March 2025 Meeting

Dwayne Furmidge was our guest speaker. Dwayne presented a PowerPoint presentation on our new equipment checkout system. Dwayne created a new system for using our educational materials and our extraction equipment. We are thankful for his efforts in this project! Bee Inspector John Harris gave an update on the status of the yellow legged hornet and spoke about the information from Clemson University which was presented at the spring NCSBA meeting about their efforts in the invasion of the yellow legged hornet.

Mary Cahill-Roberts also spoke on the yellow legged hornet. She obtained a YLH trap that Clemson University had at the spring meeting. The bottle has a QR code that we will share on our website and FB page. (See this link for more info on YLH).

Mary also proposed that our club consider hosting a Honey show. The cost for a starter box for the show of $75 was approved by our club Sandie Cecelski made the motion. Mary asked for two volunteers and Ellen Gurganious and Susan Warwick volunteered, to assist Mary in this effort.

We also heard from MaryJo Holt, she shared her homemade version of the Swarm Trooper. Made from political signs and lots of Gorrilla Glue tape! MaryJo and Rusty have been very successful in using these to capture swarms. Susan Warwick brought in her Swarm catcher using a large water bottle attached to a pool extension cleaning pole. Ryan gave an update on what to do now in your hives-we are still feeding and checking for mites and treating.

We also raffled off several items that were donated at the spring meeting. We raised $49. We also raffled off some honey from the Halyburton hives.