Events - Month View

This is an annual community event at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, where the community will be learning about how to protect honey bees, native bees, bats, butterflies and other creatures. MDBA will be indoors and have an observation hive for people to enjoy, and lots of posters and other props and equipment to talk about with people who are interested in honey bees. We need 6 Volunteers total - 3 volunteers for the first shift AND 3 volunteers for the second shift. Please contact Jan Pinkerton Spieth ( contact information above) if you want to volunteer for this event at the beautiful Ruth Bancroft Garden! Early Shift: set up 2 tables and then have fun! 9:30 - 1PM And Late Shift: have fun and then pack up! 1PM - 4:30 PM

This installation on April 6 is part one of two. We will be back here in 2 weeks, on April 20, opening up this installed package and looking at what the honeybees have been doing.

We will be installing package bees and queen in a hive at the MDBA apiary on Saturday April 6. We will answer questions about the install and what to expect after the installation.
Come back in 2 weeks on April 20th, and have a preview of the activity the honeybees have done, and what to expect in your hive 2 weeks after installation. You will have plenty of questions and observations by then!

Monthly Zoom Chat and Q & A for All New Beekeepers - just starting in 2024 or started in 2021 - 2023 This is a meeting to bring your questions, concerns, and observations about your colonies: swarms, nectar flow, feeding, varroa mite treatment and preparing for package installations. Any topics or questions are welcome! There will be beekeepers from your area clusters, area coordinators, and MDBA board members to help answer your questions.

I will be doing a hive inspection on Wednesday, April 10th from 1-2:30PM at my apiary. The inspections will encompass overall health, swarm indications and mitigations, and looking at splits made and their progress. Limited to four; bring PPE and sturdy footwear. Registration at the Event Calendar.

MDBA General Meeting (Thursday, April 11, 2024). This is our Fourth General Meeting of 2024! Our General Membership meetings occur every 2nd Thursday of the month, 7PM to 9PM, doors open at 6:30PM. Come early to chat, meet beekeepers and find out about our bee club. Our meeting will be at the Pleasant Hill Community Center Pavilion where we will welcome our beekeepers back and meet new members of our bee club! Embrace the arrival of spring by preparing for your new package of bees! Join us for an informative demonstration and engaging roundtable session where all your questions will be expertly answered.

We will be at the MDBA apiary located in the Lafayette Community Garden today from 12:30PM to 2PM. We have 2 hives that need to be re-queened because of the genetics and temperment of the hives. We have 2 new queens to introduce into the hives. Come and watch how to do this essential task of beekeeping. All questions welcomed! Please park in the far east end of the parking lot!

The second class for beginner Beekeepers is a hive inspection.
You will be in a small group working with an Apprentice or Journey Master Beekeeper.
Be sure to bring your Beekeeping Jacket or suit and veil to the class. If you have gloves bring them too.
All are welcome to register for the class. However, priority will go to MDBA beginner beekeepers who completed the Beginner Beekeeper Class 1.
You will learn and practice:
• safely lighting a smoker
• approaching a hive and observing the bees
• how to use a hive tool
• how to inspect a colony
• recognize the caste of honeybees in the hive
• name and recognize how bees organize a frame of brood
• observe how bees organize their colony
• perform a varroa mite test

There will be a discussion about Varroa life cycle, fomites, and how to clean your tools.
There will be a discussion/practice about Queen cages and how to install a Queen.

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email from MDBA.
On Tuesday or Wednesday before the class, you will receive a welcome email with more information you will need to know and bring. Don‘t forget your beekeeping jacket and veil.

MDBA Board meeting - Event calendar Monthly meeting of the MDBA Board, held every 3rd Thursday of the month - on zoom from 7 – 9 pm. All members are welcome to come. Contact Jan Pinkerton Spieth if you would like to attend.

Today, April 20th, we will do an inspection on the hive with the package honeybees that were installed on April 6.
Find out what the honeybees and queen have been up to the last 2 weeks.
This is an opportunity to ask questions, observe and have an idea of what to expect to see one week from now with your packages you installed on April 13th!

Beginner Beekeeping Class One - 2 + hour class - in person
- for new beekeepers who join in 2024 and Oct - Dec 2023 no hives or have a hive. This class is also useful to new beekeepers ( 1 - 3 years) who have bees, or had bees, and need more basic information.
This class will discuss, show, and hands-on demonstration of PPE’s (personal protection equipment) hive components, hive tools, varroa test equipment, hive equipment, apiary considerations, and resources.
MDBA Beekeepers will be your teachers.
Register and pay on the event calendar. Class size limited to 10. Fee $10
Class will be held in a garage. Wear warm clothing/layers

Jaci Kildare newseditor@diablobees.org

It has been two weeks since many members installed their packages. Join us for a joint meeting of the North, South, Central, East, and West Clusters. We‘ll discuss package bee installation follow up and answer your questions.