1. HONEY BEE
www.ctbees.com
Upcoming Meetings
February 21, 2015: Regular Meeting
Location: Senior Community Center,
265 Main St, Woodbury, CT
Time: 9am-3pm
March 21, 2015: Workshop
Location: Massaro Farm, 41 Ford Rd,
Woodbridge, CT
Time: 10-11am
Space limited. Register at ctbees.com/workshops
April 11, 2015: Regular Meeting
Location: Senior Community Center, 265
Main St, Woodbury, CT
Time: 9am-3pm
April 18, 2015: Workshop
Location: Massaro Farm, 41 Ford Rd,
Woodbridge, CT
Time: 9-10am and 11am-12pm
Space limited. Register at ctbees.com/workshops
May 16, 2015: Workshop
Location: Massaro Farm, 41 Ford Rd,
Woodbridge, CT
Time: 9-10am and 11am-12pm
Space limited. Register at ctbees.com/workshops
(See p.3 for Meeting/Workshop Topics)
President’s Message
It is the middle of February. It is very cold outside. All
over Connecticut the temperature dropped below zero. It's
winter in New England. But how did we get here and what is
the effect of this weather on our honey bees?
Last year we had a very cold winter with lot of damage
done to the fruit trees and vines and higher than normal
colony mortality. Slowly the beekeepers struggled to replace
the dead outs and start new colonies. The season in 2014
moved along slowly and beekeepers experienced a nice
harvest sometime in July, the first harvest of the year.
Hopes were high for a great year. Varroa mites numbers were
high too.
I did check varroa numbers in some of my hives in
August and notice higher than normal numbers. Varroa
continues to be enemy number one for the honey bees and
beekeepers.
While facing higher than normal varroa numbers, my
favorite way to flash drop their numbers is Formic Acid. Just
be careful when using it by respecting the label and watching
that the temperatures are not high to cause queen mortality.
The hopes for a strong fall flow in 2014 did not materialize,
the golden rod did not deliver. As a result a lot of beekeepers
had to feed their colonies to make up for the weak fall flow
in preparation for the coming cold season.
September is the month where most of the beehives fates
are decided, that is the month that we can influence how the
bees will survive the winter and this month weather.
We have over two feet of snow on the ground and that is the
best defense the bees have from this arctic weather. The snow
is a good insulator. Early last winter, our colonies faced the
cold weather without the protection of the snow. Then the
snow came but may have been too late. This year I hope we
are in a better shape.
We still have plenty of winter left.
Most likely the queens are slowly expending their brood,
old bees are slowly being replaced by new generation, this is
a drama that has been repeating itself for millions of years.
The honey bees are survivors. That is where the bees and
beekeepers are in sync, that is what we have in common, we
are both survivors.
Stay warm.
Gilman Mucaj
Volume 88, Number 1, February 2015
The Connecticut

2. CBA Officers
President: Gilman Mucaj
Granby, CT
860-844-0404
President@ctbees.com
Vice-President: Steve Dinsmore
East Lyme, CT
VicePresident@ctbees.com
Treasurer: Michael Campion
Prospect, CT
Treasurer@ctbees.com
Secretary: Karen Parker
Old Lyme, CT
Secretary@ctbees.com
Program Chair: Al Avitabile
Bethlehem, CT
Program@ctbees.com
Publications and Publicity Chair:
Briana Benn-Mirandi
Madison, CT
Newsletter@ctbees.com
Eastern Apiculture Member: John Baker
Litchfield, CT
Member at Large: George Rowe
Litchfield, CT
Vice President’s Message
Here in southeastern Connecticut, this has
been a winter for the ages. The day I write this,
we are getting another blizzard. I look out the
back door and see my hives buried in the snow.
Looking at them from the outside, there is no
activity. But inside, the first stirrings of spring are
beginning. Mid to late February is when the
queen, surrounded at the center of her cluster,
will begin to lay eggs again. There is a delicate
balance at work here. The balance is for the hive
starting to lay the first replacement bees of the
spring, while not building too quickly to exhaust
the stores of food before the early nectar sources
arrive. The winter bees are several months old
now and tired. The spring bees will be the
foragers of the coming year. The other danger is
that, as the weather in March begins to moderate
(keep faith that it will), more eggs will be laid. If a
cold snap hits, the bees will shrink their cluster to
try and keep the queen and the eggs warm. The
location of the brood will keep them in place.
They won’t break the cluster to get to the food on
the outside of the frame. March can be the
deadliest month due to starvation. By being
aware of the behavior of bees, you can adapt
your beekeeping to meet their needs.
When the weather allows, heft your colony
from each side to get an idea of their food supply.
Put your ear against the side of the hive and
knock on it. If you hear a buzz, they are still alive.
If your hive is light, you are in danger of losing
that colony in the next 60 days due to starvation.
At this time of year, you can do emergency
feeding with a candy board, fondant, or winter
patties. These solid food supplements need to be
placed above, or next to the cluster. They won’t
move to it unless it warms up enough for them to
break their cluster.
As new beekeepers, you have a million
questions. Come to the meetings and talk to the
beekeepers who have been keeping bees for a
number of years. Everyone at meetings has
stories of what worked and didn’t work for them.
Over time, you will find what works for you and
what doesn’t work for you. The meetings are
more than just the featured speakers. They are
chances for you to network. Meet people from
your area. It is an opportunity for you to learn
what you need to become a successful
beekeeper.
February 2015
The Connecticut Honey Bee
Official journal of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association,
Inc. Published four times a year prior to the meetings in
February, April, June, and October.
Advertising Rates: Full page: $50, Half Page: $25, Quarter
page: $15, Eighth Page: $8
Send all news articles, announcements and advertisements to
Newsletter@ctbees.com
Page 2

