Rockingham County is rich in agricultural roots and the art of beekeeping is growing. We are a thriving association of over 100 beekeepers. We encourage visitors to our monthly meetings to learn the basics, ask questions or just learn about these fascinating insects. Our meetings are on the first Thursday of each month and are held at 7:00 p.m. in the Rockingham County Cooperative Extension Office at 525 NC Highway 65, Reidsville, NC. Checkout our Facebook Page for updates and interesting information on honey bees.
At Rockingham County Beekeepers Association, we believe that sustainability is key to our industry's success. We are committed to providing information, knowledgeable speakers and mentors to assist new beekeepers' success!
What Is a Swarm????
Swarm season is in the spring of the year in North Carolina. It is a natural response to overcrowding in a hive and spring is when the population booms. If the colony outgrows its hive, it signals the queen to fly off with roughly half of the colony's population to start a new hive in a different location. They send out scouts to look for a good place to make a hive. As they rest while the scouts are out is when most people see them resting on a tree branch as the picture to the right shows. Some important information about swarms:
Please contact your local beekeeper association. We have trained beekeepers that are experienced in rescuing the bees. We will be happy to come out and hive the swarm and remove the honey bees. Please text and/or call and leave a message. Below is a list of our beekeepers who have the skills to remove swarms. If you would like to speak to the swarm coordinator, Bobbie Gardner, please feel free to text or call 336-382-5939. Remember we are all volunteers and most have day jobs but we will do our best to help!
Honey bees sometimes set up home in walls, ceilings and other voids. Such situations are not "swarms" and are handled differently. We will ask you qualifying questions to assist us in working towards rescuing the bees. We do not remove yellow jackets, hornets or wasps. It is important to be ready to answer questions if you call a beekeeper. We might even ask you to send us a picture or two so we can figure out what you have and what is the best way to approach the bees.
Please don't spray the entry with bug spray, you will more than likely not kill the hive and will create a situation that beekeepers don't want to work around. Even if you could kill the bees you would leave the honey which will eventually attract other pests. There are two options to rescue the bees: trapping the bees or doing a "cut out". Both of these take quite a bit of effort and experience to accomplish successfully, thus most beekeepers charge for these removals. The beekeeper will discuss the cost involved and a waiver will need to be signed for liability.
A trap out doesn't require any demolition or construction and takes place over an extended period of time (4 weeks to 3 months). Sometimes this is difficult if the bees are established. Many times this method turns into a cut out, described below.
A cut out requires demolition from within the house or outside the house. The beekeeper removes the bees, comb and honey, places these in a hive and then moves the hive to its new location. This is hot, sticky and time consuming job. It is usually in odd and awkward locations and can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours to fully remove and prepare the void to be closed up. Most beekeepers charge and do not restore the opening they create. Some beekeepers are skilled in home repair to fix the opening, but don't forget to ask, this should be discussed before the removal begins. The homeowner normally assumes restoring the home to its original condition.
Our goal is to rescue as many bees as we can. Our swarm specialists are experienced beekeepers that are equipped to remove bees.
ARTICLE 1
(Name)
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be Rockingham County Beekeepers Association (RCBA).
Section 2: This organization shall be recognized as an official Chapter of the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA).
ARTICLE 2
(Objectives)
Section 1: Provide educational opportunities for members to further their understanding of all aspects of beekeeping.
Section 2: Promote cooperation, share information, work together, and mentor new members.
Section 3: Serve as an ambassador to the general public to educate and emphasize the importance of honeybees.
ARTICLE 3
(Members)
Section 1: Membership in Rockingham County Beekeepers Association is open to anyone who is interested in honeybees and who pays the annual dues to the Treasurer.
Section 2: All paid members have the right to vote on official RCBA business matters.
Section 3: Professional conduct is required at all meetings. Individuals who act otherwise may be asked to leave by the presiding officer.
ARTICLE 4
(Officers)
Section 1: Officers of RCBA shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Program Chairperson. Officers shall hold office from January 1 through December 31 of each year.
Section 2: RCBA officers shall be members in good standing who are interested in beekeeping and who are age 18 or older. It is highly recommended that they be members of the NCSBA.
Section 3: Each year, the Nomination Committee shall present a slate of proposed officers at the November meeting, or at the last meeting of the year. Prior to voting, the presiding officer shall call for additional nominations from the floor. All nominations from the floor, if any, shall be added to the proposed slate of officers. No person shall be elected to any office without his/her consent, and all proposed officers shall be members of RCBA.
Section 4: Voting shall be done by a show of hands if there are no additional nominations from the floor. Voting shall be done by written ballot if there are any nominations from the floor.
Section 5: There are no limits to the number of terms an officer may serve, but each officer shall be re-nominated and re-elected each year by following the election procedures specified in this article. In the event an office becomes vacant during the year, the Nominating Committee shall propose another member to serve the remainder of the term. The proposed officer shall be approved by a majority vote at the next regular meeting.
