Belgium where she completed a Master in Biology, and following a Master Research in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation from Imperial College London (UK), she graduated from University of Maryland Honey Bee Lab and, since 2018, has acted as the Research Coordinator for the Bee Informed Partnership. BIP is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving honey bee health, by bridging the gap between science and stakeholders, contributing to, and promoting research on honey bee health and beekeeping management practices. In particular, Nathalie has collaborated in the production and analysis of BIP’s Loss and Management Surveys (2013-present), and several other monitoring programs organized by BIP and UMD. She is a self-described R-enthusiast, and beekeeper since 2009.
Join us for our March AABA Meeting! It will be held Tuesday, March 21st, 2023 from 6:30-8:40 PM at Arlington Echo.
6:30 Q and A and club business, (too cold to do a hive dive). Led by President Susan Beury
6:45 Liz Mehalick: Beekeeper Injury Prevention
7:15 Break
7:30 Charles Kyler: Swarm Traps and Swarm Prevention
Liz Mehalick: Beekeeper Injury Prevention
Due to the nature of beekeeping, injury risk factors such as heavy lifting, high degrees of manual materials handling, twisting, and awkward positioning are commonplace. This presentation will stray away from the bees, and towards the health and safety of their human beekeepers. Liz will be applying her expertise on body mechanics and ergonomics to present on injury prevention in beekeeping. She will discuss ways to maintain beekeeper wellness when working with equipment by delving into injury prevention best practices and tips for working ergonomically.
Liz Mehalick, MS, ATC, CSCS, CEASll
Liz Mehalick is an athletic trainer that joined CIP Solutions as an injury prevention specialist in
Liz graduated from Boston University in May 2021, earning her master’s degree in athletic training. Prior to her graduate studies, Liz completed her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Liz’s previous athletic training experience includes employment at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and clinical rotations at Indiana State University, Harvard University, and Simmons University working with Division I collegiates.
Charles Kyler: Swarm Traps and Swarm Prevention
Tis the season to get your swarm traps ready. With this year’s interesting weather, buckle up, it will be a swarmy spring. Charles will speak to swarm prevention and building swarm traps for our yards. This is a timely talk for all of us.
Charles Kyler Bee Bio
A resident of Howard County, Charles started beekeeping in 2017 after he and his wife completed a beginners course. Before completing the course, he took over management of a nature center’s observation hive and outside support hives.
As an avid woodworker, he has made all of his equipment and has taught classes on the subject. From the two packages he started with, his apiary count rose to four and then up to 40 hives.
Charles uses traps to catch swarms, as well as using them for swarm removals. Last year while doing an “intro yard” class, he had to switch gears to teaching a swarm class to catching a swarm, as a swarm landed on a fence post behind him. What catching that swarm, another started to land two posts down.
He has caught swarms in Maryland as well as in Arizona, including Africanized colonies. His passion for bees includes sharing his beekeeping knowledge and wordworking skills with others. He is a longtime member of an an online bee wooden ware builders group that now numbers over 19,000 members world wide.
Charles has dabbled with queen rearing and even traveled to Arizona with a queen in his pocket. He and his wife won Grand Champion at the Howard County Fair in 2019 for their creamed honey filled chocolates. They started selling their honey in 2020.
. Pam is an EAS Masterbeekeeper. Pam says ” I am a former high school chemistry teacher, turned beekeeper in 2013. I had a student taking over hives from her sister and I wanted my tomatoes to produce more, so I got honeybees. I was hooked immediately. The bees are fascinating. I try to help the bees help themselves.
Phil Frank will discuss the genesis of his co-authored new photobook “Hive Tour“, insights from his homemade observation hive, bee photography challenges and tips, and he’ll reveal the special, rare process used to capture the ultra-extreme bee closeups in “Hive Tour“.
Our November meeting on Nov 15 will feature Montgomery County Beekeeper Phil Frank co-author author of the new book, “Hive Tour”.
transmission in a honey bee colony. His current work uncovered how varroa are actively feeding and switching from one adult bee to another, and that relatively few mites are responsible for a majority of parasitized bees. During his PhD he was the recipient of the PAm-Costco award where he studied the vectorial capacity of Varroa destructor. He actively speaks at bee clubs and professional conferences, largely sharing information on beekeeping management. Zac previously worked for Michael Palmer at French Hill Apiaries in Saint Albans, Vermont. On the side Zac is the owner and operator of RockStar Queens. He produces quality nucleus colonies and queens in central Maryland.