Dear Subscribers,
We had some 80-degree days in late February here in Gainesville, FL, but then it turned pretty cold and that kind of weather stayed around. It looks like our azaleas bloomed early, froze back and are blooming again. We'll have to wait to see what happened during the citrus bloom, usually March 15, but this year the bloom appears to have begun way early. I had reports of it while in Hershey, PA at the North American Beekeeping Convention and Trade Show.
Speaking of the American Beekeeping Federation, it's worth getting the January/February issue of the newsletter sent to all members. Read the historical analysis by Troy Fore as the Federation celebrates 70 years, also found in this month's Bee Culture magazine, written by Ann Harman. It's also worth repeating a special initiative coming out of the Federation concerning the state delegate situation as reported by vice president Tim Tucker:
“It is our hope that you will encourage your state leadership to submit names for attendance at the 2014 North American Beekeeping Conference & Tradeshow in Baton Rouge. This has been a difficult process at times, but we need to know who is coming from each state and who will be representing your state at the annual state delegates luncheon. This is a very important matter, as four of the ABF Board members are elected out of this group. As a result, the delegate members carry much weight in forming the direction and ongoing progress of the ABF. We will certainly commit to doing a better job of letting you know how many delegates your state is entitled to in 2014. We typically know this number in the late summer. So, if at all possible, please let us know as soon as you have elected your state delegates and we hope that you will fill all of your positions for next year. Please send your name(s) to Robin Lane, ABF executive director, at robinlane@abfnet.org.”
Finally, the Federation urges beekeepers to get on the webinar bandwagon; these are all cataloged
online . Get the perspective of Dr. Roger Hoopingarner, Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University and others. Finally, “The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) is pleased to announce a new online educational program available at a discounted rate for all ABF members - the Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (BEES). Under the direction of Dr. David Tarpy, associate professor and extension apiculturist, Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, the BEES network is an online resource for beekeepers at all levels.”
A new disease has raised its head according to
Catch the Buzz. “idiopathic brood disease syndrome” (IBDS) appears at first glance related to CCD, but symptoms for larvae only are described, so its being called something more specific to the brood. Whether this confuses or clarifies determination of the current losses of honey bees remains to be seen.
There continues to be a lot of information coming out now about neonicotinoid insecticides. I discussed the Australian experience in
last month's newsletter. The Europeans appear to be leading the pack in
attempting to ban these substances. A
recent Canadian study reveals that they don't appear to be as problematic as in Europe, while a post to the CAPA-L list sums up one Canadian scientist's current thinking:
From: Gard Otis <gotis@uoguelph.ca>
Date: Thu, Mar 14, 2013 at 2:12 PM
Subject: Effects of neonicitinoid pesticides on bees
To: CAPA-L@listserv.uoguelph.ca
I continue to be amazed by the vast range of perspectives on the potential and real effects of imidicloprid (neonics in general) on bees. There is literally no agreement between different groups on this topic.
It is important to keep in mind that when researchers perform a scientific experiment on bee colonies, they have a control group of colonies and an experimental group (e.g., treated with insecticide). The greater the difference between the control and the experimental colonies, the more likely the statistical tests will detect a difference. The larger the sample size (number of hives studied), the greater the liklihood that a difference will be shown to be statistically different. Working with bee hives, we almost never have the sorts of very large sample sizes that one would want to have confidence in the results, and to be able to detect relatively minor differences.
But on top of all of that, when one fails to demonstrate a statistical difference between the controls and experimental colonies, it does not mean that the pesticide has no effect. It means that under those particular circumstances (exp. method, sample size of colonies etc.) no effect could be detected.
Here is another link to a
short video on this topic that is intriguing:
I continue to sit on the fence on this topic-- it is soooo complex.
Dr. Gard W. Otis, Professor
School of Environmental Sciences
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 2W1 Canada
Tel: 519-824-4120 x52478; Fax: 519-837-0442
gotis@uoguelph.ca
A
Pollinator Summit was held in Washington, DC on March 5, 2013 with seed treatments as a focal point. Al Summers in Colorado of Ichiban Apiculture & Honey Co. attended the webinar associated with this “dust” event and concluded: “So..for the time being anyway..it seems to me..and many others I might say..that the best course of action with regard to the neonics..is to encourage further sound research into possible long term effects..and continue to support the reformulations and modifications that the manufacturers are currently doing with these products to make them less hazardous. There is still lots of room for the organic and non-pesticide folks to do their thing if they want to..I believe. But in the larger environmental and agricultural sense..there also seems to be a place for the use of the Neonic products.”
A rather comprehensive history of this class of pesticides and the controversy surrounding them is found at
wikipedia.org. This article has a link describing the effect of the parent material,
imidacloprid, on honey bees.
Meanwhile Bayer one of the manufacturers of these materials has launched its Bee Care Program with a tour across the midwest
focusing on corn seed. Part of this initiative is a
brand new web site.
