10-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 13, 2003
B
Kids i Kornei*
* , s
*■* >£■
Here’s The Buzz About Starting A Fascinating Hobby
Clinton County beekeeper, Don Woodring, gets ready
to place “wild” colony and honeycomb into a hive body.
This hive had swarmed earlier in the year and never lo
cated a more permanent home.
Dear Twig: I was reading my mother's bird field guide, and
it said certain birds the yellow warbler, for one live in
riparian zones. What’s a riparian zone?
From The Ohio Slate University specifically OARDC and OSU Extension
At Lebanon County’s Farm-City banquet on Tuesday evening, the youth group from
Midway Church of the Brethren provided this reenactment of the first Christmas. From
left, Adam Keller, Dan Buffenmeyer, Kevin Bollinger, Caroline Vigilante, Joe Vigilante,
Kelly Patches, Matt and Nate Keller, and Brandon Bollinger.
THOMAS M. BUTZLER
Clinton Co. Extension
MILL HALL (Clinton Co.) My
interest in honeybees was stimu
lated many years ago. I was try
ing to learn some ball-playing
skills from my dad one spring
day when we heard a large “buz
zing” sound in the distance. It be
came louder as a large, black
cloud spilled over the treetops
and moved into our backyard.
Running for cover, we noticed a
little man dressed in a white suit
following the black cloud. I later
found out that the “white-suited
man” was chasing honeybees
that had swarmed from one of
his hives.
This became my second experi
ence with honeybees and aroused
my curiosity. My first experience
with honey-bees occurred after I
stepped on a bee while romping
through our dandelion-covered
lawn. My feelings for honeybees
were not positive as my toe was
smarting and swollen.
Don Woodring, a Clinton
County resident and experienced
beekeeper, first found his interest
when he lived in Harrisburg and
wished of an agricultural experi
ence.
“I wanted to get into the coun
try and start an agricultural en
terprise but I had no property at
the time. Beekeeping was the en
trance into the agricultural world
for me” he said.
Both Don and I wanted to ex
plore the world of beekeeping as
many others do. Many want to
know what the best course of ac
tion is for this endeavor.
waters of
iw that
tlh a lake in
Before rushing out and spend
ing money, you may want to
begin by exploring books and
magazines on the subject. This
will give you an idea of what is
involved in terms of time, money
and commitment.
;s Riparian
border our
ids
les
riparian
or
) So do
lammals,
iphibians
>ve them
Interacting with other bee
keepers by attending meetings
and schools is also a great intro
duction to this fascinating hobby.
A beekeeping school will be held
in January and February at the
Penn State Cooperative Exten
sion-Clinton County for new and
experienced beekeepers.
“I always get something out of
these educational events and at
least I know some of the potential
problems” states Craig Celia,
Loganton beekeeper. Often it is
not easy to begin an activity such
as beekeeping, and this schooling
will give participants both techni
cal and practical information.
Years ago, beekeeping, was pret
ty simple with very little manage
ment, but with the onset of
iter that
mother job,
md lake out
ints can
us cleaner,
healthier
•bruit,
Twij
Kelly Butzler, professor at Pennsylvania College of
Technology, explains the science of beekeeping to an at
tentive audience during a session at Four Mile Elemen
tary School in Lycoming County by using an observation
hive.
honeybee diseases and mites,
there is much more management.
One can no longer muddle
through beekeeping but must
keep up-to-date with the latest
findings.”
Two honeybee mites have
placed a damper on this hobby in
recent years, and unless steps are
taken to prevent or reduce the
amount of mites in a colony, en
tire bee yards can be wiped out.
The Varroa mite, first found in
the United States in the 1980’s,
will feed on the exterior of the
bee body and feed on the bee’s
blood. When a larvae is infested
by two or three Varroa mites, it
will usually die. The tracheal
mite, also a recent pest, com
pletes its life cycle and feeding
activities in the trachea (breath
ing tubes). It is believed that this
mite interferes with flying.
Because of the high reproduc
tive nature of both of these mites,
infested colonies will usually die
if left untreated, and colony loss
may occur within a few months.
In addition to the economic
losses incurred by beekeepers,
fruit and vegetable growers who
depend upon bees to pollinate
their crops could suffer short
ages.
Some gung-ho people like to
jump into beekeeping hill force;
starting off with 10 to 15 colo
nies. This is a sure recipe for dis
aster. Most beekeepers suggest
one should start small.
Beginning beekeepers can pur
chase a hive that is already estab
lished from a local beekeeper or
purchase beehive equipment
from a beekeeping supply cata
log, then import packages of bees
from the South. For a beginner it
is suggested that buying all new
equipment with package bees is
the best way to start. An estab
lished hive can create problems
for the beginner in areas such as
swarm control and requeening.
Keeping bees will provide end
less hours of amazement and
gratification for you and/or your
kids. The beginning may be
made in a small way at a min
imum of expense and a little cu
riosity.
The 2003 Beekeeping Short
Course will be held for five con
secutive Mondays in January
and February at the Penn State
Cooperative Extension Office-
Clinton County in Mill Hall.
Monday classes, which begin
Jan. 12, will meet from 7 to 9
p.m.
A typical hive set-up for
beekeepers in Pennsylva
nia.
The following topics will be
covered: Jan. 12: Parts of the
hive; equipment needed Jan. 19:
Installing package bees; how to
feed Jan. 26: How honey bees
produce honey; extracting honey
Feb. 2: Spring and summer man
agement; pollination Feb. 9: Fall
and winter management; disease
of bees Feb 23: Snow Day April
or May: Hands-on workshop,
time and date.
There is a fee for the course to
cover costs of refreshments,
hand-outs, etc. For more inform
ation, call the Penn State Cooper
ative Extension Service, Clinton
County, at (570) 726-0022.
Starting
Beehive Costs
Prices listed are for new
equipment. Used equip
ment can be obtained at
lower prices from retiring
beekeepers or looking at
classified ads in the paper.
Hive body: $lB
Hive body frames: $8.50
(10 frames)
Hive body foundation:
$B.OO (10 sheets) ■
Bottom board: $ll.OO
Telescoping Cover: $l5
Inner Cover: $7.50
Veil: $17.00
Gloves: $8.50
Smoker: $14.95
Hive tool: $4.50
3-pound swarm with
queen: $62 or free, if you
capture your own swarm.
*