3. CBA Meeting/ Workshop Topics
(Locations and times are indicated on p.1)
February 21, 2015: Meeting
Doctor Dave Gilley from Paterson University,
Paterson, NJ will be speaking. The morning
session is titled Smelly Dancers: Waggle Dancers
and Their Use of Pheromones. In the afternoon,
Dr. Paterson will present Queens Fight: For Virgin
Queens it's kill or be killed, but what about the
Workers?
March 21, 2015: Workshop
Hive Assembly- Features hive assembly techniques,
reconditioning old equipment, as well as tutorials
on cleaning tools, hive bodies, and plastic frames.
Bring your old and new equipment so you can
work on it under our guidance. Weather and time
permitting, we will have hive exams in our apiary
and demonstrate best practices for a strong
spring.
April 11, 2015: Meeting
Alex Papp : A Different Approach to Overwintering
Honey Bee Colonies in Northern Climates
Renee Ricciardi: Beekeeping In Italy
David Liedlich: Double Walled Insulated Hives with
Extra Deep Frames
April 18, 2015: Workshop
Package Installation- Sessions include and
instructional “live package” installation for new
beekeepers, and spring hive inspections. There
will also be a demonstration of both the sugar roll
and alcohol wash methods of mite
detection/management. This hands-on workshop
should be of great interest to new beekeepers.
May 16, 2015: Workshop
Summer Hive Management- Sessions will help
develop basic beekeeping skills and will include
several hive openings and inspections with
discussions on management techniques to guide
through the summer months.
Due to dietary concerns, please bring your own
lunch to meetings. A selection of beverages will be
provided by the CBA.
A Note From Our Editor…
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to take a moment to welcome you to our
new newsletter! In addition to a new look, we’re
also hoping to offer a new “feel” to our publication.
While the CBA newsletter has always been a
fantastic source of important information from
pertinent agencies and associations, relevant
advertising, and up-to-date communications from
your CBA board members about the health of our
organization, we’d like to add even more types of
content. We’ll have the important information you
need, but also a bit of “fluff” that you will hopefully
enjoy, including perhaps book reviews, the
spirituality of beekeeping, member-submitted
poetry/fiction/art, and even some recipes (both
edible and medicinal) involving honeybee products.
We are aiming to re-invent and raise the bar a bit,
but I know I certainly can’t do it alone. I would
absolutely love to hear from you! Would you be
interested in writing an article four times a year, or
even just once in a while? Have a suggestion for
what you’d like to see in YOUR CBA newsletter?
Want to submit an idea, a question, or even a letter
to the editor? Simply email me
at Newsletter@ctbees.com. I
look forward to hearing from
you and working to bring you
the newsletter you can help us
envision!
Briana Benn-Mirandi
February 2015Page 3