Check out the latest from
Dr. Eric Mussen at the University of California, Davis. He writes in his prologue: “Colony numbers and colony populations were really down for quite a few beekeepers who normally bring good bees to almond pollination. But, the weather has remained cool, slowing down the maturation of bloom and giving the bees extra days to get the job done. As long as it has been warm enough for the pollinated flowers to become fertilized, I believe we have dodged the bullet, again.” Topics in the newsletter include: Nosema and Fipronil, Varroa the Cause?, Uncap by Hand? and a Tutorial on Russian Bees.
The latter topic is a favorite of mine as this stock continues to be somewhat controversial based not on the bees, so much as
the style of the beekeeper. They are subject to swarm, on occasion can be defensive, but do produce honey. Finally, they have been shown to be much more varroa tolerant than the run-of-the-mill honey bees found in the U.S.
Subsequent to publishing his newsletter, Dr. Mussen sent out an informal message urging beekeepers to to participate in the Bee Informed Partnership (BIP), to which I add a hearty Amen!
“Please excuse the 'folksy' format, but reporting on this in a formal, scientific manner thus far has not stimulated the interest it should have.
“Fill ‘er Up, Please!
“To glean information on better beekeeping management and techniques, do you tend to sidestep formal conference presentations in favor of informal meetings at a local coffee shop? That’s what national surveys indicate. Not to worry. We now have the country’s largest beekeeping coffee shop that can bring the experiences of thousands of beekeepers to you.
“And it’s free. You don’t have to buy the coffee or wait for a refill or tip the waiters.
“It’s the online “
Bee Informed Partnership.” You can go to and see up-to-date summaries of all the data that the nation’s beekeepers – more than 5,000 so far – have submitted to the site. Thus, you can access information on what worked and what didn’t from thousands of beekeepers in the national coffee shop, not just your handful of friends in the local area.
“The Bee Informed Partnership is well into its third year. There is just about enough data to begin to break down the survey responses into specific sub-segments such as: regions of the country, size of operation, participants in crop pollination, etc. However, in order to make the findings valuable for commercial operators, more commercial beekeepers need to submit data.
“Participation in the program is free and totally anonymous (covered by federal and state laws). When you decide to participate, you will be presented with two electronic survey forms to complete. One is on “winter” losses (but this covers the entire year) and the other is on management practices and how effective you found them to be. The expectation is that the surveys will be submitted quarterly. The good news is that each new survey form arrives pre-loaded with your last data. You change only what is different from the last time and submit it.
“The new survey season begins March 29 and remains open until April 15. By then, participants will know a lot about their wintering success or lack thereof. I strongly suggest that you take the time to become involved in this program. Besides data summaries, there are graphics of the data (which I prefer to tables any day). Additionally, some of us are allowed to comment when we think that the results could be a bit misleading, based on small sample sizes or specific biases in the respondent group.
“The national coffee shop is open. Your fellow beekeepers await your presence and your experiences and views. Please 'bee' there at
http://beeinformed.org/ .”
Thanks, Eric Mussen, Extension Apiculturist.
There continue to be newsletters published in lots of formats full of interesting material, including commercial ones like
Walter T. Kelley Company and other, such as
project Apis M. and the
Bee Health Extension project (CAP). Both journals also publish extra information electronically (i.e.
Bee Culture's Catch the Buzz) besides their paper issues.
I have selected a few topics this month with
respective links.
This month they include: Bee Venom Can Kill the HIV Virus; Sublethal doses of imidacloprid decreased size of hypopharyngeal glands and respiratory rhythm of honeybees in vivo; 2013: A Year of the Biggest Global Event in Beekeeping (Apimondia 43); Bees, lies and evidence-based policy; The buzz stops here: Bumblebees are in trouble; video showing a human who appears to be made up of bees; The Filibuster Solution, Or 'What If Honeybees Ran The U.S. Senate?'Bees under the Microscope (see bee gut up close and personal); Bees Attracted to Contrasting Colors;Two stung to death by honeybees at Indian funeral site; Are Honeybees Losing Their Way?; Honey fingerprinting.
Amazon.com reports 57 units of
Storey's Guide to Keeping Honey Bees were sold fromFebruary 4, 2013 to March 3, 2013. Most were bought in Bringtn, VT, Plattsburg, NY and Boston, MA.
===========================================
Gleanings from the March 2013 Bee Culture:
Remember that Bee Culture now has a
digital edition.
Maryann and Jim Frazier, Penn State U. write that they are not necessarily in the “chemicals are not the answer” mode. That was put in by Bee Culture's editors it seems in their article about pesticides and honey bees.. Dean Burroughs, Salisbury, MD asks if he needs all the bee paraphernalia he has bought over the years. Apparently not; he's selling some of it. Jeanne Hanson, Madison, WI wants to know where the articles are on the lifeblood of the beekeeping industry, package bee producers. Chris Sennott urges beekeepers locating on urban roofs to get written permission before putting any hive on a structure or the roof warranty might be at risk. Judy Pendergast sends get well wishes to Editor Flottum on his recent health challenges. Christopher Stowell describes the results of the
campaign for the Boy Scouts of America to reinstate the beekeeping merit badge and urges all beekeepers to get involved.
