From MAILER-DAEMON Sat Feb 28 10:26:08 2009 Return-Path: <> X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.8 (2007-02-13) on industrial X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-87.1 required=2.4 tests=ADVANCE_FEE_1,AWL, MAILTO_TO_SPAM_ADDR,SPF_HELO_PASS,USER_IN_WHITELIST autolearn=disabled version=3.1.8 X-Original-To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Delivered-To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Received: from listserv.albany.edu (unknown [169.226.1.24]) by metalab.unc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id EEB8049073 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:24:51 -0500 (EST) Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by listserv.albany.edu (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id n1SF1MM0014128 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:24:51 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:24:50 -0500 From: "University at Albany LISTSERV Server (14.5)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG0610A" To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Message-ID: Content-Length: 60764 Lines: 1505 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 09:23:24 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?UTF-8?Q?Peter_Borst?= Subject: Re: Cell sizes and Climate Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Trevor wrote: Can you give a reference for this statement to show that larger bees (read larvae) have a different JGH production than smaller bees (read larvae). Dee responds with: "These researchers were able to show that mite reproduction hinges on the physiological condition of the infested honey bee larvae. Thus, the juvenile hormone titer in the blood of the honey bee prepupa dictates whether the female mite initiates egg laying after the first blood meal." Pardon me, but physiological condition does not equal size. Your reference does not address the question that Trevor asked. pb -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 09:29:39 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dee Lusby Subject: Re: Cell sizes and Climate In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Peter and Trevor: Sorry I left out the part that it pertained to Apis mellifera (for LC) vs Apis cerana (for SC) for comparison. In the Western honey bee, A mellifera, the blood of both the drone and worker harvae has a relatively high JGH titer at the time when the cell fo the developing larva is capped. In the Eastern honey bee, A cerana, the worker larva has a relatively low hormone titer in the blood at the period of cell capping which is also the period for mite entry into the cell, however, since the drone prepupa of A Cerana, however, has its highest blood hormone level at this period, the mite select it as its host. When you look at cell size the drone cell size of the A cerana equates with the worker cell size of A mellifera and knowing that enlargement of worker size happened......well, When reduced/regressed down to size matching......problems stopped................ By the way Ruttner stated that sizes for bees of both cerana and mellifera in the natural do overlap each other throughout the latitudes....so what does that leave out of sync again other then the LC and bigger is better...... Respectfully submitted, Dee A. Lusby Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper Moyza, Arizona http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 15:24:50 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "waldig@netzero.com" Subject: Cleome honey potential. Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Does anyone have a good appreciation or data references on the honey potential of Cleome (spider plant)? I've been watching the bees work it eagerly in my garden for both nectar and pollen. Is it worth spreading Cleome along [little used] roadsides, patches of abondoned land etc.? It's certainly very ornamental and it blooms over a long period from late summer till frost. And it's a self- seeding annual. Thanks, Waldemar Long Island, NY -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 15:32:24 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "waldig@netzero.com" Subject: Re: breeder selection and varroa-related indications Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >>...it seemed viability was higher in the spring, and then would get a bit worse in the summer, and then up tick again in the fall. I see the same in my colonies. I used to think this was night temperature related - cooler nights in the spring and fall cause the bees to cluster tightly restricting the queen to lay a tighter pattern? I've also had queens that did great in nucs with ample laying in tight formation w/ great brood viability but, when I'd transfer them into 2-deep hives, some of the queens would not go to lay up 10 frames of brood in the summer. These queens got culled. Waldemar Long Island, NY -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 13:50:47 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Montana Beekeepers Association Meeting, October 19-21, Wingate Hotel, Missoula, MT. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit This just in from Jerry Bromenshenk: Montana Beekeepers Association Meeting, October 19-21, Wingate Hotel, Missoula, MT. You are cordially invited to attend the Montana Beekeepers Annual Meeting in Missoula. The meetings start at 1:00 on Thursday. Dr. Anita Collins, USDA Beltsville, will be the keynote speaker. Other speakers include representatives of the beekeeping industry and Dr. George Stanley, University of Montana, talking about bees and fossils. There is a banquet Friday evening. On Saturday, Bee Alert Technology, Inc. will host an open house (10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.). Beekeepers will have a chance to get hands on training in hive security systems (including satellite communications). Kids from 8-80 will have a chance to learn simple methods that can be used for science fair projects or just fun. Included will be benchtop systems to determine what a bee can smell, training a bee to fly through a maze, and practice with GPS systems. Please rsvp if you intend to attend. Sincerely, Jame Rehm, President, MT Beekeepers rehmbees@3rivers.net Jerry Bromenshenk, CEO, Bee Alert Technology jjbromenshenk@beealert.blackfoot.net -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 20:40:47 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "=?windows-1252?Q?J._Waggle?