Wilson County Beekeepers

Wilson County Beekeepers President Leonard Walker called the May 5, 2025 meeting to order with 87 members and guests in attendance.   Approval of the April 7th meeting was made.    Checkbook balance is $xxxxx, which included the $400.00 Flex Grant from TBA.  Financial report is at Petra’s table for viewing.  Current paid membership stands at 194.

Old Business Discussed:

• What do bees do when they get mad?  They buzz off!
• Still need program and speaker ideas.
• Swarm list available for updates.
• Still accepting bids for extracting equipment.  See Petra
• The Queen Rearing class with Kent Williams has been postponed to Saturday, May 10 due to the rain.  Still have a few seats available.
• Farm Day is Tuesday and Wednesday (May 6 & 7).  David Thompson is still looking for volunteers if you want to help with the second graders.
• Field Day is Saturday, May 17 (with an alternate rain date of May 24).  Start time is 10:00.  Bring your clean protection gear with a mandatory veil.  Details are in the membership book.  Flier at the table.  Please sign up with Petra so we know how many plan on attending.  Newbees, this is a great time for you to get into bees.  Also, if you want to be considered for the New Beekeeper Scholarship (see the last page of your membership book) this will be one of the requirements.

   New Business Discussed:

• Riley Cox has purchased a Wax Dipping Tank and is willing to rent it out for those wishing to dip their woodenware.  Please check with him for details.
• The June picnic is June 7.  Petra will need RSVP by May 30, so we know how many seats to set and make sure enough barbeque is ordered.  The club will provide the meat and buns, coffee, soft drinks, tea and lemonade.  Each family is asked to bring a covered dish AND a dessert (because we like to eat; especially dessert).  We will be collecting monetary donations for the Wounded Warrior Project, per our vote last November.

  Allen’s Monthly To Do’s:

• Do inspections 
• Keep checking on brood nest for overcrowding and look for swarm cells that could lead to swarming. 
• Remove feeders and add honey supers. 
• Keep check on hive beetles and use traps with DE. 
• With temps rising create a close water source if possible. You can use a pan filled with water and gravel for the bees to easily get to the water. 

    What’s blooming that the bees are working:

• Black Locust
• Blackberries
• Clover
• Creeping Charlie
• False Indigo
• Honey Suckle Bush
• Little Leaf Linden
• Magnolia
• Privet
• Tulip Poplar
• Wild Roses

Book Report:  Beth McClain donated a copy of  What the Bees See for the club library

Program:  Mike Studer had an interesting program on detecting AFB & EFB and All About Mites

Announcements:
May 6 – 7—Farm Days
May 10—Queen Rearing Class with Kent Williams   (May 10—rain day)
May 17—Field Day at Sterling’s (May 24—rain day)
May 30—RSVP for Picnic
June 7—Picnic

There are ABJ and Bee Culture magazines on the library tables…take what you want.

The evening’s door prizes were handed out by Leonard with the help from Jennifer Ferguson

Door Prizes:

• Brushy Mountain Hat—Kenny Birdwell
• Bee Gloves—Emerson Ackley
• Hive Tool—Rhonda Stansberry
• Starbuck Coffee—Rick Richter
• Frame Grip—Allen Ferguson
• J-Hook Hive Tool—Jennifer Ferguson
• Bee Happy plaque—Darrell Craig
• Dozen Eggs—Andrew Poteete
• Bee Brush—Beth McClain

The meeting adjourned around 8:16 for refreshments & fellowship.

The Club’s current checkbook balance is $___________.

Respectfully submitted: Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
May 8, 2025

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