========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 09:43:47 BST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: qub Subject: Re: Varroa in Ireland MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Yes, Varroa has been confirmed in Sligo, on the West coast of Ireland. We knew it would arrive some day but were quite surprised to find that it should appear in the West before the East. Unless there are other undetected cases I'm at a loss as to how emidemiology can exlpain this one, airborne transmission from the UK mainland? Wind direction, the Irish sea and distance do not lend weight to support this idea, is there an unknown vector? I can only suspect that it has been introduced by the aid of Homo sapiens . We now have to find out how far it has spread.. It is indeed a sad time for Irish beekeeping.. Philip Earle Ph.D. (Treasurer - Belfast and District Beekeeping Association) j.a.p.earle@qub.ac.uk > Hi All > > The existence of the varroa mite has been confirmed in Ireland in recent days. > > We did not honestly believe that we would escape for ever - now we must deal > with it. > > One outbreak so far - but I understand that the experience in other > countries suggests that when it is found, it is already well entrenched. > > I wonder if the Irish authorities can learn from the experience gained in > other countries that now have the mite?. > > Sincerely > > Tom Barrett > 49 South Park > Foxrock > Dublin 18 > Ireland > > e mail cssl@iol.ie > Tel + 353 1 289 5269 > Fax + 353 1 289 9940 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 20:46:04 -0400 Reply-To: beekeepr@bellsouth.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Frank Humphrey Subject: Re: feeding bees, novice seeking advice Comments: To: jcbach@yvn.com In-Reply-To: <14440476503337@yvn.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > > Ben Pollard asks about whether he should continue feeding bees in > a hive he > just placed the second brood box on. > > > James C. Bach > When bees have sufficient nectar, they will stop taking syrup of their own accord. Frank Humphrey beekeepr@bellsouth.net ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 08:22:04 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Return-Path: Received: from ALBNYVM1 (NJE origin SMTPIN2@ALBNYVM1) by CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU (LMail V1.2c/1.8c) with BSMTP id 4738; Mon, 15 Jun 1998 04:43:25 -0400 Received: from Nzambi.qub.ac.uk [143.117.14.23] by CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R4a) via TCP with SMTP ; Mon, 15 Jun 1998 04:43:24 EDT Received: from fujin.qub.ac.uk by Nzambi.qub.ac.uk with SMTP-QUB (PP); Mon, 15 Jun 1998 08:43:01 +0000 Received: from pearle.bc.qub.ac.uk by fujin.qub.ac.uk (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id JAA20976; Mon, 15 Jun 1998 09:43:12 +0100 Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 09:43:47 bst From: qub Subject: Re: Varroa in Ireland To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Message-ID: Priority: Normal Read-Receipt-To: qub Delivery-Receipt-To: qub Return-Receipt-To: qub MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Yes, Varroa has been confirmed in Sligo, on the West coast of Ireland. We knew it would arrive some day but were quite surprised to find that it should appear in the West before the East. Unless there are other undetected cases I'm at a loss as to how emidemiology can exlpain this one, airborne transmission from the UK mainland? Wind direction, the Irish sea and distance do not lend weight to support this idea, is there an unknown vector? I can only suspect that it has been introduced by the aid of Homo sapiens . We now have to find out how far it has spread.. It is indeed a sad time for Irish beekeeping.. Philip Earle Ph.D. (Treasurer - Belfast and District Beekeeping Association) j.a.p.earle@qub.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 11:41:03 -0500 Reply-To: bruce@daktel.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: BC Organization: Robson Honey Company Subject: Hello and Bee Software recomendations wanted MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, my name is Jim Shepard. I'm back on the list again, and this time I'm not just chasing stray bees in my backyard. I've moved to North Dakota and I'm working with a honey producer here with thousands of hives. Lot's to do and learn. Right now I'm getting the internet set up for the company and I'm looking for software solutions for the management of the many bee yards we have spread out here. Looks like we'll have a good honey flow this year! Anyway, any suggested rescources of helpful information for commercial beekeeping operations would be most welcomed. Thanks. Jim Shepard ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 13:19:58 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rod Billett Subject: Side-by-side splits Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I am planning on doing a mid season split - No flames please - and am wanting to do it without moving the new split 2-3 miles away! I have read the books, looked over the BEE-L archives (splits/divides), and visited many informative web sites to collect information. But, would really like some advice from people who have practical experience. Any comments (good or bad) on my 'approach' would be appreciated. I will try to overprovide the information so I dont leave out any information that may be important - and avoid the 'you forgot to mention....' feedback. I'm a newbee, live in SC, USA. It doesn't get cold until October, the bees are in my backyard (ie easy to pour on the 1:1 syrup and pollen ) and we have a late season (Aug/Sep) flow of wild weeds to help with 'natural' stores for overwintering. Our major flow for surplus is April through May. Our nights normally have temperatures of 70-75 degrees F, and out Days are upwards of 95-105 with Humidity at 60% or better. My current apiary consists of 2 hives located in my back yard. I have built another hive stand between the two hives (Approx 2 feet from the hive I am wanting to divide). The hive I plan to split was installed this spring, and now consists of 2 hive bodys (10 frames each - drawn comb) with 2 shallow supers 80% drawn comb filled with 1:1 syrup (been planning for the divide since installation and the bees have drawn all this since 4/22). I recently placed the undrawn foundation into the center of the supers, and expect them to be drawn shortly. Current brood pattern is acceptable, but there are signs of being honey-bound. The hive bodies have been reversed (this weekend) to allow for a distribution of brood, and to ensure usage of all drawn comb. I plan to set up the new hive between the two existing hives. When I go to divide, I will set the top hive body from the existing hive onto the new hive stand. Then I will examine the frames from both hive bodies. Examination of frames will consist of shaking bees from the frame into the new hive body. If the frame is mostly eggs or larvae, it will go into the new hive body. If the frame is mostly Capped brood, it will go into the old hive body. The queen, when found will be placed into the old hive body (with capped brood). Frames with mostly honey/pollen will be equally divided between the hives. Once completed, the following configuration should exist: Old hive: Queen, Capped Brood, Forager bees, Honey/Pollen. Foragers in the field and in the new hive should return to this hive as well, Right? and a number of house bees that were not shaken from the frames should be in here as well. New Hive: No Queen, Eggs, Larvae, House Bees, Honey/Pollen. This hive will be re-queened. This hopefully will leave most of the house bees where they are needed - with the eggs, larvae in the new hive. The old hive (with capped brood) should soon have house bee's emerge from capped brood. On top of both hives, I will add another hive body with 10 frames of foundation, and one of the supers of drawn comb and stores. Both hives will be kept with a constant supply of 1:1 syrup. Pollen substitue (With yeast and natural pollen) will be used when I notice a lack of incoming bees with a full pollen sack. Basically, this is what most of the books and other information I have read states to do. Should this work, or is it going to too much detail? I have seen methods described that do not involve the division of frames, but just split the hive bodies and examine a few frames to ensure the half wich contains the queen and a relativly equal distribution of brood. Any practical feedback would be appreciated. Some of the old timers in my bee club say it cant be done without relocating the new hive, but I've read from many of you that side by side splits are relativly easy! Thanks Rod Billett Lexington, SC USA ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 13:31:38 -0500 Reply-To: davidscott@mtgroup.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Scott Subject: Newbie question of the day MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have a few questions - very beginner stuff, I was hoping to get answered: First, reading material for beginners - I've been surfing around the 'net, gathering as much material on beekeeping as possible; email, listserves, newsgroups, etc. I've read the pamplets from my local agricultural center, and have almost finshed a book called "Keeping Bees", by John Vivian (copyright 1986 - the only "bee book" in my local bookstore). It seems like a good book, but to a beginner, how do I know? What are some other good sources of reading for beginners? Second, just about everything I read has a "bee calendar" of what to do throughout the year with your hives. One thing that I don't see anywhere is "start your hives now". In other words, when is the best time to begin new hives? I'm figuring I'm too late for this year, and that fall is a terrible time because a new hive wouldn't be able to winter. Should I order by bees for early spring and get the full season in next year? David Scott davidscott@mtgroup.com http://www.access-developer.com http://www.mtgroup.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 19:39:34 +0100 Reply-To: luichart.woollens@virgin.