Dear Subscribers,
I have added a few more posts to the
blog concerning the Apimondia Congress. In the December 2013 issue of Bee Culture Philip McCabe, former President of Apimondina Ireland reports about the considerable issues surrounding the Kiev event. And John Phipps of "The Beekeepers Quarterly" chimes in with some of the same conclusions about the Congress' organization. Both, however, believe that lessons learned at the event will be used to ensure future congresses will continue to have some of the same value and charm as experienced by participants in the past. No doubt we have all seen the demonstrations that are going on in Kiev as the country is torn between orienting toward the west (European Union) or east and north (Russia). This kind of political upheaval may have also colored Apimondia 43's roll out. I personally am glad it was concluded before the political demonstrations and Ukrainian winter set in.
We are enjoying clear skies and 80 degree F weather here in Gainesville, Florida while much of the U.S. is suffering some pretty miserable conditions. Snow in the north and west, and rain in the southern plains and Mississippi valley are on tap for the next few days. Colonies will no doubt be under snow in the north for a period. They should be ok provided there is enough stored food. The old adage persists, “colonies don't freeze to death, they starve to death.”
Dr. Jamie Ellis and crew at the University of Florida are gearing up for the 2014 Caribbean Bee College. They are joining forces with the Caribbean Bee Congress. The events will be held Monday- Friday, May 26-30, 2014 at the University of the Virgin Islands, Albert A. Sheen Campus, Kingshill, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands. Expect a full schedule, and information concerning registration, ticket pricing, and local accommodations early in the New Year. See also information on the Florida Bee College Friday and Saturday March 7th & 8th, 2014 and the second edition of the South Florida Bee College August 16 and 17 on the HBREL
web site.
The
North American Honey Bee Conference and Trade Show is less than a month away. It features the usual activities associated with American Beekeeping Federation conventions, including a programmed visit to the Baton Rouge Bee Laboratory.
The discussion concerning
world honey trends as posted by Peter Bray of Airborne honey provoked some discussion and questions posed by Colorado's “Al” Summers. “We were wondering if you could comment on your thoughts about what was affecting the numbers around 1995. Some of us have speculated it was due to effects of Varroa. It is also speculated that it was due perhaps to climatic effects]."
Mr Bray responded: “Not sure... But at the time I did this I thought about it and came up with the most likely factors being:
"A change or error in reporting to the FAO by one or more countries... I haven't looked in detail to test this hypothesis.
"A decrease in price. While the price is in US$, individual countries may have a relative decrease in price due to their exchange rate. Going back to individual country data to see which ones were the major contributors of this may help to jog memories/indicated where to look....
“Beekeepers increase hive numbers when they are profitable (only place capital ultimately comes from is tax paid profit). Beekeepers reduce hive numbers when the economics don't add up. Have a look at the
US hive numbers...
“The decrease has been a trend since FAO figures started in 1961. I'm really suspicious of the reporting there.... big drops in numbers in 1964, 1970, 1985..... we gained 30% of hives when Varroa turned up! Beekeepers paid a levy on Apiaries so didn't declare all apiaries, but when Varroa arrived, inspections found 30% more hives....
“Flying a big kite here. The biggest cause of US hive Nos.??? Labour costs... over US$70,000 per head compared to Argentina maybe US$7,000 (real rough estimates here). Labour is not the biggest cost in beekeeping in Argentina or China. It is in the US and NZ.
“Now that Pollination is such a large contributor to US beekeeping income... it's more profitable, so with all the noise about how tough it is in beekeeping, the trend is a lower decrease and even a slight increase.... but again my suspicions of the level of detail in the reporting.....
Ruminations are free :-).”
Some of the answers might be deduced from the latest
world honey reportworld honey report by Ron Phipps.
Conclusion
:The dramatic events of 2013, including indictments, fines, jail sentences and bankruptcy, were beyond the American honey industry’s expectation. The consequences will continue to unfold step by step, with doors closing to some and opening for others, as whole networks of relations have been revealed which underlay the troubles which have been tormenting the international honey industry for the past decade. Despite the challenges of production, the effects of a two-tiered marked and the historically high prices, honey consumption has managed to increase and the consumer’s perception of honey as a valued healthy and natural sweetener has improved over the past year."
