From MAILER-DAEMON Sun Jan 14 07:40:09 2001 Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by luna.oit.unc.edu (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id HAA05046 for ; Sun, 14 Jan 2001 07:40:06 -0500 (EST) Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by listserv.albany.edu (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id HAA00172 for ; Sun, 14 Jan 2001 07:43:03 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <200101141243.HAA00172@listserv.albany.edu> Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 07:42:59 -0500 From: "L-Soft list server at University at Albany (1.8d)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG0009C" To: adamf@METALAB.UNC.EDU Content-Length: 100454 Lines: 2043 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 06:55:04 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Richard Drutchas Subject: whats this one MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The basswood honey identification was too easy, how about this one. Im in Vermont, Ive heard beekeepers discribing this mystery honey all over northern New England. It's red, some years a brownish red, the pollen is a peach color, I think. It has a strong citrus sour flavor this year, some years its more buttery with a nutty flavor undertone. The texture is like heather, kind of a slimy jelled, very thick consistancy. I believe it comes from a plant that has moved into the area in the last 10 years or so, thats when I first started noticing a frame or two here and there usually not a full super . This year I made 2 supers of this stuff in some yards. The flow lasted the whole month of August. I've heard some say it was japanese bamboo, but it starts too early for that. Some sort of new corn was even brought up as a possibility but I dont see it. Loosestrife, but I've never heard of loosestrife tasting sore and I always thought the color was like motor oil with a green tint. Any ideas?? ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 15:02:10 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Mark Coldiron Subject: Varroa and Tracheal Mite control I plan to use Essential Oils for Varroa and Tracheal Mite control. Can anyone tell me where I can purchase commercial quantities of oils such as wintergreen, patchouli, tea tree, peppermint, etc...? Thanks Mark ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 18:59:49 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: huestis Subject: name that honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi all, Could someone identify this type of honey for me. The color is pale = lemon colored and very light. It was gathered in mid-July to = mid-august. The consistency is very thin (yes it was capped). The = flavor is medium sweet with a flowery after taste(like a bunch of daises = smell). Could it be chicory, trefoil, vetch, or canola. Thanks. Clayton Huestis Crown Point, NY ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 08:30:05 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Juderon Subject: FW: ARS Research Helps Blueberry Growers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: owner-ars-news@sun.ars-grin.gov [mailto:owner-ars-news@sun.ars-grin.gov]On Behalf Of ARS News Service Sent: Friday, 15 September 2000 2:05 a.m. To: ARS News List Subject: ARS Research Helps Blueberry Growers STORY LEAD: ARS Research Helps Blueberry Growers ___________________________________________ ARS News Service Agricultural Research Service, USDA Tara Weaver-Missick, (301) 504-1619, tmissick@ars.usda.gov September 14, 2000 ___________________________________________ Thanks to research accomplishments at the ARS Small Fruit Research Station in Poplarville, Miss., farmers from Mississippi and other Gulf Coast States have become a presence in the blueberry market. The Poplarville station has released six new blueberry varieties to date, including Jubilee, Magnolia, Pearl River, Cooper and Gulfcoast, which are all available commercially. Biloxi, the newest blueberry, was recently released in honor of Biloxi, Mississippi's 300th birthday. Typically, southern blueberry growers are small farmers who net about $2,000 an acre. The total blueberry acreage in Mississippi is about 1,800 acres, and there are about 10,000 acres in the Gulf States region. Total U.S. production of fresh and processed blueberries in 1999 was 180.2 million pounds, valued at $156 million. ARS researchers help these farmers by developing new varieties and improving cultural practices, pest control and postharvest handling. ARS researchers are also investigating bee pollinators that may potentially help the Southeast's blueberry production, given the lack of native blueberry pollinators. The Osmia ribifloris bee, which is native to the western United States, is a promising pollinator. In its native range, the bee gathers pollen from manzanita, a shrub like tree with flowers that closely resemble those of blueberries. Poplarville researchers are developing strategies for growers to release and manage these bees. ARS researchers have also undertaken a new project in which they are screening southern cultivated and wild berries, including blueberries, for their resveratrol-producing potential. Preliminary evidence suggests resveratrol has anti-cancer properties and cardiovascular benefits. ARS is the chief scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The blueberry research in Mississippi is part of a nationwide program of horticulture research within ARS. For more information on ARS research programs that impact on horticulture, visit the web page for ARS Crop Production, Product Value and Safety national programs at: http://www.nps.ars.usda.gov/programs/cppvs.htm More information on this research appears in the September issue of Agricultural Research magazine. The story is also on the World Wide Web: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/sep00/bliss0900.htm ___________________________________________ Scientific contact: James M. Spiers, ARS Small Fruits Research Laboratory, Poplarville, Miss.; phone (601) 795-8751, fax (601) 795-4965, jspiers@ars.usda.gov. ___________________________________________ This item is one of the news releases and story leads that ARS Information distributes on weekdays to fax and e-mail subscribers. You can also get the latest ARS news on the World Wide Web at www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. * Feedback and questions to ARS News Service via e-mail: isnv@ars-grin.gov. * ARS Information Staff, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Room 1-2251, Beltsville MD 20705-5128, (301) 504- 1617, fax (301) 504-1648. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 12:56:19 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Madeleine Pym Subject: Re: whats this one MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Most interesting Richard, I don't know if we are talking about the same thing or not but we are experiencing the same sort of thing here in England. Out in Surrey my father first noticed this 3 years ago (after 30 years of beekeeping), and I had it for the first time last year in North London. The honey in question is, as you say, slimy jelled and thick, deep brown/red colour, strong flavour which I say reminds me of josticks as it has quite a heavy perfumed smell and taste. Like you it was first present in patches in frames, and now is coming in in superfuls. My da reckons this year it accounts for over a third of his honey. He worries that people will think it must be imported because it is so unlike anything he ever produced before. Also, like you, many have suggested it is japanese bamboo or russian vine (both related to the buckwheat, I gather) but he is adamant that it comes in too early for that. The flow for him finishes around the 3rd week in July and these plants are flowering later. I too have it in supers that I had over clearer boards by August. It smells (to me) exactly like water or indian balsam but I am told that produces a light coloured honey (don't know about the flavour). Perhaps we are getting a blend here. Whatever it is we never used to get it until recent years. One other thought, we are getting some hot late summer weather and possibly this may be giving a flow from something that has gone unnoticed before. Lastly, there are a number of exotic trees that are being extensively planted in Southern England along suburban roads which flower at this time: Pride of India and Chinese Bee Tree (can't remember let alone spell their names) to name two. We would dearly love to have an answer to this question. What do others have to say. Madeleine Pym mpym@hive.netkonect.co.uk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 08:48:07 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: BeeCrofter@AOL.COM Subject: Re: whats this one MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 9/15/00 7:15:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time, stinger@TOGETHER.NET writes: > The flow > lasted the whole month of August. Here in CT the month of August has a pretty strong sumac bloom just before the Japanese knotweed and overlapping the end of the Clethra. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 09:46:22 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Pyramid Subject: Re: Essential oil source for mite control MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In answer to Mark's request for an essential oil source, I suggest www.snowdriftfarm.com My own experience with essential oils for varroa control over two years have been negative. I will report it with details shortly. Burns ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 18:08:07 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: William Morong Subject: Re: whats this one In-Reply-To: <200009151158.HAA05744@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I don't think the thick, red, strong-tasting honey is Japanese bamboo. My largest apiary is surrounded by acres of that plant, and the bees get lots of nectar from it since they need fly only between twenty and a few hundred feet to get all they want. The honey is quite light, not water white, but light. It's on really strong here in central Maine right now. Bill Morong ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 07:40:40 -0500 Reply-To: cspacek@ev1.