From MAILER-DAEMON Sat Feb 28 11:07:22 2009 Return-Path: <> X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.8 (2007-02-13) on industrial X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-90.3 required=2.4 tests=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 58D214905F for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:03:38 -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 n1SG3YWf017258 for ; Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:03:38 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:03:36 -0500 From: "University at Albany LISTSERV Server (14.5)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG0902A" To: adamf@IBIBLIO.ORG Message-ID: Content-Length: 84716 Lines: 1798 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 06:22:42 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill T Subject: More on bee's ability to count MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "Using a y-maze, we found that bees can not only differentiate between patterns containing two and three elements, but can also use this prior knowledge to differentiate three from four, without any additional training. However, bees trained on the two versus three task could not distinguish between higher numbers, such as four versus five," http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0004263;jsessionid=4F1E1CE7FDDC632CF906A12C18506D00 Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 07:16:47 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill T Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <3dcef4a10901310800n6fa2a1e0ha4f62b0f0ae30562@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Funny that all the posts about FAQ's for beginners is all covered in the archives, many times. So we have several FAQs but it all gets down to who will do it and keep them up. Lots of advisers, few workers. Truth is, and it came home with an off list query, books are better than any FAQ or list. Best is still Diane's book, which is the one I recommended, but there are many that are great for beginners. Amazon has most of them for a decent price. But then, you can go to the archives and see many recommendations as to the best beekeeping books. The archives are your friend. The wheel has actually been invented. Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:49:04 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: DICOFOL In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > Using this dose, fumigation times of 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 minutes appeared > to be harmless to the bees. Before you all rush out and start using this product, the MSDS indicates that it is fairly safe, but that it is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, and from the MSDS would likely have a high affinity for wax, and break down slowly. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 10:56:30 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Peter_L_Borst?= Subject: Re: DICOFOL Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit randy oliver wrote: >Before you all rush out and start using this product My purpose in posting the information was to caution against using it, rather than to suggest it. Perhaps I should have mentioned that. It appears from the data posted that it *may* have been used already, but I would recommend less -- rather than more -- chemical use in hives. We have a reputation to restore as the producers of a pure natural product. That is my goal. pb ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 16:16:46 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Ruary Rudd Subject: Re: NYC beekeeping In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Perhaps they were suffering from Dysentery :-) Ruary -----Original Message----- >From Walter Weller I have seen bees load up with powdered kaolinite ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 12:21:45 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Alf Bashore Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <8c0381120902010416s24e5662ep19f15e4ddeca7a7f@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, Yes, books are great! I have bought and read many dozens. Other beekeepers in my club have told outsiders, that I am very knowledgeable about bees. Well, maybe, but reading certainly has considerably helped, as has reading the many interesting informative clashing or harmonious posts on this list. If you don't mind my respectful submission, I would like to suggest that beekeepers, experienced or newbees, please patronize your book orders thru established bee supply companies or even through your Local Independent bookseller, rather than the giant corporations. I do. As a comparison to honey, if you have a fine local or regional product, would you want it blended with unknown sources of foreign honey to be sold at cheap rates in the giant corporate stores? I try to buy all my foods locally and in season. Though books are not local, local or regional purchases makes much more economic sense to me. Respectfully, Alf Bashore Danville, PA Bill T wrote: > Truth is, and it came home with an off list query, books are better than any > FAQ or list. Best is still Diane's book, which is the one I recommended, but > there are many that are great for beginners. Amazon has most of them for a > decent price. > > > Bill Truesdell > Bath, Maine > ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 13:56:38 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "J. Waggle" Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <8c0381120902010416s24e5662ep19f15e4ddeca7a7f@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit The archives are your friend. The > wheel has actually > been invented. IMO< the wheel might have some alignment problems. The Archives has some great info, but is forever changing. Time and again, studies have been disputed and debunked by several of the professional debunkers of the list. What was once ‘breeding varroa resistance’ has been basically debunked by some on this list during 2006 - 2007, for the excuse of ’non virulent mites’. What was once stress caused dwindling from nectar dearth and other stress, has lately become CCD caused. Death from any unexplained loss is lately often said to be CCD, when many losses prior to CCD often had a known cause like bad management or common bee malady etc. So while the archives can be your friend, it’s a friend I would not hold unquestioned trust in, where as, your best friend is always a real time friend in the here and now, one that you can actually cross examine, and ask questions, to get the most current information. Joe ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 19:31:14 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?UTF-8?Q?Peter_L_Borst?= Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit On Sun, 1 Feb 2009 13:56:38 -0800, J. Waggle wrote: >What was once breeding varroa resistance has been basically debunked by some on this list during 2006 - 2007, for the excuse of non virulent mites. What was once stress caused dwindling from nectar dearth and other stress, has lately become CCD caused. In January of 2006, Bee Weaver Apiaries sent out a full color glossy brochure with these words: > We have not treated ANY of our colonies for Varroa since 2001. The superior genetics of our honey bees, especially their varroa mite resistance, offers the grower a significant advantage over some bees supplied by other operators. Our hives are naturally resistant to both Varroa destructor and Acarapis woodii and will not just survive, but prevail, under conditions when other bees may be adversely affected by these exotic parasites. So, especially for those growers having difficulty securing adequate numbers of bees, we urge you to contact us for your pollination needs. In May of 2007, the tune changed: >“We may be near the point when there are not enough bees,” says Danny Weaver, a queen breeder with B. Weaver Apiaries in Navasota, Texas. Now, in 2009 there are rumors of the bees rebounding, with only a very few sharing what they feel the reasons for this might be. -- Peter L Borst ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:00:14 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mike Rowbottom Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <3dcef4a10901310800n6fa2a1e0ha4f62b0f0ae30562@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >From: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu [mailto:BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu] On Behalf Of randy oliver >Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Postings to Bee-L >Perhaps in my attempt to be succinct, I was misunderstood. >Randy Oliver Perhaps there was further transatlantic confusion over the choice of words: Noun: voyeur 1. A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point. 2. An obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects. Noun: lurker 1. Someone waiting in concealment 2. A non-active subscriber to a mailing list or other Internet communication channel I am happy to lurk on this list, but not to be a voyeur of it!! Regards Mike Rowbottom HARROGATE North Yorkshire UK ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 08:13:40 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill T Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <200902021200.CJX67569@c2bthomr14.btconnect.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Perhaps there was further transatlantic confusion over the choice of words: > > Noun: voyeur > > 1. A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked > bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point. > > I am happy to lurk on this list, but not to be a voyeur of it!! You, obviously, were not here in the early days. Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 08:19:40 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <200901311103.n0VB00lq029181@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > Can we please have some more clarity about who is welcome to post to this moderated list? This question, and many more are answered in the BEE-L pages at http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm I used to refer to these pages often, but the old addage about leading a horese to water holds true. I can (aad have) pointed readers to these pages MANY times, but alas I cannot force readers to read them, and if I were to strictly enforce what is written therein, I suspect BEE-L would go silent. > do we not wish to retain a fuller participating audience here? That has always been the goal. Aaron Morris - thinking if only a horse would read! ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 08:39:48 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <200901311423.n0VEI9W1005312@listserv.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > In fact, thinking about it, it might be a good idea to post a detailed > directive on how to use the archives once a month for all the new > membership that has come on-board since the last posting of the archive > directive. Once a month? How about at the end if EACH POST! Aaron Morris - again thinking if only a horse would read! ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:26:10 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Peter_L_Borst?= Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Peter L Borst wrote: >Therefore, subfamilies could develop within the colony based upon which >drones are present in the queen, but then certain subfamilies could assert >domination by eating competitor's eggs and preferentially raising their own >kin. This concept is disputed in the following study Polyandry in honeybee queens (Apis mellifera) leads to many subfamilies within a colony. Nepotism is expected to occur under these circumstances since honeybee workers can increase their inclusive fitness by favoring full-sisters over half-sisters. The potential benefits of nepotism to workers may be most apparent in queen rearing in which workers can readily influence the genetic composition of the next generation. To determine whether the kin-selected nepotism hypothesis could explain queen rearing, observations were made on the care behavior exhibited by workers toward queen larvae in 4 colonies, and patrilines were identified using DNA microsatellite markers. We observed 521 worker visitation behaviors directed towards queen larvae during 101 h of observation. Care behaviors were found to occur independently of the genetic relatedness between nurse bees and nursed queen larvae. We therefore suggest that the kin-selected nepotism hypothesis cannot explain queen rearing. Our results are essentially consistent with those of Mohammedi and Le Conte (2000), who found no evidence of nepotism in queen rearing in their experimental colonies in either spring or winter. Our study supports previous findings that nepotism in queen rearing is probably absent or weakly expressed (Tarpy et al., 2004). Rearing of candidate queens by honeybee, Apis mellifera, workers (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is independent of genetic relatedness Satoshi KOYAMA, et al Applied Entomology and Zoology Vol. 42 (2007) , No. 4 541-547 ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:56:14 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Alf Bashore Subject: Re: Postings to Bee-L In-Reply-To: <6999718ED3E19D4AA061F73254EEA34106BAEBB9@UAEXCH.univ.