2 September Guest Speakerdiablobees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2010-Sep.pdfrating, and generally getting the party going. Any items you wish to con-tribute to the raffle should

one of the best and most informative in the industry. His research interests include managing honey bees and wild bees for maximum field production, while minimizing pesticide damage to pollina-tor populations. His research also focuses on maintaining healthy bees.

The recipient of numerous

state and national awards,

Mussen recently won the

statewide 2010 Pedro Ilic

Outstanding Agricultural Edu-

cator Award for his work in

educating the agricultural

community, the beekeeping

industry and the general pub-

lic about honey bees.

Dr. Eric Mussen, a member of the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty since 1976 and a co-founder and five-time past president of the Western Apicultural Soci-ety, will speak to the MDBA during our September meeting. The meeting will be held September 9, 2010 at 7:30p.m. at Heather Farms. Dr. Mussen and UC Davis professor-apiculturist Nor-man Gary (now retired), co-founded WAS in 1978 as a non-profit, educational or-ganization designed specifi-cally to meet the educational needs of beekeepers from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexi-

co, Oregon, Utah, Washing-ton and Wyoming; the prov-inces of Alberta, British Co-lumbia, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon; and the states of northern Mexico.

Dr. Mussen, who received his doctorate in entomology from the University of Minne-sota, writes the bimonthly Extension newsletter, “from the UC Apiaries,” considered

September Guest Speaker

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Annual BBQ

Cough Relief

2

MediHoney 3

Solar Flares &

CCD

4

Bee Buzz

Bee Haven Map

5

Events calendar 6

Classifieds 7

Bee Q&A 8

Bee enthusiasts, garden-

ers, and just about every-

one who enjoys food will

find something to buzz

about at the grand open-

ing of the Häagen-Dazs

Honey Bee Haven at UC

Davis. Kids' activities,

garden tours and hands-

on demonstrations are all

in store. Try some bee-

built Häagen-Dazs ice

cream flavors and learn

about the important role

bees play in pollinating

one-third of all the foods

we eat. Take home a few

tips for what you can do

to support bee survival.

For more information

and an up-to-date event

schedule click here.

This is a perfect oppor-

tunity to help raise bee

awareness in your

friends neighbors and co

-workers. Invite your

friends to UC Davis for

the Grand opening Haa-

gen-Dazs Bee Haven.

Click here to learn more

Haagen-Dazs & their

effort to save our bees.

Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven

M O U N T D I A B L O B E E K E E P E R S

A S S O C I A T I O N

The Diablo Bee

S E P T E M B E R 1 , 2 0 1 0

P A G E 2

Honey may soothe coughs more effectively than over-the-counter medications, a new study

shows. The study involved 139 children (ages two to five), all of whom were dealing with coughs

caused by upper respiratory infections.

For the study, participants received honey, dextromethorphan (a cough sup-

pressant), diphenhydramine (an antihistamine), or no medication. After about

24 hours, scientists tested all participants for the frequency and severity of

their coughs. Study results showed that the 2.5-ml dose of honey provided

greater cough relief, compared to both medications and the control treatment.

Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and antibacterial compounds, honey

has been found to protect against sinusitis in past research. If you're seeking a natural alterna-

tive to cough medication, you may also want to consider marshmallow and mullein (two herbs

known to ease irritation in the throat). Cathy Wong, ND, CNS http://altmedicine.about.com

MDBA ANNUAL BBQ Traditionally, the last meeting of the year is celebrated with a festive BBQ dinner for MDBA members and members of their immedi-

ate family, with lots of good cheer, good food and good company.

During the evening, the 2011 MDBA Board of Directors is voted on and introduced, and the Beekeeper of the Year is elected. There will be a SU-PER RAFFLE with lots of great items, many of which are do-nated by members for this end-of-year event.

You are invited to join us on Thursday, October 14th, 2010

at 6:30p.m. The MDBA will provide BBQ. Please bring a side to share. Assignments have been made alphabeti-cally. You may also wish to bring a bottle of wine, beer, soda, or whatever you pre-fer, to enhance your meal and share with your tablemates. It’s desirable that all salads, side dishes and desserts be on the tables by 6:30pm.

Help setting up is welcome. Please arrive around 5:30 to help with table-setting, deco-rating, and generally getting the party going.

Any items you wish to con-tribute to the raffle should be given to Bob Kelley before 6:30pm if at all possible.

The BBQ is a great way to end the MDBA 2010 year and

celebrate with old and new beekeeper friends and mem-bers. See you on the 14th!

YOU MUST RSVP IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING THE BBQ!

PLEASE RSVP TO LOIS KAIL AT [email protected] no later than September 30, 2010.

T H E D I A B L O B E E

Member Side Dish

Assignments

Alpha by Surname

A-G VEGGIE/

POTATO/PASTA

H-R DESSERT

S-Z SALAD

Honey Offers Sweet Relief From Coughs

P A G E 3

We all know honey as a sweet syrupy treat often used in baking or maybe add-ed to oatmeal. But some Tucson doctors think it can cure wounds.