Read how beekeeper Bill McKibben is “ruining the lives” of others via his book, “Oil and Honey,” and environmental organization,
350.org.
He writes in part: “Comparisons are made between the decision-making process of human beings and the way a group of honey bees will organize thousands of bees to scout out new hives. The bees literally dance. The scout bees put a sizable number of alternatives on the table for discussion. In a short matter of time, the best possible home is chosen, agreed to, and the bees move in.
"In every detail, this pretty much describes the exact opposite of how politics works in Washington, and explains precisely why, for 20 years, our elected officials have done nothing to make our earth more secure... We don't have frank debate or foster good communication ...It's hard to imagine a hive that would, say, go over a fiscal cliff of its own making, or consider minting a trillion-dollar coin to solve its financial woes-or, for that matter, approve a pipeline when its most informed scouts had come back with the information that it might mean game over for the climate." Read the
rest of his remarks.
More about the impact of neonicotinoids on honey bees is being discovered every day it seems. “A team of scientists in Italy believe they have found the molecular mechanism through which neonicotinoid pesticides adversely impact the immune system of honey bees. The team’s experiments suggest that exposure to neonicotinoids results in increased levels of a particular protein in bees that inhibits a key molecule involved in the immune response, making the insects more susceptible to attack by harmful viruses.
“Neonicotinoids cause
significant problems for honey bees, including disruptions in mobility, navigation, feeding behavior, foraging activity, memory and learning, and overall hive activity. Yikes! It will be difficult for regulatory authorities to continue to ignore
the effects of these pesticides given
this paper in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
In a
Catch the Buzz, editor Flottum reports on new information concerning evaluating pollinator efficiency: “...researchers from North Carolina State University are proposing a set of guidelines for assessing the performance of pollinator species in order to determine which species are most important and should be prioritized for protection."
"Widespread concerns over the fate of honey bees and other pollinators have led to increased efforts to understand which species are the most effective pollinators, since this has huge ramifications for the agriculture industry," says Dr. Hannah Burrack, an associate professor of entomology at NC State and co-author of a paper on the new guidelines and related research. "However, various research efforts have taken a wide variety of approaches, making it difficult to compare results in a meaningful way. We've developed a
set of metrics that we think offers a comprehensive overview of pollination efficiency, which would allow researchers to compare data from different crops and regions."
In
another Buzz we learn that antibiotics are being looked at carefully and in all probability will be heavily regulated at least, if not banned in some applications, perhaps even including honey bees. It's about time. As far back as
2005, I wrote about the issues surrounding use of antibiotics by beekeepers.
Amazon.com reports 90 units of
Storey's Guide to Keeping Honey Bees were sold from November 11, 2013 - December 8, 2013. The Minneapolis St. Paul, MN area led again with 36 copies. Again, I am surprised at the number of copies being sold in the Twin Cities. Any ideas from this readership?
As always, see the latest on bee health at the
Bee Health Extension site. Read about Dr. Tom Stevens at the University of Massachusetts
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Gleanings from the December 2013 Bee Culture:
Remember that Bee Culture now has a
digital edition.
The Almond board of California suggests reader consult and update where appropriate its
pollination directory. Gregory Stoddard writes how he helped his bees by replacing the hive stands, eliminating all treated lumber. Ed Simon in Minnesota reports on his use of rubber bands when relocating colonies. Dwight Wells of the West Central Ohio Beekeepers Association reports on activities surrounding youth beekeeping activities in his region.
Seasonal gifts for beekeepers include: “Bees, A Natural History” by Christopher O'Toole and the third edition of one of best books of its kind, “
Honey Bee Diseases & Pests,” by the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists.
It's Summers Time allows Kathy to get a little more personal and profile her husband Editor Flottum. Read about the genesis of his unique journalism career and partnership in publishing.
Clarence Collison takes a closer look at nectar. Read what makes up the sweet, including some of its lesser known components, like nicotine. The latter situation gives pause; isn't nicotine a pesticide? We all look forward to Dr. Collison's book based on his "closer look" articles to be released next year.
Vaughn Bryant takes on truth in labeling honey. Read about this complex situation from pollen identification to what constitutes a unifloral honey source. When it comes to honey standards, there's a long way to go if these are going to be of much value to the consumer in the future.