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The list is moderated. I have had potential postings audited and not posted because of content on one or two occasions. I reflected on what I had written, shrugged my shoulders. I still laugh at what I wanted to share. However, the moderator does his job to ensure appropriate content and a dynamic "bee" dialog is maintained. Thanks for letting me on occasionally. By the way I know 18 of my colonies are still alive as of yesterday. The others have not been yet checked due to weather and location. Let's hope they all come thru into the spring. Alf Bashore Aaron Morris wrote: >> Can we please have some more clarity about who is welcome to post to >> > this moderated list? > > This question, and many more are answered in the BEE-L pages at > http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/default.htm > ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 07:59:00 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter L Borst Subject: Tolerance tends to increase disease prevalence MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit The outcome of host/parasite relationships is not necessarily predictable, nor does it inevitably result in coexistence (commensalism) > If the host is able to completely tolerate pathogen damage up to a certain replication rate, this may result in apparent commensalism, whereby infection causes no apparent virulence ... Tolerance tends to increase disease prevalence and may therefore lead to more, rather than less, disease-induced mortality. If the parasite is selected, even a highly efficient tolerance mechanism may result in more individuals in total dying from disease. > To summarize the epidemiological effects, the evolution of host tolerance generally increases disease prevalence. Consequently, the number of pathogen-induced deaths may actually increase Complete tolerance potentially selects for a parasite strain that causes no virulence, although this is not always the outcome. the evolution of host tolerance may be partly responsible for the ubiquity of parasites in nature. Roy and Kirchner (2000) noted that because tolerance leads to higher prevalence of the parasite, it more easily allows their persistence. As demonstrated, commensal strains may have evolved higher replication and transmission rates. Intolerant hosts coming into contact with an evolved parasite would again experience high levels of virulence and transmissibility. The emergence of disease from seemingly commensal organisms may therefore occur without changes in the parasite but due to a lack of tolerance mechanisms in new host populations. > Throughout our study, we have assumed only single infections. However, infected hosts may often harbor more than one parasite strain simultaneously. THE EVOLUTION OF PARASITES IN RESPONSE TO TOLERANCE IN THEIR HOSTS: GOOD, THE BAD, AND APPARENT COMMENSALISM MARTIN R. MILLER, ANDREW WHITE AND MICHAEL BOOTS Evolution, 60(5), 2006, pp. 945956 ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 08:35:13 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > > Our study supports previous findings that nepotism > in queen rearing is probably absent or weakly > expressed The honey bee colony's genetic structure (half the total genetic structure split between some 15-20 "father" colonies, is at odds with the "selfish gene" concept. Since genetically-diverse colonies are more successful and productive, have better resistance to parasites, and better winter survival, any nepotism would come at at price. It is therefore to the indirect benefit of any subfamily of sisters to police all eggs laid in the brood combs to ensure that no subfamily plays unfairly by having workers lay eggs. The other subfamilies remove them. This process equalizes any family's chance at passing their genes on to the next generation, roughly in proportion to the overall genetic composition of the entire colony, rather than that of any specific subfamily. The deeper one looks into honey bee reproductive behavior, the more clever it appears to be! Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 08:57:59 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: California is experiencing record winter high temperatures MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit *(01-12) 18:00 PST SAN FRANCISCO* -- High-temperature records fell like imaginary raindrops in the Bay Area on Monday, among the warmest mid-January days ever. It's also shaping up to be one of the driest Januarys ever - if not the driest. There's been almost no rain this month, and none is in sight, the National Weather Service says. The thermometer hit 74 in downtown San Francisco, breaking the old record for Jan. 12 of 67, set in 1948. "We broke the records pretty much everywhere," said weather service meteorologist Brian Tentinger. "Breaking them wasn't hard. This wasn't extreme heat, but it was very abnormal for January." The heat marks got their biggest thumping in Santa Rosa, where it was 84 degrees. The old mark was 66, set in 1967. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/12/BA3C157RFN.DTL California agriculture in general, almond growers, and beekeepers are facing the potential of a trying summer. If the current weather patterns continue, our flowering season will be early and brief. Some native and introduced plants are blooming a month early. A dry Calif summer means that there will be little bee forage, and that Calif beekeepers will be faced with the quandary of whether they should invest in feeding their bees if next year's pollination rental price drops. Oddly, the almonds, which bloomed about 10 days late last year due to unseasonal cold, don't look like they are going to bloom exceptionally early. As I deliver bees to the almonds, I have some "indicator trees" that I watch. Some of these trees are volunteers along the roadside, that always bloom a week before the main orchards, and others are the earlies varieties at the U.C. experimental almond orchard in Arbuckle, which my bees have pollinated for over 20 years. These trees are currently in bloom, and the earliest commercial almond varieties are just getting to "popcorn" stage of buds as of yesterday. So bloom may start about a week early. Randy Oliver, reporting from the Golden State, where our governor has proposed taxing veterinary bills in order to help balance the budget. Better than Hollywood! ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 12:30:58 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: herve abeille Subject: 50,000 packets of seeds MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > SAN FRANCISCO, CA November 5, 2007 The critical disappearance of bees, called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), is still a mysterious threat to honey bees, the mainstay of pollination services in agriculture. The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), a tri-national coalition dedicated to promoting the health of all pollinators and a project of the Pollinator Partnership, is teaming up with bee-friendly, natural personal care company Burt's Bees to address this agricultural and environmental issue. > Burt's Bees has given seed funding to a specific "task force" with NAPPC coined The Honeybee Health Improvement Project. The HHIP task force is led by Danny Weaver, J.D., President of The American Beekeeping Federation, Christina Grozinger, Ph.D., Asst. Professor of Insect Genomics at North Carolina State University and Barry Thompson, M.D., a Director of the Eastern Apicultural Society, and includes well-renowned researchers from around the country. > The company's support will fund initiating this task force as well as NAPPC's research of key issues facing honeybee health: beekeeper education, foraging opportunities and breeding stock research. NAPPC and Burt's Bees will also collaborate in the production and distribution of 50,000 packets with bee-pollinating seeds through their website, product orders, and through local sampling efforts. [ I wonder where the money went, besides the packets of seeds? ] http://www.pollinator.org/honeybee_health.htm Honey Bee Health NAPPC Task Force Laurie Adams Coevolution Institute/NAPPC May Berenbaum University of Illinois Nicholas Calderone Cornell University Dewey Caron University of Delaware Christine Elsik Georgetown University Wayne Esaias Oceanographer Diana Cox Foster Pennsylvania State University Christina Grozinger* North Carolina State University G.W. (Jerry) Hayes Apiary Inspectors of America Douglas Holy USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service Eric Mussen University of California, Davis Jeff Pettis Research Leader, USDA-ARS Bee Research Lab Gene Robinson Univsersity of Illinois Colin Stewart USDA APHIS PPQ Barry H. Thompson* Thompson Apiaries, LLC Daniel Weaver* Bee Weaver Apiaries, Inc. Wayne Wehling USDA APHIS PPQ *Co-Chairs http://www.pollinator.org/honeybee_health.htm ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 10:58:29 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Dave Burrup Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit How do the bees recognize the eggs or larvae from their subfamily? I understand how there are different subfamilies in a hive, from different matings, but I sure understand how they recognize each other. Dave South East Idaho ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 12:22:29 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bob Harrison Subject: Re: California is experiencing record winter high temperatures In-Reply-To: <3dcef4a10902030857w570e0762me6a6b4d6a7859407@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello Randy & All, Back home & busy. Bees flew out to meet me and crap on my fresh wash job! Maybe the bees recognized my face as some researchers say they do. The weather is the same here. Dry in the bee yards. First year I can remember going in without spinning a wheel. Need rain bad but rain can come overnight and the weather people never seem able to predict with a degree of accuracy when drought ends. We have still got sub soil moisture but all the weather predictions were for a wet and snowy winter. They missed again! Even the farm stations predicted a very wet and snowy winter. I think both might have based their predictions on either the color of the wooly worms or the seed of a persimmon. As a businessman I hate taking risks but not taking hives for almond pollination based on a possible shortage of water to me does not make sense. If it takes so many steps to produce a crop of almonds and if pollination is step one I think I would gamble as rain can come quick and those mountain lakes can fill and there will be a over supply of "ditch water". In other words if an almond grower decides to not rent bees (even though a regular bloom is expected) based on a possible lack of water or possible high price for water possible being the key word. AND The rains come ( long overdue for California) then what can you do? I guess there is always next year? In the Midwest our farmers plant every year regardless of the prospect of dry weather and the only reason they do not is not able to get in wet fields. You do not get a crop with the seed bags still in the barn and large farmers figure they are not going to get a crop every year but not planting assures no crop or income to speak of. Of course in the Midwest we consider almond growers almost hobby farmers due to the small amount of land farmed in comparison. ( heh heh) bob ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 16:05:41 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Brian Ames Subject: Re: California is experiencing record winter high temperatures Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit We've had consistent cold in the Wi/MN/Nodak region with fairly heavy snow pack in most areas. Spring should see good moisture levels at the rate we are going so far. We just finished 30 days plus below freezing with most days in the single digits and nights far below zero. Last weekend all my colonies saw 45F with low wind and full sun. A good cleansing flight day for all. I wonder too if almond growers are just being cautious as most families and businesses are in these difficult times. How many farmers, bee or almond, have someone else at home bringing in a paycheck or benefits and some of those jobs may be on the line. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 13:06:49 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >How do the bees recognize the eggs or larvae from their subfamily? Good question! I don't know that anyone knows, but my guess would be by smell. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 19:10:28 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?UTF-8?Q?Peter_L_Borst?= Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >>How do the bees recognize the eggs or larvae from their subfamily? > >Good question! I don't know that anyone knows, but my guess would be by smell. Yes, but the point of the study I cited is that they don't differentiate them. pb ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 21:29:44 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter L Borst Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Work on worker recognition of larvae was done in the 1980s by Page, Erickson, and Visscher > Apis mellifera workers are able to discriminate the degree of relatedness to themselves of larvae and to preferentially rear queens from related larvae. They employ cues of genetic, not environmental origin, and workers which have only experienced unrelated brood nonetheless prefer related (but novel) over unrelated (but familiar) larvae. Thus worker bees possess the sensory capabilities and behavioral responses that would enable them to maximize their individual inclusive fitness through nepotism in queen rearing. These experiments demonstrate an ability of worker honey bees to discriminate, using genetically-correlated, probably olfactory cues, between larvae Kinship discrimination in queen rearing by honey bees (Apis mellifera) by P. Kirk Visscher Behav Ecol Sociobiol (1986) 18:453~460 More recent work tends to dispute the earlier findings > The true degree of kin bias and the reason that it remains weak deserve further experimental examination. It may be that the low efficiency of nepotism reflects limitations on the discrimination ability of bees due to a paucity of cues or ambiguity of cues present in larvae which are used to glean kinship information (Visscher, 1986; Ratnieks, 1991). Indeed, it seems remarkable that there is any information at all that bees could use to make kinship judgments of newly hatched larvae, especially since the most likely mechanism they use is a learned reference of their own odors as adults. Interestingly, as pointed out by Page and Erickson (1984), lack of discrimination against non-nestmate larvae is one of the foundations of commercial queen rearing, but there royal jelly is usually used. Colony integration and reproductive conflict in honey bees by P.K. Visscher Apidologie (1998) Vol. 29 No. 1-2 > Even though hymenopteran workers are related more to full-sisters than to half-sisters, there is little evidence that full-sisters are favored. Possible nepotism in queen rearing has been looked for in the honey bee in all stages of queen rearing, from eggs and larvae to young adult queens, and the consensus is that it is weak or nonexistent. As with the honey bee, most studies of ant, wasp, or stingless bee societies headed by multiple queens have failed to find nepotism. CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN INSECT SOCIETIES by Francis L.W. Ratnieks, et al Annu. Rev. Entomol. (2006) 51:581-608. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 01:19:10 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?windows-1252?Q?Steve_Noble?= Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Rnady Oliver writes: It is therefore to the indirect benefit of any subfamily of sisters to police all eggs laid in the brood combs to ensure that no subfamily plays unfairly by having workers lay eggs. Randy, I agree it would seem to make little sense for bees to have developed this important and elaborate system of maintaining genetic diversity while at the same time tending to defeat it by establishing competitive sisterhoods within the hive. But Im wondering what the chances of worker lain drones ever passing on their genes are. Ive always heard that these are considerably less vigorous than queen laid drones. There is one way that the nepotism you refer to would perhaps make some sense, and it may have already been pointed out by Peter or someone else. Presumably the main way preferential selection of eggs of a sisterhood by that sisterhood would show up is in the selection of eggs for queen cells. If even a small tendency to do this existed, then the sisterhood that happened to have a higher survival rate than that of the others would stand an even better chance of selecting eggs of their own genetic likeness. This could theoretically have the potential of conveying a survival benefit to the colony. However if this were the case, or I should say if this had ever been the case, it is hard to see how it would not have become a fairly obvious mechanism in the course of honeybee evolution. Those traits that convey even a slight advantage, once introduced, tend to become the established modus operandi fairly quickly and prominently. That this is not apparently the case could be explained by there not being an ability to distinguish between genetic alternatives in eggs, and/or by there not being, often enough, a significant difference between the survival rates of half sisters within a colony. My money would be on the former. It could also be, as you say, that the benefits of maintaining genetic diversity within the colony outweigh any possible benefit derived from selecting for the stronger of the sisterhoods within a colony thus tending to suppress any tendency for the latter mechanism to become established. The benefits of diversity are fairly obvious and the whole reproductive system seems geared toward this, whereas the mechanism of prejudicial selection of eggs according to genetic makeup is hardly apparent let alone obvious. Even the benefits of such a mechanism are not obvious. Steve Noble ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 08:48:35 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Peter_L_Borst?= Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >How do the bees recognize the eggs or larvae from their subfamily? Aside from *whether* they do, this is how they could: > Dufour's gland secretion of queens in Apis mellifera is normally caste specific. In queenright workers it is composed of odd n alkanes, while in queens it also possesses long chain esters. However, glandular expression is plastic since queenless workers produce a queen-like secretion. Moreover, QR gland incubated in vitro produced these esters, indicating that glandular activity is regulated. We tested the hypothesis that the secretion is an egg marking pheromone. > Chemical analysis of the egg coating revealed minute amounts of the queen esters, but neither queen secretion nor the synthetic esters were able to protect worker-laid eggs from policing, refuting the hypothesis. Analysis of abdominal tips further revealed that Dufour's egg secretion is also smeared on the abodominal cuticle, suggesting that its presence on egg surface may be due to passive contamination. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 06:15:44 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: C Hooper Subject: Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course & Conference - CMACC 2009 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course & Conference - CMACC 2009 http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2009/02/charles-mraz-apitherapy-course.html What: 15th annual apitherapy training and conference of the American Apitherapy Society takes a look at the science of ancient healing treatments using bee sting therapy and all beehive products When: April 17-19, 2009 Where: DoubleTree Guest Suites, Tampa, Florida… Note: This information is exclusive to Apitherapy News. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 09:34:56 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: FW: bees recognizing the beekeeper? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Edited to remove quotes From: Nancy Nosewicz [mailto:nnosewicz@aol.com] Sent: Wed 2009.02.04 08:11 Hello, I am new to this list. I hope to be a beekeeper in the future. I am intrigued by the idea of bees recognizing the beekeeper, as Bob suggests. Can someone point me to research that has shown this ? Thanks, Nancy Ovid, NY ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 19:56:24 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > >Yes, but the point of the study I cited is that they don't differentiate > them. Agreed, Pete. The study you cited was talking about queen larvae. I was talking about worker larvae. It would make sense for bees not to discriminate queen larvae, but sense *to* discriminate worker larvae. I can't remember the paper that shows that they discriminate worker larvae, but will post if I find it. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 07:23:27 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > >I'm wondering what the > chances of worker lain drones ever passing on their genes are. Kirsten Ebberstein, in her excellent thesis on bee genetics, discusses the consequences of worker-laid drone eggs in normal colonies. In short, the more "W-drones," the shorter the effective generational interval, and the smaller the genetic population size--both negative consequences. So yes, some bees will try to "cheat," but the mechanisms for policing eggs that Peter has described are attempts for the colony to stop such cheating, for the overall good. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 12:53:06 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Bill T Subject: Re: FW: bees recognizing the beekeeper? In-Reply-To: <6999718ED3E19D4AA061F73254EEA34106CF439D@UAEXCH.univ.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Nancy Nosewicz [mailto:nnosewicz@aol.com] > > I am intrigued by the idea of bees recognizing the beekeeper, as Bob > suggests. Can someone point me to research that has shown this ? http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-01/mu-nii012209.php It actually shows that they recognize face orientation and can identify the same face at different orientations. Reward is involved, so you are getting into uncharted territory to say they recognize an individual beekeeper. Bill Truesdell Bath, Maine ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 21:18:52 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable From: Dave Hamilton [mailto:DaveHamilton@windstream.net] Sent: Wed 2009.02.04 20:59 Peter I didn't find it, but wasn't there an article or posting within the past year about swarm behavior and that a major portion of the swarm was = composed of true sisters? Has that too been disproven? Dave ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=3Dbee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 23:00:36 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?windows-1252?Q?Steve_Noble?= Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit In short, the more "W-drones," the shorter the effective generational interval, and the smaller the genetic population size--both negative consequences. Randy, can you explain what is meant by effective generational interval and how having worker laid drones would cause a reduction in it? Also, how does the level of W-drones affect a reduction in genetic population size? And again, how common is it that workers lay eggs in a normal hive, and what would cause them to lay eggs other than the abnormal situation of not having a queen for an extended period of time? In other words what would be the incentive? What would be the advantage in cheating in the first place? Also, can anyone tell me what the chances are of worker laid drones passing on their genes are? Because either these drones are removed because they can pass on their genes or because they can't. Does the evidence suggest that worker laid drones effectively serve as a last ditch way for a bee chromosome to make another bee chromosome? A lot of questions, I know. I hope you are up to sorting some of this out for some of us. As alway, thanks. Steve Noble ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 20:19:55 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: almond update MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Report from California Buds on the almonds popping suddenly--Nonpariel (main variety) already opening up in North Valley! This is about 10 days early. Bloom starting before all colonies are even placed. Not swelling much yet in Modesto area. For those of you following weather patterns (Juanse), in Northern Calif, only 1/3 of normal rainfall in January. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 20:38:08 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > Wow, Steve, that's a lot of questions! I'm half brain dead from moving > bees, but I will try to answer coherently. > >can you explain what is meant by "effective generational interval" Colonies carry the genetics of two generations--the current generation in the queens, and the previous generation in the stored semen. > > >and how having worker laid drones would cause a reduction in it? These drones are from the current generation, so the effective genetic pool is reduced. I will forward you the math off list. I don't pretend to follow the details of it. > > And again, how common is it that workers lay eggs in a "normal" > hive, and what would cause them to lay eggs other than the abnormal > situation of not having a queen for an extended period of time? It is apparently not uncommon for a few workers to lay drone eggs, and sometimes worker eggs. The fertile eggs are layed using a process called thelytoky. Again, I am at the limit of my knowledge in this area. > > In other words what would be the incentive? The "selfish gene." The advantage of having more of your genes passed to the next generation. >What would be the advantage in "cheating" in the first place? Ditto above. > >Also, can anyone tell me what the chances are of worker laid drones > passing on their genes are? Don't know, but there are references in the Ebbersten thesis. Let me know! > > Does the evidence suggest that worker laid drones effectively serve > as a last ditch way for a bee chromosome to make another bee chromosome? I have no way to substantiate, but I've always figured that when a colony goes laying worker due to queenlessness, that that was a last-ditch attempt to pass the colony's genes on. > > >I hope you are up to sorting some of this out for some of us. I'm honored, but I do not like to give answers when I am near the limit of my knowledge. This is such a case. I take giving answers seriously, and have been known to track down those to whom I have ever given an answer that I later find to be erroneous. I have no qualms about saying "I don't know." : ) Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 07:50:09 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Mike Stoops Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: <3dcef4a10902042038ue433e40wdbafc820eb166048@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable --- On Wed, 2/4/09, randy oliver wrote>Colonies car= ry the genetics of two generations--the current generation in >the queens, and the previous generation in the stored semen. So the worker would be a combined gene of the X chromosome supplied by the = previous generation semen. The Y chromosome would be courtesy of the queen's current generation. > >and how having worker laid drones would cause a reduction in it? These drones are from the current generation, so the effective genetic pool is reduced. =20 The worker, a result of the XY combination uses 1/2 of that combination to = lay drone eggs.=A0 Would the haploid eggs be a combination of X genetic mat= erial (previous generation genetics) and Y genetic material=A0 (current gen= eration genetics)?=A0 Or, would all of the drone eggs all be of the same X = or Y haploid set of chromosomes? Mike in LA=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 Just curious? =0A=0A=0A ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=3Dbee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 17:30:22 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "deknow@netzero.net" Subject: Kerstin Ebbersten was Re: [BEE-L] Genetic compatibility effects on ca ste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit I don't have a copy of her thesis, but her talk from last years Organic Beekeeping Conference in Oracle, AZ is available for free viewing on our website. Very interesting (and I'd recommend watching Randy Quinn's short talk as well while you are at it...it is related). http://BeeUntoOthers.com/ I'm not linking directly to the video (hosted by Google), as we will probably do some editing (not the content, just the dead air and cleaning up the audio), and it will not have the same URL, but will be linked from our site. Click on the link for the "2008 Organic Beekeeping Conference recordings here!" deknow ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 15:38:02 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Peter_L_Borst?= Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit >I have no way to substantiate, but I've always figured that when a colony >goes laying worker due to queenlessness, that that was a last-ditch attempt >to pass the colony's genes on. I have always thought and I have never seen evidence to the contrary that the development of ovaries in workers was little more than an aberration with no useful purpose. You have to put it in the context of all bees, ants, and insects in general. The abilities of females in these various species varies considerably with some females being completely capable of reproduction by themselves, to completely sterile workers in other species. I would liken ovaries in a worker honey bee to mammary glands in male mammals. They will develop somewhat under certain circumstances but this is presumably due to the presence of the genes for these organs not being completely suppressed and not related to some latent functionality at all. Although they occasionally do become activated, like worker bee ovaries, you would be hard pressed to show that this is purposeful rather than merely odd. * * * > Both sexes of all mammals have mammary glands. While the glands are generally less well developed and nonfunctional in males, the degree of underdevelopment varies among species. At one extreme, in mice and rats, the mammary tissue never forms ducts or a nipple and remains invisible from the outside. At the opposite extreme, in dogs and primates (including humans), the gland does form ducts and a nipple in both males and females and scarcely differs between the sexes before puberty. http://discovermagazine.com/1995/feb/fathersmilk468 ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 15:54:07 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter L Borst Subject: Colony relatedness and altruism MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > If Darwin and Dawkins were right, the selection process in evolution would always have favoured egoism. Why, then, do so many animal groups show so many actions of altruism? Research on the evolution of social behaviour has been dominated by genetic relatedness for a long time; however, both recent empirical studies and theoretical concepts give growing evidence for ecological factors acting as very prominent additional or alternative driving forces in social evolution. "Ecology of Social Evolution" J. Korb, J. Heinze (Eds.) > Cooperation abounds in the natural world, and biologists are faced with the difficulty of reconciling this fact with the principle of the 'survival of the fittest'. One possibility is genetic kin recognition. Despite the apparent incentive for such kin recognition, however, there is relatively poor empirical support for this mechanism in nature. While altruism may initially flourish due to the operation of genetic kin recognition, it inevitably falters and ultimately fails as the ability to recognise kin is lost. Social Evolution: The Decline and Fall of Genetic Kin Recognition Andy Gardner and Stuart A. West. Current Biology. 