honey bees

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.

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.

Summer and the Bees

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Summer has arrived and with it the sunshine, temperatures, and flowers that the bees and all the other pollinators love.

There are a few ways to help our bees through this heatwave. Take your entrance reducers off if you haven’t already, put spacer between the top cover and the first box to open the top just a little to allow for more airflow, and provide a source of fresh water (with something for the bees to land on).

Bring your questions and stories for the Q&A session at the upcoming meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association.

For the educational portion of the meeting, we will be welcoming Professor Jeffrey Heilveil, Entomology professor and Chair of the Biology Department at SUNY Oneonta. He will be discussing the various bee species found in our county. He’ll share insights on their vital roles and functions in the environment, along with tips on how we can enhance our interactions with these amazing pollinators!

The presentation will be followed by our own Mike Hoyt giving a practical demonstration of how to perform a mite check on a sample of bees from his own hives.

Finally, Mike will present on his trip to Denver, Colorado, and the bees that are kept on the roof of the Brown Palace Hotel. There will be a jar available to sample with the refreshments at the end of the meeting.

The next meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association will be held Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly the Farmers’ Museum) at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.