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Curtis Spacek Subject: Re: BEE-L Digest - 13 Sep 2000 to 14 Sep 2000 (#2000-55) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit you can thank the packers for this.crush the competition and pass legislation so only packers are allowed to sell honey.compliments of the fabulous NHB who recieve money in the form of the honey tax.if you don't pay you won't be allowed to play.thats how washington works. Automatic digest processor wrote:Here in Florida it seems, they consider bottling honey processing food and------------------------------ > > End of BEE-L Digest - 13 Sep 2000 to 14 Sep 2000 (#2000-55) > *********************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 14:46:34 +0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rimantas Zujus Subject: Vitamins for bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1257" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Beefriends I don't feel any breath of the Bee List last time therefore decided to check if it still works. On September, 7th we had a first meeting of our beekeepers with 2 lecturers after summer brake. One of them, Dr. Vytautas Kublickas reviewed the season results and told about bee diseases, their prevention and treatment. Strong bee colonies gave us the average yield. Many beekeepers were happy to get 50% yield this year on account of the unusual weather conditions: first, extremely early and hot spring, second, cool and rainy summer. There were mentioned the main bee diseases in our country: Nosemathosis, chalk brood, American and European foul brood and the Varroa mites. Some more interesting ideas of Dr. Vytautas Kublickas follow. **************** Nosemathosis goes along with moisture, a kind of wintering provision (melliferous dew, buckwheat nectar), chemical poisons (farming). It's a chronic disease. At least the hive should be cleaned and requeened. The bees should be treated twice with Fumagilin. If the bees are not treated the honey yield drops significantly. Dr. Vytautas Kublickas emphasizes that Fumagilin, being an antibiotic, should not be used for disease prevention because it causes the disbacteriosis, suppressing of the microflora, in alimentary canal and the bee immunity system thus is weakened. This may be a reason of chalk brood. For prophylaxis (while feeding for wintering) should be used plants (Saint-John's-wort, wormwood). Some scientists say that SJ-wort helps in sugar fermentation procedure and the excrement's amount drops to minimum. Why the bee diseases spread so widely? Dr. Vytautas Kublickas supports an idea of the weakened immunity system due to human influence. The natural selection of the bees was disturbed and the immunity system was damaged (human selection, antibiotics, chemicals, etc). Some scientists try to strengthen the bees using vitamin B12. B12 may be substituted with vitamin A plus cobalt (bees produce the B12 themselves). The research work is held abroad and in some local apiaries (including apiary of the speaker). The research results were successful and Dr. Vytautas Kublickas invited our beekeeper to take a part next year. A proper feeding for winter is also very important. Usually we feed bees with 60% sugar solution adding 10% of honey and some acid (vinegar or citric). Such mixture should be let to stay for two weeks stirring it periodically before feeding. The fermentation takes place. This let the colony to meet winter full of strength. ******************** I would like to know if there is anybody having experience with vitamin adding to bee food. Maybe, some could point me the sites in the WEB describing the experience with the vitamins. Sincerely Rimantas e-mail : zujus@isag.lei.lt ICQ# : 4201422 http://rizujus.lei.lt/ 55 North, 24 East ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 07:44:52 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Robert Mann Subject: Re: Vitamins for bees In-Reply-To: <200009161352.JAA23292@listserv.albany.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Rimantas Zujus wrote: >I would like to know if there is anybody having experience with vitamin >adding to bee food. Maybe, some could point me the sites in the WEB >describing the experience with the vitamins. The term 'vitamin' means a minor organic nutrient essential for life in a given species. Most of them are, or are converted to, co-enzymes - smallish organic molecules that are essential for the action of their respective enzymes in catalysing reactions in metabolic pathways. Some spp need more vitamins than we do; others fewer. I haven't studied bee vitamins, but I do point out that they're not the same list as for the human sp. And I must say I'm sceptical of Rimantas' statement > Some scientists try to strengthen the bees using vitamin B12. B12 may be >substituted with vitamin A >plus cobalt (bees produce the B12 themselves). VitA is a very different chemical from vitB12 and I very much doubt either can substitute for the other. From the viewpoint of human nutrition, pollen generally contains a superior range of vitamins in good amounts. (Making it more 'bioavailable' to us by rupturing the pollen grains before eating may well be a genuine help - anyone looked into this NZ invention?) In a somewhat reckless & lazy gamble I'll predict there's little evidence that bees can fail to get all the vitamins they need from pollen. I hope this rash stab stimulates those who like to prove others wrong . . . go to it, webcrawlers. R - Robt Mann consultant ecologist P O Box 28878 Remuera, Auckland 1005, New Zealand (9) 524 2949 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 08:42:59 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Juderon Subject: Changed links to Bee Labelling documents Comments: To: Apitherapy List , NZBkprs , NZBkprs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The links to the two NZ documents on bee product labelling have changed. Please amend your links accordingly? Regards Ron Law New Zealand Parliamentary Select Committee Report http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/nzbkpg/label.htm New Zealand Government Scientific Review http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/nzbkpg/scirev.pdf Links to both reports can be found at http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/nzbkpg/scirev.htm ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 23:44:27 -0400 Reply-To: arl@q7.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Al Subject: Re: Vitamins for bees In-Reply-To: <200009170318.XAA08813@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > From the viewpoint of human nutrition, pollen generally contains a >superior range of vitamins in good amounts. (Making it more 'bioavailable' >to us by rupturing the pollen grains before eating may well be a genuine >help - anyone looked into this NZ invention?) > In a somewhat reckless & lazy gamble I'll predict there's little >evidence that bees can fail to get all the vitamins they need from pollen. >I hope this rash stab stimulates those who like to prove others wrong . . >. go to it, webcrawlers. While bees may be able to get all they need from pollen, I wonder if the query could be for times when bees are being fed. There are pollen substitutes and supplements on the market from reputable supplies. If sugar syrup is a carbohydrate replacement, and soy is protein, maybe they do need some of the "vital amigos"? ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 09:44:24 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Vivian Donahue Subject: Vitamins for bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" How would we feed these plants? Vivian >reason of chalk brood. For prophylaxis (while feeding for wintering) should >be used plants (Saint-John's-wort, wormwood). Some scientists say that >SJ-wort helps in sugar fermentation procedure and the excrement's amount >drops to minimum. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 19:02:37 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: CAIR Subject: Manuka Honey source? In-Reply-To: <200009152209.SAA28235@listserv.albany.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Does anyone know of a source for bulk Manuka honey? ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 09:40:55 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Coleene E. Davidson" Subject: Re: whats this one MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I purchased some Japanese Bamboo honey(Japanese Knotweed) when attending a beekeeping workshop in PA-at least that is what I was told it was. The honey was deep red-the color of dark red wine. To the naked eye, it appeared to be the same color as Buckwheat, but if you put it up to the light, the red color shows. Was I mislead as to what I purchased? ----- Original Message ----- From: William Morong To: Sent: Friday, September 15, 2000 6:08 PM Subject: Re: whats this one > I don't think the thick, red, strong-tasting honey is Japanese bamboo. My > largest apiary is surrounded by acres of that plant, and the bees get lots > of nectar from it since they need fly only between twenty and a few hundred > feet to get all they want. The honey is quite light, not water white, but > light. It's on really strong here in central Maine right now. > > Bill Morong > ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 15:40:15 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Juderon Subject: Re: Vitamins for bees In-Reply-To: <200009170316.XAA08771@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology [mailto:BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu]On Behalf Of Robert Mann Sent: Sunday, 17 September 2000 7:45 a.m. To: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu Subject: Re: Vitamins for bees .... From the viewpoint of human nutrition, pollen generally contains a superior range of vitamins in good amounts. (Making it more 'bioavailable' to us by rupturing the pollen grains before eating may well be a genuine help - anyone looked into this NZ invention?).... Yes Robert, Despite numerous requests (extending over nearly 12 months) to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Le Grew, of Canterbury University for verification of the research (it has never been published, but has been very commercialised) the VC has been unable to get it for us. Independent tests have not been able to verify the claims and have shown no difference in bioavailability. Latest communication with Professor Bob Kirk (Pro Vice Chancellor (Research)) suggests that all might be revealed shortly. Would rather not say more at the moment. Ron In a somewhat reckless & lazy gamble I'll predict there's little evidence that bees can fail to get all the vitamins they need from pollen. I hope this rash stab stimulates those who like to prove others wrong . . . go to it, webcrawlers. R - Robt Mann consultant ecologist P O Box 28878 Remuera, Auckland 1005, New Zealand (9) 524 2949 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 06:53:12 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bill Truesdell Subject: Re: Vitamins for bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Rimantas Zujus wrote: > A proper feeding for winter is also very important. Usually we feed bees > with 60% sugar solution adding 10% of honey and some acid (vinegar or > citric). Such mixture should be let to stay for two weeks stirring it > periodically before feeding. The fermentation takes place. This let the > colony to meet winter full of strength. Tests of different winter feeds by British scientists found that unheated granulated cane sugar syrup is best for overwintering. The addition of acid and/or honey increases winter kill. Even HFCS is better than honey for overwintering but not as good as cane sugar. The sugar syrup should not be allowed to ferment since this also increased bee mortality. Problem with most winter feeds is you do not see any die-off since the increased die-off is usually in the 10-20% range which is easily masked by natural winter die-off. If you do it every year, you get the same results and think that is normal. If you get greater die-off, then the winter feed is the last to be blamed since it allways worked before, yet it may be the actual problem. There is no need to add anything to the cane sugar or heat it up. In this case, the easiest way is the best way. Bill Truesdell Bath, ME ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 09:22:36 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Harry J. Bowie" Subject: Cleaning and reusing Ross Round rings MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello All I am currently "reconditioning" all my honey super frames and boxes. Due to a very busy swarm season this year (3 hives became 9) I did not get my honey supers on till after the early flow (insufficient equipment). As a result I did not get any stores put into my Ross Rounds. I left the Ross Super on through the season (insufficient equipment) and removed it when I took my final harvest (and put meds on). The wax had all been chewed out and there is propolis on the rings. as well as the rest of the equipment. Does anyone out there have an easy way to clean up the rings? My plan is to freeze the rings than scrape them. Thank You Harry hjbowie@usit.net ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 10:09:33 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Pollen nutrition MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I am told that both the protein and vitamin content of pollen varies considerably by floral source. (And also by soil type?) Does anyone know of a web source describing protein and/or vitamin content by floral source? Lloyd Mailto: Lloyd@rossrounds.com. Lloyd Spear Owner, Ross Rounds, Inc. The finest in comb honey production. Visit our web site at http://www.rossrounds.com. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 14:08:54 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Becky boehm Subject: snotty &robbers Hello all I have a small problem I think. Took off all honey Sept 1 and gave back the wet supers as usual without incident. But when a couple days later I attempted to remove the dry and empty supers the bees (all 15 hives ) were very nasty and proceded to rob any hive that was open. It took 2 trips on differnt days to retrive the empty supers. This hase never happened to me in other years. Part two, I am having the same problem trying to put the apistan and grease patties in. I can get 3 colinies done and am in a huge cloud of bees and they arnt at all friendly. Could this bee caused by the drout? They have plenty of stores and water is very close at all times. Hate to bother you all but this has been going of for 2 weeks. Maybe they dont want treated? Thanks in advance Al Boehm Columbus NC ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 23:47:40 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Karen DeHond Subject: Wild bees? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The following message was sent to me by someone who helps me with my hives. The bees he is referring to are located in Brighton, NY, near Rochester. Is there anyone on this board close enough to help? Thanks Karen *** A neighbor of mine claims to have a large, wild, honeybee hive attached to her house. I plan to go there tomorrow to see, but it is supposedly 25 feet off the ground, she is quite sure it is honeybees (although I am skeptical), because of the appearance of the bees and that honey drips to the ground under the hive. In addition she says there are "thousands" of individual bees-not like yellowjackets and wasps. If I can confirm that they are honeybees, would anyone like to don the suits and try to collect them? I am intrigued because she says the hive has been going for several years and thus perhaps there is some natural resistance to the mites. In addition, since they are likely too high up and Im not that adventureous, who in the local bee-keeping world might want to try to get them? Names and numbers if you know anyone. The house is in Brighton. I would hate to see them be exterminated, if there is an alternative (leaving them alone is not an option). More tomorrow. Steve ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 11:35:00 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: James Morton Organization: Central Science Laboratory Subject: Re: FW: No of varroa mites in hive (Varroa Calculator) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello all, Recent discussion in Bee-L has referred to the 'Varroa Calculator' developed by the CSL National Bee Unit in the UK. I forwarded this to Medwin Bew, head of the Unit (who does not subscribe to Bee-L) and his comments are as follow: Joe Hemmens posting on BEE-L of the 07/09/00 about the MAFF varroa calculator deserves a reply. Firstly, though, I should mention that the 'calculator' research was actually mostly funded by MAFF with a very welcome contribution from the British Beekeepers' Association - just to put the record straight. It was not funded by beekeepers alone by any means. Secondly, The calculator was indeed a spin off from the main research that added a great deal of valuable information about varroa for scientists to use. But it was not a sop to beekeepers. It was an attempt to try and feed back some direct practical benefit to industry as a 'thank you'. We made quite clear that it came with deficiencies. We do actually appreciate people such as Joe testing out the calculator in the field. There is also only so much research people can do in a field project and the data produced in ours certainly benefits from further, practical application by beekeepers. Earlier this year we reviewed Dr Martin's computer model that sits behind the calculator. CSL's Dr Graham Smith and David Wilkinson (a bee biologist and beekeeper and former member of the National Bee Unit), both professional mathematical modellers, have now produced a completely new model based on the field data gathered by Dr Martin and other scientists. It also now includes much more robust colony data amongst other things. The difference is that this new version is much more interactive and sensitive to individual changes (e.g., such as colony size, length of season). It is shortly to go for publication in a scientific journal after peer review. Our aim for the new model is to make it available on the internet in the next few months. Beekeepers and researchers will be able to plug in specific data according to their own circumstances and use it for their own studies and observations. The help of Joe and other beekeepers in further improving the data sets that make up the model will also be invaluable to us for making still further refinements. If Joe would like more information or eventually would like to contribute to refining the model we would be very pleased to hear from him. Medwin Bew -- _____________________________________________________________ James Morton 'Geertje', Canal Lock 92, S.E Regional Bee Inspector Windmill Lane, Norwood Green, CSL National Bee Unit Middlesex, UB2 4NH Tel/fax: 0208 571 6450 e-mail: j.morton@csl.gov.uk Mobile: 07720 833571 http://www.csl.gov.uk _____________________________________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 16:38:51 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Coleene E. Davidson" Subject: Re: BEE-L Digest - 13 Sep 2000 to 14 Sep 2000 (#2000-55) Comments: To: cspacek@ev1.