Save the Dates:
| June Meeting: The June 2026 Stanly County Beekeepers Association meeting will be held on Thursday, June 11 starting at 6 p.m. in the Stanly County Farm Bureau Livestock Arena. Our meal will be Potluck/Covered dish – bring an entree and or dessert with serving utensil. Beverages will be provided. Our program speaker will be Ashby Miller, Owner of Ashby Farms in Burlington, NC. Ashby will be discussing how to use double screen boards to make splits and the importance of drones in our hives. Rember to bring a door prize and know that we still have Association “Bees Matter” T-shirts available for purchase. Also, if you have some pictures of your beekeeping experiences you would like to share, text or email them to me and I will get them on a jump drive to show while we enjoy our meal. Text to 704-475-3095 or email jpratliff1@gmail.com The Queen Rearing class presented by Nancy Ruppert and the Montgomery Beekeepers Association (MCBA) went very well on the first day, but the follow-up training scheduled for Saturday, May 23 was cancelled due to pending rain and thunderstorms. There is another opportunity sponsored by the MCBA to get some hands-on queen rearing and grafting experience this Saturday, June 13, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Pee Dee Electric facility, 9825 US-74, Lilesville, NC 28091. Refreshments will be served. Nancy Ruppert has provided a queen-rearing resource list that our Website Manager, Karla Aldridge has added to our website in the education area. Associations and Education, including resources for Queen Rearing – Stanly County Beekeepers Association – SCBA The NC Extension Master Gardeners will be offering a class on how to become a Master Gardener. Andrew Pfeifer, Cooperative Extension Agent, will be teaching the class. The class is scheduled to start on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Contact Andrew at 704-219-4342 for more details. Finally, Jerry and Donna Cotton are looking to downsize their beekeeping enterprise. You may recall from our visit to his apiary that he and Donna have their hands full!!! If you are in need of bees give Jerry a call at 980-621-6485. He plans on bringing a list of items and prices to the meeting. Below are some things to do in June: June Main nectar flow starts to dwindle—fewer supers needed, unless sourwood nearby: if in area of sourwood, consider harvesting available honey before mid-June sourwood flow to ensure more “pure” sourwood crop. If honey being harvested, put “wet” supers back on hives late in day to limit robbing. Can start late-season splits during last half of June; feed splits initially, even if there is nectar available Continue measures to control small hive beetle population. Check varroa mite levels if not done since February. (www.honeybeehealthcoalition.org) Keep water for bees constantly available. Make plans for attending NCSBA Summer Meeting in mid-July. See you soon! John Ratliff Membership Chair, Stanly County Beekeepers Association |
Stanly County Beekeepers Association - SCBA 