Dear Subscribers,
We continue experiencing lots of heavy thunderstorms at the beginning of summer, something not seen in recent years. The excess moisture is probably affecting the end of our honey flow here in North Central Florida; unusually wet weather can be problematic.
The colony I reported on last month still is queenless; not good news! We put in some open brood and hope the turn the situation around. If not, we may be faced with laying workers. All this supports the current idea that backup nuclei are a good strategy for full colonies in an apiary. Read an extended essay on this technique by Ross Conrad in this month's Bee Culture.
Two other things require watching based on excess moisture. Look for mosquito populations to build, with subsequent calls for pesticide applications and possible honey bee kills. Any tropical disturbance could produce record flooding on top of all the water already received. Rivers here are approaching full bore at the moment.
The Florida State Beekeepers Association was on a roll with this year's legislative session; some $2.5 million was proposed by the legislature for a new honey bee laboratory here at the University of Florida. However, it died via the Governor's veto pen. Kind of like the major sports mantra; wait until next year! There's plenty of economic evidence that this would be tax dollars well spent.
Congratulations to colleague Chip Taylor at the University of Kansas winner of the 2014 Pollination Protector Award for his Monarch Watch activity . Editor Flottum reports: “Taylor is on a crusade to plant new milkweed habitat through Monarch Watch's "Bring the Monarch Back" initiative. Beginning in 2005, the program has sent milkweed plugs to over 160,000 schools, parks and home gardens, creating vital fuel sources for butterflies on their migration path from Canada to Mexico. For Taylor, the monarch's decline signals a larger crisis affecting all pollinators, upon whom much of our food system and the food sources of so many animals depend.”
The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF)is again soliciting presentations/papers for its 2015 Convention in 2015 in Anaheim, California Note that the ABF has recently published its updated membership directory.
Editor Flottum reportst that Canadian government announces a one-off aid package for beekeepers in the Canadian province hit by harsh winter conditions this year and other pollinator health issues. Saying the province's bee colonies are expected to experience higher than normal mortality rates, it is providing one-time financial assistance of C$105 (US$95.70) a hive to beekeepers who have 10 hives or more and lose more than 40% of their colonies between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2014.”
It's instructive to look at the activities of the Canadian Honey Council now and again. Our neighbor to the north often has a decidedly different view of things. I also receive Alberta Bee News, which carrries the words of one of my favorite colleagues, Dr. Medhat Nasr. In May he looked at several scenarios to keep Alberta beekeepers profitable during times of change. In June, he provided farm safety hints for bee farm workers and chemical handlers. The Alberta Beekeeping Commission also has a link to one of Canada's newest initiatives, The National Bee Diagnostic Center , which provides details on submitting samples for various suspected conditions. Canadians are also looking carefully at the neonicotinoid debate. This has consumed a lot of energy and press over the last few years, ever since CCD showed up.
A Catch the Buzz provides the remarks of Dr. Jeff Pettis, Research Leader of the ARS bee laboratory in Beltsville Maryland. Read his testimony before the House Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture
on April 29, 2014 and why he concludes: “The loss of honey bees may also reflect a much larger issue of general pollinator declines, with honey bees acting as an indicator species. The relative contributions of different stressors for CCD is not well understood and solving this problem will take an all hands on deck approach, including research, public education, increased foraging lands and public/private partnerships to address CCD and the larger loss of pollinators.”
My remarks concerning the opening of the Bayer Bee Care center brought several remarks, including: “As with the tobacco companies in the past, Bayer and Monsanto are in it to protect themselves at whatever cost. Sure it is good to have more money for research, but it will also deflect and delay any progress toward the chemical issues.”
I wrote back: . “I agree with you in principle here, but I still contend it's bette to demand transparency from these corporations as a general goal, rather than attempt to move them on specific issues (i.e. banning certain pesticides/application techniques). Beekeepers might have some wins doing the latter, but lose the war on the former, a classic pyrrhic victory . Editor Flottum attended the grand opening of the Bayer facility. Read all about it in this month's Bee Culture.
A charge from New Yorker Jim Fischer: “Then sign up and do some science!”. “Participate in the first broadly-based research project where everyone can have their hives become data points. Tell Izzy (the queen bug at bugonia) that Fischer sent ya.
“First up is a nematode study for the control of Small Hive Beetles. Because they are difficult to distribute, like many "biologicals", one needs a certain minimum number of participating hives in an area to make shipping a flask of nematodes worthwhile, so this one is a "club-level" effort.
“More interesting things are sure to follow. I hope to have 100% of the NYC gang participating in all these things, as it encourages the 'keep a notebook' dictum.
“But the role of 'citizen science' can be whatever you want it to be. Sadly, aside from Astronomy, (where a big chunk of the observations of note are made by amateurs), in other fields, it is difficult to do much serious science without a significant investment in both time and gear. The days of the stereotypical upper-crust gentleman who dabbles in being a
'naturalist' were over before our grandparents were born.”
Local Queens are Better? This got a lot of attention last month, including Editor Flottum who published a Catch the Buzz on this topic, concluding in the words of IBRA Science Director Norman Carreck: “The results of these experiments show that the locally adapted strains of honey bee consistently performed better than the 'foreign' strains. This may seem logical to many bee scientists, but may come as something as a shock for many beekeepers who believe that purchased queens are likely to be in some way 'better' than the bees that they already have in their own hives. There is growing evidence of the adverse effects of the global trade in honey bees, which has led to the spread of novel pests and diseases. These papers which provide evidence that locally-adapted honey bee strains consistently perform better than imported strains may thus strengthen local bee breeding programmes, and encourage the use of locally bred queens over those imported from elsewhere”.
