To Bee or not to Bee Sox, honeycomb-pattern socks designed by Lynn DT Hershberger, would make a great gift for a beekeeper!

The free knitting pattern was created using slipped stitches, rather than the fair-isle knitting style, so a capable knitter should be able to complete a pair of these socks in two days.

The Eastern Apicultural Society of North America will host its annual Eastern States and Provinces apicultural symposium from 6-10 August, 2007 at the University of Delaware Clayton Hall Conference Center, Newark, Delaware, USA. This annual conference consists of lectures, workshops, vendor displays, short courses for beginning and advanced beekeepers. Contact chairman@easternapiculture.org or visit easternapiculture.org/ for more information.

Did you know that the ancient Egyptians used to put their hives on boats and float them down the Nile to new forage grounds, when nectar grew scarce?

Other cultures copied the practice, from the ancient Romans right down to the Mississippi Valley beekeepers of the early 1800s, and the transportation of English bees to forage was reported in the London Times of 1830:

As the small sailing vessel was proceeding up the Channel from the coast of Corn-wall and running near land, some of the sailors noticed a swarm of bees on the island; they steered for it, landed, and after they succeeded in hiving the bees they took them on board and proceeded on their voyage. As they sailed along the shore, the bees constantly flew from the vessel to the land to collect honey and returned again to their floating hive; and this was continued all the way up the Channel.

These fascinating facts about beekeeping in history are contained in “Wandering Beekeepers,” an article on Honey-Health.com website. Thanks to CBA member Sterling Clark for bringing the article to our attention!

The latest theory about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), as reported in The Independent (UK) and other media, is based a German study that shows the normal behaviour of bees is severely affected when hives are located within the radio frequency and electro-magnetic fields produced by powerlines. This has led researchers at Landau University, Koblenz, to look at the possibility that the widespread use of cell phones may be playing a role in CCD. The theory is that radio waves could be confusing the field bees, causing them to lose their sense of direction and become unable to return safely to the hive.

Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

Want to learn more about Beekeeping? Visitors and new beekeepers are always welcome! Most meetings include an educational session, group discussion, or hands-on demonstration for the benefit of beginning beekeepers in central New Brunswick. The Agricultural Research Centre (”Experimental Farm”) is on the Lincoln Road, Fredericton. Entry is around the back of the building.