OBBA Announcements

What's the buzz?

OBBA Workshop

Saturday, Feb 19, 2022 pending clear weather

(If raining -> will postpone)

Honey For Sale

We have OBBA honey to purchase!

Pay Dues

You can pay your annual dues:

OrangeBlossomBeekeepers.org/join-obba/

February / March Bee Management

Current UF Management Recommendations (February/March)

• Colony populations begin to grow (late Feb into March!)
  • Remedy failing queens as necessary
  • Add supers and/or swarming control
  • Make nucs/splits
• Monitor for Varroa
  • Treat if 3% with Apiguard, Apistan, Apivar, Hopguard, and Mite Away
• Check for AFB and/or EFB

What is blooming in Central Florida (February)

What is blooming in Central Florida (March)

Review Proposed Bylaws

Proposed Bylaws

Vote for new Officers

• [ ] President
  • Matthew Rensberry
• [ ] Vice-President
  • Miranda Clemetel
• [ ] Treasurer
  • Debra NcNamee
• [ ] Secretary
  • Brandon Thompson

February Beekeeping in Florida

Make Space for Hive Growth

• Harvest excess honey
• Add super if necessary

Swarm prevention

• Consider splits
• Identify aging queens
• Check queen cups for eggs/larvae/food

Swarm Prevention Methods

Separate 1 from the other 2:

• Queen
• Flying bees (Forager bees)
• Brood/Nurse bees

Ways to Deter Swarming

• Remove some bees and brood to make a nucleus
• Move some brood to another colony
• Exchange a populous colony with swarm cells with a weaker colony in the apiary
• Add a super with empty drawn comb and foundation
• Remove the supers and bees and combine with a weak colony (newspaper)

When queen cells are found

• No queen/swarm gone:
  • Leave an unsealed queen cell or divide into nuc
• Queen present/colony not swarmed:
  • Make a split (artificial swarm)

Breaking down queen cells is not a method of swarm control

Assess Hive Health

Stay involved, Stay connected

• OrangeBlossomBeekeepers.org
• Slack: OBBA.slack.com
• Facebook: Orangeblossombeekeepers
• Instagram: OrangeBlossomBeekeepers