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit As a hobbiest, the NHB doesn't affect me. I keep bees for the enjoyment and sell honey, only because I have more than I can use. A question I have, however, is how can the affore mentioned organization be called the National Honey Board, when importers are required to pay an assessment. Should it not be called the International Honey Board. Because of the assessments on imported honey, the obligation is to promote without prejudice for U.S. produced honey. Perhaps I am being naieve, but why would somone belong to such an organization when dumping is what is driving the price down. Would it not be more prudent to establish Producer Co-Ops to produce, package and promote U.S. Honey? Orange growers are doing it and so are milk producers. The Co-Op could collect assessments and provide local universities with funding for specific research in an area that would benefit the area that the Co-Op is located in. ----- Original Message ----- From: Curtis Spacek To: Sent: Friday, September 15, 2000 8:40 AM Subject: Re: BEE-L Digest - 13 Sep 2000 to 14 Sep 2000 (#2000-55) > you can thank the packers for this.crush the competition and pass legislation so > only packers are allowed to sell honey.compliments of the fabulous NHB who > recieve money in the form of the honey tax.if you don't pay you won't be allowed > to play.thats how washington works. > > Automatic digest processor wrote:Here in Florida it seems, they consider > bottling honey processing food and------------------------------ > > > > > End of BEE-L Digest - 13 Sep 2000 to 14 Sep 2000 (#2000-55) > > *********************************************************** > ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 10:18:09 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Propolis on Ross Round rings MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Harry says, "My plan is to freeze the rings than scrape them." This should make it easy to remove most of the propolis. However, it will be important they you break off the propolis while it is frozen. I think you will find the propolis is more easily removed by hand than by scraping. I also suggest you only take 3-4 out of the freezer bag at one time so the others do not start to come to room temperature. Whatever, do not put in hot water as the rings will turn to spaghetti. Good luck. Lloyd Mailto: Lloyd@rossrounds.com. Lloyd Spear Owner, Ross Rounds, Inc. The finest in comb honey production. Visit our web site at http://www.rossrounds.com. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 07:37:28 -1000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Walter Patton Subject: About the National Honey Board MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Last week while encouraging the USDA by phone to give the names of the voters in the referendum to Joe Rowland something very interesting was pointed out to me. The ACT that creates the National Honey Board is very unusual and different from other assessment collecting acts for other US commodities. The ACT for the NHB states that the purpose of the NHB is to increase World honey production. The little bird talking to me said they had been involved with many assessment collecting marketing groups in the United States before and all the others commodity group ACTS, state clearly that they are being created to increase the domestic production of a commodity. Hearing this was very interesting because with language like this any help that might be given to the AMERICAN beekeeper is also being given to the Chinese, Argentininan and Mexican beekeepers. I my opinion the ACT that creates the National Honey Board is defective and flawed and the National Honey Board should be abolished and recreated if wanted by the AMERICAN beekeepers to promote AMERICAN beekeepers. The packers created and haved contro;ed the NHB since it's inception.PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE NHB REFERENDUM. Walter Patton ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 15:07:51 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Mitchell Subject: New info from ARS re AHB MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >From the USDA Agricultural Research Service quarterly report for April-June 2000, which was just published on the Web: Beekeepers who want to replace aggressive, defensive African queens with gentle, easily managed European ones may face a little-known disadvantage, an ARS scientist and University of North Carolina co-researcher have discovered. Within only 1 week after their queen dies or is removed by beekeepers, Africanized worker bees—which are female—can produce their own viable eggs for requeening the hive. That gives the Africanized bees a headstart in the battle for hive rule, because European worker bees’ ovaries can’t start producing eggs until the queen has been missing for at least 3 weeks. Queenless Africanized workers that have developed ovaries and are laying their own eggs are less likely to accept a new European queen—and may attack and kill her. New experiments, however, may yield tactics to undermine the Africanized bees’ competitive advantage. The 1-week time frame was already known to occur in Cape bees of South Africa, but it had not—until now—been reported for Africanized hives in the Northern Hemisphere. Africanized bees, which sting more readily then their European counterparts, have invaded Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, and Nevada. ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman, (520) 670-6380, ext. 105, gdhoff@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 00:58:14 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bob Harrison Subject: Italian bees and tracheal mites Hello all, In response to the many questions regarding my post on my use of menthol for Acarine i thought i should do this post. As i said earlier when the lab first detected tracheal mites in my bees i switched to Buckfast bees (1980's). Because all Buckfast bees in the U.S. Are U.S. queens inseminated with pure Buckfast semen i found them to still need treatments to keep infestation levels down in Missouri winters. Because they didn't produce honey like my Italians i switched back to all Italians. Commercially Italians are the most important race in the world(ABC-XYZ Beekeeping). My strain of Italians average honey yields greater than the Buckfast ever did and enough to warrent the change back. Italians are VERY susceptible to Acarine. quote Brother Adam: Very strangely,the bright-colored strains,so widely favored nowadays,are,as our experiance has shown,unusually susceptible to Acarine. In 1925 and again in 1958 Brother Adam tried to test a strain of Italians with many good traits for his line. quote Brother Adam: In the case in question the susceptibility was so acute that from the purely economic point of veiw,we were left with no other choice but to abandon this strain. I know many of you have emailed me and said you don't have to treat for Acarine. If you are using a dark bee i am sure you are correct. My Italian strain IS susceptible. My tests confirm they are. When i switched back to Italians I used grease patties and since 1997 i have used menthol/canola for complete control. The menthol/canola treatment costs approx $.50 per colony and the two treatments are combined with other trips to the yards. I expect to allways have to treat my Italians for tracheal mites. To me a extra super of honey at harvest time per colony is worth the treatment. The queens are easier to find. I am sure you all have many reasons why you use the strain you use. The above is why i use mine and why i allways expect to have to treat for tracheal mites. If you are using Italians you might think about my observations. Sincerely, Bob Harrison Odessa,Missouri ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 20:37:17 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: SoVerNet Verification (on pike.sover.net) Prabois from arc1a18.bf.sover.net [209.198.113.19] 209.198.113.19 Mon, 18 Sep 2000 20:35:26 -0400 (EDT) From: Huguet - Sumner Subject: How do you MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi! I am a graduate student at SUNY Albany, going for my PhD. I am presently = taking a class on Evaluation and have to write a paper on what criteria = are used to judge and establish ranking. This paper has to be written on = a subject that is not in my field of expertise.=20 I remember reading in this listserv about one of the members receiving a = blue ribbon for the quality of his honey, and thought it would be a = wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about honey . and get my = paper done at the same time. This is what I need: 1) General information about the state/country/county fair (when, = where it takes place, how big it is, how long etc.) you attended 2) What criteria must your honey meet for you to be able to enter = it in a competition? 3) Are there different categories, and if so, what are they, and = how are they established? 4) What criteria, and what process are used to judge the honey? Do = state, country and county fairs have different criteria for judging = honey? 5) How are the judges selected? 6) Who could I get in touch with if I have more questions about = the fair you recommend? 7) What books or articles should I read on this subject? 