November 2013

Club News

in this issueNovember meeting:Tuesday, November 12 2013Social starts at 7:00 p.m.Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.

regular loCatioNWake County Cooperative Building4011 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610

) ELECTION RESULTS: Club officers and board of director members for 2014 were elected at the October meeting and will assume their duties in January. The 2014 officers and new board members are as follows: President - Sarah Myers; Vice President - Ricky Barbour; Treasurer - Margie Gurganus; Secretary - Kate Hanser; Program Chair - Kim Underhill; Sergeant-at-Arms - Tom Underhill. Former vice president Ken Cobb will fill the remaining 2 years of Ricky Barbour’s term on the board of directors, and Sue Carson was elected to a 3-year term. Thanks to all new officers for stepping up to the plate, and special thanks to retiring officers Ken Cobb and Neil Woodcock for their excellent performance during the past two years!

) NC State Fair results: Wake County’s display booth won 3rd place, and 5-County took the senior division sweepstakes. Johnston County’s plant display was also honored. Our clubs’ three coordinated booths offered ain impressive, coherent educational display to the nearly 1 million people who attended this year’s fair. A big thanks to all who contributed! (See p. 2 for a listing of other Wake County club members’ entries & results.)

) Ball caps & club shirts: Ricky Barbour has about 60 sturdy khaki cotton ballcaps with the club logo embroidered in navy blue available for $9 each, first come first served. He will also be coordinating a club order for collared polo shirts with the club logo. Shirts sizes S - XL cost $15, 2X - $17, and 3X - $19, and must be paid for when ordered; order forms with more details will be available online soon.

) December banquet & honey tasting: Please bring sides and desserts to share. Set-up at 6 p.m.; the meal starts at 6:30 p.m. As part of the festivities, we would like to include a special table for honeys to taste. Bring honey from your own bees, or interesting varieties you’ve picked up on your travels. Also, check out recipes from the spring banquet for inspiration!

November program: Lip Balm Making with Tom Underhill 2

2013 Officers / 2013 State Fair results / Bees in the news 2

Announcements, Requests & Reminders 3

Calendar of events / October meeting summary 4

WCBA Newsletter / November 2013 page 2

November program: Making lip balm with tom underhill

2013 State Fair results

Bees in the news

Have you been wondering about how to make things other than candles with the wax you’ve collected? Join us as Club Sergeant-at-Arms Tom Underhill demonstrates how to make your own lip balm using quality ingredients and small-batch techniques. Recipes and samples will be provided. There club will also hold a raffle of two basketball tickets and parking pass for the NCSU - Eastern Kentucy game on November 30, time t.b.a. Special thanks to club Vice President Ken Cobb for donating these!

Public interest in bees remains high, and fair participation reflects this. According to fair staff, there were a record number of entries submitted to the cooking with honey competition categories - over 700 items. Congratulations to all WCBA club members who entered items in the 2013 State Fair competition!

Bryan Albers - Senior honey competition: 3 jars extracted light honey (2nd place)

Danny Jaynes - Displays: pure beeswax single block (3rd place) Eleanor Silver - Senior honey competition: display of 12 nectar-

producing plants (2nd place)Beth Stern - Non-honey, bee products: 1 black & white print, honey bee

or beekeeping scene (1st place)Charles Williford - Foods cooked with honey - Senior division: barbeque

sauce (1st place); Cake - fruit bread (2nd place)Click here for a complete list of 2013 NC State Fair Bees & Honey

winners!

2013 oFFiCerSPresident: Sarah MyersVice President: Ken CobbSecretary: Kate HanserTreasurer: Neil WoodcockProgram Chair: Kim UnderhillSgt-at-Arms: Tom Underhill

Board of Directors:Ricky Barbour (3 yrs)Larry Williams (2 yrs)Vivian Joyner (1 yr)

Officer contact information is available at the club’s website: www.wakecountybeekeepers.

org/about

A National Geographic article posted online reviews a recent study in which researchers in the United Kingdom determined how exhaust from diesel fuels, including biofuels, chemically change the odor compounds honeybees rely on to identify and locate their floral food sources. While air pollution has long been of concern to bee researchers, this is the first study identifying a mechanism for how a pollutant interferes with signaling, specifically how NOx gases (nitrogen & oxygen compounds) degrade volatile components in floral scent compounds. While not a “smoking gun” to pollinator decline, the research sheds light on another componenet affecting pollinator health.Thanks to club member Ted Shear for sharing this article.

