812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 9, 2003
It Takes A Golden
(Continued from Page B 2)
Varroa mites are the most dev
astating and biggest continuing
problem for the industry. With
high infestations, bees are notice
able with deformed wings and
obvious weakness.
She shakes several bees from
each hive into powdered sugar.
This monitors the presence of
Varroa mites in the hive and de
termines the threshold of toler
ance the bees have to the mites,”
Troutman explained.
She scoops up about a half of
cup of bees (about 250 bees) from
the brood frame and ptus them
into a glass jar. She adds about
two tablespoons powdered sugar,
and tightens the Ud on the jar.
The mites are parasites that
would be clamped to the bee’s
body, sucking its blood. The pow
dered sugar on the bees irritate
the mites and causes them to fall
off the bees. By shaking the jar,
the mites come out of the pow
dered sugar and can easily be
seen in the sugar.
Varroa mites are about the size
of a pin head and are reddish
brown. It they are present during
the powdered sugar test, the
mites are usually laying on their
backs in the sugar, kicking their
legs. This helps to determinethe
mite levels that might be in the
hive.
Less than five mites might be a
level the bees can tolerate with
out medication. More than 20
mites indicate a severe infection
that requires treatment, or the
hive will collapse.
Whitetail Wetlands Offers Getaway
(Continued from Page B 2)
might choose to play it them
selves. It’s a perfect room for
after-dinner cocktails or sing-a
longs. A wide porch with a sofa
bed invites some to snooze out
side on a moonlit summer eve
ning.
There are additional two bed
rooms, two private baths, and a
kitchenette. Most guests prefer to
prepare their own meals while
some will take the short drive to
Bedford seeking out restaurants
and shopping.
A close-up view of a kill
deer egg which never
hatched.
This glass-walled bed
room doubles as a recep
tion area.
All medicines used on a honey
beehive are strictly regulated by
the government. Medicines
should only be used before or
after honey flow so that no chem
ical comes in contact with the
honey.
Of the many different diseases
and viruses that attack hives,
Troutman said, “If I don’t have
an answer, I look it up,” she said
of relying on what she calls her
“bible” “Honey Bee Pest, Pred
ators, and Diseases.”
Not every harmfid invader is a
virus or bacteria. Hives are often
damaged by skunks, bears, rac
coons, mice, squirrels, opossums,
chipmunks, and livestock.
Irresponsible pesticide use can
kill a whole colony of bees.
Farmers and orchardists
should spray early in the morn
ing or late in the evening when
bees are not flying. Fields and
trees should not be sprayed dur
ing the blooming season such as
an alfalfa field covered with dan
delions.
“I love the job,” Troutman
said of bee inspection. “1 wanted
to meet more beekeepers. I learn
from them, and hopefully they
learn something from me.”
Renee said that if 10 beekeep
ers are in a room, they’ll probably
have 12 different answers to a
question. Each one has a slightly
different perspective from which
she gains information.
She maintains 2S of her own
hives in four different locations.
She sells honey privately.
“This hasn’t been a good
Still others test Connie’s culi
nary skills.
The wetlands themselves are
reached by mowed paths and
dikes around the impoundment’s
where one can watch the numer
ous species of waterfowl feed,
mate and nest. Recently, an ex
tended family of Canada geese
watched their fluffy offspring
turn into teen-agers.
“Then, it will be flight school
time,” says Connie. “It is such a
joy to watch those youngsters
learn to fly.”
To date there have been 72
species of waterfowl sighted in
the wetlands; 16 species of rap
tors, more then 100 songbirds,
twelve species of amphibians and
reptiles, 33 species of butterflies
and 90 of moth and 40 plus of
dragon and damselfies.
All of this has added to the
mammal populations and plant
life.
The wetlands had been made
as accessible as possible with golf
carts and hay wagon rides in the
summer and sleigh rides in the
winter. Bicycles and horses with
stable accommodations are wel
come. Four-wheelers are prohib
ited.
An outside view of the lodge.