Jack Blackford writes about having fun with caramelized honey. He suggests several new products that might be big sellers from this raw material. Mead is his passion, however, and something called “Bochet,” the end of his rainbow. This is an interesting example of the progression of something tasting great (honey) being burned and thus considered ruined (bad tasting), but transformed through more heat into another quite delectable product (caramelized honey). Bee careful in making this though; the process can be full of nasty surprises!.
I am really impressed with the interviews section in this month's magazine and hope it will continue as a tradition. If you don't get Bee Culture regularly, you should hop on down to the local
tractors supply store and get a copy of this one. My store has sold all their copies! The interviews are insightful and wide ranging, literally something for everyone. More importantly they reveal a sense of common purpose for all the players, interviewers and interviewees, providing a platform for a more reasoned approach to many of the “extremist” controversies that permeate and plague our times.
Toni Burnham talks to Same Droege of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Read his take on the wild (non Apis) vs Apis debate going on in urban areas. Ann Harman introduces us to James “Dan” Daniel, photographer, naturalist, musician, poet, engineer, artist and gourmet diner. He's dined in two of the worlds most famous restaurants, worlds apart from each other. Ross Conrad speaks to Helen Young, biology professor of Middlebury College concerning her research on bumble bees. Finally, Jessica Lawrence visits with Bobby Louque, entomologist, gardener, cook, homesteader, and incidentally her husband. Read in what beekeeping activity this relatively recent newcomer holds a world record.
The centerpiece of the interviews is Editor Flottum's conversations during a recent visit to Monsanto's headquarters in St. Louis, MO. Read the history of this huge conglomerate and where it might be heading. He interviewed seven officials, five of whom came from family farm backgrounds. Micheal Doane, Sustainable Policy Leader; Kelly Fleming, Product Manager for Biologicals; Deborah Patterson, President of the Monsanto Fund (the charitable side of the corporation); Mark Edge, Water Efficiency Maize For Africa Partnership LTD Project Leader; Billy Brennan, Senior Manager of Sustainability and International Communication, and Glynn Young, Social Media Guru. He got an earful from the Corporation, but also was allowed to state the case for beekeeping. In other words, both he and Monsanto drank each other's “kool-aid.” Perhaps from those conversations might come the awareness that this “kool-aid” is a common beverage that must be shared by all on spaceship earth.
Jeff Harris, The Voice of the South, visits his mentor, Dr. John Harbo, and discusses the possible future of Varroa senstive hygiene (VSH). Read what Dr. Harbo has done since retiring from the USDA laboratory in Baton Rouge.
Jim Tew appears excited about a brand new activity, photographing bees on the fly. Read his odyssey from photoshop to powerpoint capture.
Larry Connor decides to look at the successes and/or failures of beekeepers after five years. Many don't make it that long, but those that do have a much greater chance of continuing in the craft. Read what these folks learned and where they might go from here.
Jim Thompson urges folks to practice now for next year's baked good(s) show. Read his tips and most importantly read the rules for this category in your local honey show.
Phil Craft continues to have answers for beekeepers. Read what he says about testy bees in Texas and moving honey bee colonies in Kentucky.
Heather Luther is early with her 2014 resolutions. One includes use of so-called “walk away splits” in her beekeeping operation.
Find a detailed index of articles for 2013 in this issue along with the usual “All The News That Fits.” The obituaries of Euvonne Harrison (Oklahoma) and Ted Janson (Missouri) reveal the passing of folks who made a difference in their local beekeeping association. Numerous contributions by Alan Harman are also listed in this section, including: The NASDA
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture policy amendment recommending USDA develop policies relating the pollinator, imports and Canadian bees to Australia (OZ), honey bees going extinct in history, honey bees acting carefully, the European Union's support for beekeeping, trojan females in pest control, New Zealand keeping OZ bees out and Dupont Pioneer's “neonicotinoid-free” option for corn and soybean producers.
Ed Colby and “sidekick” Marilyn attended Apimondia 43. Read his comments about the trials and tribulations of attending the event in Kiev and travelling in the Eukraine. He promises to write about the good luck in the future, but mostly dwells on the bad aspects here. Even so , we get the impression that he might not be opposed to giving this international Congress another go. Stay tuned.
Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
beeactor@apisenterprises.com
http://apis.shorturl.com
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