=" Subject: Re: breeder selection and varroa-related indications Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit waldig@netzero.com wrote: >I see the same in my colonies. I used to think this was night >temperature related - cooler nights in the spring and fall cause the >bees to cluster tightly restricting the queen to lay a tighter >pattern? Hello Waldemar, This is a good observation you have made. The (a) size of the brood pattern and (b) brood viability are BOTH very important, but they are different (although related to each other). For Largeness of Brood Pattern- I would Look size of the brood patterns on brood frames during flows of nectar and pollen. This may increase and decrease in size according to the seasonal changes and in bee population changes. This is OK with me if I see fluctuating brood pattern size as long as it is justified by seasonal conditions or in response to cluster size. These pics on Daves link illustrate very well what is meant by largeness or size of brood pattern: http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/broodest.html Brood viability which is also very important, is a bit different in what to look for: Solidness of Brood Pattern- (Brood Viability). Denotes out-breeding associated with open mating (Brother Adam I think). Look for solid flat brood pattern, absence of empty cells. There are significant correlations of brood viability to winter survival (Tarpy & Page). A colony’s phenotype is a reflection of the tasks performed by its workers and a significant concave relationship exists between brood viability and worker population (Tarpy & Page). Increased genetic diversity has a direct influence on task diversity, disease resistance and other factors determining colony fitness (Oster and Wilson), and provides a buffer against fluctuations in the environment (Crozier and Page). Multiple mating promotes colony fitness by lowering the probability that the queen will produce a high proportion of unviable diploid males within her brood (Tarpy & Page). Colonies with a high level of polyandry will have a substantial fitness advantage because of differences in growth rate during colony development (Cole & Wiernasz). Here in this article, studies by Tarpy and Seeley support the importance of brood viability in disease resistance in honeybee colonies: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10173-promiscuous-queen-bees-make- healthier-hives.html "This is convincing evidence that multiple-mated hives seem to suffer less disease," says Francis Ratnieks. Here are a few links that explain brood viability and what to look for: Breeding Improved Honey Bees Mackensen Brood viability method http://www.beesource.com/pov/usda/breeding3.htm Glenn Apiaries The State of the Art of Bee Breeding http://members.aol.com/queenb95/breeding.html Best Wishes, Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA EcologicalBeekeeping.com ‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries' Feral Bee Project: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeralBeeProject/ -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 09:36:22 +0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dave Cushman Subject: Re: breeder selection and varroa-related indications In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Joe A couple of points... The brood estimation pictures... http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/broodest.html are of British sized frames not Langstroth. > Solidness of Brood Pattern- (Brood Viability). Denotes out-breeding > associated with open mating (Brother Adam I think). Let me take this phrase by phrase... > Solidness of Brood Pattern- (Brood Viability). Correct Denotes out-breeding No! It denotes a large number of alleles being available... It does not matter how this large number becomes available in the gene pool and can occur just as readily in a closed population, providing that the population is large enough or leaky round the edges. associated with open mating Not necessarily, you have to differentiate between 'free flight mating, unknown drone population' and 'free light mating with closed population drones'. (Brother Adam I think). He may have said that, but his breeding work was conducted mostly using free flight mating with a closed population that was augmented, from time to time, with genes from external sources for inclusion or integration into the gene pool. Diploid drones can be a result of inadequate scale of closed population and more readily show up in races like Italians, simply because of their low mating frequency. Increasing the variability in the drone background, will reduce diploid drones, but result in more culling being required during selection. Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net Short FallBack M/c, Build 6.02/3.1 (stable) -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 20:42:02 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Jerry Wallace Subject: AHB genetic dominance MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Reading the articles in October ABJ regarding AHB genetic & environmental dominance, I note that scutellata reportedly largely replaced the previously dominant Apis mellifera ligustica, while Apis mellifera mellifera genes have been essentially unchanged. Is this because there is not a population of AMM to replace? Or is AMM too genetically different or competitive for AHB to successfully mate or otherwise water down and replace AMM genetics? Are there any suppliers of good, gentle AMM queens here in the USA? There is some speculation that AHB will colonize into middle Georgia and possibly farther north during warmer years. Jerry Wallace Atlanta, Georgia -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 09:36:45 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "Malcolm T. Sanford" Subject: AHB genetic dominance In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed This is an interesting line of discussion. See the discussions at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_mellifera_mellifera and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanized_bee on both bees. In the tropics, it appears that Apis mellifera mellifera, probably the first honey bee introduced to the Americas, will persist at higher elevations, whereas at lower altitudes where it's hotter, the Africanized honey bee prevails. Both of these bees are pretty defensive, however, the reason that AMM was replaced by the Italian race Apis mellifera ligustica in most of North America http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_bee. See my articles on AHB archived at http://www.squidoo.com/American_Bee_Journal/. Malcolm T. Sanford Professor Emeritus, University of Florida http://www.squidoo.com/apis/ -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 22:31:07 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter Dillon Subject: Blue pollen In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I realize that this is pain in the butt question, so here it is: Whilst dealing with some hives today (04/10/2006) - noticed a bee carrying well packed pollen on the hind legs - usual placement. This pollen was Blue in colour - between Royal and Navy blue. Not metallic as that shed by Phacelia tenacetifolia (seen that in Europe). Any ideas? The hives are situated on the edge of the Pembina valley, in the Aspen/Oak parkland area of southern Manitoba. Agricultural area immediately to south (Canola/Sunflower), Burr Oak woodland to north with grazed meadow and Riparian scrub. We had a killing frost last night. Presume that it is too late for Vipers Bugloss. Other local beekeepers depending on advice suggest I leave off or start the tablets. But one other has seen the same Peter. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 16:56:01 +1300 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Nick Wallingford Subject: Re: Blue pollen In-Reply-To: <45247C7B.1040008@mts.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The most striking blue pollen I have ever seen comes from the NZ native fushia - Fuschia excorticata, I think it is. Quite sticky, too, so instead of being a tightly packed ball, it sometimes strings off behind the bee. Really eye-catching in the hive... Nick Wallingford New Zealand -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 22:22:44 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dee Lusby Subject: Re: Blue pollen In-Reply-To: <45247C7B.1040008@mts.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Peter: Could it be fireweed blooming? It does run from Alaska/Canada all the way down thru the rocky mountains and into Sonora Mexico. We get color you describe but only in the mountains late fall/early spring. Sincerely, Dee A. Lusby __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 06:28:51 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Tim Vaughan Subject: Re: Blue pollen In-Reply-To: AAAAAPuxTmYYR19Bvcqgt6W8xbpkGyEA MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Milk thistle is blue. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 15:14:36 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Blue Pollen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Does aster azuraes occur locally? It does here, and has blue pollen. -- Lloyd Spear Owner Ross Rounds, Inc. Manufacture of equipment for round comb honey sections, Sundance Pollen Traps, and producer of Sundance custom labels. Contact your dealer or www.RossRounds.com -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 16:36:05 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Chris Slade Subject: Re: Blue pollen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Peter, Do you have any Rosebay Willow Herb, Epilobium angustifolium? Chris -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 22:55:26 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Gavin Ramsay Subject: Re: Blue pollen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Do you have any Rosebay Willow Herb, Epilobium angustifolium? .... because if you do, or if you have similar fireweeds, you may be able to see the rough surface of the pollen loads. The individual pollen grains are huge and impart a distinct texture to the pellet. Gavin. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 16:19:39 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dee Lusby Subject: Re: Winter Bees In-Reply-To: <20060928210225.29952.qmail@web51608.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi all: While Peter wrote this: Bees in spring /summer have average life spans 3.5 to 4.5 weeks. Those considered as winter bees (emerging in August through till October) have average life spans of 29 to 24 weeks (August bees having the longest span). I would like to post a question for all, especially since beekeepers seem to freak out with large mite falls at broodnest turnover time in the fall....... If the bees life spans 3.5 to 4.5 weeks in the active spring/summer months and varroa mites live the same approx span............ Where do the short-live mites go? Wouldn't you want to see large numbers of them dying off, aka mite fall as they would be weaker at end of life for easy grooming off wouldn't they? Also wouldn't you want to see then, the bees chewing them out good, so they don't brood back up with the new brood for fall/winter? If you don't see this? Where are all the short-lived mites going if somewhere else? Also, Bob Harrison wrote on leaving the field bees and moving colonies in getting ready for brooding up for fall/winter. I have been thinking about this. Is this good for long-haul varroa control? Especially if the nurse bees left, which are normally more varroa attractant then field bees, have then, the bulk of the varroa with them at this critical time of year. Then with the nurse bees having to speed up to be field bees, doesn't this then put more pressure on the remaining nurse bees or newer,to then assume higher mites upon them, to have to handle more varroa pressure, along with initial brood being raised to have more varroa transfer in? Or am I thinking wrong somehow? Respectfully submitted, Dee A. Lusby Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper Moyza, Arizona http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 10:27:34 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?windows-1252?Q?Bob_Harrison?= Subject: Winter Bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hello Dee & All, The moving of hives when bees are flying to lose the old workers has little to do with varroa control but might add some control in the broodless period but would not help beekeepers in the area with their varroa control as those bees might would find their way into those hives. The method is used to reduce the feed costs on hives after a major honey flow and if done at certain times leave only young bees for winter. Plenty of methods are used in commercial beekeeping which are not written in the current bee books so those with knowledge only obtained from those books are not aware of those methods. For those considering commercial beekeeping ( as currently practiced by most in the U.S.) working a year or two with a commercial beekeeper before starting can increase your chance of success . In my opinion better than all the books currently on the market put together. Sincerely, Bob Harrison -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 11:24:07 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Winter Bees In-Reply-To: AA MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Bob Harrison wrote: "The moving of hives when bees are flying to lose the old workers has little to do with varroa control ...." Again going back to my recollection that Diana Sammataro recommended moving hives during the day in the fall to lose foragers was directly related to tracheal mite control (not Varroa control as is being discussed). The goal was to lose the older bees, which harbor most of the tracheal mites, thereby leaving a relatively mite-free environment for the winter bees. It is winter time when bees are confined and bee populations remain small that is most taxing on honeybees as regards tracheal mite (Acarpis woodi) pressure. I do not recall if Diana made the remommendation in _The_Beekeepers_Handbook_ (Sammataro and Avitabile) or if I heard the recommendation in person. Diana used to have a vanity license plate, ACARAPIS when she was in New York (I don't know is she still has the license plate in Arizona). Incidently, Diana is speaking at the fall meeting of the Empire State Honey Producers Association in Syracuse, NY on November 10 and 11, as is Allen Dick (for those who've missed Allen on BEE-L). Details avaibable at: http://eshpa.org/event_1.htm (blatant plug). Regardless, the recommendation of moving hives during the day in the fall to lose foragers is not as unheard of as many seem to think. Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee! -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 15:49:36 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "waldig@netzero.com" Subject: Re: Winter Bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >>The method is used to reduce the feed costs on hives after a major honey flow and if done at certain times leave only young bees for winter. I guess this reduction is done when the temps are still warm otherwise there is a risk of chilled brood after the move? Waldemar -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 12:31:56 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Brian_Fredericksen?= Subject: pseudomonas aeruginosa Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Does anyone know how common pseudomonas aeruginosa is in raw honey? http://textbookofbacteriology.net/pseudomonas.html Also will heating honey destroy this bacteria.? I've never heard of this bacteria before in relation to honey until a manufacturer who is using raw honey in a product found this bacteria in a test sample and is implicating honey as the possible source . There are other "natural" ingredients in the product so honey is not the only possible source. Reading the reference I noted above, I can see how honey bees and honey could be a carrier of this bacteria. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 09:33:43 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dee Lusby Subject: Re: Winter Bees In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Bob writes: The moving of hives when bees are flying to lose the old workers has little to do with varroa control but might add some control in the broodless period but would not help beekeepers in the area with their varroa control as those bees might would find their way into those hives. Reply: Think you are wrong here Bob, and we are talking now strickly varroa control and what I am looking at is the shortening of the life of your younger bees in hive you are left with that then become the newer nurse bees, and you have to use to make your turn of brood with, firing back up, especially if done in a brood turning off period to fire back up later for fall rearing of bees. If done wrong this could end up with a blow out with the summer lulls or loss of much strength