With the weather starting to warm up ever so slightly members are starting to report their bees becoming quite active once the sun gets up in the mornings after coming out of what seemed like hibernation over the past couple of months.
Our Gladstone Branch will be holding our AGM on Sunday 4th September 10am at the Tondoon Botanic Gar-dens. All positions will become vacant for re-election. Members should have received a nomination form. We will then look at some exciting events for the remainder of the year.
I took the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to have a bit of a sneak preview into the hive we donated to the Boyne Island School much to the delight of the students from their gardening class. The kids were fascinated by the activity of the bees and a few even got to taste some beautiful honey.
Another of our rescue hives was donated to the Tannum Sands Kindy and the kids are now in the process of painting their own box ready for when this hive will be split later in the year. Ross Gane and I visited the Kindy and both the staff and kids were overjoyed with the acquisition.
Water meter hive rescues: We have 6 water meter res-cues to perform once the hives have had a chance to strengthen and the weather is more suitable. I have checked out each of the hives and all except one seem to be very active so here’s hoping they will be successful.
I also mentioned in last issue that one of my volunteers on a recent marine debris cleanup to Cape York who lives in Gladstone has a very healthy collection of native bee hives on his property. I visited him and was blown away with his collection and his knowledge. He has in excess of 150 hives (TH, AA, AC), all his hives are made of hardwood which he mills and builds himself. Interestingly all his propagation is done through the eduction method. Wayne is planning to join ANBA and I am sure will be a very valuable member.
I came home from that visit full inspiration to start building my own hardwood hives from a quantity of Cooktown Ironwood I have.
From Ian Anderson
For more info on branch activities, visit our Facebook page ANBA Gladstone Branch, https://www.facebook.com/groups/480678232538075