Phillip Rossman died this month. He was way ahead of his time as a queen producer . President of many beekeeping associations, including the American Beekeeping Federation, he served in many other leadership capacities. Phillip was one of my first commercial beekeeping contacts during my studies at the University of Georgia and could be counted on to share the wisdom he developed over many years at Rossman Apiaries. He will be missed.
Storey's Guide to Keeping Honey Bees ,which has been adopted as the text for the Montana apprentice beekeeping course continues to sell. Amazon.com reports 51 units were sold from May 12 to June 8, 2014. Best selling areas are Spokane and Seattle.
As always, see the latest on bee extension efforts at the Bee Health Extension site.
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Gleanings from the June 2014 Bee Culture:
Remember that Bee Culture now has a digital edition.
Jim Lowe, Red Hook, NY complains about Bee Culture's “puff piece on Monsanto.” Keith Lowery enjoyed the article on bees and chickens, but Russell Adkins writes to say please “no more chickens.” Thelma Allen thanks Bee Culture for excellent service, helping her replace her magazine library destroyed in a fire. John reflects on bait hives as published by Roger Morse back in 1997.
Mike Stanley of Woodhinge Farm and Apiary is taking his bees on strike given al the problems in commercial agriculture. He will keep them at home this pollination season. Al likes the service at Blue Sky Bee Supply and Jim Cowen, Aberdeen, WA tells a story of relationship building and honey bees. George Sinanus of MiteZapper LLC clarifies how mites are killed using the apparatus and Sharon Moore from Texas describes a local box (hive) decorating contest.
Editor Flottum describes a trip through Spring in the Southeast U.S. He winds up in North Carolina on his way to the Mother Earth News Fair. Read Kathy's more extensive article in this month's Bee Culture. He also looks closer at Dr. Chip Taylor's Monarch Watch project, the planter dust phenomenon and apicultural employment opportunity in Canada.
It's Summers Time reflects on neighbors, trees and a new computer being used to develop the magazine. It's always a scary time when new software and hardware are introduced. Sorry Mr. Adkins, but there's more about those infernal chickens as well!
Clarence Collison takes a closer look at bee bread. Read what this is and how it is produced. The relationship between bee bread produced by Africanized honey bees (AHB) versus Europeans (EHB) is fascinating.
My old buddy, Dr. Eric Mussen, is retiring and moving on. Read about his career and contributions for thirty eight years as California's go to bee expert. His archived “From the UC Apiaries” will probably continue to be available . I for one will miss it's regular appearance in my e-mail.
Jeff Harris takes a look at VSH (not VHS or Betamax). Read about the history of Varroa sensitive hygiene (previously called SMR) and what it might mean for beekeepers.
Larry Connor looks at early summer increase. Read the benefits from this management technique and how it has stood the test of time.
Ross Conrad looks at using nuclei (nucs) for a variety of reasons. Read why its the “best tool” in the beeyard.
Editor Flottum's description of his trip to the North Carolina Research Triangle and the grand opening of the Bayer Bee Care Center is worth reading, no matter what your present position is concerning global Agricultural Chemical Corporations. There's certainly lots going on at the Bee Care Center, but whether it's time to drink the “kool aid” or not remains open to question. Time will tell.
M.E.A McNeil and Maryann Frazier are publishing two articles on beeswax. The first looks at the history and usefulness of the product. Read about the present concern as scientists are finding more and more contamination in the product. Their second articles promises to sort out the “unwieldly, impractical, crazy-making and just plain dangerous from some possible answers to the problem. Stay tuned.
Jim Tew reflects on change in springtime apiary preparation. Read his seven (7) changes listed and what they mean to his operation. His observations about queens might surprise you.
R. Michael Magnini provides a list of herbs beneficial to honey bees and in some cases people. His list admitedly is “incomplete.” Can you add any in your experience?
Phil Craft answers more questions. Read how he responds to a beekeeper in Texas about queen exluders and then shifts to one about comb honey from a Minnesota beekeeper.
Kathy Summers provides her reflections on the Mother Earth News Fair in Asheville, NC. A thousand people in a tent must have been quite a sight.
Joe Blackford describes his production of winter mead. Read about the dandelion and elderflower types made in West Virginia.
Jessica Louque plants whenever possible. Read why this is a “bigger picture” issue for her. It's also pretty and practical, and has good aliteration.
Ann Harman suggest planning for a honey party. Read about what to do if you have a lot of honey on hand from your three (3) colonies?
Toni Burnham looks at the apicultural community and realizes that we're all in this together. Read what the beekeeper might do in this kind of environment, so essential to city beekeeping.
Ian Stell looks at the honey bee tongue. Read about the “licking cycle,” and where the tongue is stored when not needed.
In All the News that Fits Australian beekeepers are reporting losing public land access and looking to reverse this situation. First Apimondia Symposium on African Bees and Beekeeping will take place November 11-16, 2014 in Tanzania
On the bottom board, Ed Colby reports being pulled over by the police (he got lucky) and his visit to Slice of Life Bakery. Read what he expects from his latest queen shipment.
Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
beeactor@apisenterprises.com
http://apis.shorturl.com