and troubles restarting back up. The varroa here being not in mass on the older field bees, but in mass maybe 90% on the nurse bees, and then dividing the nurse bees to force many to go into foraging ahead of schedule with mites then transferring to newer nurse bees worsening them by being younger, and if very young you should know that with X number of days of emergence and growing up to duties if too many varroa transfer to bees they can shorten the life fo the bees dramatically. And if more are also available to go into any brood restarting up in smaller patches then you got more then one going into a cell which means 4 or more feeding on the brood prior to emerging and that can be disasterous. For trachael mite help maybe once in lungs you get rid of doing this, but for varroa opposite is reality I think for generating problems. Bob continues: The method is used to reduce the feed costs on hives after a major honey flow and if done at certain times leave only young bees for winter. Reply: Yes, but if you then force the yound bees to early on in life carry a larger mite load, I would think within X number of days the sucking of blood meal would have detrimental effects on the longevity of the bees lives and thus increase risks for hive collapse when you certainly don't need it. With short lived summer bees this could shorten lives to days and throw more mites into any first turn start up for instant collaspe somehow my mind is registering. Bob continues: Plenty of methods are used in commercial beekeeping which are not written in the current bee books so those with knowledge only obtained from those books are not aware of those methods. Reply: Yes, Bob I know and this is why I am registering thoughts differently then most and I think you know that, for I am looking at what you are doing and knowing what is in the books, and something is starting to beep beep in mind saying, wait you are hurting and not helping doing this. For if chemicals are playing out then it's the bees haveing to contain and they will not be able to do so with this routine in field anymore.........unless you got another bullet which I think you do not. Dee- __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 09:38:35 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dee Lusby Subject: Re: Winter Bees In-Reply-To: <9D95C2906FCCE04F836ECA17C4CE092109A6500A@UAEXCH.univ.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Aaron: Moving to get rid of old workers might work for trachael mites, but would have opposite effect for varroa mites and make matters worse IMPOV, and most likely lead to quicker hive collaspe by putting pressure on younger bees, newly emerged bees, and brood startups. The varroa is a different creature with different routes then trachael mites in the lungs. Hasn't anyone taken this into consideration when moving bees this way? Especially on shortening of bees lives?????? by numbers parasiting on bodies vs age of bees vs inside ro outside of the cell even?? something is starting to register wrong. Regards Dee A. Lusby __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 11:21:54 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mike Stoops Subject: Re: pseudomonas aeruginosa In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Brian Fredericksen wrote: Does anyone know how common pseudomonas aeruginosa is in raw honey? http://textbookofbacteriology.net/pseudomonas.html Also will heating honey destroy this bacteria.? Nothing in the above web site mentioned the effect of H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) on the bacterium. Honey does have that trait and why it is used for the treatment of open wounds. Wonder how that would effect the bacterium found in the honey, from whatever source? Mike in LA --------------------------------- How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger’s low PC-to-Phone call rates. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:54:11 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Gauthier Buddy Subject: Nice Article about an elderly beekeeper MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable http://www.wsoctv.com/money/10006502/detail.html=20 Buddy Gauthier=20 Information Technology Analyst / Beekeeper Hobbyist John Deere Thibodaux Thibodaux, LA =20 -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 16:46:12 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?windows-1252?Q?Eric_Brown?= Subject: Re: Winter Bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi everyone, I think abandoning field force is a worthwhile practice in the right circumstances. I think what Dee is failing to recognize is that there are trade-offs. Would abandoning field force worsen varroa problems? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe just marginally. With the right timing, would the practice lead to more efficient use of honey stores? Quite posssibly, yes. I think the black-and-white, one-or-the-other thinking is misleading. I think beekeeping, like all biological systems, is better understood as a balancing act. Eric -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 18:04:27 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bob Davis Subject: Honey Bees & Beekeeping: Apiary MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain I noted tonight that RFDTV has the above mentioned program on tonight at 10:30 Eastern time. At least it is on the DishNetwork schedule. Bob Davis -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 19:40:05 EDT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Chris Slade Subject: Re: Winter Bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 06/10/2006 16:08:54 GMT Standard Time, busybeeacres@DISCOVERYNET.COM writes: The moving of hives when bees are flying to lose the old workers has little to do with varroa control but might add some control in the broodless period but would not help beekeepers in the area