Touch To Examine Beehives
honey year,” Troutman said of
the impact weather has on pro
duction. “Rain dilutes nectar and
the bees can’t fly.”
The harsh winter also played a
toll on beehives. “Lots of bee
keepers lost 70-80 percent of
their hives. There’s lots of disease
because bees are so stressed from
the long, cold weather and wet
spring.
“Good bee weather helps dis
eases clear up,” Troutman said.
Beehives kept in a sunny location
are also healthier, and the bees
are happier.
“Bees housed in full shade are
more aggressive, and not as pro
ductive,” Troutman said.
Many broods starved in May
because working bees could not
collect enough nectar to feed the
hive. Many beekeepers provided
sugar syrup to help nourish their
beehives.
The small harvest of honey
causes prices to rise.
“Beekeeping is an expensive
hobby, but very rewarding,”
Troutman said. Of living on a
dairy farm with her husband,
Troutman said, “I like to milk
cows, but bees are definitely my
thing.”
To learn more about beekeep
ing or to find a local beekeeping
association in your area, call the
Pennsylvania State Beekeepers
Association, (S7O) 673-8201.
Any questions about register
ing hives and inspections, call
Dennis van Englesdorp at the
Pennsylvania Department of Ag
(717) 772-5225.
Guests to date have been most
ly from the Pittsburgh/
Harrisburg area although some
have come from as far away as
Florida. The wetlands is associat
ed with both the Audubon Socie
ty and Ducks Unlimited. For
those who live so close they might
not want to stay overnight, day
passes are available for a nominal
fee. Other groups such as church
organizations, women’s groups,
etc. might wish to come for a
meal, a wagon ride, and a social
time on the wide front porch.
Jerry says he only wishes more
farmers would think about doing
this with wet spots on their
farms. They would be doing both
mankind and nature a favor.
For more information on the
wetlands, take a look at Connie’s
extensive website at whitetailwet
lands.com
Whitetail Wetlands can be
reached by writing to P.O. Box
368, New Paris, Pa., 15554, or
calling (814) 839-2622. They can
be E-mailed at HYPERLINK
mailto:wtwetlands@pennswood
s.net wtwetlands@pennswood
s.net.
Ron Rinehart, beekeeper, and Renee Troutman, bee in
spector, examine hive for signs of disease or viruses.
Sign of a healthy hive can be determined by the ap
pearance. A healthy hive has lots of bees, a solid brood
pattern, and a healthy capped brood. During inspections,
Troutman looks for punctured capping, indicating that the
larva has died from a disease and the bees have at
tempted to open that cell to remove and clean up the
< dead larva.
How ‘A Mazing ’
WYALUSING (Bradford Co.)
How “A Mazing” would it be
to find your way through a four
mile maze?
How “A Mazing” would it be
to find your way through twists
and turns of a 13-acre cornfield?
The Howard Family farm wel
comes everyone to come see
“How A Mazing” it is starting
September 6 at their com maze
in Hornet Ferry.
Richard Howard first got the
idea to build a maze after doing
some research on the Internet.
Howard found Rob Stouffer,
Lee’s Summit, Mo., who worked
with farmers out west using the
Global Position System (GPS) to
cut out a maze using his G.P.S.
After his call to Rob, Rich dis
cussed with the family the possi
bility of using one of the farm’s
com fields for their own maze.
Rob Stouffer of Lee's Summit uses his G.P.S. to cut the
Howard Family Farm com maze in Wyalusing.
Rob gave them a choice of design
ing their own or having a precut
design done, which was at more
cost to the Howard Family farm.
So, the family got together and
came up with their own design.
After Rob arrived he took the
Howard’s com maze design and
transformed it into his GPS. The
next day he began his task of cut
ting out the maze. The maze had
to be cut at an early stage of the
com growth so that the com
would grow up to the design.
Beginning September 6, the
Howard family will open the gate
of their com maze to the public
with hours each weekend, and by
reservation only during the week.
Groups are welcome.
For more information, contact
the Howard Family Farm (570)
746-1883 or email at drho
ward@sosbbs.com.