To vent or not to vent?

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That is the question we are considering as we discuss what the season ahead holds at this months meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Associaiton.

In addition to some delicious snacks provided by our members, this months meeting will be featuring a presentation on the benefits and considerations of Condensing Hives versus Vented Hives.

What are these, you may ask. A condensing hive operates on the idea that heat rises and brings respiration from the bees with it which then spreads out across the top and condenses on the sides of the hive, there are no ventilation holes at the top of the hive.

A vented hive is one that uses vents and the airflow they generate to manage moisture in the winter hive.

We will be discussing these two types of winter bee survival strategies in a webinar with Peggy DeSanto of Hive Huggers who will provide information on the two types of hives as well as introduce the Hive Hugger system.

Following the presentation we will have our regular discussion of month to month activities, a chance for Q&A with the group and then our regular business meeting. All are welcome.

The meeting will be heldThursday, August 27, 2026, at the Louis C. Jones Center at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly The Farmers’ Museum) at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.

Snacks will be available at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting starting at 7 p.m.

We’ll Bee seeing you there.

Bees and Heat Waves

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Up and down the temperature has ranged this year. We turn on our air conditioning but how do the bees handle these heatwaves?

That will be the topic of discussion at this month’s meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association.

Our usual introductions will be followed by a fishbowl discussion of how bees handle climate control in the ever changing climate of upstate New York and what we can do to help them. That will be followed by the monthly activities.

We will also be holding a sign up for a group purchase of woodenware and a workshop hosted by our own Mike Hoyt to assemble and paint the boxes.

The discussion will be followed by our regular business meeting.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. with discussion starting at 7 p.m., not at the Louis C. Jones Center, but at the newly reopened Research Library next to the Fenimore Art Museum at 5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.

We’ll Bee seeing you there!

An Ounce of Prevention

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The time to fix Varroa problems is now.

With the season well underway it’s our job as beekeepers to keep an eye on the Varroa mite population and plan to treat the bees when it becomes necessary. To that end the next meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association will feature a discussion session among the members about our Varroa mite counts and our plans on how to deal with this.

The homework for the meeting is to perform a test for Varroa mites on your colonies.

The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with snacks and the meeting will be called to order at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, in the Louis C. Jones Center at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly The Farmers’ Museum), 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.

The discussion will be followed by Q&A, a discussion of monthly activities, and the business meeting.

We’ll Bee seeing you there.