with their varroa control as those bees might would find their way into those hives. The text books all say that there is a broodless period and many experienced beekeepers write as if there is one but in my experience there isn't unless associated with a change of queen. My untested feeling is that some bees may have a broodless period and others not. The text books with the familiar graphs of brood show that (if she has stopped) the queen starts laying again at about the turn of the days ie normally the coldest part of the year. This suggests that they don't stop brooding because it is too cold or because there is no income. Possibly day length is a factor that is relevant and, logically, this should be more apparent at higher latitudes, but from correspondence on this and other lists, bees at latitudes lower than mine but experiencing harsher winters through an continental climate are expected to have a broodless period whereas mine are not. Is there a race factor? My bees are local Amm based mongrels in an area (UK) where imports of bees are not the usual practice, at least among amateurs; whereas I understand in North America the bees are largely based genetically upon Italian bees originating from comparatively low atitudes. What do you all think? Chris -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 20:32:53 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Honey Bees & Beekeeping: Apiary MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ... RFDTV ... Know what DishNetwork channel that is on? Looked and couldn't find = anything. Mike in LA -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 17:51:19 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mike Cooper Subject: Hivastan (fenpyroximate) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable There have been some Section 18 requests to EPA for fenpyroximate (Hivastan) use to control Varroa mites in honey bee colonies. Is anyone very familiar with the effectiveness of this product? =20 =20 =20 Michael E. Cooper, Bureau Chief Plant Industries Division Idaho State Department of Agriculture Physical Address: 2270 Old Penitentiary Road P.O. Box 790 Boise, ID 83712=20 Boise, ID 83701 =20 Phone: (208) 332-8620 Fax: (208) 334-2283 e-mail: mcooper@idahoag.us =20 =20 The information in this email may be privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think you received this email message in error, please reply to mcooper@idahoag.us or call (208) 332-8620. =20 -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 19:44:18 -0500 Reply-To: Erik Whalen-Pedersen Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Erik Whalen-Pedersen Subject: Re: pseudomonas aeruginosa MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Brian Fredericksen asked "How common in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is in raw = honey?" I'd suggest "NOT" is the answer. =20 Honey has actually been successfully tested in laboratory and clinical = trials against P. aeruginosa and other organisms. Honey is a low pH = (high acid) as a low moisture (Low Aw, or water activity, and low RH, = relative humidity -- same idea) product. That particular combination is = usually quite lethal to most bacteria of this type. Honey has actually = been tested against organisms, like P. aeruginosa, that have been = isolated from human burns, diabetic skin infections, and ear infections = with the results being quite positive. (P. aeruginosa, by the way, is = considered to be an antibiotic resistant organism so this is a big = thing.) =20 Brian Fredericksen asked if honey bees and honey would be a carrier of = this bacteria.=20 No, see above. Brian Fredericksen also asked "Will heating honey destroy this = bacteria.?"=20 Yes, it would destroy the bacteria, but they wouldn't be in the honey in = the first place. =20 Brian Fredericksen also asked about the "other" substances in honey. There are small amounts of hydrogen peroxide (from action of the = carbohydrate oxidase enzymes) as well as the other enzymes and reaction = products from these enzymes as well as other substances found in honey. = These could clearly be a factor in addition to the aforementioned = properties of honey. Erik -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 21:04:55 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "=?windows-1252?Q?J._Waggle?=" Subject: Re: breeder selection and varroa-related indications Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Dave Cushman wrote: >No! It denotes a large number of alleles being available... Hi Dave, OK, brood viability denotes a large number of alleles being available. But how do you define brood viability diagnostically, in terms that would be useful to the average beekeeper? I mean, what dose it tell you about what’s going on in your queen breeding? Would it be fair to say that high brood viability would suggest an adequate breeding population and genetic variance? Would it also suggest a high level of polyandry? This is what I want to focus on in my breeding, selecting for high polyandry. I was experiencing low brood viability in some of my stock, but probably wrongly assumed it was the price I was paying for varroa resistance. I also had suspicions that maybe there wasn’t an adequate variety of genetics to achieve good mating or maybe a susceptibility to virus. BUT, a few years back, I discover that ferals that I captured from an ’undisclosed location’ all exhibit 98 to 100% brood viability. I assess this ferals during the growth stage, and find that despite a drought, this group of ferals out perform to a wide margin all other ferals caught that season from other areas, which caused me to eliminate many of the other swarms I was assessing that season for under performing. I then breed from these ferals and find that daughter queens are exhibiting the same high brood viability and good colony performance. So now I’m suspecting a high level of