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Harry Goudie Organization: Luichart Woollens Subject: Re: Varroa infecting Scotland MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Scotland is a very small country but, geographically it is very diverse there being great difference in terrain and climate between the borders and the highlands and also between east and west coasts. I think that there will be many places in Scotland which will remain varroa free especially on the west coast and western and nothern Islands where people and bees are widely spaced. I think therefore that destroying infected hives in these areas is the best policy. I would like to see some sort of registration of hives so that when one appears in the middle of a heather moor you know where it has come from and its owner's name and address. Since Scotland is no longer considered to be "Varroa Free" the restrictions on moving bees will no longer apply which I think will cause a lot of problems in areas which do not have the mite. A tragedy for the Islands! -- Harry Scotland Knitwear Web pages: http://freespace.virgin.net/luichart.woollens/ Beekeeping Page: http://freespace.virgin.net/luichart.woollens/page8.html ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 17:01:05 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Adrian Wenner Subject: Re: Varroa infecting Scotland Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Aaron Morris wrote: I imagine that by the time varroa levels reach the point that they are being noticed that they've been around for quite a lot longer, or put more simply, by the time you start noticing them they're already firmly established. This is of course unless beekeepers have been doing regular tests in order to detect the very first varroa mite to don a kilt. *********** In our studies on Santa Cruz Island, we documented the fact that more than two years elapsed after introduction before varroa mites killed a single colony or had any severe impact on infested colonies. Within a little more than a year, virtually all colonies on the island had perished --- even those colonies located miles away from the point of original infestation. That is, once one notices the adverse effect of mite infestation, gross counter measures, such as hive destruction, mean little. Adrian Adrian M. Wenner (805) 963-8508 (home phone) 967 Garcia Road (805) 893-8062 (UCSB FAX) Santa Barbara, CA 93106 *********************************************************************** * "To cling rigidly to familiar ideas is in essence the same as * * blocking the mind from engaging in creative free play." * * * * David Bohm and F. David Peat 1987 * *********************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 15:31:31 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Martin Braunstein Subject: Wood queen cages MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I would appreciate information on suppliers of wood queen cages in Australia and New Zealand. If possible provide fax number and/or e-mail. Thanks and regards. Martin Braunstein Malka Cabania Apicola e-mail: malka@webnet.com.ar ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 21:13:35 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Kate Rothacker Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit We are new enough to beekeeping (this is our third spring) to have a "little knowledge", which admittedly can be a dangerous thing. However, we made a side-by-side split last summer when we discovered a queen cell nearly ready, and another side-by-side split this spring. We have four hives now, all located together (one to two feet apart), and all are thriving. We are in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where the weather is not as hospitable as yours, but not severe. Having the hives in the back yard does make a big difference when it comes to keeping the syrup supply up. Good luck. Kate Rothacker ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 18:58:16 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "beenews (by way of Andy Nachbaur )" Subject: Latest Honey Market News Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The latest USDA HONEY MARKET NEWS is in and posted at http://beenet.com/index1.htm as Honey Market News & Bee and Plant Conditions. Imports continue at almost 2x last years volume. Now INDIA has joined Viet Nam as a exporter to the US. Some say the Indian honey glows in the dark but its just a rumor, but for a fact the Viet Nam honey will kill grass if sprayed on it, could be that Agent Orange stuff in it so some say. Interesting to note that only one mention of bee deaths from any cause which may cause some egg heads to rush out and start spraying honey bees or bee forage crops to prove their point that beekeeping is a dead or was it just a death sport. Most states in May report bee health conditions as excellent and swarming as normal to below normal. Bee sure and get MOONed when you are on BEENET.COM you will find it off the BEE CAM Page.(The HONEY MOON was ripped off one of the USDA pages backgroud.) In California the WET weather of 1998 rainy season will soon be a memory as our wether years ends this month and we start a new one, July 1, this time its being touted as la nino and as a below normal dry and cold season. Don't know if this will be the way it is but for sure this season was wet and cold, but its back to normal for awhile and the bees are reported doing real well in the souther central SAGE and also in the Buckwheat areas LA south. One large producer sold his ORANGE Honey for $00.71 and was not unhappy. I am sure he will be asking more for his SAGE as poor prospects are reported continuing in the Dakota's with some even taking 1/3 less bees from California there. ttul, Andy- Los Banos, California (c)Permission is given to copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)OPINIONS are not necessarily facts. USE AT OWN RISK! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 22:08:26 -0400 Reply-To: Bob Voras Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bob Voras Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If you are referring to making two hives from one big one, I have done that with a Master Beekeeper of 26 years here in WV 2 months ago. We took 2 telescoping covers, grabbed the deep bodies (ensure you have the queen or not! If not, intorduce one after split) and moved them to new Illinois with clean comb. We got 5 new hives this way and ordered only 4 queens, one hive created their new queen. I am an ameteur, but Bill sure knows what he is doing! bob ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 23:25:12 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Summerfield Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Rod. Golly, you sure are overcomplicating things. When I split very successfully, I simply took about three frames that contained good numbers of FRESH eggs and other brood, honey and pollen and moved them into a new single super hive 12 feet away from my original two super hive. The rest of the frames were former honey frames I had extracted the honey from and which were still drawn out. I then fed the new colony with a top hive box feeder for one whole brood cycle (30 days). This hive raised its' own queen from the hours old eggs in the frames and by the end of September had grown to pretty much full strength; two super hive bodies and 18 frames jammed full of winter stores. I just repeated the process this year from that hive and am growing a new colony. Works like a charm. Just make sure you inspect every 30 days or so to see that they raised a new queen and that she lays well. She should and if so, there's no need to buy a queen unnecessarily. Good luck. John -- _________________________________ John Summerfield Producer & Host "The Great Outdoorsman" TV Series http://www.greatoutdoorsman.com _________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 12:30:23 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: IBRA Subject: Re: kashmir virus In-Reply-To: <07211711814439@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > Hope you can pick up the information you require otherwise tri I.B.R.A. whose > website you can connect to from the Rothampstead site, you can then look for > Dr. Baileys book or the present book by Dr Bailey and Dr. Ball on viruses. > Costs something over sixty pounds to buy I believe. IBRA's web address is: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk Our library has many papers on Kashmir virus (and any other subject to do with bees of course!) - if you want a search done, please just contact Salma by email (ibra@cardiff.ac.uk). We have to charge for this service - but fees are very reasonable (members pay 50% less) - and Salma will give you an idea of cost before you decide to go ahead. =================================================== Dr Pamela Munn, Deputy Director and Editor International Bee Research Association 18 North Road, Cardiff CF1 3DY, UK Tel: (+44) 1222 372409 Fax: (+44) 1222 665522 Email: munnpa@cf.ac.uk =================================================== ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 07:05:06 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Subject: sci.agriculture.beekeeping MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT sci.agriculture.beekeeping is another area for bee discussions and anything goes there. No moderation, no rules, and it seems fairly busy lately. Originally set up to cover beekeeping as opposed to bee biology (which was the original mandate of BEE-L), sci.agriculture.beekeeping has recently gotten busier. Of course BEE-L is now a bee discussion group and includes beekeeping. There are other more specialized bee lists as well, worldwide, some of which can be found at http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Bee/Lists.htm If you would like to visit sci.agriculture.beekeeping, the following URL explains a number of easy ways of accessing it. Go to http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Bee/sci.htm Allen ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 09:24:42 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rod Billett Subject: A Newbee to Newbee tip. Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hello all, Just wanted to pass along something I experienced last night... I was re-queening a recently captured swarm last night. The need to capture the old queen required me to work the hive without gloves. I recommend everyone who wears gloves to take them off and work your hives (Keep the gloves close just in case!). After the first bee crawled on my hand and up my arm. I watched her crawl around for a few minutes. Once I adjusted, it was easy to ingnore the bees that landed on my arms. I noticed that I was naturally working slower, and gentler. My sense of 'feel' was greatly improved. You will not squash as many bees. As you adjust your grip or move your hands, you feel the bees under your fingers before you have crushed them. I also noticed that the bees were not as aggitated as they were when I worked them before. None popping the veil, or buzzing my head. I had always thought I was moving slowly, and being careful.. Guess I wasn't. I will take the gloves with me to the hives, but I will not put them on unless the bees are mean. I'd recommend all newbies 'go gloveless' and see how it is... All these experienced beekeepers can't be wrong. Rod Billett Lexington, SC USA ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 09:28:00 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bill Mares Subject: killing queens Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Someone at a local beekeepers' meeting suggested the following: When you replace an aging queen, find her, kill her, then rub her body on the cage of the new queen and carry out the rest of the new queen introduction as usual. Supposedly, this makes the bees more accepting of the new queen. Anyone out there ever tried this? Thanks. Bill Mares "Bee Happy in Your Work!" ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 10:37:23 -0500 Reply-To: beeworks@muskoka.