 199 (12): 2585–2594. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.199.12.2585
3. The vibration signal, modulatory communication and the organization of labor in honeybees, Apis mellifera. Stanley S. Schneider and Lee A. Lewis Apidologie 35 (2004) 117-131. https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2004006
4. Relationship between Relative Hive Entrance Position and Dance Floor Location (2014). Corrigan, Chelsea E., Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 474. https://dc.etsu.edu/honors/474
5. The Use of the Vibration Signal and Worker Piping to Influence Queen Behavior during Swarming in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera. Pierce, A.L., Lewis, L.A. and Schneider, S.S. (2007), Ethology, 113: 267-275. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2006.01314.x
6. 32 Vibratory and Airborne-Sound Signals in Bee Communication (Hymenoptera) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268000846_32_Vibratory_and_Airborne-Sound_Signals_in_Bee_Communication_Hymenoptera
7. Sound and vibrational signals in the dance language of the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Michelsen, A., Kirchner, W.H. & Lindauer, M. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 18, 207–212 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290824
8. Influences of queen piping and worker behaviour on the timing of emergence of honeybee queens. H.J. Grooters Insectes Sociaux, 1987, Vol. 34, No. 3, 181-193 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224083
9. On the Importance of the Sound Emitted by Honey Bee Hives, by Alessandro Terenzi †ORCID,Stefania Cecchi *,†ORCID and Susanna Spinsante †ORCID, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, Universitá Politecnica Delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy Vet. Sci. 2020, 7(4), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci7040168