8) Is there a site where I could go to where criteria are listed? You may want to respond directly to me at rabois@sover.net Thank you for your help and advice. Marie-Pierre ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 22:17:03 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: pdillon Subject: Rape varieties and nectar flows MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Given that all variables are the same, I presume that different varieties of Rape(Canola) will produce different quantities of pollen and nectar - please tell me if I am wrong! - you would even if I didn't wish you to. Are there any varieties in use that do not give nectar and or pollen?. If so, what is likely to attract pollinators to the flower, as the plant is a commercial concern there to produce seed in quantity and quality. I ask as last spring, year 2000, I noticed several areas of Rape where bees were absent even though there were hives very close to the said fields. The resulting honey crop was very low. Also, talking to various individuals in the agric. industry, it seems to be an objective (for some crops) to make the bee redundant , and in some cases actually would be considered as a pest - e.g.. In the production of seed or a particular cross for vegetable oil The introduction of foreign pollen type may result in the production of a seed containing the wrong " fatty acids", "genetic components","lower yield" etc.. What says the group? Many of these comments come about during conversations where pesticides are being criticized for their limited discriminatory activities. Hence, the argument goes, keep the pesticides and get rid of the need for the bees(and at the same time, the annoying individuals collectively termed Beekeepers- that is in polite circles.) Peter ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 16:47:28 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: GImasterBK@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Varroa and Tracheal Mite control MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Why waste your money? Essential Oils have NOT been proven effective for control of either mite. If they were, surely the Federal Government Labs would have announced it particularly to help honey production. George Imirie ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 08:03:08 +0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Lear, Eddy(ENL)" Subject: Re: New info from ARS re AHB MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit John Mitchell stated: Within only 1 week after their queen dies or is removed by beekeepers, Africanized worker beesâEUR"which are femaleâEUR"can produce their own viable eggs for requeening the hive. That gives the Africanized bees a headstart in the battle for hive rule, because European worker beesâEUR(tm) ovaries canâEUR(tm)t start producing eggs until the queen has been missing for at least 3 weeks. Does this mean that the Africanised worker bees are laying diploid eggs as opposed to haploid? Eddy Lear South Africa ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 00:29:24 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Dave D. Cawley" Subject: Re: Martha Stewart -beekeeper In-Reply-To: <200009131535.LAA23990@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I saw a segment she had on her show a few years ago. She had a master beekeeper install a package in a hive in her yard. She just stood there watching, not quite knowing what to do. She seemed more like a beehaver, than a beekeeper. *************************************************************** Dave D. Cawley | Where a social revolution is pending and, The Internet Cafe | for whatever reason, is not accomplished, Scranton, PA | reaction is the alternative. (570) 342-8113 | dave@scranton.com | -Daniel De Leon *************************************************************** URL => http://www.scranton.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 05:56:08 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Italian bees and tracheal mites In-Reply-To: <200009200539.BAA15305@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > I know many of you have emailed me and said you don't have to treat for > Acarine. If you are using a dark bee i am sure you are correct. My Italian > strain IS susceptible. My tests confirm they are.... If you are using > Italians you might think about my observations. I might add that I have a report from a neighbour who uses Hawaiian carniolans that he put 1,200 hives into winter and took 300 out. Moreover he was losing the remainder fast until he applied formic pads. That's all I know about that, but I might also add that -- on a hunch -- I used formic last fall, as BEE-L readers probably already know, along with Apistan, and had average losses. I have never found a need for acarine control in the past -- sampling has not indicated infestations above 10% -- but due to the number of imported yellow queens I have been adding to my outfit, I thought that I had better just treat and not wait for lab results. allen --- A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Diary/ Package bees, winter loss, fondant, Pierco vs. Permadent vs. dark comb, unwrapping, splitting, raising queens, AFB, varroa, protein patties, moving bees, pollination experiences, daily mumblings and more... Thousands served... ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 06:00:14 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: snotty &robbers In-Reply-To: <200009181101.HAA06136@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > I am having the same problem > trying to put the apistan and grease patties in. I can get 3 colonies > done and am in a huge cloud of bees and they arnt at all friendly Open them at night or very early in the morning when they are settled and use a little smoke if necessary to drive them down enough that you can put strips in or whatever. allen --- A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Diary/ Package bees, winter loss, fondant, Pierco vs. Permadent vs. dark comb, unwrapping, splitting, raising queens, AFB, varroa, protein patties, moving bees, pollination experiences, daily mumblings and more... Thousands served... ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 13:59:39 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Thomas Vic VM Subject: CANADA IMPORT PROHIBITION MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Canada announced that it will extend for 5 years its ban on the importation of honeybess from the US except Hawaii (Canada Gazette, Part II, Aug 30, Vol 134, No 18, pg 2044 to 2048). They give several reasons for this ban including mites and small hive beetles but they also make reference to Parasitic Mite Syndrome, a viral infection possibly associated with mites appearing in several U.S. mainland states. I don't recall hearing about this new syndrome, should we be worried? Vic Thomas, Eastern Pennsylvania ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 14:41:52 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Dave Cushman Subject: Cellsize...More Information Comments: To: IrishBeekeeping@listbot.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All The following table is Copyright and is reproduced with the author's permission. It is taken from page 135 of:- BEES AND BEEKEEPING By Eva Crane, OBE, Dsc (former director of IBRA) Published By Heinmann Newnes, 1990 ISBN 0 434 90271 3 All Dimensions in mm, D/W is the ratio of Drone cell size to Worker cell size, ESW is Excluder Slot Width, I have used ?... symbols where data is unknown (to maintain tabulation), Lower case letters are expanded as notes following the table. _____________________________________________________ Species Comb Cell D/W ESW ___________Spacing__Size______________________________ A. mellifera, European 35a 5.1-5.5 1.3 4.13-4.5 USA ?... 5.3b 1.23b ?... A.m.cypria ?... ?... ?... 3.8 A.m.syriaca ?... 4.9 ?... ?... ___________________________________________________ A. mellifera, African A.m.unicolor ?... 5.0 ?... ?... A.m scutellata 32 4.7-4.9 ?... 4.4c A.m. lamarkii 32 4.6 1.33 ?... unspecified "tropical" 32 4.77-4.94 1.38 ?... in Zimbabwe 32 4.8 ?... ?... in Angola, Tanzania 30-32 4.8 ?... 4.35 A.m. capensis 31.8 4.86 ?... ?... A.m.litorea 28-30 4.62 1.3 ?... A.m. jemenitica ?... 4.75 1.31 ?... A.m.monticola ?... 5.0 ?... ?... Africanized ?... 4.5-5.0 ?... ?... __________________________________________________ A.cerana Japan 30 4.7-4.8 1.13 ?... Nepal 30 ?... ?... 3.5 India: Kashmir 35 4.9 1.08 4.0-4.2 d, India: High Himalayas 30 4.9 ?... 4.0 Sub Himalayas 31 4.7 ?... 3.75 Central 32 4.5 ?... 3.50 South 32 4.3 ?... ?... Bangladesh 27-31 ?... ?... ?... Burma 31 ?... ?... ?... Java 28 ?... 1.17 ?... Philippines 30 3.6-4.0 ?... 3.70 ___________________________________________________ A. florea Iran ?... 2.9 1.59 ?... Java ?... ?... 1.55 ?... Oman ?... ?... 1.50 3.5 __________________________________________________ Notes a, 32mm to 38mm is actually used. b, in USA (Taber & Owens, 1970). c, this is the gap in square mesh coffee wire, 0.58mm diameter wire on 5mm pitch. d, Indian Standards Institution (1976). I add a note that this is data from "recent times" (confirmed by the author). It seems strange that the only incidence of cell sizes above 5.0mm is in areas of the world that some of us consider to have been under the influence of artificially large celled foundation for the last 100 years. I apologise that the table is not as prettily laid out as the original...But plain text Email format is not as flexible as some other systems. Best Regards, Dave Cushman G8MZY Email: dave.cushman@lineone.net Website...Beekeeping and Bee Breeding http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 08:28:52 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Housel Subject: Re: Wild bees? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The hive sounds like it maybe with the small hive beetle. Honey dripping on the ground from the hive. They are fast and hard to find. Dark areas hiding and the size of a small lady bug. Larvae's look like wax worms. I monitor and gather feudal hives outside the trees in Central Florida. They will be lost when put into hive boxes; mites, beetles, and weakened to lost. Open hive bottom and treat. Michael Housel Feudal hive research for no chemical use. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 12:27:17 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: R & S Adams Subject: Dead Bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: "Automatic digest processor" To: "Recipients of BEE-L digests" Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 11:00 PM Subject: Hello ...My name is Randy and I live in S.W. Missouri. My problem is I lost two of my hives. After taking supers of honey a few weeks ago and replacing empty supers a day later, the person, whose land they are sitting on, told me he saw a large swarm take off. When I went to check out the seven hives I have there, the two on the one end were empty. The strongest hive box was empty and the one next to it well bees were dead everywhere. The ground was covered with allot of bees right in front of the entrance and allot of dead bees in the box. Anyone have a answer? Did one colony attack the other? Thanks in advance for any information. I later put out empty supers for them to clean out and also a four gallon feeder that I made, which they emptied in a few days. Thanks again ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 08:36:48 -0500 Reply-To: busybeeacres@discoverynet.