Nanaimo Beekeepers Club
Producing Queen Cups for Grafting
Brenda Jager – Master Beekeeper spoke at our June meeting about Producing Queen Cups for Grafting without the use of Plastic. Here is a series of pictures to follow the process.
The Buzz Around Registering Your Bees – New Registration System
The Buzz Around Registering Your Bees – New Registration System
How you register your bees in BC has changed. As of early 2022 the new registration it will be mandatory to register your apiaries but registration remains at no cost.
Asian Giant Hornet – Monitoring on the Central Island 2021
In 2020, there were no confirmed sightings on Vancouver Island. Two more years of monitoring are needed to declare Vancouver Island free and clear of the Asian Giant Hornet (AGH). Half of the confirmed sighting in 2020 in Washington State were from private citizens rather than from traps, and all confirmed BC sightings were reported rather than found in traps.
Farm Crime – Invasion of the Murder Hornets
Dedicated beekeepers in British Columbia discover the first “murder hornet” nest in North America, and wage war against the honeybee’s deadliest natural predator.
Swarm Catching
All you need to know about catching a swarm of bees!
Queen Acceptance and Queen Supersedure
Video by Bob Binnie regarding issues with queen acceptance and queen supersedure were addressed at a meeting of the Charleston Area Beekeepers Association in Charleston, SC.
Meetings
The Nanaimo Beekeepers Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month (excluding July, August, and December) at 7PM at Ralph Nilson Building (Building Number 210) - Room 105 (ground floor) , 900 Fifth St, Nanaimo (link to campus map)
At this time we are also offering to attend the same meeting via zoom as well for anyone that would prefer to attend virtually.
As a member you will receive the invites to the meetings via email.
If you not currently a member but would like to join one of our meetings please email us and we be happy to send you an invitation
Beekeepers’ Corner FREE monthly
Bee Furniture and the Nanaimo Beekeepers Club are happy to announce that we are continuing our FREE monthly Zoom meetings aimed towards new to novice beekeepers. Your host for this series, Mark Schilling, is a certified Bee Master and instructor.
Club members will recieve the details via email, for non members please contact us via email or watch for the event to be posted on our Facebook page
The Beekeepers’ Corner meetings will take place on the second Tuesday evening of each month at 7pm via Zoom.
Upcoming Events
Club Meeting May 22nd - 7 pm
Club Meeting June 26th - 7 pm
Club Meeting September 25th - 7 pm
Swarm Control
We are happy to come and remove a swarm of bees safely and for FREE
If you see a swarm of bees, time is of the essence as they don’t stay in one place for very long.
Please call us at 778-788-2879 or on Facebook Messenger
Some of the information we need when you contact us:
- Address/location of the swarm
- A phone number you can be contacted by the person who will be coming to collect the bee swarm.
- Where is the swarm?
- How high of the ground is it?
- How big is the cluster of bees (the size of a baseball, a football, a soccer ball, a basketball or bigger)?
- Do you know approximately how long the swarm has been there?
We do not deal with any insects other than honey bees. ie – paper wasps or bumble bees
From one make two
Swarming is the process by which a new honey bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves the colony with a large group of worker bees.
When to expect them
Swarming is mainly a spring phenomenon, but occasional swarms can happen throughout the season.
Is it dangerous?
They are focused on finding a new nest, not on attacking. That said, it is important to keep your distance from swarming bees, because if the bees feel threatened, then it is possible they will sting.
What to do?
Do not attempt to move or destroy the swarm. Such attempts could seriously back fire.
Contact us and we will remove the swarm safely and ensure they find an appropriate new home.
Here is some more information about swarming bees:
Buzzaboutbees.net
Want to become a Beekeeper?
What you always wanted to know about Bees
Am I allowed to have bees?
Nanaimo’s bylaw allows for up to 3 colonies on any parcel of land under 1 acre, more on larger properties.
Check out the bylaws on www.nanaimo.ca
Will I get stung?
Honeybees are vegetarian, so unlike wasps or hornets, they have no interest in you or your picnic. They will only sting in defense. But all that said, yes, as a beekeeper you probably will get stung.
How much work is it?
More than a cat, but less than a dog. Once an apiary is set up, most beekeepers spend 5 to 30 minutes checking their colonies twice a month between March and October. Most of the work is done by the bees, they even clean up if you take some honey.
How much does it cost?
Like many hobbies, beekeeping has initial startup expenses for equipment and bees, but beyond that, cost is minimal. Most people spend between $250 – $750 for equipment, bees and training. Feeling handy? build your own hive! Plans are available online.
How much honey will i get?
Unfortunately, this is an impossible question to answer. It depends entirely on the weather, your hive, and its location. As much as 75lb per hive, or as little as nothing.
Any Questions?
Please get in touch
Contact Us
For issues with swarms, and beekeeping or bee club information email or contact us via Facebook