August Meeting Reminder

Remember our in person meeting is Tuesday the 31st at 6:30 at the Flathead County Health Department. We will be talking about Fall health and September To Dos and picking a date for members to come to Angela’s house to use the honey extractor. Please bring all your questions!

Management and Hive Thermodynamics Free Talk by Northern Beekeeper Etienne Tardif

Zoom Talk August 11, 2021 7:30-9PM PST

Topic: Spring to Spring Management and Hive Thermodynamics – Yukon and North of 60 Focus

Time: Aug 11, 2021 08:30 PM MST (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87473524432…

Meeting ID: 874 7352 4432

Passcode: 013494(No telephone dial ups, I have had issues with folks on phones not muting and making noise – too distracting for me and others)

Bloom Report: July 19 2021

Here are the flowers blooming for our pollinators this week!

Pictured from top left:

  • Shasta Daisies
  • False Sunflower
  • Beebalm
  • Tahoka Daisy
  • Greater Masterwort
  • Rose Spirea
  • Virginia Spiderwort
  • Aspen Fleabane
  • Rocky Mountain Bee Plant
  • Canadian Thistle

July 27th Meeting at Flathead County Health Department

Don’t forget about our upcoming in person meeting this Tuesday at 6:30pm! We’ll be talking about brood diseases popping up in the Valley, August To-Dos (including possible mite treatments), pros and cons to harvesting honey now and ongoing discussions about charging dues. See you there!

Bloom Report: 7/6/21

What’s blooming the July 6th 2021 week for the pollinators in Flathead Valley?

Regardless of the week of heat, we haven’t quite entered a dearth yet across the valley. How do I know this? Because when I placed an old frame of harvested honey outside for the bees, no one touched it for 2 days in a row! Neat trick huh? Some of the natural flowers blooming this week below, names are ordered from top left.

  • Canadian Thistle
  • Hawksbeard
  • False Chamomile
  • Canola
  • Alfalfa
  • Rocky Mountain Bee Plant
  • Common Yarrow
  • Raspberries

6/29/21 Meeting moved back to Flathead County Health Department

Just a final reminder that our meetings have been permanently moved back to the Flathead County Health Department on 1st Ave West. We’ll see you there at 6:30!

Flathead Survivor Queens *SOLD OUT*

***These ladies have all been claimed this year! Since it was such a success I’ll definitely do more next year. Thanks everyone!***

I have queen cells available which were grafted from a treatment-free, winter survivor, Varroa Sensitive Hygiene queen last week. They will emerge between Monday-Tuesday June 28th-29th.
When: Pickup between today (June 21st) and Saturday (June 26th)
Who: You can use them after you make a split or a nuc. Or to replace a queen you feel is failing.
How: Any hive that has been queen-less for at least 24 hours. Before installation of the queen cell, all combs in the current hive need to be thoroughly checked for existing queen cells/cups and destroyed so this cell is their only option.
Cost: Since this is my first attempt at queens and my goal is to just get some good genetics out in the community, I’m only charging $5 per cell to help recoup my costs for the magnifying goggles and grafting supplies. Future years the price will go up slightly to be more competitive with industry prices and after people have reported back the quality of the queens to me.
Why: Why cells instead of mated queens? Virgins emerging from this cell will take up to 7 days to harden then mate. Then another 7-10 days before she’s laying eggs. Rather than have your queen-less hive wait for that process, they’ll be happier if they know they have their queen cell right now. And since it’s less work for me, I can pass on the cost savings to you. However, after Saturday I will be placing these cells in mating nucs and waiting for them to mate and then lay eggs. Once a queen is verified mated, the cost for her will go up to the market value of laying queens because of the cost for equipment for queen mating (pricey!). I will be selling those in about 3 weeks from now.
Please contact me using the Contact Us button in the website menu to coordinate pickup of the cells.
Finally, I want my Flathead beekeeping community to know my intention as a beginner to this new market of bees is not to make a profit off of any of you. But to help spread hearty survivor genetics in our valley with just my costs being covered.
Thanks! ~Angela Tollerson

Flathead County Health Dept Meetings Back On!

Great news! We got our old spot back at the Health Department on 1st Ave West starting this June 2021! Meetings will be moved back to it. We are so grateful for the Northridge Lutheran Church and Betsy S. For allowing us to meet there the last year. Please visit the Meetings page for more details and other online events

May ZOOM Meeting

All, as announced last month, the May meeting on Tuesday the 25th will be via ZOOM (not at the church) because we have a guest speaker Andrew Bauer from South Western Montana. Please make sure you’ve downloaded the zoom app to your devices before Tuesday. Thanks!

Topic: Flathead Valley Beekeepers May Meeting
Time: May 25, 2021 06:15 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85184170837?pwd=SXhuWWREekFqV3plNmtaMUZoalhmZz09

Meeting ID: 851 8417 0837
Passcode: beekeeper
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,85184170837#,,,,812033947# US (San Jose) +12532158782,,85184170837#,,,,812033947# US (Tacoma)

3rd Free Online Beetalk by Etienne Tardif (Northern Beekeeper) – Pest and Diseases May 19th 8pm MST

Here is the presentation. Pests and Diseases cannot be ignored. They are only a problem if you don’t know what you are looking for.
Link to pdf – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M_H9tDj8fVIUaPAjixHRqK79NLtPWfWD/view?usp=sharing
Other links and tools you “mite” find usefulhttps://www.rozehaven.ca/hivemodels/index.html (Hive population modelling tool with mite estimator based on your actions)https://www.mitecalculator.com – mite infestation level Calculator based on post OAV mite drops.

Zoom details: Etienne Tardif is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Etienne Tardif’s Personal Meeting Room
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6304914359
Meeting ID: 630 491 4359One tap mobile+14388097799,,6304914359# Canada+15873281099,,6304914359# Canada
Dial by your location        +1 438 809 7799 Canada        +1 587 328 1099 Canada        +1 647 374 4685 Canada        +1 647 558 0588 Canada        +1 778 907 2071 Canada        +1 204 272 7920 Canada        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)Meeting ID: 630 491 4359

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kkHjCjgEC