About 15 years ago Pauline Acamo got a spider bite on her ankle that turned into what seemed like an incurable wound, "We had tried everything we could, differ-ent procedures, new ones." The pain would sometimes get so severe, Pauline often had to skip work. Some-times for as long as six months, "Because of the infections the pain would surge all the way up the leg. Its very painful, you can't really stand it sometimes." Last year Pauline met doctor mark Vietti at the St. Mary's wound healing center. He introduced Pauline to a sweet solution that would heal her age old spider bite, "It's always important to keep an open mind in medicine."

"Honey has been available for more than 2,000 years and actually there's refer-

ences in ancient Greek literature about honey being used for its benefits in treating skin con-ditions," says Dr. Vietti. It's called "Medi-Honey" and it comes from a plant all the way in New Zealand that's espe-cially good at inhibiting bacterial growth. "The honey really inhibits bacterial growth. It tends to create just the right kind of moisture environment within a wound," explains Dr. Vietti. Every week Pauline visits Dr. Vietti so he can check out her wound and put a little bit of honey on it. She also applies some Medi-Honey every night, "Its just been brilliant, I mean the pain level has just receded greatly. " Pauline's wound still has a bit of healing to do, but she's thankful something as simple and sweet as honey could help cure her bite while adding a little bit of flavor back into her life, "Being a country girl I eat it a little, but not tre-mendous amounts, but I think I might start eating more of it." Dr. Vietti says Medi-Honey can also be applied to wounds on burn victims and for treating athletes foot.

Courtesy of : http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2010/08/video-tucson-doctors-use-honey-to-heal.html

T H E D I A B L O B E E

P A G E 4

CCD and Sunspots I always enjoy talking with Dr. Thom-

as Ferrari from Pollen Bank in Bakers-

field. He is a creative thinker, who at

times marches to a different drummer.

Tom and Alissa Cobb presented me

with the following and I thought that I

would share it.

“Clearly, honey bees are vanishing.

Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is not

a new phenomenon, having been docu-

mented periodically around the world

for centuries. Experts have searched –

unsuccessfully – for a biotic cause explaining this

global prob-lem, and they have ruled out pesticides

and cell phone towers. One abiotic basis that has not

been explored involves an extra-terrestrial source:

sunspots.

“Before you decide we‟re crazy, let us explain our

logic. Some mysterious phenomenon causes entire,

reasonably healthy colonies to abandon their hives.

Most experts agree bees communicate amongst each

other during a „waggle dance‟ that explains the co-

ordinates of distant food sources. And, beekeepers

all agree they do not know where colonies go when

CCD strikes, so they must be lost! Therefore, we

should study how bees might become „disoriented.‟

“Homing pigeons and magnetotactic bacteria have a

magnetic compass that enables them to orient them-

selves. The basis for their ability to do so involves a

mineral called magnetite, located in a sub-cellular

organelle called a magnetosome. It allows them to

perceive earth‟s magnetic fields. Both organisms

„get lost‟ when their ability to monitor those fields

is interfered with. The most closely studied of the

sun‟s geomagnetic effects on an organism has been

the degradation of a homing pigeon‟s navigational

abilities during a solar storm. Other migratory ani-

mals, notably dolphins and whales, become disori-

ented and they beach themselves. Thus, circumstan-

tial evidence indicates that changes on the earth‟s

magnetic field can affect a biological system that

controls orientation: the sixth sense in such organ-

isms is termed „magnetoception.‟

“About every 11 years, solar storms cause disturb-

ances to the earth‟s magneto-sphere. About every

50 years, solar storms are so intense they interfere

with aircraft radio communications, cause GPS mal-

func-tions and destroy electrical transformers. In

1891, a CCD episode in Colorado occurred at the

same time as sunspot activity com-menced. In 1960,

a solar superstorm caused wide spread radio and

electrical outages: at the same time, Texas and

Louisiana experi-enced CCD. Coincidentally,

when the current CCD disorder began about 6-8

years ago, it too coincided with a peak in sun-

spot activity. Hmmm ….

“Since 1978, a few scientists have repeatedly

suggested that the direction of the earth‟s mag-

netic field could account for bee orientation.

Nonetheless, most entomolo-gists and beekeep-

ers either missed or disre-garded observations

that bees can rely on something other than visual

cues and the sun‟s position for navigation. Bees

also contain iron in the form of magnetite and

evidence indicates when their „magnetic com-

pass‟ is interfered with, their ability to respond

to magnetic cues is disrupted. If true, their abil-

ity to spatially orient them-selves will likely

malfunction during a severe solar storm. Then,

bees will become „confused‟ whether in the

field or hive. We are confident they will then

leave the hive to search for the location (via co-

ordinates) that they already learned. Anyway,

the current sunspot cycle (1998 to 2009) has just

about ended, and we bet CCD – like the bees –

will disappear too. That is, until another solar

super storm happens.”