4. February 2015
Secretarially Speaking…
Minutes from the CBA Meeting of
October 18, 2014 at the Woodbury
Senior Center, Woodbury, CT
Meeting called to order at 11:00
1. A discussion of programs for Massaro farm
and it’s closing for the winter. Watch
website for next year’s activities.
2. John Baker, EAS Rep - EAS will be held in
Ontario Canada. Check
easternapirculture.org for information.
3. George Rowe presented the Extractor
Program
4. Mark Creighton, Treasurer– Gave his last
Treasurers report since he has now be hired
as full time CT. Bee Inspector. 1st savings
account (Legal account) contains $14,699.
2nd savings account contains $4,609.
Discussed the need for volunteers for new
program initiatives.
5. Eastern Connecticut Beekeepers report -
ECB hosted Jim Tew as speaker. This was
their final meeting until February 2015.
6. Backyard Beekeepers Report - BYBA have
had a bear attack at a beeyard at
Troutbrook. Mark explained there have
been several bear attacks in southern
section of CT.
7. Mark Creighton presented the importance of
registering bee to ensure information getting
to beekeepers about problems happening
around state.
8. President Gilman Mucaj presented Mark
Creighton with Beekeeper of the Year Award
and congratulates him for being hired as our
full time state Bee Inspector.
Meeting adjourned at 11:25
Caught On Camera…
photos by Gosia Liedlich
Al Avitabile shows
off what new beeks
can expect to get in
the mail if they order
a package of bees.
State Bee Inspector,
Mark Creighton
demonstrates a
method in Integrated
Pest Management:
the mite-count board.
Ted Jones and
George Rowe
demonstrate not only
how to extract honey,
but how they can rent
an extractor for only
$25 (See p. 5)
Beekeepers old
and new,
young and old
packed a full
house to learn
or brush up on
beekeeping
basics at Bee
School on 2/7.
Page 4

5. HONEY EXTRACTOR RENTAL PROGRAM
So you’ve had a good summer and your bees are doing fine this winter. Your mind turns
to thoughts of your first honey harvest.
Wait! You don’t have to buy an expensive extractor, tank, pails, or filters and then
wonder where to store it all.
The Connecticut Beekeepers Association has it all – available for you to rent for
just $25. Yes, I said just $25!
So, plan on taking advantage of this fantastic cost-saving service in 2015. Call
Sharon Rowe @ 860-817-0125 or e-mail her at ghr4@hotmail.com to arrange your
rental when you are ready to extract that delicious local honey.
Funding has been provided by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program of the
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, awarded and
administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.
February 2015Page 5

6. February 2015 Page 6

7. February 2015
The Way To Bee
Briana Benn-Mirandi
For me, beekeeping is more than
a hobby. It’s more than income or
a way to help the environment,
although these things appealed tome when
I first began keeping bees a few seasons ago. However, after
the deaths of my first two hives, somany stings that my
hands looked like catcher’s mitts, and hardly any honey to
show for allmy hard work and expenses, what kept me
going was sheer fascination in these brilliant, industrious
creatures. It’s a fascination that has felt by beekeepers and
honey hunters since early humanity, andIrelished the
abundance of history, traditions, religious beliefs, magical
spells, god/desses and meditations Ifound, allsurrounding
the humble honey bee over the years. SoI’vestarted this
column toshare abit of this fascination with you. If you
share my fascination, or simply come across a fascinating
factoid you’d like toshare, pass it on to meby emailing
BriesBeesBTS@gmail.com
The Bee As a SimpleSymbol
Somuch can be written about honey bees as symbols, and
there are somany interpretations, but here are afew toget
a taste. Bees of course are known for being industrious.
Spirit-Animals.com suggests that if bees are continually
crossing your path (assuming more so than usual!) you
should perhaps examine your current productivity. Are
you keeping busy? Working hard enough to accomplish
your goals? Or areyou working too hard? Is it time to take
some time out to smell the flowers? Bees are alsopretty
synonymous with teamwork. As wetake timeto think
about our hives, perhaps we should ponder our own
teammates in life. Are we ableto acknowledge their
efforts? Or do weput great efforts in our own attempts to
be the “queen bee”? It’s important to remember that it ain’t
easy at the top, andthat every member of the team is
important- from the work-weary forager tothose pretty-
boy drones.
This first column is meant to act as a simply introduction
into the metaphysical aspects of beekeeping. In future
columns, we’ll delve into representations of bees in
numerology, archaeology, theology, andmore!
Meet the Beek
Introducing Our Members
Calling all CBA Members! We want to get to
know you! Each month in our newsletter, we
will be featuring a local beekeeper(or two)
and their story about how they got into
beekeeping. Tellus your funny stories,what
you’ve learned, the best/worstparts of
beekeeping foryou, and send us a photo!
Simply email:
Newsletter@ctbees.com to share!
Got young kids and a Netflix
account? The Hive is a cute
British television show featuring
Buzzbee and his friends!
Page 7