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: David Eyre Organization: The Bee Works Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits In-Reply-To: <3585E598.E8CCE21E@mgl.ca> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT On 15 Jun 98 at 23:25, John Summerfield wrote: > Golly, you sure are overcomplicating things. > When I split very successfully, I simply took about three frames > that contained good numbers of FRESH eggs and other brood, honey and > pollen and moved them into a new single super hive 12 feet away from > my original two super hive. The rest of the frames were former I don't think it's a matter of complicating things. It should be pointed out there are two distinctly different methods of making splits, and that seems to be the problem under discussion. If you want a split that makes it's own queen, then this method, while being dubious at times regarding queen quality, does work. (There is plenty in the archives regarding emergency queen cells.) The previous post regarding queen introduction and splits was incorrect in that he still added open brood. With queen introduction it is imperative to only use sealed brood and young bees to ensure a good acceptance rate. One point missed by both is 'feeding'. We feed every nuc and split on an ongoing basis all summer long. I remember a nuc that was missed, it was a sorry sight. Dead bees everywhere, dry comb, they had even tried ingesting both young open and sealed brood, took them weeks to recover. ******************************************* The Bee Works, 9 Progress Dr, Unit 2, Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6H1 Phone/fax 705-326-7171 David Eyre, Owner. http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks e-mail ******************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 11:29:56 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rod Billett Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii David. In my original post, I did mention that I would be feeding both constantly with 1:1 syrup into the fall, and monitoring overwinter. I was not clear in stating that the new hive would be requeened with a purchased queen. I was not going to allow them to 'raise their own' What interests me is your comment relating to open eggs, larvae and requeening. Everything I read before posting my question was to leave the original queen with mostly capped brood, and the split to be requeened with mostly eggs and open larvae. This was to minimize the impact on brood cycles of both parts of the split. The reasoning being that the established queen would resume laying - providing new eggs. In the portion of the split recieving the new queen, mostly eggs and larvae were needed because it would be 2-5 days before she was released and started laying eggs. In both cases, a break in the brood cycle of a maximum few days. Switching it around could cause a gap in the brood cycle of 10 days ( 15,000 + bees) or more in the requeened portion of the hive? Any other feedback/experiences on capped brood or open eggs and larvae for re-queening? Rod Billett Lexington, SC ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 10:47:13 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Teresa Garcma Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Any other feedback/experiences on capped brood or open eggs and larvae for > re-queening? I have used both ways: using only capped brood and using mixed open and capped brood (not eggs), and to me, it seems that it worked the same: the queens were well accepted and performed ok. Tere ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 09:43:39 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Nuc's for sale, nr. Binghamton, NY In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Limited number of strong 5-frame nuclei for sale, ready to go. Call Dean Frost, Whitney Point, (607) 692-3066 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 11:05:19 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Teresa Garcma Subject: Neem tree MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I know there are people from all over the world in this list, and I would like to ask if somebody has ever used the "Neem tree" for controlling Varroa? Thank you, Tere ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 10:00:28 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits In-Reply-To: <2319a3c8.3585c6c0@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Just a reminder that I have quite a bit on the topic at http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/spring.htm under the 'Spring Management' link. The direct link is http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Spring/Management/splits.htm#Side by side if you want to bypass the intro, etc. I haven't updated it as often I had planned, so my latest thoughts on splitting aren't there, but there are lots of food for thought and a lot of good pictures. Allen -- Buy, sell, trade, get a job, hire help, announce a meeting, advertise a business or publication... For free *beekeeping related* classified ads, visit http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/BeeAds/ often. These ads work fast! ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 13:13:20 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Midnitebee Subject: hornedfaced bee/essential oil MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings! there was a thread about the hornedfaced bee and I have added a link to the following:http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee How to Control Parasitic Wasps (Monodontomerus obscurus) Supplies and Equipment Life Cycle of Hornfaced Bees Bee Shelters Also, after "speaking" to Jim Amrine, Entomologist & Acarologist, West Virginia University,there is a link to the essential oil site. Herb Holly-B Apiary P.O.Box 26 Wells,Maine 04090-0026 http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 14:27:11 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Summer splits Ron Billet asks about side-by-side splits, in general, and specifically doing them now Ron, I believe the advice concerning movement of the split 2-3 miles has principally to do with keeping the field bees. You recognize that you are going to lose them from your split and, in fact, losing them will make queen acceptance a lot easier. You also recognize that you should feed your split to get them to build more foundation. Be certain to wait for 24 hours after moving before introducing your new queen cage. This is not strictly necessary as she will be caged, but is still a good idea. I m not certain you need to feed the hive left behind , or why you are adding a deep to it. If you will have a good flow, you don t need to feed. If your flows are principally over, feeding is a good idea to draw out that much foundation. Presumably, you are adding a deep because either (1) you want to winter in two deeps (sure you want to do that?) or (2) you want the drawn comb for other reasons. Otherwise, and if you are going to have a flow, why not raise comb honey on this hive? It is ideal for it, as you will be creating an artificial swarm by your split, and the bees are primed for drawing comb. If you are not having at least a moderate flow when you split, be certain to cut the bee entrance down to 1 -2 on the split. Otherwise you could get severe robbing and you don t want to go there! John Summerfield commented on how easy it is to make splits, and he is right. I would only pause about the part concerning letting the bees raise their own queen. In the situation being described, the bees will raise several queens from the larvae. I have heard it said by several that I respect that (in their desperation) the bees will not necessarily raise their new queen from the ideal larvae that less than 36 hours old. Say they raise 5 queen cells, and one is started from larvae 60 hours old and the rest from larvae less than 36 hours old. The queen raised from the larvae 60 hours old will hatch first, and promptly kill the other queens in their cells. This queen will not have been well fed (because she started so late) and will lack full ovary development. She will be more likely than others to be superceded early, fail to build good patterns and start early in the spring, etc. Good luck! Lloyd LloydSpear@email.msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds the finest in comb honey production. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:21:09 +0100 Reply-To: gsm.wardell@virgin.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "GSM.WARDELL" Subject: Neem Tree MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My dictionary says Neem see nim. Nim 1 To take,To steal, pilfer. (Old English) Nim2 An old and widespread game, perhaps originally Chinese. Nim3 margosa, a species of Melia, yielding nim-oil. (Hindu) How might this plant be used for treating Varroa infested hives? Geoff Wardell, Scotland UK. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 17:55:06 PDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ernest Gregoire Subject: 2 NUCS+2PAKS, NUCS OK,PAKS IN TROUBLE? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hello Gang, After a long lay off, I want to keep bees again, so I bought 2 nucs and 2 packages. The nucs are doing fine. Lots of activity and I saw both queens when I put the frames into each hive. The packages are not as robust. One is doing the ole multiple eggs in one cell trick and I couldn't see the queen in the other. I couldn't find eggs there either, but did not look at the frame for very long. Installation was 5 days ago for the packages. There was a good cluster of bees in one corner of a frame and I assume that the queen might be inside it. Both queens were released by the bees. Comb is being drawn, and I am feeding them. There is a caveat here, the weather has been rainy every day since the install, with only brief periods of no rain and of course, overcast. There is very little pollen going in to these new colonies. This is why I suspect poor egg laying and also new queens are noted for multiple eggs until they get the hang of it. My concern is about queenlessness. What should I do, if anything. de AA1IK, Time the accursed enemy of man, cursed by youth for going to slow Ernie Gregoire and by the old for going to fast. R.R. 1, Box 221, South Rd. Canaan, NH. 03741 Fly fisher & tier, Promise Keeper. E-mail address: gregoire@endor.com packet address: AA1IK@WA1WOK.FN43FE.NH.USA.NA ------------------------------------- 06/16/98 18:10:19 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 17:14:38 -0700 Reply-To: jcbach@yvn.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: James C Bach Subject: Killing queens MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bill Mares askes about replacing a queen by killing the old queen and rubbing her on the new queen cage. He asks if other have done this. I have been finding the old queen and killing her by crushing her on the new queen cage for 25 years. Yes it does increase new queen acceptance. Especially with fairly temperamental bees. I've tried killing the old queen and dropping her in the hive or tossing her out on the ground and compared it with the crushing on new cage method. I always get better acceptance with the latter. James C. Bach State Apiarist Yakima WA jbach@agr.wa.gov jcbach@yvn.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 18:11:39 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Re: Neem Tree Comments: To: gsm.wardell@virgin.net In-Reply-To: <3586E1C5.4F03@virgin.