polyandry exists in this population of ferals. Studies by Cole & Wiernasz suggest a rapid development during the growth stage in colonies with a high level of polyandry, and this may have been what I was seeing in the rapid development of these ferals when I assessed them durring the growth stage. So how would one select for a high level of polyandry so I can keep the selective pressure up? So far, I’m looking at the growth stage, brood viability, and I’m assuming largeness of brood pattern would suggest a high level of polyandry. Anything else? >Increasing the variability in the drone background, will reduce diploid >drones, but result in more culling being required during selection. I don’t see more culling as a bad thing, it’s a very important part of my beekeeping to rid poor performers. But then, I don’t increase variability just for the sake of increasing variance. I assess all ferals and new stock in a remote apiary with a very high standard expected from them. I cull poor performers out from the start early on so I have less problem with poor genetics messing up breeding and a lesser need for such intense culling later on. Best Wishes, Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA EcologicalBeekeeping.com ‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries' http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeralBeeProject/ -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 18:16:30 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: K&W Jarrett Subject: Re: winter bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable To Chris,Dee,Bob, Aaron & all, Many different thoughts on this subject. Why not use control methods for varroa & tracheal mites,is it that much = more($$) to put menthol towels on than move them? To me ,I try to address the source of the problem. With one visit I can = feed pollen Pattie,feed syrup, treat for both mites,and treat for foul = brood in the fall ,if necessary. I only move when I have to, Kills queens (hives) and is wear and tear on = equipment($$), and trucks loaders etc... I do agree with Bob, that most commercial beekeeping methods are not in = books. Keith Jarrett -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 20:53:20 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter Dillon Subject: Winter bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Chris mentions: ..."Possibly day length is a factor that is relevant and, logically, this should be more apparent at higher latitudes"... Race of bee, climatic , forage, colony state and the rest could be conditions logical triggers that slow down the laying rate of the queen. Regarding daylight length - colonies that are in indoor wintering sheds/rooms for several months do not have the possibility to see light periods. Yet queens do exhibit increased brood rearing towards the end of the storage time. Temperatures are controlled (sometimes humidity levels as well). The colonies do come out with 2 or more frames with brood. Therefore, light periodicity alone is most probably not a factor that results in increased/decreased laying rates. -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 20:27:34 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Jim Young Subject: Re: Honey Bees & Beekeeping: Apiary In-Reply-To: <9D95C2906FCCE04F836ECA17C4CE092108BE114B@UAEXCH.univ.alban y.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed At 07:32 PM 10/6/2006, Aaron Morris wrote: >... RFDTV ... >Know what DishNetwork channel that is on? Dish 9409 -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 15:37:23 +0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dave Cushman Subject: Re: breeder selection and varroa-related indications In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi Joe & all > But how do you define brood viability diagnostically, in terms that would > be useful to the average beekeeper? If I am not careful here, I will be accused of 'playing with words'. It is not so much that high brood viability is a good thing, but that the lack of poor brood viability shows that there is an adequate number of alleles. > I mean, what dose it tell you about what’s going on in your queen breeding? Not much, but if brood viability is low, you should at least be looking for the reason why. > Would it be fair to say that high brood viability would suggest an > adequate breeding population and genetic variance? You are trying to imply far more than brood viability on it's own can show. > Would it also suggest > a high level of polyandry? Absolutely not, polyandry (mating frequency) is the number of drones involved in the mating of one queen, it has no bearing whatsoever on the genetics of the drones involved. If those drones are in themselves very variable, but all have a particular allele at the sex locus, then as far as that location is concerned there is no choice other than the allele that is represented. No matter how many drones that exhibit this allele are used in the mating the result is still 50% diploid drones. > I want to focus on in my breeding, selecting for high > polyandry. The degree of polyandry is racially linked, OK there are variations about a mean for each race. But using brood viability as a tool is not going to tell you the numbers of matings. US bees are heavily focussed on Italian bees which have very low mating frequencies, if you do find a method of indicating the number of matings and use it as a selection tool, you must be wary that you are not inadvertently selecting for AHB characteristics, because high mating frequencies are associated with African races. > I was experiencing low brood viability in some of my stock, > but probably wrongly assumed it was the price I was paying for varroa > resistance. Look for some sort of 'bottleneck' or common ancestry in your stocks, select away from poor brood viability where it occurs. > I discover that ferals that I captured from > an ’undisclosed location’ all exhibit 98 to 100% brood viability. .... > which caused me to eliminate many of the other swarms I was > assessing that season for under performing. This is probably your bottleneck, you have effectively eliminated the background colonies that were delivering the drones with the variability of alleles needed... What you should have done is to raise queens from those colonies that you considered 'good' and allow them to mate with all of the colonies available, then do further selection. Don't get hung up on brood viability, it will never tell you anything positive, only tell you that there is something wrong when it gets low, but it does not tell you 'what' is wrong. Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net Short FallBack M/c, Build 6.02/3.1 (stable) -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 10:57:23 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Randy_Oliver?= Subject: Almond Pollination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi All, I just returned from the Almond Board's Honeybee Seminar, and got a request from a North Dakota beekeeper for notes. Here they are: The general feeling at the meeting was that there was going to be a substantial shortage of bees this year. Beekeepers are signing contracts now at $140-150 for strong hives, but many are holding back to see what the market does. The almond growers present (not many) heard this. Several growers and brokers asked me for copies of my article to give to other growers. I asked Joe Graham to post the second half of the article to the Dadant web site ASAP. As far as the local beekeepers are concerned, the SHB survey was completed last week. 7000 colonies were inspected in the southern counties--SHB was found in 4 counties. 850 colonies were inspected at 725 locations in northern counties--no SHB were found. The northern beekeepers and queen breeders don't want it right away. The Ag Commissioners feel that the RIFA program is working well. Get certification from your state before you leave. The Ag Commissioners held a meeting about SHB shortly after the conference. I don't know the results yet--call Richard Price at 530 538 7381 to find out. When they spoke at the seminar (prior to their meeting), Shasta and Sutter had no tolerance for SHB; Butte, Glenn, and Tehama would not accept colonies with SHB found at the border. More southerly counties will accept with treatment in the county. CDFA has a 30-day comment period before statewide rules can be issued. Lyle Johnson raised hell, saying that that would be way too late. He just asked for clear rules, so there wouldn't be any disputes at the border. Apparently, everything now is up to the individual county. The issue was raised as to the problem of Ag Comm offices only being open from 8-5. I suggested that beekeepers could contact the County Ag Comm prior, and get a clear memorandum of understanding faxed to them in advance, that they could show at the border bug station. To our amazement, that idea fell flat with the State and the Ag Commissioners (I don't know why). If I were you, I would still try to get one, with his statement as to what actions he wants taken if beetles are found. To change the subject, how about posting (or emailing me) how the bees and mites are looking in your area? Any other tidbits of info you can pass on that would be of interest? Randy Oliver California -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 12:01:18 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Randy_Oliver?= Subject: almond pollination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi All, It just occurred to me to run these figures: The US honey crop of 175 million lbs, selling at 90¢ per pound was worth $157 million. 1.3 million colonies in almond pollination at, say, $130 average, is $169 million. In summary, the total U.S. beekeeping industry will likely make more money this year from almond pollination alone, than from all honey sales! Randy Oliver california -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 17:31:10 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: almond pollination MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > ... more money ... from almond pollination alone, than from all honey = sales!=20 How do these figures compare to the worth of the almond harvest? -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info --- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 17:51:11 -0400 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?windows-1252?Q?Bob_Harrison?= Subject: almond pollination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hello Randy & All, I would hold out for a higher fee as most midwest beekeepers I have spoken with ( I have been at a KHPA beekeeper meeting and just returned) today & yesterday are not interested in California this year. The ridiculas small hive beetle rules at the border remain in effect and unlikely to change. Small hive beetles are not a big issue with most Mid west beekeepers but are kicking butt across the south. Bees in areas of drought (according to Lyle Johnston 60% of all bees used in almond pollination spend the summer in the Mid west) are in rough shape. I doubt they will fully recover in time for 2007 almonds. To sum things up we all could use the extra money but the risks are great. 1. Those with small hive beetle could get their loads turned as their own fellow beekeepers put pressure on Carla Markman for tighter border control. 2. Sending weak and stressed hives is never a good idea and could be a repeat of last year where many beekeepers not only did not make money but lost money sending bees to California. Drought and lack of a honey flow causes real stress on bees. Lyle Johnston is saying the same thing in this months newsletter. I can post what he says but sure you and Keith get his newsletter. Bob -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---