8. February 2015
Jones’ Apiaries, LLC
Ted & Becky Jones
Dealers for
Country Rubes Bottom Boards
Sundance Pollen Traps
Ross Rounds
Authorized Maxant Dealer
Assembled Equipment Available
Unassembled Equipment Available
MiteAway Quick Strips, 2 pack size
Bee Smart equipment
5 Frame Nucs-
order now
Deeps only
Limited supply, order early
Late May delivery
Weather pending
Heitkam Queens available
55 Wolf Pit Road, Farmington, CT 06032
860-677-9391, t.c.jones@snet.net
Page 8

9. Checking In With the Eastern Apiculture Society
EAS 2015 – Ontario, Canada
You will need a Passport to return to the U.S.A.
The Eastern Apiculture Society will hold its Annual Conference and Short Course at the University of
Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, August 10-14, 2015.
Hang around with some of the most experienced beekeeping minds to be found anywhere - not just
the presenters, but some of the most interesting attendees from an unbelievably diverse
representation of the industry.
They are working hard to make 2015 a year to remember. Les Eccles, from the OBA Tech Transfer
Team is responsible for the Short Course Program. Ernesto Guzman, a top researcher, is responsible
for the Conference Program.
There will be fun events, workshops and tours. Niagara Falls is nearby and casinos where you can
easily double or triple your beekeeping profits or losses.
Go to http://www..easternapiculture.org/conferences/eas-2015 for complete
information. Registration begins May 1st.
EAS IS BEE EDUCATION – we cannot get enough of it.
John C. Baker
EAS Director for CT
February 2015
News from Our State Bee Inspector
Mark Creighton
Connecticut has been selected and funded to participate in The National Survey of Honey Bee Pests and
Diseases. APHIS has secured funds for the honey bee and pollinator projects in 2015, in accordance with
the Presidential initiative. This funding will allow the State Bee Inspector to visit large apiaries (20 + hives)
to evaluate and collect samples for this nationwide project. Participating apiaries will receive a report of
the molecular and microscopic analysis of live and alcohol-collected bees submitted. The microscopic and
visual report will summarize the alcohol sample size, the Varroa mite count, the Nosema spore load, and
any Apis cerana and or Tropilaelaps mites found in the sample. This survey will provide a snap shot of
honey bee health on a national level.
If your apiary qualifies to participate, get in touch with Mark at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station:
203-974-8474
Page 9

10. February 2015 Page 10

11. February 2015
Beekeeper’s Calendar
Susan Lydem
Many new beekeepers are a
little unsure about what to
expect from a year with their
honeybees. What tasks should
you prepare for? When should
these tasks take place? We hope that this brief
snapshot will give you a sense of all of the
excitement that is in store for you as you embark on
this exciting new adventure with the amazing
honeybee.
January & February
Though the days are short and temperatures are
likely cold, the honeybees are clustered together in
the hive, generating heat by vibrating their flight
muscles and radiating that heat out to the other bees
in the cluster. While they don’t heat the space in
the hive itself, the winter cluster is able to maintain a
constant temperature of 94-98 degrees. The bees
will consume approximately 50 pounds of honey in
January and February. If Mother Nature offers us a
brief reprieve and outside temperatures warm above
45 degrees, the bees will break cluster and may take
the opportunity to take cleansing flights and clean
the hive. There is very little that the beekeeper can
do with the hives during this time of year, aside from
providing emergency feed, if needed. In February, as
the days start getting longer, the queen will start
brood production. If you are thinking about adding
additional hives to your bee yard or will need to
replace colonies that haven’t survived the winter,
now is the time to think about ordering packages or
nucs. Painting hive bodies and cleaning equipment in
preparation for spring are a good idea.
March
Hopefully, you were able to leave enough honey
to get your existing colonies through until
spring. Here in Connecticut, 90-100 lbs. of honey
are needed for the bees to survive our harsh
northern winters. If you were unable to leave
them with adequate honey stores, March is the
most common time for a colony to die of
starvation. If you are concerned about this, you
may need to provide some emergency feed in the
form of a candy board or fondant. The queen
begins to increase her egg laying and the
population of the hive is starting to grow,
including the reappearance of drones in the
hive. The bees will continue to consume honey or
emergency feed during this time. If you are going
to perform a spring treatment for varroa mites,
March and April are good times to start
treatments.
April
As the days continue to lengthen and sunshine
warms the soil, early spring blossoms begin to
appear. In Connecticut, Maple trees, dandelions,
skunk cabbage and a variety of other plants
provide the first pollen of the season. If you
watch the landing board of your hive, you will
start to see worker bees coming back to the hive
with bright yellow pollen baskets filled with this
pollen. Pick a warm, still day with ample sunshine
for your first full inspection of the season. As you
look at the various frames, do you see evidence of
your queen? Can you identify eggs, larvae and
capped brood? Are you starting to see pollen
stored in the cells? If you feed your colonies, you
are likely to have warm enough weather to begin
feeding sugar syrup comprised of one part sugar
to one part water (you will often see this written
out as 1:1 sugar syrup in beekeeping literature).
Page 11