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: bob harrison Subject: Re: Varroa and Tracheal Mite control MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit GImasterBK@AOL.COM wrote: > > Why waste your money? Essential Oils have NOT been proven effective for > control > of either mite. If they were, surely the Federal Government Labs would have > announced it particularly to help honey production. > > George Imirie Hello George, The method i use was developed by the USDA and uses food grade menthol/canola. I have had better results than with grease patties in the fall. I was finding patties untouched in the spring so was not getting control I needed with the patties. Plus the menthol/canola method is easier. I know you use the dark bees(carnolians)so maybe you don't need to treat. I have never used essential oils. A beekeeper in our assn. lost all his hives trying various essential oils. I don't know the strength of a menthol essential oil sold. I suspect the USDA mix is much stronger as the formula uses a full pound of food grade menthol to 2 pounds of canola and can run some of the bees right out of the hive at first on a hot day. If you could get the same strength in a essential menthol oil and the oil would vaporise as well then i don't see why it wouldn't work. Only my opinion so maybe other Bee-L people will comment. I do know untreated my Italians will dwindle and die as i have tried various experiments. According to the USDA 750,000 hives in the U.S. had died from TM by the early 1990's. TM is alive and well in the U.S. Sincerely, Bob Harrison ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 09:37:39 -0500 Reply-To: busybeeacres@discoverynet.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: bob harrison Subject: Re: CANADA IMPORT PROHIBITION MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thomas Vic VM wrote: > > Canada announced that it will extend for 5 years its ban on the importation > of honeybess from the US except Hawaii (Canada Gazette, Part II, Aug 30, Vol > 134, No 18, pg 2044 to 2048). They give several reasons for this ban > including mites and small hive beetles but they also make reference to > Parasitic Mite Syndrome, a viral infection possibly associated with mites > appearing in several U.S. mainland states. > > I don't recall hearing about this new syndrome, should we be worried? >Hello Vic, PMS is a name given to viral infections (Shiminuki) associated with the open wounds caused by parasitic mites. In my opinion when control of mites is in the 90+ range i see very little PMS. PMS is real and has been presant in most colonies which have had severe varroa mite infestations. When a colony has a severe varroa infestation they should be eliminated from the apiary to stop the spread of varroa through robbing and the spread of viral infections from open wounds. I treated many of these hives but now i eliminate them. I also understand why Canada has extended the ban another five years. I am seeing many beekeepers in trouble over using apistan without re checking. Packages entering Canada from the U.S. could come from varroa infested hives. Coumaphous could get the varroa down to undetectable levels and PMS viral infections could enter Canada. Sincerely, Bob Harrison > ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 12:57:31 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Mitchell Subject: Re: Rape varieties and nectar flows MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 9/20/00 11:01:32 AM, pdillon@CLUB-INTERNET.FR writes: <> I can't believe you are fairly stating this argument, because it would require designating a vast number of insects as "pests" besides honeybees, since there is a great diversity of pollinating animals (mostly insects). Perhaps somebody was trying to "get a rise out of you" because they knew you were a beekeeper. I can't see somebody credibly advancing the idea that large areas of open-grown crop can be nearly completely denuded of animal life to an extent and with a consistency that cross-pollination contamination would be minimized. Spraying on purpose to target pollinators is probably illegal where there are rare or endangered insects (in North America and Europe at least), and in any event, would draw a lot of negative publicity from activist groups that are good at getting media attention. I've been wrong before though, so here's a question for the list: Is anybody aware of an agricultural practice anywhere where pollinators are considered pests, and are targeted with a pesticide-spraying campaign? More likely, the growers would self-regulate (or convince the state to regulate) what could be grown in the area to avoid contamination from undesirable pollen. This is why a woman who developed a variety of colored cotton was pushed out of California. Growers feared cross-pollination contamination would ruin their harvest of snow-white cotton lint. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 13:09:03 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Mitchell Subject: Spraying in Israel MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Are there any Palestinian or Israeli beekeepers on the list who would be willing to comment on how the spraying associated with West Nile is affecting you, if at all? >From Reuters Israel struck by West Nile virus epidemic  An outbreak of West Nile virus in Israel has become an epidemic that has killed 13 people and infected scores more, the Health Ministry said today. "With 161 sick and 13 dead, it's an epidemic," a ministry spokeswoman said. She said the ministry was trying to combat the mosquito-borne virus with the only means available — spraying mosquito-infested areas and warning people to use insect repellents. Israel's Health Ministry said in a statement that hospitals were admitting 15 people every day who were infected by the virus, which is named after the West Nile region of Uganda and Egypt where it is most common. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 13:44:50 -0500 Reply-To: busybeeacres@discoverynet.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: bob harrison Subject: Re: Dead Bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit R & S Adams wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Automatic digest processor" > To: "Recipients of BEE-L digests" > Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 11:00 PM > Subject: > Hello ...My name is Randy and I live in S.W. Missouri. My > problem is I lost two of my hives. After taking supers of honey a few weeks > ago and replacing empty supers a day later, the person, whose land they are > sitting on, told me he saw a large swarm take off. When I went to check > out the seven hives I have there, the two on the one end were empty. The > strongest hive box was empty and the one next to it well bees were dead > everywhere. The ground was covered with allot of bees right in front of the > entrance and allot of dead bees in the box. Anyone have a answer? Did one > colony attack the other? I later > put out empty supers for them to clean out and also a four gallon feeder > that I made, which they emptied in a few days. Thanks again Hello Randy, Without looking at the hives i can only guess. My guess would be the two end hives were robbed out. I would also guess that the *large swarm* was the robbing activity taking place. Wet supers and open feeding this time of year will start robbing. I had to leave a large yard yesterday only half done because robbing on the truck was getting started. Even with tops covered the bees knew those boxes contained honey. The air was full of bees,bees were all along the cracks between super even though they couldn't get into the supers and bees were starting to hang on the truck. All i could do was pack up and leave the area. I returned about two hours later and finnished the job. Any open feeding needs to be done around 300 feet from the colony this time of year. Italian bees are the worst about robbing and any swarms you have cought or weak hives should have entrances reduced this time of year when wet supers are put back on. Surely you didn't just stack the supers in the yard for the bees to clean out. Putting wet supers back on the hives has been known to start robbing. I personally don't return supers to the hives to let the bees clean up. My extraction process leaves the supers drier than most and i like the supers slightly wet in the spring as it makes the bees move into them as soon as they are put on. Also are you the Randy from southwest Missouri which drove up and bought a trunk full of 5 gallon pails from me several times a few years back? Sincerely, Bob Harrison Busy Bee Acres inc. Odessa,Missouri ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 15:11:40 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bob Harrison Subject: varroa test results from Missouri Hello All, Not all beekeepers do the amount of varroa testing i do so i thought i would share my results,observations and comments. With all but two remote yards in now i am beginning to get a varroa picture for the season. All production yards were treated with coumaphous this spring. All yards were rechecked and treatment was in the 98% range as per post treatment sticky board tests. All yards were checked about a month ago for normal mite fall to see if supers needed to be pulled and fall treatments begain. All sticky board levels were ok but highest in areas next to beekeepers which had used apistan last spring. All yards