WCBA Newsletter / November 2013 page 3

announcements, requests, & reminders

Snacks & recycling: We need three volunteers for each meeting to bring the suggested items for each of the upcoming meetings. The club will reimburse you. Please visit the online snack sign-up form and volunteer today. Also, please give a big thank-you to Russ & Kristy Catania who have offered to collect recyclables from club meetings.

BANQUET & HONEY TASTING:

December at Carya Drive! The club provides meats (ham and chicken) and asks members to bring sides and desserts to share. The meal starts at 6:30 p.m.As part of the festivities, we would like to include a special table for honeys to taste. Bring honey from your own bees, or interesting varieties you’ve picked up on your travels.

CARYA DRIVE HIVES CLOSED UNTIL SPRING These hands-on guided sessions will resume next spring - many thanks to all who participated!

NAMETAGS & SIGN-INPlease bring your club nametag with you to every meeting! Wear it so we can easily identify each other. New members can collect their badges at the treasurer’s table.

Also, please check next to your name on the sign-in sheet at the treasurer’s table when you attend meetings so we can maintain accurate attendance records.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS FOR 2014 It’s time to start thinking about renewing your WCBA and NCSBA memberships for 2014. Renewal forms will be available at upcoming meetings and at the club website. Please contact treasurer Neil Woodcock or treasurer-elect Margie Gurganus for more information.

Raleigh Store Now Open: As of November 4, Bailey Bee Supply of Hillsborough now operates a second store location in Raleigh. Address: 1724 South Saunders StreetHours: Mon -Fri 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.Telephone: 919-977-0901

www.baileybeesupply.com

Ball caps & club shirts: Ricky Barbour has khaki cotton ballcaps with the club logo embroidered in navy blue available for $9 each, first come first served. He will also be coordinating a club order for collared polo shirts with the club logo. Shirt sizes S-XL cost $15, 2X - $17, and 3X - $19, and must be paid for when ordered. Order forms will be available soon.

WCBA Newsletter / November 2013 page 4

Calendar of events

october meeting summary

NovemberTuesday, November 12Club Meeting: Make your own lip balm with Tom Underhill7 - 9 p.m. Carya Drive, Raleigh

Thursday, November 28THANKSGIVING DAY

DecemberTuesday, December 10Club Meeting: Holiday Potluck& Honey Tasting6 - 9 p.m. at Carya Drive

Wednesday, December 25CHRISTMAS DAY

January 2014Tuesday, January 14Club Meeting: program tba7 - 9 p.m. Carya Drive, Raleigh

For more information, visit the club website:

www.wakecountybeekeepers.org

Club president Sarah Myers opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. by thanking club members who had provided snacks. Ken Cobb gave a report on BugFest, thanking the volunteers who helped with the club booth. He also gave the finance report; the club has $8,656 in the bank. Club members were reminded to keep treasurer Neil Woodcock in mind as he recovers from surgery. Program chair Kim Underhill updated members on the State Fair display booth; the Wake County exhibit proofs were available at the meeting for club members to review. Those interested in helping with set up or take down were asked to speak to Kim. The fair opens October 17, set up will start October 14 in the afternoon. Don Hopkins was also present with a sign-up sheet for honey sales & the education booth. Ricky Barbour had hats available for $9 each; shirt order forms will be ready soon. James Knox of the nominating committee reviewed the slate of officers presented at the September meeting, and opened the floor for nominations. None were made, and the slate was elected by acclamation by the membership present. (See p. 1 for election results.) Sarah then introduced Dr. John Ambrose of NCSU. Before beginning his presentation on apitheraphy, he mentioned that some spaces were still available in the free “Being a Good Neighbor” seminar he would be conducting in Cary the next evening from 7-10 p.m. Dr. Ambrose discussed the latest scientific research in apitherapy, the practice of using bee-derived products in medicine and nutrition. He reviewed evidence for uses of honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom. A copy of this presentation is available online. James Knox discussed key bee yard activities for October. To keep hives strong over winter, check their food stores and check for mites, treating if necessary and following treatment instructions. Make sure the entry opening is no more than 3/8” - close it down a bit if larger. The meeting closed with drawings for door prizes which included plants from Eleanor Silver, an ornament donated by Jenny Bruce, and a few wire sculptures.