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:21 PM 6/16/98 +0100, you wrote: >Nim3 margosa, a species of Melia, yielding nim-oil. (Hindu) NEEM, Very very old plant used for several thousand years for its medical uses one use may also be as an natural insecticide or at the least the insect repelling abilities of this plant are recognized with more then 1/3 of the population of the earth, so it is said so it must bee. Just saw a TV flick on bats that pollinate this tree or shrub and spread the seeds as without them it would have been over harvested or something, hole Batman. It is used, the leaves, in heavy insect flying areas, as a garnish around exposed food containers to keep the insects and blow fly's out of the salad and soup. Much research has been done on this plant and it products including bee research but I can not direct you to it as it is locked away on one of my hard drives but here in California you can buy NEEM in so called Health Food stores, I tried it, blaaa. But I would like to try the oil if anyone has a source. I guess I will have to make a trip to one of the new INDIA super markets that are showing up in some of the bigger cities around here. But having to watch and listen to that Indian bee bop on local India TV just to see the commercials is a chore plus all the good stuff is also sold via Indian language commercials so you are never sure if you are watching a commercial for a personal deodorant or a finger nail restorer or just an add to procure a virgin bride from the old country. The oil from the plant or seed is said to have the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells by cutting off the blood so the tumor dies. I got this tumor on the end of my noise, oh well so I pay the doctor 15K to wack off my noise or pay the witch doctor and have it fall off a la natural. >How might this plant be used for treating Varroa infested hives? I know I have read about using NEEM or testing it in the apiary environment and I thought it was being looked at in Canada but that's all I can say without looking at the stuff on my old hard drive. A few stops on the net you will find all the information on NEEM as a ecoSafe insecticide and more. http://www.plasmaneem.com/ http://www.neemfoundation.org/ http://www.proclus.com/interpet/01interpet.html http://www.jegson-neem.com/prod.htm A lot more but I have not finished reading them. Use a Super Search site like the one at: http://beenet.com/search.htm ttul, the OLd Drone (c)Permission is given to copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)OPINIONS are not necessarily facts. USE AT OWN RISK! ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:14:06 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Williams Subject: novice questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I started my hive just 3 weeks ago and seem to have a good hive going. = I added supers this weekend and have noticed that many of the bees seem = to be on the front of the hive floor trying to collect what little syrup = leaks from the Boardman feeder. Are they that anxious to collect syrup, = or is there some problem, or is it that I have southern belle bees = sitting on the veranda. I live in south Georgia, and most days recently = have been in excess of 90 degrees. =20 Also we're suffering something of a draught. We and many of the = neighbors water regularly, but we haven't had any rain is 2 weeks. I am = feeding the bees in excess of a quart of syrup a day recently. Should I = add another feeder? Is there some problem with my hive that I am = unaware of? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:09:24 -0400 Reply-To: beeworks@muskoka.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Eyre Organization: The Bee Works Subject: Re: Summer splits In-Reply-To: <00db85147181068UPIMSSMTPUSR06@email.msn.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Date sent: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 14:27:11 -0400 Send reply to: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Summer splits To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU > to get them to build more foundation. > Be certain to wait for 24 hours after moving before introducing your new > queen cage. This is not strictly necessary as she will be caged, but is > still a good idea. Can't say I agree with this statement. We certainly don't wait 24 hours, that's too time consuming. We now add the queen as soon as we make up the split or nuc. It only takes a few hours for the hive to note they're queenless but up to 48 hours plus before they release the new queen by which time she's really welcomed. ******************************************** The Bee Works, 9 Progress Drive, Unit 2, Orillia, ON, Canada. Phone- 705-326 7171. Fax 705 325 3461. North American agents. E.H.Thorne(UK)Ltd. Ventilated Hives and Equipment David Eyre... Owner http:\\www.muskoka.net\~beeworks ********************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:45:49 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Diane Boller Subject: Re: Neem Tree MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I may be confused, but I think that I've read a label on a Neem oil product indicating that it's toxic to honey bees. I'd wanted to use an environmentally friendly product on some fruit trees growing in my garden, and Neem oil was recommended to me, but I chose not to buy the product I found (whose active ingredient, I think, was Neem) because of the bees. Unless someone else checks this first, I'll try to do so within the next few days. > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:09:25 -0400 Reply-To: beeworks@muskoka.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Eyre Organization: The Bee Works Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits In-Reply-To: <85256625.0053BDD6.00@sctmnot8.sctcorp.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Date sent: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 11:29:56 -0400 Send reply to: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rod Billett Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU > mostly eggs and open larvae. This was to minimize the impact on brood > cycles of both parts of the split. The reasoning being that the > established queen would resume laying - providing new eggs. In the portion > of the split recieving the new queen, mostly eggs and larvae were needed > because it would be 2-5 days before she was released and started laying > eggs. In both cases, a break in the brood cycle of a maximum few days. > > Switching it around could cause a gap in the brood cycle of 10 days ( > 15,000 + bees) or more in the requeened portion of the hive As I said in my previous post, there are two distinct ways of achieving the same thing. If we want to start a discussion I would ask this question. Instead of splitting sealed brood in one hive and open in the other, why not equal the split and provide both with sealed and open brood? Possibly the new queen aceptance would suffer? ******************************************** The Bee Works, 9 Progress Drive, Unit 2, Orillia, ON, Canada. Phone- 705-326 7171. Fax 705 325 3461. North American agents. E.H.Thorne(UK)Ltd. Ventilated Hives and Equipment David Eyre... Owner http:\\www.muskoka.net\~beeworks ********************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 23:48:04 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Neem tree In-Reply-To: <3586A5CF.4DB2@acnet.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > I know there are people from all over the world in this list, and I > would like to ask if somebody has ever used the "Neem tree" for > controlling Varroa? There have been tests done in California and in Canada. The initial rumour was that it was effective against tracheal, but more recent word -- as I recall -- is that is is worthless as a treatment and questionable in its appropriateness in a honey environment. I believe Adony had some good comments to make in Saskatoon about Neem and other essences that he has been looking at and I was hoping he'd jump in here, but maybe he does not read the list these days or maybe he's away. On thing to keep in mind is that there are a number of Neem products and it may be hard to generalize... Seems we talked about this before somewhere. I think I'll search... (The writer makes a quick visit to http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/beel.htm and searches for neem and...) Aha! 29 Hits. I'm forwarding to Teresa Garcma Others can visit http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Neem.htm and see what I found. Allen --- Newsflash! Visit http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/beel.htm to search BEE-L archives the easy, easy way or to update or change your subscription options. --- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 23:55:39 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits In-Reply-To: <19980616143328787.AAA123@Office> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > The previous post regarding queen introduction and splits was incorrect > in that he still added open brood. With queen introduction it is > imperative to only use sealed brood and young bees to ensure a good > acceptance rate. Hmmm. May be true in Ontario, but here in the West, we get very good acceptance -- up to 100% with any kind of brood in the split. Young brood is good for holding the bees in the split until the queen is put in if you are moving them around or the queen arrival is a bit delayed -- or you use cells. > One point missed by both is 'feeding'. We feed every nuc and split on an > ongoing basis all summer long. Definitely no argument here. We quit when they start filling supers, but until they are making surplus we feed and feed and feed. Allen ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 00:08:13 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: kashmir virus question In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > Is here anyone who nows somthing abut "kashmir virus".We have heard > here in Denmark , that in Australia is wery manny bees dead of virus, > that is infektet whith the varroa mite. Everything discussed on BEE-L re: Kashmir virus is listed for your convenience at http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Kashmir.htm Articles can be retrieved at http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/beel.htm Allen ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 21:00:29 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Re: Neem Tree In-Reply-To: <35872DDD.3F920998@poems.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:45 PM 6/16/98 -0400, you wrote: >I may be confused, but I think that I've read a label on a Neem oil product >indicating that it's toxic to honey bees. I'd wanted to use an environmentally >friendly product on some fruit trees growing in my garden, and Neem oil was >recommended to me, but I chose not to buy the product I found (whose active >ingredient, I think, was Neem) because of the bees. Unless someone else checks >this first, I'll try to do so within the next few days. I am sure it is toxic to bees as most if not all products sold to kill insects are and since some of the Neem formulations are mixed with insecticidal soap which alone would kill any bees it gets on.. Kill the bee, kill the bees pests. But then if you are going to treat your trees or garden for pests and the plants are not attractive to bees it may be the product for you. At the same time it may be that with low doses Neem is not harmful to bees, this I don't know, but could be that it would kill Vampire mites and not the bees but then you have the smell. If it smells as bad as what I have read it more then likely would drive the bees out of the hive. ttul, the OLd Drone ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 10:02:31 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Computer Software Solutions Ltd Subject: Queen Introduction Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi All I was working some time ago with a very experienced beekeeper and I saw him introduce queens using a matchbox. He simply put the queen into a matchbox, opened it ever so slightly (less than a millimeter), and stuck the matchbox in between two combs of brood. It worked. He told me he had been doing it this way for many years. Recently I tried this myself (a beginner) and it worked out also. I mention this for what it is worth. Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South Park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland e mail cssl@iol.ie Tel + 353 1 289 5269 Fax + 353 1 289 9940 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 08:22:36 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: EAS '98 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT I've been checking the 7 Springs web page contemplating attending EAS in July. Seems a bit pricey. Anyone know if they are offering any sort of package deal for the conference or just straight fares? Thanks, Aaron Morris ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 07:19:19 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Chris and Janet Sauer Subject: Re: neem trees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="x-user-defined" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit You don't have to go to India to get Neem oil; Gardens Alive sells it as Neem-away. We've used it for the aphids on our roses and some leaf-eating pests in the garden. I heard a rumor it was being tested for use in hives for both mites, but haven't heard anything yet of its efficacy. Gardens Alive can be contacted at 812 537-8650. Chris 31 hives, NE Iowa ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 09:21:30 -0400 Reply-To: beekeepr@bellsouth.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Frank Humphrey Subject: Re: Side-by-side splits In-Reply-To: <85256624.005D4B42.00@sctmnot8.sctcorp.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Any practical feedback would be appreciated. Some of the old > timers in my > bee club say it cant be done without relocating the new hive, but > I've read > from many of you that side by side splits are relativly easy! > > Thanks > Rod Billett > Lexington, SC USA > I do side by side splits almost every year. The new hive needs to have young bees because they will more readily accept a new queen. I take most of the brood and attached nurse bees and put them in the new hive. Make the split early in the morning and wait until late afternoon to put in the queen. Use a small nail to make a hole in the candy. After 4 days check to see that she has been released. What you now have is 1 colony with no field bees but a lot of emerging brood which will build up quickly. The other colony has a laying queen some brood and young bees and a good field force. Feed both heavily and they will be ready for the fall season. A word of caution. Both colonies are weak initially and are subject to robbing. I usually install a robber screen to prevent this. A robber screen is shipping screen with a small hole at the bottom and to one side. Hive odors exit from the top and robbers are drawn to that area. The hive bees quickly learn where the opening is and use it. Frank Humphrey beekeepr@bellsouth.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 08:45:23 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Murray McGregor Subject: Re: Varroa infecting Scotland In-Reply-To: <35856A66.23BC@virgin.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 In article <35856A66.23BC@virgin.net>, Harry Goudie writes >Scotland is a very small country but, geographically it is very diverse >there being great difference in terrain and climate between the borders >and the highlands and also between east and west coasts. I think that >there will be many places in Scotland which will remain varroa free >especially on the west coast and western and nothern Islands where >people and bees are widely spaced. I think therefore that destroying >infected hives in these areas is the best policy. I would like to see >some sort of registration of hives so that when one appears in the >middle of a heather moor you know where it has come from and its owner's >name and address. Since Scotland is no longer considered to be "Varroa >Free" the restrictions on moving bees will no longer apply which I think >will cause a lot of problems in areas which do not have the mite. A >tragedy for the Islands! Unfortunately, as those in the west of Ireland have just discovered to their cost, isolation is no real protection. Harry, it could be YOUR bees (or mine) which go down with this pest next because the vectors of spread are so diverse. The recent discovery in St Andrews in eastern Scotland, and the Irish find, are in resident colonies. The infestations are already between two and four years old. Destruction is useless as it is pretty well certain that the mites will have spread. In Scandinavia offshore islands became infested and it could be demonstrated that no bee movements were taking place. It is believed that dead bees wedged in the front of tourist cars(or any vehicle travelling substantial distances) which had come from infested areas were one vector of spread, as the mite can live on the body until dessicated, which can take a few days, then jump off to a local bee which comes to investigate the disgorged contents of the dead bees stomach. Another vector is that drones have, in some Danish research (which I believe is disputed), been shown to travel great distances, up to 40 miles in one case, to congregating areas. As I believe that you have a tourist outlet there at Lochluichart, then, if the Scandinavian theory is correct, you are at risk from this route. Once you find it in resident colonies then I'm afraid it is established in your area, as it is HIGHLY unlikely you will detect it first season. thus destruction will only cause severe anguish to those who lose their bees and probably do nothing to protect their neighbours who will already be carrying the pioneers in their hives. The only exception I can see which would fit your desired model of destruction is if infested colonies are brought into an area, such as for heather as you state, AND the area in which they have arrived is still deemed varroa free, AND the owner declines to remove them back to from whence they came. Even then the time window is short. It MIGHT then buy you a season or two. I'm afraid that the only realistic point of view is that infestation is inevitable and it could appear anywhere, at any time. We are getting ready to deal with it, and will NOT be seeking destruction of the hives of the first unfortunate to find it in our area. Murray -- Murray McGregor ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 10:27:22 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Accommodations for EAS '98 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Regarding my query about group rates for EAS at Seven Springs: Lloyd Spear responded: > I'm told there is a set of rooms at a discount; I don't know if those > are sold out. > > They are pricey. Moreover, the nearest "budget" kind of places seem > to be 15-20 miles away. I don't know why EAS does this to us (last > year they charged 50% more for meals if you bought tickets compared to > paying at cash register). Will be interesting to see what happens to > attendance. > > Now that I've said that, I'm certain they have a percentage of the > membership who asks "why do we always have to stay in dormitories and > eat institutional food"? Being on the board of these organizations is > never easy! > > Lloyd Herb Midnightbee added: > Greetings! > These are the local towns "surrounding" Seven Springs,Pa. > Champion,Jones Mills,Donegal,New Stanton,Monroeville > All the above towns are within a 20 mile or less radius. > Pittsburgh is approx.. 60 miles from Seven Springs > Hotels/motels > 1-800-843-5644 Knights Court > 1-800-325-2525 Days Inn > 1-800-752-8592 Best Western > 1-800-4-choice Quality Inn>Comfort Inn > 1-800-228-2828 Ramada > 1-800-Holiday Holiday Inn > If you belong to AAA,get their New Jersey/Penn. tour book.. > > Holly-B Apiary > P.O.Box 26 > Wells,Maine 04090-0026 > http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee Well, I surfed to http://www.7springs.com and found their 800 number and lodging information. The one week rate for a 1 BR condo is $670 less 10% in July and August due to no air conditioning. Calling the 800 number I discovered as Lloyd said that there is a discounted rate for EAS attendees of $90 per night (single) or $132 (double). Normal rates are $155 single, $205 double - I assume the rooms are air conditioned. Seems one can save close to $200 renting a condo for a week vs a double room for 6 nights, provided one is willing to forego air con. However, I have not verified this with Seven Springs. Aaron Morris - thinking camping sounds better all the time! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 21:06:30 +0900 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: j h & e mcadam Subject: Re: Wood queen cages MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Martin Braunstein wrote: >I would appreciate information on suppliers of wood queen cages in Australia and New >Zealand. If possible provide fax number and/or e-mail. Penders Beegoods Pty. Ltd. of 17 Gardiner Street, Rutherford 2320 N.S.W. (Tel. -61-49-327 244 Fax: 61-49-327 621) lists Introduction cages in their catalogue as follows: Mailing cages per 100: Blocks only each .19 Gauze each per 50 .12 Corks each per 100 .10 Betty McAdam HOG BAY APIARY Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island J.H. & E. McAdam Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: j h & e mcadam Subject: Re: killing queens MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bill Mares wrote: > Someone at a local beekeepers' meeting suggested the following: > When you replace an aging queen, find her, kill her, then rub her >body on the cage of the new queen and carry out the rest of the new >queen introduction as usual. Supposedly, this makes the bees more >accepting of the new queen. I always drop the old queen's body inside the hive. I was informed by an experienced beekeeper some years back that the bees will know within 30 minutes that she is dead. Betty McAdam HOG BAY APIARY Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island J.H. & E. McAdam Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David W Oakes Subject: fake swarm MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I had the other day at swarm like ball of bees amassed, hanging under the front of the bottom board. I collected this ball of bees into a hive body and thought that it were a swarm. Not so, in about an hour the bees were out of the body and into the hive from whence they came. Ok, they were hot and wanted out for a while. Then the next day -yesterday they were beginning to form under the bottom board again, although this time there were less bees than before. I puffed a little smoke and they left for home. I thought that maybe they were too crowded and therefore placed another super on top. But looking into the hive I saw no crowd of bees. I would say only a normal amount. My question is this, what is going on with these restless creatures? Do they not like their home? Or are they just out for a day ?? Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank you much, Dave in Indiana ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 09:18:17 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Don Rahman Subject: Re: fake swarm MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dave, It's not unusual for the bees to act this way when the weather is very warm. Are you providing enough ventilation. Try putting a small stick under the inner cover to increase air flow through the hive. Good luck. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 10:26:14 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Midnitebee Subject: Wisconsin beekeepers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings! I received this message..can some one help this person in Wisconsin? Herb maurice de mers Wed Jun 17 20:32:52 1998 Location: roberts wi E- mail: mdemers@pressenter.com Comments:I am not a beekeeper. In the last few days we have noticed a pair of connected drooping hives that belont to some type of friend-on-wing. The swarming of these yellow bodied creatures have the neighborhood upset, as there are numerous children active in the immeadiate area. How do we get them out of here SAFELY? Does anyone wish to help get them out of here? Any comments/help would deeply be appreciated. Thanks Herb Holly-B Apiary P.O.Box 26 Wells,Maine 04090-0026 http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:33:00 -0400 Reply-To: beekeepr@bellsouth.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Frank Humphrey Subject: Robber Screen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Last year a number of people ask me for drawings for robber screens. I was unable to provide them at that time. I now have the drawings scanned in and can provide them to anyone who wants them. I couldn't convert to PDF so is in MS Word format. This makes for a large file so email me directly if you want it. Frank Humphrey beekeepr@bellsouth.net ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 10:55:24 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Midnitebee Subject: Loudoun County,Md.? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Larry E. Preston Tue Jun 16 22:31:14 1998 Location: Loudoun county, Virginia E-mail: PrestonLE@aol.com Comments:Is there a Loudoun Couty beekeepers association that you know of (I've searched and can't find one) - southern Maryland is good too. Anyway, George has made me smile tonight... Herb Holly-B Apiary P.O.Box 26 Wells,Maine 04090-0026 http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 17:14:46 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Christopher Slade Subject: Re: BEE-L Digest - 16 Jun 1998 to 17 Jun 1998 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Tom Barrett wrote about queen introduction in a matchbox. I have done it in the way he describes and it works. It is important that the box is cardboard that the bees can chew and not wood chip. Although it is effective to put the matchbox in the hive it is more instructive (fun) to put it on the alighting board and watch the bees release her. Make sure the front of the hive is in the sun or she may get chilled I am sorry to learn that Ireland now has Varroa. From experience it can be a distressing time and a steep learning curve. It will separate the bee keepers from the bee owners. Chris Slade ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 21:33:16 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Morris Subject: June 20 - Maryland State Beekeepers Meeting Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dear Readers: The Maryland State Beekeepers Assoc will hold its summer meeting, on June 20, at the Harford Community College in Bel Air, Md, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Our featured speakers will be Dr. Scott Camazine and Dr. Diane Sammataro of Penn State University, and Dr. James Amrine of West Virginia University. Dr. Camazine will speak on "Progress on Regional Research" (the regional mite research conducted by Md, Pa, NJ & De). Dr. Samataro will talk on her latest mite control work with plant oils. Her highly regarded book, "A Beekeeper's Handbook", now in its third edition, will be available for purchase from a beekeeping book vendor. Dr. Amrine will talk on "Essential Oils for Mite Control", so often discussed here. If you are interested in the latest on trachael mite control, this is the meeting you have to attend! In addition, a catered lunch will be available, for $7, limited to 75 people. Be sure to buy tickets when you arrive. DIRECTIONS: Harford community College is located at 401 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, Md (410-836-4000), just off Md. Route 22, between Routes 543 and 136. From Baltimore, take I-95 north to exit 80, Rt. 543. Take Rt. 543 north about 6 miles to Rt 22. Turn right and take Rt 22 to the light at Thomas Run Road, turn left.. Watch for the yellow "BEE MTG" signs. From Delaware, take I-95 south to exit 85, Md Rt. 22. Take Rt. 22 to Churchville/Bel Air, cross Rt. 136, and pass the Campus Hill Shopping Center. Turn right at the light at Thomas Run Road. Watch for the yellow "BEE MTG" signs. Take a day off to catch up on your beekeeping knowledge ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 22:02:07 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stan Sandler Subject: Re: Neem tree Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi Teresa and All: >I know there are people from all over the world in this list, and I >would like to ask if somebody has ever used the "Neem tree" for >controlling Varroa? Adony Melathopoulos at Simon Fraser University in Canada was studying this. He used to be a regular contributor to this list, but he has not posted for a long time so I am not sure if he still is. The last time we communicated I believe he said that neem DID have control effects on the mites, but that the levels that bees could tolerate were not well enough known. Regards, Stan ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 20:37:58 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Al Needham Subject: Re: fake swarm On Thu, 18 Jun 1998 07:13:17 -0500 David W Oakes writes: >I had the other day at swarm like ball of bees amassed, hanging under >the front of the bottom board............ Most likely, as you said "they were hot and wanted out for awhile" You really did not address your weather conditions at the time of this behavior, so we can only assume it was hot out ? Al, ...................................................................... <"Mailto: awneedham@juno.com" > Scituate,Massachusetts,USA The Beehive-Educational Honey Bee Site Visit The Beehive Book Shoppe http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 04:30:35 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Teresa Garcma Subject: Re: neem trees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > You don't have to go to India to get Neem oil In Veracruz (where I live), Mexico Neem is grown everyplace, it is a=20 common bush and some cattle raisers sometimes use it to control ticks=20 and arthropod predators. I think they boil the leaves, and then use the=20 liquid "sprayed". I don=B4t know if it works for them. I thought about Neem and varroa while thinking about all what is needed=20 to use formic acid: gloves, mask, separate sealed and open brood, put in=20 a sealed chamber, etc. I don=B4t think it is a friendly substance and it=20 works. So, I thought...maybe Neem could be another alternative, but at=20 least (as far as I see) it=B4s a lot to read and to experiment ahead=20 before it gets (if it does) a real alternative. Thanks for your comments and special thanks to Allen for being so kind, Tere ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 21:25:31 +0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Robert Bowman Subject: Kashmir Virus MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Recent posts mention a supposed outbreak, occurrence, incidence to varying degrees of Kashmir virus in Australia. I am unaware of any such reports eminating from within Australia. The implication of such rumours are that they may affect Australia's export package and queen bee industry. If anyone can inform me of a reliable source of information so that accurate details can be provided to BEE-L it would be most appreciated. I will endevour to speak with industry representatives to ascertain their knowledge. Rob Bowman Apiary Inspector Bathurst Currently -2 deg C and falling ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 10:34:52 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Al Needham Subject: Beekeepers In Plattsburgh, NY, USA I am trying to help out a potential new beekeeper who contacted me via my web site and who lives in Plattsburgh, NY. Is there a Beekeeper's Club/Association in or nearby Plattsburgh ? Any beekeepers in or nearby Plattsburgh I could suggest that this fellow could contact and who would be willing to provide him some assistance on getting started as a new beekeeper ? Please respond to me privately at - awneedham@juno.com Thanks in advance. Al, <"Mailto: awneedham@juno.com" > Scituate,Massachusetts,USA The Beehive-Educational Honey Bee Site Visit The Beehive Book Shoppe http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 20:18:42 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "" Subject: Press Release - Varroa in Ireland Content-Type: text/plain MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Ulster Beekeepers' Association Press Release Warning to All Beekeepers - Varroa Mites found in Ireland. Honeybee colonies infested with Varroa mites die out in between six month= s and two years if not properly treated. If this was allowed to happen i= t would have devastating consequences for both beekeepers and fruit growe= rs. The mite has, however, no effect on humans, honey or any other hive = product. Ireland was the last area in the northern hemisphere to discover Varroa: = two infested colonies have been identified in Co. Sligo, so it is possib= le that the whole island, north and south could be infested in the next c= ouple of years. The Ulster Beekeepers=92 Association has just met in emergency session in= order to co-ordinate the activities if its affiliated associations and t= o offer advice to all beekeepers. All associations in NI plan to demonstrate to all interested beekeepers t= he procedures for detecting Varroa mites. A colony of honeybees would be= close to collapse and too far gone to save if proper diagnosis was not c= arried out and action taken only when the colony appeared distressed. There is no need to treat unless a Varroa infestation is confirmed. The = UBKA recommend the following: 1) There should be at least one Varroa floor in each apiary and the hive = debris below this should be constantly monitored. 2) Hives being moved should be checked for Varroa mites before moving and= swarms of unknown origin should be destroyed or similarly checked. 3) Bees should be kept in hives with removable floors which should permit= the use of a Varroa floor. 4) Where Varroa infestation is known or suspected the Department of Agric= ulture must be informed. Tel. 01232-524879 or 01232-524866. The UBKA would remind all beekeepers that the Bee Disease Control Order (= Northern Ireland) 1998 comes into operation on 22nd June 1998. Under thi= s order American Foul Brood, European Foul Brood and Varroasis require to= be notified to the Department of Agriculture. Beekeeping associations affiliated to the UBKA are located at Belfast, Dr= omore(Co.Down), Fermanagh, Mid-Ulster, Roe Valley, Mid-Antrim, East Antri= m and Randalstown. Notes for Editors 1) Further information, interviews or demonstrations can be arranged by c= ontacting any of the following Michael Young, President. Tel. 01846-689724. Jim Fletcher, Hon. Secretary. Tel. 01247-872163. or Norman Walsh, Vice Chairman. Tel. 01846-682578. 