Well, Tom and Alissa, there is more to think

about. We are going to encounter an extreme

celestial event in 2012, Galactic Solstice. This is

a 26,000-year event. According to the web site,

below, “The open magnetic field lines at the

north pole of the earth will be pointing toward

the sun, receiving a peak amount of solar parti-

cles. The sun's 11-year cycle of activity also will

influence earth's weather more strongly during

this time. Year 2012 will experience something

very unique. The sun will exper-ience a polar

reversal and the earth will also experience a po-

lar reversal. However, terrestrial polar reversal

takes a long process and has started already.”

There is a whole lot more at the following web

site: ifeinoneness. blogspot.com/2007/10/

galactic-solstice-2012.html It sounds like the

bees are going to be lost for a long time.

Curtsey of : Eric Mussen Entomology University of California

Davis, CA 95616

T H E D I A B L O B E E

Buzz about Bees

P A G E 5

Bee Haven

The Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven is a half-acre bee friendly garden next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facil-ity on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis. It was planted in

the fall of 2009. A grand cele-bration of the garden is sched-uled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010

Click here for more info

Boy Scout Beekeeping Merit Badge

Christopher Stowell is a young Boy Scout Boy in Troop 250, Skiatook, OK. He has started a petition to reinstate the Bee-keeping Merit Badge which was discontinued in 1995. He needs our help. Click here to add your name to the petition.

For more on Christopher’s story click here.

Soak apricots in water 12 hours. Stir in rhubarb. Cook in large saucepan, stirring often for 10 minutes. Add honey and sugar. Cook, stirring, not letting it stick, 30 minutes uncovered. Drop 1 tablespoon of jam onto a saucer. Let cook slightly to check for thickness, ladle into

APRICOT - RHUBARB HONEY JAM

1 (6 oz.) pkg. dried apricots, sliced 1 1/2 c. water 4 1/2 c. diced rhubarb 1 1/2 c. honey 3 c. sugar

jars. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Cooking with Honey

Coming Events

P A G E 6

Next Meeting:

September 9, 2010 7:30Heather Farm.

The October 14, 2010 meeting will be our annual BBQ! Please limit guests to immediate family. RSVP by email or call Lois Kail with your guest count. [email protected], (925) 356-2602

Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven at UC Davis Grand opening set for Septem-ber 11, 2010 Click here for more info. To submit events, email us.

Do you have an idea for an arti-cle? Do you have an article you would like to share? Send an email to: [email protected]

MDBA Events

Got something to say?

Other Events:

Classifieds

P A G E 7

G&M Honey

Full line of apiary supplies.

Uncapping knives, electric uncap-ping knives, scratchers, bottles, and lids.

Hive bodies, frames, queen ex-cluders, hive tools, clothing, smokers, and more…

We buy used gear.

Mike 925-808-1919

www.gandmhoney.com

UNWANTED CAPPINGS?

Do you have unwanted cappings? I will melt and clean them for the beeswax. Lois Kail, [email protected], (925) 356-2602

Need a spinner? Bee vac?

The MDBA has one available for members to rent.

For more info call:

Lois (925) 356-2602

Missing Books

We are still missing books

from the MDBA library.

Please return any books

you may have borrowed.

To add to the classified section please send an e-mail to [email protected]

A: Preparing for winter begins

when you rob them. Take note of

how your hive is doing, are they

active? Are the frames drawn

out? Make sure that they are go-

ing to have enough honey to last

Q: How long do bees live?

A: In the summer the work

themselves to death and only live

about 3 weeks.

Q: What are my bees doing hang-

ing on the outside of the hive.

A: What they are doing is called

bearding. They do this because

the hive is too hot or too crowd-

ed.

Q: When should I begin preparing

for wintering my bees?

the winter in your area.

Q: What is the biggest mistake

novice beekeepers make when

harvesting honey?

A: Extracting too much of the

colonies winter food storage.

Make sure the brood box is left

untouched. Find out how much

honey a colony needs to survive a

winter in your climate & ensure

they have that available.

Ask your questions here.

2010 Board Members

At the October meeting the Board for 2010 Board was elected:

President - Rick Kautch

First Vice President - Bob Kelly

Secretary - Lois Kail

Treasurer - Jay Todesco

VP, Community Education - Judy Casale

VP, Member Education - Sylvia Goemmel

VP, Membership - Jan Spieth

VP, Newsletter - Steven Sparks

www.diablobees.org

Mt. Diablo Beekeepers Association (MDBA) is dedicat-ed to educating communities about honeybees and the historic art of beekeeping.

The MDBA is one of the largest bee associations in the United States with 120 members from around the world. The MDBA meets at 7:30 PM on the second Thursday of every month, except November and De-cember, at Heather Farm Garden Center in Walnut Creek, California.

Each month, the MDBA presents a different speaker

on a variety of topics and has an open forum for peo-

ple to exchange ideas and helpful tips.

Mount Diablo Beekeepers

Association

Beekeeping Q & A

Answers to your questions about

bees, beekeeping, and anything

related to them!