Hi everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful week as we enjoyed some mild temperatures along enduring some heavy rain earlier in the week.
The Halfmoon Bay Community Garage Sale is this weekend, Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If participating, be sure to post your address on their Facebook page and organizer/page creator Dell will create a list of addresses. When travelling through the community, watch your speed, be aware of more pedestrians along the roadside and please be mindful of where you park.
The Halfmoon Bay branch of the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary is holding their spring Bake and Plant Sale in Trail Bay Mall on Saturday, May 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drop by for some yummy treats and some awesome plant deals.
The Sargeant Bay Society annual general meeting will be on Wednesday, May 4 starting at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. One of the new business items is an update on the new fish ladder. For more information and the Zoom meeting details, please send an email to [email protected].
What to do if you see a swarm or cluster of bees? Well, experienced beekeeper Steve Clifford of Halfmoon Honey shared some information regarding bee swarms. “Swarms are quite common as it is the way the hive of honeybees reproduces. When the hive becomes strong in numbers and crowded in their cavity, the bees make the decision to swarm. The queen will stop laying eggs so she can fly while the workers start new queen cells to replace her.” When the time is right, usually mid-day, with good weather, the workers fill up with honey and approximately half of the bees and the queen leave, or what’s called ‘issue,’ the hive. The bees may not travel far and will gather on whatever the queen lands on. The bees remain at that location for one or two days while the worker bees scout for a new place to set up shop. Steve says he would love to listen in on that conversation. When the bees first cluster, they are not dangerous as the workers are so full of honey they cannot sting.
Steve is a master beekeeper and has been managing bees for more than 40 years. In Steve’s hive, “we do our best to prevent the bees from swarming. We try to increase the size of the hive and destroy any new ‘swarm cells’ the bees build.” They take strength away from strong hives and give it to weaker ones or split them into new hives to curb the bee’s urge to swarm. “The sad part is if the hives not managed the bees will almost certainly fall prey to parasitic mites. Also, the ‘issuing’ colony is now greatly weakened and will produce little or no honey that season.” If you come across a swarm or cluster of bees, don’t panic, call Steve at 604-885-9664. He will safely remove the cluster and relocate these amazing little creatures. Thank-you Steve!
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Be safe, be gentle, and always be kind.