12. February 2015 Page 12

13. February 2015
Health Tips, Recipes, and
After-Market Honeybee
Products
Sharon Rowe
This winter has been very
tough on the health of many of
our families. Colds, flu, and viral infections
abound, many resulting in persistent coughs.
Most of us have heard that honey can be used to
calm that hacking cough, but were not sure if we
could actually recommend it to our customers.
Now you can authoritatively pass on the
information from several studies, all of which have
concluded that honey is a safe and effective
cough suppressant for children and adults over
the age of 1. Research published in pediatric
magazines
(www.pediatrics.aappublications.org)as well as
recommendations by the World Health
Organization
(www.naturalnews.com/World_Health_Organizatio
n.html) and the Mayo Clinic
(www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditons/common-cold) unanimously tout honey
as an effective, inexpensive and easy to
administer remedy for bedtime coughs.
If you want a fancier cough syrup, below is a
recipe that is great by the spoonful, fabulous in
tea, and also really good to put on ham.
1 16 oz. bottle of honey (but any size will do)
10 whole cloves
Fresh ginger, about a thumb-length, cut up in
rounds
Lemon peel (not the white pith, just the yellow
outside) from 1/2 a lemon
Dump honey in a small bowl and add the rest of
the ingredients. Place the bowl into a pan of very
hot water and let it warm up. Replace the hot
water and stir often, allowing it to steep for an
hour or more. By not heating on the stove you
retain the healthful benefits of the honey. Let cool,
then dump back into the bottle.
And since winter is still with us, how about making
some lip balm for your family, friends, and
customers? This simple and effective recipe does
not have all the additives that the famous B…’s
Bees product has and really does the job.
Lip Balm Recipe
Yield: 50+ tubes (available from
www.thesage.com)
(The hardness of beeswax varies greatly so the
amount of oil you need will depend upon this. )
3.5 ounces grated beeswax (We use the large
side of a cheese grater)
Approx. 1 cup oil (light Olive oil is good, [EVOO is
too green]. Also good is sweet almond oil, even
vegetable oil)
.3 oz. lanolin (optional)
5 vitamin E gel capsules (¼ tsp liquid)
1.5 little spoonfuls of fragrance, optional
Use a double boiler!
A tall narrow ceramic bowl
works well. Melt the wax
and add the oil, starting with
¾ cup. When it is totally
melted and mixed, test the
consistency by taking out a
small spoonful and letting it cool. If it is too hard,
add more oil. Continue to test until you like the
consistency. Then add the Vitamin E by
puncturing a hole or cutting the end off and
squeezing it into the mixture. Add fragrance if
desired. Turn the temperature down but not off.
Using a tiny, narrow spoon, fill the lip balm tubes.
As they cool, they will have a dent in the top that
you might want to put a few drops in to make a
smooth convex surface.
Recipe can be easily cut in half
Page 13

14. CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FOR 20
Membership in the Connecticut Beekeepers Association helps you stay informed on important issues
concerning beekeeping and lets you participate in the many meetings and workshops offered by the Association.
NAME_______________________________________________________________
ADDRESS____________________________________________________________
CITY/TOWN____________________________________ST_____ZIP___________
PHONE (____) _____________________EMAIL____________________________
Renewing member____ New member____
Association annual dues $20.00
Special Legal Fund Donation……………
Norm Farmer Educational Fund…………
General donation to the club…………….
Total enclosed………………...………...$
Make checks payable to: Connecticut Beekeepers Association
Mail this application and your check to:
Michael Campion
112 Matthew Street
Prospect, CT 06712