For the Spring reading list see the
reprinted History of American Beekeeping. Check out Ross Conrad's DVD series on
natural beekeeping. Finally, there's Building Beehives for Dummies by Howland Blackston, published by John Wiley & Sons. Comes highly recommended for all those builders out there .
Editor Flottum in the Inner Cover takes on pooling orders for queens and figuring opportunity costs for pollination vs honey production.
It's Summers Time focuses on signs of Spring. To escape, Kathy and Kim went to Hershey, PA (Did it work?) but had to leave the chickens behind. Read what happened.
Wei-Fone Huang and Leellen Solter take a comparative look at the two nosema species for the Managed Pollinator CAP (Coordinated Agricultural Project). Read how these organisms differ and yet are closely related.
Clarence Collison and Audrey Sheridan take a closer look at communicative dances. Read what has been learned since von Frisch.
Nancy Wade looks at honey bee allergy from the perspective of a board certified allergist. Read why all beekeepers should have an
Epipen in their kit.
Larry Connor continues his column on beekeeping with a description of the diseases and pests one might encounter (Number 10 in the series). Yet again, he reiterates that wax moths are only a problem in weak colonies.
Jeff Harris remembers how he got hooked on bird watching as a kid. Read his Voice of the South on how beekeeping can fit into childrens' education and the role of
Mississippi State's Plant Bug Camp.
Join the inaugural launch of the Bees and Beekeeping Forum at
http://www.yourgardenshow.com/ Among other things get involved in
citizen-science projects, some involving bees.
Jim Tew discusses recovering (cleaning up) winter-killed colonies. Read how to do an autopsy, and his concept of a Herculean effort, Sisyphean beekeeping.
Ross Conrad writes about how to use a smoker effectively. Read about the importance of cool smoke, judiciously applied and perhaps more importantly, what to do if you don't have smoke.
Jennifer Berry describes how the University of Georgia is reaching out to the larger agricultural community. Read about activities at the well-known Ag-Expo in Moultrie, GA, the Young Harris Beekeeping Institute, and even outreach to gardeners to protect pollinators and beneficial insects.
Phil Craft provides answers about overwintering in Kentucky, helping colonies maintain their temperature, and other issues. Don't forget to
Ask “Dr. Phil” about your most troubling beekeeping problems. They might show up on the pages of Bee Culture.
Toni Burnham looks at the top ten urban rooftop issues, including one mentioned in the letters to the editor (see letter above). Read the case studies concerning a less-than-perfect roof and out apiaries on a roof top.
Jessica Lawrence concludes there are other bees and pollinators besides social honey bees. Read her analysis of alfalfa leaf cutters, blue orchard bees, even (Heaven forbid!) calliphorid and syrphid flies, and/or those notorious “plant cows.” Yikes!
Marcel Durieux describes beekeeping in Rwanda. Read about the bees of Nyungwe and how things happen there we in the U.S. might not expect, like a beekeeper burning down 300 hectares of wild gorilla habitat through a smoker accident!
Buddy Marterre asks why treat for Varroa? Read his analysis of the effectiveness of treatments and risks involved. He suggests looking at the data at the
Bee Informed Partnership (BIP), discussed earlier in this newsletter. He concludes you don't get much bang for your treatment buck and believes many beekeepers are treating, but really don't know why.
Ann Harman looks at the
American Beekeeping Federation as it celebrates 70 years of service. Read its history and where it might be going from here. It's not cheap to join, and membership dues are expected to increase next year, but the benefits continue to improve, especially for the small-scale beekeeper. Look for Ann next year in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Connie Krochmal looks at the teasels as good bee plants. Read what these were used for historically, and why they are still revered in some cultures.
Ed Colby on the Bottom Board says he's received a gift from heaven, his girl friend Marilyn. Only problem, she's allergic to bee venom (or was). Read how that was treated and what it means to their relationship.
The Science of Bee Culture, Vol. 5, No. 1 includes papers on mounting honey bee body parts for
morphometric analysis, efficacy of baits and lures for small hive beetle (SHB), and a resume of the American Bee Research Conference held in Hershey, PA by the
American Association of Professional Apiculturists in conjunction with the North American Beekeeping Conference and Trade Show, put on by the American Beekeeping Federation. It's worth exploring this section for tidbits you won't find elsewhere like whether it's useful to use solar-absorbing paint on bee equipment.
Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
beeactor@apisenterprises.com
http://apis.shorturl.com
Bee sure to subscribe to
Catch the Buzz, Bee Culture's latest releases of importance to beekeepers. Also access the
Apis Information Resource Center , which contains archived articles, listing of posts on blogs, web sites, and links to related materials.
