2009 Michigan Beekeepers Calendars

Michigan Beekeepers' Association 2009 Calendars

September 2009

IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN BEEKEEPING HISTORY 1650 - 1851

1650's The history of beekeeping changed when the first octagonal hive and supers constructed of wood were built by Rev. William Mew of Gloucester, England.

1675 - The first patent issued for a wooden hive that contained removable inside frames was issued to John Gedde, a Scot.

1792 - The first actual scientific studies of honey bees were performed by Francois Huber in Geneva, Switzerland. Huber, who was blind, had his servant, F. Furnens do the actual observations. Huber invented a leaf hive system so that vertical combs could be examined individually and is credited with discovering that.

- Queen bees transform from worker bees

- The Queen (not King) ruled the hive

- Workers actually laid eggs that hatch

- Queens are capable of fighting

- The cause of swarming, the use of antennae, and the production of wax scales

1851 - Historically, Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth's dev elopement of the 10 frame with moveable frames, stimulated the commercial growth of beekeeping. The interior dimensions of the hive were based on the principal of 'bee space'. Langstroth realized that bees leave open a space of 5/16 inch, build bur comb in space over 3/8 inch, and will propolize spaces of 1/4 inch or less.

October 2009

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IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN BEEKEEPING HISTORY 1850 - 1900

1857 Straight combs were assured when Johannes Mehring, a carpenter from Germany designed wax foundation with octagonal indentations for use in Langstroth frames.

1865 The first queen excluder was built by Abbe Collin.

1866 A. J. Cook was appointed instructor at Michigan Agricultural College. He became professor of Entomology and one of the great teachers of bee culture. He was a practical beekeeper and authored the Bee-Keepers Guide and many articles on bees.

The first centrifugal honey extractor designed for the 10" x 10" Austrian frames was developed by Major Franz van Hruschka of Austria.

1868 Langstroth's frames were enhanced when A. I Root designed a centrifugal extractor using apple parer gears on top. It was the first all metal extractor.

1870 The first bellow-type smoker was developed by Moses Quimby in New York.

1891 The first leaf spring bee escape developed by E. C. Porter in Illinois, is being used today exactly as Port designed it.

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Our American Heritage

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The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history.

Woodrow Wilson (1856 - 1924)

This is a collection of quotes and interesting facts about our American History.
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Military Discount
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