Section 6: Some officer functions may be combined if limited membership makes it necessary. If one person serves in multiple positions, he/she will perform the functions of each position.
ARTICLE 5
(Membership Dues)
Section 1: Annual dues shall be determined by a majority vote of the Association membership and shall be due January 1 of each year. New members may join the Association at any time during the year by paying the full annual dues.
Section 2: Prior members who fail to pay the annual dues for the current year shall be dropped from the membership roll on March 31. Membership may be restored by paying the current year’s dues.
Section 3: Membership in the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association is encouraged, but not required. The RCBA secretary shall submit any payments for state membership dues to NCSBA.
ARTICLE 6
(Meetings)
Section 1: Regular RCBA meetings shall be scheduled monthly and shall be held on the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., unless otherwise changed. If the location or time must be changed, the changes shall be approved by a majority vote of the members.
Section 2: Meeting information shall be made available to the public, and visitors shall be invited to attend.
Section 3: Special meetings shall be scheduled by a majority vote of the members and may include field days, social events, etc.
ARTICLE 7
(Committees)
Section 1: The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chairperson, and the immediate Past President. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to conduct business on behalf of RCBA when it is not in session. Activities and expenditures proposed by the Executive Committee shall be approved by the members at the next meeting.
Section 2: The Audit Committee shall consist of three RCBA members. The President shall recommend a Chairperson, who must be approved by the membership. The Chairperson will, in turn, select two additional members. The Audit Committee shall periodically audit the books of the Treasurer. Audits must be done in January of each year or any other time the Audit Committee deems necessary. All Audit Committee results shall be presented to the membership at the next regular meeting.
Section 3: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three RCBA members. The President shall recommend a Chairperson, who must be approved by the membership. The Chairperson will, in turn, select two additional members. The Nominating Committee shall submit a slate of proposed officers at the November meeting each year.
Section 4: The President shall appoint Special Committees to conduct various RCBA activities as required. Some of these activities will include, but not be limited to, the organization of field days and the Beginners Beekeeping Classes.
ARTICLE 8
(Quorum)
Section 1: For regular RCBA meetings, those members present shall constitute a quorum for transacting official business.
Section 2: A quorum for the Executive Committee shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of the committee members.
ARTICLE 9
(Officer Duties)
Section 1: The President shall preside at all meetings of the RCBA, using Robert’s Rules of Order. The President shall initiate committees, handle officer vacancies as needed, and perform other duties as required. The President will be authorized to make deposits and disburse funds should the Treasurer be unable to perform those duties. The President shall be an active member of the NCSBA.
Section 2: The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President when the President is absent. The Vice President shall serve as custodian of all property belonging to RCBA and maintain accurate records with all receipts, titles, and other documents as proof of ownership.
Section 3: The Secretary shall record the minutes of each regular meeting and other special meetings and present them to the membership for approval at the next regular meeting. The Secretary shall maintain accurate files for membership records, meeting minutes, and all communications including correspondence and publications. The Secretary shall assist the President and Vice President with communications between the public and RCBA.
Section 4: The Treasurer shall collect and disburse all monies for the RCBA. Purchases and expenditures shall be approved by the membership prior to payment. The Treasurer shall maintain accurate financial records, showing details for all receipts and disbursements and present a report to the membership at each regular meeting. In December of each year, after all RCBA business has been completed, the Treasurer shall close the financial books and prepare a written report, which shall be provided to the RCBA members at the regular January meeting. The Treasurer shall work with the Audit Committee to provide the necessary financial information and answer any questions. In addition, the Treasurer shall assist the Secretary with membership records.
Section 5: The Program Chairperson shall work with the President and Vice President to arrange for regular meeting programs. The Program Chairperson will assist with audiovisual equipment and other items that may be required for programs. In addition, the Program Chairperson shall assist as required with meeting location arrangements.
ARTICLE 10
(Amendments)
Section 1: Any article or any section of this Constitution and Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting upon the approval of a two-thirds (2/3) vote by the members present. All proposed amendments shall be presented to the Executive Committee for their recommendation and shall be presented in writing to the entire membership at least 30 days before voting.
ARTICLE 11
(Distribution of Assets upon Dissolution)
Section 1: Upon the time of dissolution of the RCBA, assets shall be distributed by the Executive Committee, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all debts and obligations, to the NCSBA or to the Rockingham County Center of the NC Cooperative Extension.
ARTICLE 12
(Repealing Clause)
Section 1: Upon acceptance by vote, this Constitution and Bylaws of the Rockingham County Beekeepers Association supersedes all previous Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2: This Constitution and Bylaws were read and adopted by two-thirds (2/3) vote by the members present at the following monthly meeting:
Meeting date: August 4, 2011
Meeting location: Wentworth, NC
President: Harvey Friddle
Vice President: David W. Medlin
Secretary: Kirstin Friddle