tested so far are showing varroa mites. Levels are the highest in yards bordering yards treated with apistan. I tested those yards with apistan strip and sticky board first. Not many mites and half were still alive on the sticky boards after 24 hours. I then pulled the apistan strip and put in a coumaphous strip. When i pulled the sticky boards 24 hours later the boards had a normal amount of mites(about five times the amount with apistan) for this time of year and unlike apistan ALL mites were dead. I have yet to remove a sticky board from a coumaphous strip tested hive and find a live mite. My conclusion is that i am seeing a similar situation as i did in the spring of 1996 when the problem was reinfestation from beekeepers not using any treatments at all and robbing of feral colonies only this year the problem is from beekeepers using fluvalinate and getting only a 50% or less kill of varroa. Both said beekeepers are reporting huge populations of varroa and pitiful honey crops. I had planned to use apicure on all hives if mite loads were low but now i am going to have to use coumaphous on those yards close to those beekeepers to keep from losing those colonies. The fall honey flow started about a week ago so robbing might stop for now but i imagine quite a bit of robbing has gone on from weak colonies. In 1996 reinfestation caused many hive losses even in hives treated in the spring. Apistan was about 98% effective then but still the reinfestation rate was causing problems. Bees were arriving back at the hives with varroa mites hanging all over them. Please test all your hives if using apistan or even apicure as your control problems effect your fellow beekeepers efforts. Sincerely, Bob Harrison ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 18:08:12 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Robert J. Bassett" Subject: Hive Beetle Ground Treatment Comments: cc: benwagg@concentric.net, bwaggoner@autoprodinc.com, benwagg@earthlink.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello Friends, I live in west/central Florida. The hive beetles have arrived at my place. I seem to be getting an increase in the number of adult beetles, each month. I have seen very little damage inside the hives, but when I do see it, it is ugly. The beetle grubs enjoy swimming around in the honey supers. The bees seem to be on top of the damage and are pretty quick to make repairs. I don't know if the bees try to remove the grubs when they come across them, or not.The adult beetles are shaped in such a way that the bees can't get a grip on them to remove them from the hives, even though they try hard to do it. We have now taken to examining the individual frames of honey with a powerful backlight, attempting to keep our honey crop from being contaminated with a beetle nursery. A friend of mine has had some really bad experiences with this pest. He thought he was going to be wiped out. He drove the bees out of one of his infested nucs and poured gasoline in it to kill the beetles. There were, what appeared to be. cupfuls of adult beetles on the floor of the hive! The combs were decimated, full of grubs and running with honey, a real mess. One of the recommended control methods is using a ground drench of pyrethrums to kill the beetle pupa. I would like to try using borax. I have had really good success using borax as a disinfectant, in times past. My veterinarian told me to use it in the dog's kennel to kill worm eggs. I actually did try a small amount on an area where a cut out piece of spur comb had landed a few days before. The spur comb had sealed larvae in it and the ground underneath the small piece of comb was alive with beetle larvae. There were a few adult beetles in the mix, also. I applied some borax powder to the area and it seemed to kill all of the beetle larvae in one day! I would like to have some advice as to the environmental impact, or other concerns, in the use of (20 Mule Team) borax for ground application. The bees are situated in among some large trees and I would hate to kill my trees. Anyone? Thinking I can't be the first guy with this idea. Bob Bassett ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 18:58:38 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Adony Melathopoulos Subject: cell size... a study Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hey Bee-l, I was flipping through an old ABJ this afternoon and I found a summary of a study conducted by the USDA: Harbo, J. R. 1991. Effect of cell size on quantity of brood and weight of worker bees. Am Bee J 131: 776 Summary: Small colonies (bees covering 3-frames, @ 6,000 workers), of roughly equal size, were established on colonies containing either; 1) 711 cells per sq decimeter (6 colonies) or 2) 857 cells per sq decimeter (a natural sized foundation) (9 colonies). A second experiment was conducted where an even smaller cell size (1004 cells per sq dm) (4 colonies) was compared to the largest cell size (711 cells per sq dm) (4 colonies). 'Colonies compensated for the large cells be increasing their brood area to maintain about the same number of broodcells. Colonies with larger cells (711 cells per sq dm) poroduced larger areas of brood than colonies with smaller cells (857 cells per sq dm), but the two groups never differed in the number of brood cells. Larger cells produced larger bees. The difference between worker bees from the large and medium sized cells was 6mg (113 and 107 mg) in the first experiment. The difference between workers from the largest and smallest cells in experiment 2 was 11 mg (117 and 106mg)' I imagine there are other studies investigating the effect of cell size on a variety of colony properties, if someone spent a little time looking. The implications, in terms of colony productivity, of having smaller workers, has also probably been looked at experimentally. Regards Adony Adony Melathopoulos Apiculture Biotechnologist Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Beaverlodge Research Farm Box CP 29 Beaverlodge, Alberta CANADA T0H 0C0 T +1 780 354 5130 F +1 780 354 8171 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 20:45:55 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Beekeeperc@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Martha Stewart -beekeeper MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The other beekeeper on the same show that was extracting the surplus honey was me. I have been her beekeeper for the past six years. Norm Hope you enjoy the show. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 06:19:51 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "KAMRAN F FAKHIMZADEH (MMSEL)" Organization: University of Helsinki Subject: NEW INVENTION MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hello all, Recently I came to know about the hot discussions in Bee-l as some of you asked about the reprint of my article in the American Bee Journal September issue. Since Bob Harrison wrote about the article new invention to detect mites in Bee-l. I just want to let you know my E-mail address (kamran.fakhimzadeh@helsinki.fi) for those of you who want a copy of the article or have any other question about the device and method. The development of this device and method for the detection of Varroa mite took several years. Please fill free to ask any question about the method and device. I enjoyed reading Bob note in the Bee-l. Sincerely Kamran Fakhimzadeh ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 19:23:08 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: GImasterBK@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Hive Beetle Ground Treatment MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Why don't you ask Laurence Cutts of the FL Dept of Agriculture in Gainesville. After all, he is the EXPERT about honey bees and small hive beetles in Florida, whereas the great majority of Bee-L members know little about SHB or their treatment in Florida? His Phone is (352) 372-3505 e-mail: deweesc@doacs.state.fl.us Let the Bee-L know what you find out, so we all know. George Imirie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 00:22:02 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Vivian Donahue Subject: dead bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Bob, how do you keep the bugs and wax moths out of your "wet" supers? At 1:44 PM -0500 9/20/00, bob harrison wrote: >on the hives has been known to start robbing. I personally don't return >supers to the hives to let the bees clean up. My extraction process >leaves the supers drier than most and i like the supers slightly wet in >the spring as it makes the bees move into them as soon as they are put >on. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 07:26:54 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: reno Subject: Small Hive Beetle MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Being situated in N. Florida I have noticed beetles in my hives and was remarking about it to another bee man. He advised me that I could use an insecticide called COR-Al , a powder, that is sold at most farm centers for the control of hornflies and lice on cattle. It is Phosphorothioate ( cumaphos) 1 %, where the coumaphos strips sold are 10 %. He said I could put it into the cracks between the frames on the end rests and the beetles would crawl through it and die. Bees, he said were not effected by it.. I hate to use any type chemicals, but what other choice do I have with the beetle ? Has anyone used this powder on beetles? I went to the local farm center and looked at the product and priced it..$17.00 for about 10 lbs..Thanks Will Lewis.. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 08:18:30 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Canon, Hartman" Subject: Hive beetle and OMFs MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT I am in Geneva, FL. The hive beetles are present, and for now, do not cause a problem. There were hive beetles in the last package (from GA) I purchased when I picked it up from the postoffice this spring. The suggested treatment is the 4" square of corrugated with 2 halves of a comaphous strip stapled to the corrugated side and placed on the bottom board. It seems to me that the use of OMFs requires an alternate treatment. If using OMFs, just how does one treat for hive beetles? HBCanon Geneva, FL ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 09:23:44 -0500 Reply-To: busybeeacres@discoverynet.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: bob harrison Subject: Re: dead bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Vivian Donahue wrote: > > Bob, how do you keep the bugs and wax moths out of your "wet" supers? > > At 1:44 PM -0500 9/20/00, bob harrison wrote: > >on the hives has been known to start robbing. I personally don't return > >supers to the hives to let the bees clean up. My extraction process > >leaves the supers drier than most and i like the supers slightly wet in > >the spring as it makes the bees move into them as soon as they are put > >on. Hello Vivian, I scratch all areas my chain flail uncapper doesn't get and run the extractor longer than most. Frames are sticky to the touch but not wet. My super warehouse is next door to the honey house. Protected by a firewall. In order to get all my supers in the warehouse i take the supers off skids and stack in stacks with three tablespoons of paradichlorbenzene every five supers. I make sure all holes are sealed with tape. We have a free paper in our area called"thrifty Nickel" which is the perfect size for putting between supers and also combining weak hives. Newspaper is really to large and makes warehouse look tacky. About a inch sticks out all the way around the super when done correctly. When the warehouse is empty of supers in spring we clean all areas and spray around doors to keep ants out. I rotate supers so every super is put on colonies at least every other year. Bees don't seem to like those old hard supers which haven't been used in years. Also bees seem to move into supers done like i do faster than supers given back to the bees to clean. Only my opinion and the way i keep bees. Also the instructions for Para-moth says 6 tablespoons for 10 supers in a stack. I have found 3 tablespoons for five to give better protection. The paper also seperates the stacks so if moths do get in you only get five damaged instead of ten. In Missouri i only put crystals in once after the honey flow is over because by the time the crystals are gone the cold weather has set in. The super warehouse is not heated on purpose. The above is the procedure i use and does take time but supers are a important part of my operation. In cold climates storage in unheated areas really help. The system i use may not work in your part of the country or world. Please check with other beekeepers in your area for advice for your area. I do believe most of the northern U.S. could use the above system without problems. Sincerely, Bob Harrison ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 10:39:37 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Storing wet supers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Vivian asked "how do you keep the bugs and wax moths out of your "wet" supers?" I also store supers wet. I prefer that as I use queen excluders and putting on wet supers gets the bees to immediately move above the excluders into the supers. Bugs and wax moths in wet supers here in upstate NY is not a problem due to the cold nights we start to get "now", and the very cold winters that kill most (but not all) of the eggs and larvae. In fact, we can leave wet supers in storage until around June 15 without suffering damage. In warmer climates that would be a problem, and beekeepers would have to use a moth control...which is also not a problem. Lloyd Mailto: Lloyd@rossrounds.com. Lloyd Spear Owner, Ross Rounds, Inc. The finest in comb honey production. Visit our web site at http://www.rossrounds.com. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 10:18:20 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Lipscomb, Al" Subject: Re: Small Hive Beetle MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain >Being situated in N. Florida I have noticed beetles in my hives and was >remarking about it to another bee man. He advised me that I could use an >insecticide called COR-Al , a powder, that is sold at most farm centers for >the control of hornflies and lice on cattle. Read the label. With pesticides the label is the law. Does it say to use it in bee hives? Nope. If you, or your friend get caught you have a legal problem. Choices to date include Cumaphos strips, soil drench, and for those who don't like chemicals traps. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 10:36:46 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jean-Francois Lariviere Subject: Bees Could Help in Alcoholism Fight Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Another positive contribution by honeybees!!! Jean-Francois Lariviere BeeHealthyFarms.com NYC Bees Could Help in Alcoholism Fight c The Associated Press By DANNY M. BOYD STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Honey bees and humans have at least one thing in common: They both drink alcohol, and researchers want to know whether the insects can be used to test drugs designed to curb alcoholism. Some animals have to be injected or tricked into consuming alcohol, but not bees. In studies, honey bees harnessed on a small metal holder consumed solutions with various levels of ethanol. ``We can even get them to drink pure ethanol, and I know of no organism that drinks pure ethanol, not even a college student,'' said Charles Abramson, a comparative psychologist at Oklahoma State University. Research could determine within a few months whether bees are suitable subjects that would allow drug companies to use fewer vertebrates in the first line of drug testing, Abramson said. Abramson, assistant Gina Fellows from the University of Hertfordshire in England and other students have begun giving bees the drug Antabuse, which makes a! ! lcoholics sick when they drink in order to curb consumption. The drug is administered gradually to bees, allowing them to stop. ``It looks like it does have an affect on the bees,'' Abramson said. Tests have been limited to the lab, but the team has begun conducting experiments in a more natural setting, with bees living in a hive atop a university building. The bees are trained to come down to a third-floor window to drink and are marked for observation before buzzing away. Bees and people are more alike than meets the eye. Bees have a complex social structure, including language and division of labor, that could make them similar to people in the way they treat their problem drinkers. The likeness might allow researchers to come up with more ways to treat alcoholism, Abramson said. He said naturalist John Lubbock found in experiments in 1888 that ants puzzled by the drunken behavior of a nest mate would nonetheless pick up the sot and carry it home. A drunken stranger ant wo! ! uld be tossed in a ditch. So far, tests have shown that alcohol impairs bee locomotion and learning ability, just as it does in people. Overconsumption of ethanol kills bees just as overconsumption of alcohol can kill humans. Abramson has collaborated on research into the effects of insecticides on learning in the Africanized honey bee. He published preliminary findings on bees and alcohol consumption last month in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. AP-NY-09-20-00 1347EDT Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 09:06:05 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: michael Bassett Subject: Re: varroa test results from Missouri On Wed, 20 Sep 2000 15:11:40 -0400, Bob Harrison wrote: after you kill the hive, assuming you don't use sevin or something, is it ok to reuse the equipment. since this is the first time I have had pms, or should i say the first time my hives have pms, I probably have had it a few times in my life. how do you kill the hives? I have been using the soap and water to kill but the hives next to the hive i'm killing get exteremely violent. I'm not sure if they are trying to help defend their sister or are worried if they are next. mike bassett massachusetts ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 14:06:58 -0500 Reply-To: busybeeacres@discoverynet.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: bob harrison Subject: Re: varroa test results from Missouri MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mike bassett wrote: after you kill the hive, assuming you don't use sevin or something, is it ok to reuse the equipment. how do you kill the hives? Hello all, I carry the hive away from the other hives and shake the bees off each frame by tapping on the ground and put the boxes on the truck is the way i do a weak queenless hive or a weak hive with laying workers. A weak queenright hive i don't want to carry through the winter i combine with another weak queenright with a newspaper. I try to keep all my yards the same going into winter. All on skids in double deeps and about the same strength to prevent robbing. I have not seen pms in my colonies since 1996 when i had a big reinfestation problem from feral colonies and beekeepers not treating for mites. I am treating with terramycin now so secondary infections from pms hive bees wouldn't really be a big deal and the pms boxes would be safe to reuse in the spring if i did see a pms hive. I believe(my opinion) if you are seeing pms signs the hive is so varroa infested you couldn't save it if you wanted to. If you are unsure of your diagnosis ask another beekeeper to take a look. As for actual killing of the hive i really haven't had a need but beekeepers to the north often kill all their bees and start with packages in the spring. I think they simply blow the bees out of the boxes when there is no brood now but use to use cyanid crystals years ago available from bee supply houses. Sincerely, Bob Harrison