2) The secretaries of the affiliated associations are as follows: Belfast, Phelim Breen. Tel. 01247-816884 Dromore, Martin Johnston. Tel. 01846-693063. Fermanagh, Howard McConnell. Tel. 01365-531361. Mid-Ulster, John Hull. Tel. 01868-738702. Roe Valley, Dave Atherton. Tel. 01504-860075. Mid-Antrim, Jim McWhirter. Tel. 01266-880075. East Antrim, Des Blair. Tel. 01574-274566. Randalstown, Trevor Johnston. Tel. 01849-322189. The number of beekeepers in England has been reduced by 50% in the last s= ix years due mainly to Varroa mite infestation. Beekeepers in Norther Ir= eland are advised not to import bees from the Republic of Ireland until t= he full extent of the Varroa problem is known. Ulster Beekeepers=92 Association, 26 Coach Road, Comber, Co. Down BT23 5Q= X N.Ireland.=0D ------------------------------------------------------ Get free personalized email at http://four11.iname.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 18:35:40 -0700 Reply-To: jcbach@yvn.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: James C Bach Subject: Summer Treatment for Varroasis MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit D. Graham on June 09, 1998 posted the subject: Summer Treatment for Varroasis Widely Used in Europe: Comments, Suggestions, Alternatives Invited. I wonder if he would take a few questions to help us better understand the process he describes? 1. Since this is a summer treatment at 15C (59F), how many combs of bees might be in the "not strong and very strong" colonies? (Langstroth or equivelent) 2. What procedure is used to determine mite levels in the colony, prior and post fumigation? 3. What is the recommended mite level that triggers fumigation? 4. A repeat fumigation process is indicated if mite fall is more than 5 mites per day. Is this considered by beekeepers to be the economic threshold for Varroa? 5. How much time is expended in the preparation, the three manipulations of the hive and colony, and replacing the supers, which completes the fumigation of the sealed and open brood combs? Thank you. James C. Bach Yakima WA jbach@agr.wa.gov jcbach@yvn.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 19:16:31 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: BEENEWS from Australia Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Off the Wall at beenet.com Tuesday 16 June, 1998 (3:04pm AEST) An exotic bee, previously not present on the Australian mainland, has been discovered in Darwin. The Asian Honey bee, Apis cerana, is of concern for the commercial bee industry because it can carry the damaging Varroa mite. Darwin apiarist, Dick Ash, discovered thousands of the exotic bees last week, but entomologists are yet to find any evidence of the mite. A national quarantine hook-up yesterday decided to restrict bee movements out of the Territory. ***We all wish them lots of LUCK and hope the quarantine does not last long. If you like to keep up with the BEENEWS you can at: http://beenet.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 22:18:48 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "John R. Valentine" Subject: Carpenter Ants in the Hive in CT Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hello Bee Friends, I have a problem with ants. Carpenter Ants are in the hive with the bees. It's all new painted woodenware. They walk around like they own the hive. What can I do? Can I put down Diazinon (sp) without hurting the bees? John CT ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 21:32:01 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: HENRY BOLANOS <104047.270@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: Summer Treatment for Varroasis Widely Used in Europe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Dear Beekeepers, There is a quick easy way to check for Varroa mites that beats killing hundreds of bees with the ether roll. The "Tracking Strip", created by Bob Noel, can be inserted for 24 hours = in your hive and let you know if you have Varroa, in one day. I=92ve used it= since the Fall of 1995 with excellent results and no harm to my Bees. I'v= e left it longer as a treatment when I found an infested hive. Here=92s the directions. Tracking Strips for Varroa Mites Vaseline mixture: 13 oz Vaseline in it=92s jar. 1 Tablespoon Wintergreen oil. Mix in the Jar as completely as you can. In the Spring and Fall when there is no Honey on the hive: Spread about 1 tablespoon of slurry on a thin 3"x 24" plastic strip and p= ut into hive entrance, cross corner, for 1day. I use a plastic kitchen spatu= la to spread evenly, without thick spots. If you have Varroa mites , you will see them on the strip. = Regards, Henry Bolanos Connecticut, USA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 16:17:24 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jerry J Bromenshenk Subject: Field Technicians Needed - Oak Ridge, TN and Sandia Labs, NM, USA Comments: cc: ENTOMO-L@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The University of Montana's Bee Alert Program anticipates hiring two field technicians in support of research being conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, TN and at Sandia National Laboratories, NM. These positions are for 10 months, starting as soon as July 1, 1998, with possible renewal for 1999. We are looking for people who can assist in field trials to be performed by teams of chemical, electronics engineering, and microbiological scientists. Although world class specialists in their own fields, none of the ORNL research group has practical experience in working with honey bees or bumble bees. A key member of the Sandia group is a beekeeper, but has no experience with bumblebees - a proposed test species for some greenhouse studies to be conducted at Sandia. We primarily are looking for students who would like the opportunity to participate in some world class, highly innovative, multi-disciplinary research. The appointments would be similar to an internship or cooperative education experience. Although employed by the University of Montana, the successful applicants would be stationed at ORNL or Sandia (one position for each site). Experience with the management and handling of honey bees or bumblebees is highly desired. Additional information about our ongoing research can be found at: http://www.umt.edu/biology/bees. Please contact us at: jjbmail@selway.umt.edu Sincerely, Jerry J. Bromenshenk Project Director Jerry J. Bromenshenk, Ph.D. Director, DOE/EPSCoR & Montana Organization for Research in Energy The University of Montana-Missoula Missoula, MT 59812-1002 E-Mail: jjbmail@selway.umt.edu Tel: 406-243-5648 Fax: 406-243-4184 http://www.umt.edu/biology/more http://www.umt.edu/biology/bees ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 09:22:23 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Re: Kashmir Virus In-Reply-To: <199806191128.VAA14477@mail.ix.net.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" WARNING: Juveniles and those easily offended should not read my posts and then complain they were not WARNED that some will bee off ended..... *********************************************************** Original POST from June 6 Is here anyone who nows somthing abut "kashmir virus".We have heard here in Denmark , that in Australia is wery manny bees dead of virus, that is infektet whith the varroa mite. Reagards F.Rasmussen. ******un edited*******un cut*****nothing added****nothing removed********** >Rob Bowman >Apiary Inspector >Bathurst >Recent posts mention a supposed outbreak, occurrence, incidence to varying >degrees of Kashmir virus in Australia. Hi Mr. Apiary Inspector, "POSTS", I guess I missed them? I passed on "ONE" (1) post from a beekeeper who asked in the Sci.Agric.Beekeeping News Group if anyone had heard of a lot of bees beeing killed in Australia, as he had heard, because or from Kashmir virus. A honest and as straight forward a question as one could ask. >I am unaware of any such reports eminating from within Australia. I believe that was the answer to his question and you could have answered it without all this other stuff and I would be the first to line up on your side, but by adding all this "rumor" and national economic interest stuff you are raising at least my own suspicions when I had none? And the fact that I received a personal post on the subject from another person in Australia the same day as finding your post here does make me wonder just a little. All you guys down under been out to lunch at the same time? >The implication of such rumours are that they may affect Australia's export >package and queen bee industry. Golly gee maybe the original poster who is in Denmark, I believe, will be able to make up the loss if things get real bad down under, or maybe beekeepers in Denmark import bees from Australia, I don't know but did not see any sinister motive in the original post. >If anyone can inform me of a reliable source of information so that >accurate details can be provided to BEE-L it would be most appreciated. If you are not that "reliable source" then who is? >I will endevour to speak with industry representatives to ascertain their >knowledge. That's fair, and also surprising as I would think that the industry would be passing on this kind of information to you, such as a dramatic loss to bees, unless they did not want it known about it? Maybe you would also want to at least find out a small fact that you may or may not be aware of and that is do you have the Kashmir virus in your country? I think I know the answer to that one but do not want to be accused of starting a rumor so I would like to hear it from a reliable source. Some equate the loss of bees from any virus, and we have most of them just about every place they have been looked for in our honeybees, with bee mites. I don't myself and believe that under the right environmental conditions several if not all together the virus can do a job on wide areas of beekeeping without any outside help from man or mites. I also believe I have seen this many times in the past before mites became so popular in the bees here in the US. Few others are believers, one reason being it is hard to separate bee losses from pesticides, natural plant poisonings, and now predators, plus in the US the cost of ID'ing a bee virus in bees is outrageous and for many years NOT even done on this continent. It really matters little as with all bee virus there is no cure other then time in good pasture to replace what is lost if anything remains alive and healthy. And I am reasonably sure NO silver bullet is going to be announced this century as the big interest and money is in killing the Vampire mites with chemicals of one flavor or another even in the labs that could do more research on bee virus. That's the area that has the big money involvement and that is what drives our so called "public" bee research (BS) in the USA and much of the world. SPRAY don't Pray!, is the cry of the huckster hacking pesticides to the farmer beekeeper outside the hall as inside the government man reports on the problem of the day in beekeeping that is sure to end it all for all bee keepers. The sky is falling, and its blue..... Finding a silver bullet for what ails our bees pails in comparison to the rewards from selling blue pills for old tired erectile love muscles. Speaking of the old drones of the world who are going to have to cut back on their activity to once a day from three to four times as ten bucks for little blue pills is just too much to pay and more then most ever paid at the best of blue light houses in the old days for an all nighter, so I have been told. ttul, the OLd Drone Get MOONed at http://beenet.com "News for and from beekeepers" (c)Permission is given to copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)OPINIONS are not necessarily facts. USE AT OWN RISK! ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 07:16:33 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: George W Imirie Subject: Re: Carpenter Ants in the Hive in CT Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Are the ants actually inside the hive or just on top of the inner cover? Are you sure they are carpenter ants? Is your colony strong and able to defend itself. If it is a weak colony, better combine with another colony to strengthen to improve defense. Where do you plan to put the diazinon? Let's have some more information for a better answer. Ann Harman ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 09:06:40 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Green Subject: Re: Nectar Flow's - Columbia, SC USA Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 6/1/98 4:58:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, rbillett@SCTCORP.COM writes: << I'm a first year beekeeper in the midlands, and would like some information relating to the local nectar flows. The last couple weeks have been dry and hot and it looks like we've seen the last of the spring flow. Could anyone give me information relating to the 'average' flows. Spring and Fall, Start and stop months, I understand the flows vary from year to year, but some general information would be greatly appreciated. >> South Carolina flows tend to run early. Here on the coast, we are usually done with spring flows by mid-May. Our flows start around the end of March with huckleberry, wild plum and holly, tupelo in mid-April, dewberry and blackberry mid to late April, and gallberry in early May. Here and there we'll pick up some late flows from privit and ti-ti. Spring is the main honey production time. Anything else you can get will be gravy, but don't count on getting it. Then we have a barren time through June. In your area, you probably won't have the swamp flows (tupelo), and you'll probably extend the spring season a little longer with sparkleberry and vetch. Sparkleberry likes sandy spots, so you may have quite a bit of that. If you have a lot of ironweed, you may get a flow from that. It will be dark, but mellow honey. In late June or early July, you should start getting sumac. Most of the later summer flows will be from brush. If you have logged over land that has had a few years to start regrowth and hasn't had all the hardwoods poisoned to stimulate the pines, you may get late July and August flows. These are spotty and never amount to a lot of honey; some of it may be bitter, so you have to sort what you want to extract. Sometimes here in the low country, the bees dwindle so much from the heat and from pesticide knockdowns, that it takes a good fall flow to build them back up, and they really don't give much to the beekeeper. If you find the bees have dwindled in colony strength, and don't have much provisions, don't wait until late fall to feed them. Give them a gallon or two of syrup in late August to stimulate them. Then they'll be built up FOR the fall flow, rather than building up ON the fall flow. The main fall flow is usually in early October, with goldenrod and aster. You may have some fall blooming spanish needle, as well. At that time, you want to have lots of young bees, and you want them to store away lots of clean (pesticide free) pollen for winter cold spells, as well as a super of honey for their winter energy needs. If you live near suburban developments, all of this may be irrelevant, as the bees can work ornamental plantings. Many of these are non-native plants. Some yield a lot; some yield nothing. I have a few hives in town, and find they will sometimes get a flow when nothing in the country is coming in. Since these are always small and localized flows, I don't know what plants provide them. If you have cotton near you, and possibly if you have veggie farms or aerial mosquito applications, you may get poisoned bees. The problem comes when applicators violate the label directions and apply insecticide when bees are visiting the blossoms. We have had severe damage from cotton applications. Last year we had little, because of the use of genetic engineered cotton that didn't require spraying during the early bloom period. But I don't know if the genetic engineering will continue. Many farmers were glad to spray less, but disappointed with the yield. If you get a chance, stop and visit us when you come by the coast. In Hemingway, just ask for "the bee man." We also sell nucs in the spring, if you'd like to expand. A number of midland and upstate beekeepers come down to get bees each year. Check out pollination on our web pages. Dave Green http://www.pollinator.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 08:10:15 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garry Libby Subject: Re: Carpenter Ants in the Hive in CT In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello John, I have used Combat Outdoor ant killing granules,with good results.These granules are placed UNDER the hives.The ants carry them back to the nest,where the granules are eaten by the colony including the queen.They are a little expensive($7.99),but do the job.Also,awhile back Someone suggested using a spray adhesive,such as Bordens.The adhesive is not strong enough to affect the bees but will discourage the ants,this could be used in spots where ants are tunneling into the wood.Good Luck, Garry Libby Boston,USA LibBEE@email.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 11:08:29 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Philippe Aras Subject: Fresh pollen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Since a few beekeepers from around here have told me that they do not collect pollen before July or August, I am looking for someone who could supply me with about 500 g of fresh pollen. Thanks Philippe Aras Carillon, Quebec Canada. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 21:05:59 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Nick Wallingford Organization: Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Subject: Re: Kashmir Virus MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT My understanding is that Kashmir B virus has been detected in Australia and the US (and NZ!). Further, I was told by Dr Denis Anderson, Bee Pathologist, that Kashmir B virus has been found in every population of honeybees that has been examined... Far be it for *me* to say this is a smokescreen... (\ Nick Wallingford {|||8- home nickw@beekeeping.co.nz (/ work nw1@boppoly.ac.nz NZ Beekeeping http://www.beekeeping.co.nz ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 18:07:53 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Chuck Alridge Subject: Queen Excluder Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" A question for the list. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance. My wife and I are second year bee keeper's. I had bee's when I was a kid but that was long ago. Our question is when to put the queen excluder on the hive. Our hive consist of the bottom board, hive body and one super, we put the queen excluder and an additional super on today. I am unsure if it should be on at this time. We are located in the finger lakes region of New York State Any help would be great *********************************** * Officer CG Alridge * Cornell University Police * Ithaca, New York USA * http://www.cupolice.cornell.edu *********************************** ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 15:32:47 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Re: Kashmir Virus In-Reply-To: <98Jun22.093123nzst.26883@gateway.boppoly.ac.nz> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 09:05 PM 6/22/98 +1200, you wrote: >My understanding is that Kashmir B virus has been detected in >Australia and the US (and NZ!). Further, I was told by Dr Denis >Anderson, Bee Pathologist, that Kashmir B virus has been found in >every population of honeybees that has been examined... >Far be it for *me* to say this is a smokescreen... Hi Nick, & Beekeeping Friends, I think that most interested beekeepers are well aware of the fact that bees have virus and maybe all that have been looked at, (which would be very few of the total numbers), have Kashmir virus. Really what does this have to do with the question; "Has a dramatic loss of bees because of Kishmar Virus or suspected Kishmar virus happened or is happening in Australia?" I really thought that would be knowledge that others would like to share and for sure is important to know even if it is only what beekeeper think is going on in their bees...in their locations. Who knows maybe the poster got it mixed up and meant to ask if any bees from "Kismar", INDIA have been found in Australia, that I could understand if there is such a place as press reports do indicate that "thousands of bees from India have been found in Australia". Wonder how many hives or colonies that is? Some have said I may bee part of the Left Coast Right Wing Conspiracy here in the Republic of America but I know nothing about any conspiracy head quartered in Denmark that would be making "smoke" about the health of bees in Australia, but maybe some do see smoke when they read a straight answer can not be made to what I would have thought was a simple straight forward question from one beekeeper to other beekeepers. (I won't repeat the question.) Anyway if there is anyone who knows of any reason why any beekeeper in Denmark would want to cause what some seem to see as an "international incident" at least to some outside of my own hemisphere I would like to be informed by personal E-Mail as I don't see it now. andy.nachbaur@calwest.net ttul, Andy- For the up to date Beekeeping NEWS from beekeeper to beekeeper try: http://beenet.com/bnews.htm ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 22:08:19 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "(Thomas) (Cornick)" Subject: Homemade frames. Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I am thinking of making some frames and was wondering if there is good reason for the bottom bars to be so narrow. I understand the self spacing feature of the top bars and shoulders but think uncapping once the frames were fully drawn would be easier if you could run the knife down with the frame as a guide. Also making them would be easier as well. Any opinions? Experiences? Privet has just started to bloom in SE CT the flow has slowed a bit but the week of rain a week ago has made for a lot of things in bloom. The local orchards have claimed pollination and fruit set on apples was poor due to several rainy days during bloom. It also seems as if the propolus appeared all at once maybe the slowing of the flow redirected the foragers efforts? Tom in CT ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 01:59:27 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Nick Wallingford Organization: Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Subject: Re: Kashmir Virus MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > "Has a dramatic loss of bees because of Kishmar Virus or > suspected Kishmar virus happened or is happening in Australia?" I have spoken to a number of Australian beekeepers and Australia regulatory personnel. None of them know anything about bee deaths due to Kashmir B virus. But since that isn't the story you want to hear, Andy, I'm sure you'll keep repeating the question until it can pretend to be the truth. Don't let reality stand in your way... (\ Nick Wallingford {|||8- home nickw@beekeeping.co.nz (/ work nw1@boppoly.ac.nz NZ Beekeeping http://www.beekeeping.co.nz