18 September 2007 > The altruism of insect workers has puzzled researchers for decades. Inclusive fitness theory suggests that high relatedness has been key in promoting such altruism. Recent theory, however, indicates that the intermediate levels of relatedness found within insect societies are too low to directly cause the extreme altruism observed in many species. Instead, recent results show that workers are frequently coerced into acting altruistically. Hence, the altruism seen in many modern-day insect societies is not voluntary but enforced. Altruism in insect societies and beyond: voluntary or enforced? Francis L.W. Ratnieks. TRENDS in Ecology and Evolution. January 2008 ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 16:50:22 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: "=?windows-1252?Q?J._Waggle?=" Subject: Report of the Secretary of Agriculture Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Report of the Secretary of Agriculture By United States Dept. of Agriculture =====Article Start===== Agricultural Report Statistics of Beekeeping During the past season a disease suddenly appeared in several states, sweeping away whole apiaries. So quiet were its operations that the bee- keepers became aware of its existence only by the disappearance of their bees. The hives were left, in most cases, full of honey, but with no brood and little pollen; the whole appearance of the hive causing the casual observer to suppose that the bees had "emigrated;" but close observation showed that they had died. We give a number of accounts from various correspondents, principally from the states where this disease first raged. Jesse R.. Newson, Bartholomew County, Indiana, says: "With an experience of twenty-five years, I have not seen so disastrous results among bees as in the present year. We generally feel that all is well with our bees, if they have succeeded well in laying up a winter supply of food. I have lost nineteen stands since the first of November; in some of them as many as forty pounds of honey were left, looking very nice, and tasting as well as any I ever saw; no sign of moth or any thing wrong that I could see. The bees seem to die without a cause. The stand twenty years old is yet living. We find in nearly every stand plenty of food, but "what ails the bees? What the remedy? If something is not done to stop this fatality, this pleasing and useful pastime will be taken from us, and our tables will be robbed of honey." A. Leslie, Pike County, Indiana, says: "Nearly all our bees have died in this county, perishing mostly in November, supposed to be for want of bee- bread." S. G. Bates, Boone County, says: "The mortality among the bees this winter cannot be accounted for, since they have plenty of food. Out of twelve hives I this day took three hundred pounds of honey"; not a young bee to be found; the comb clear and healthy. My opinion is, that the queen, from some reason, not having deposited eggs, is the cause of their death." T. J. Conuett, of Austin, Scott County, Indiana, says: "There is a disease prevailing to an alarming extent among our bees this fall that is entirely new, nobody being able to find any cause or remedy. Old and substantial swarms die, leaving the hive full of honey and bee-bread. Full three- fourths of the swarms are dead, as far as I have heard from them." J. N. Webb, Newcastle, Henry County, Kentucky, says : " There were no swarms last spring, so far as is known. The bees, however, continued to work and lay up their stores until some time in August, or early in September, when, to the consternation and utter surprise of the bee- raiser, they were all found to have died. Many swarms left well-stored stands of excellent honey, amply sufficient to carry them through the winter; and what is more strange, comparatively few of the bees were found dead at the hives. What was the cause of the wholesale destruction of this useful and interesting insect, dying in the midst of plenty, away from its hive, we cannot understand. Up to the time when the discovery was made, no frosts had come, no atmospheric change had taken place, out of the ordinary course, and in fact nothing to which it may have been rationally attributed." T. Hullman, jr., of Terre Haute, Indiana, writes as follows: " In September last, when the first cold weather set in, my bees began to die. First, I found in one of my best stands, with all the frames full of sealed honey, and some honey in boxes, the bees all dead. After that the bees began to die in all my stands, mostly pure Italians, and some hybrids. First, about one-third of the bees would be found dead; next, I would find the queen lying dead before the hive; and in about a week more, the whole colony would be found dead in and around the hive. Sometimes the queen would live with a handful of bees. The hives were full of honey, gathered the latter part of the season ; and the smallest had enough for the bees to winter upon. In this way I have lost forty stands, and have now only fifteen skeleton colonies, which I think will also perish before spring. At first I thought I was the only victim, but I have ascertained that all the bees in this neighborhood have died, and as far as thirty miles north and eighteen south. Yesterday I saw a letter from Kentucky, from a man who thought his bees had stampeded in the same manner as mine, to the hive of mother-earth. Some colonies had broods others had not. Late in October all the queens commenced laying again. To some colonies I gave three queens in about two weeks, and they lost each in turn." The true cause of the disease has not been discovered. Some attribute it to the want of pollen; some to poisonous honey; and some to the unusually hot summer. Whatever may be the cause, the effect has been most disastrous, throughout these two States. =====End Article===== It may appear CCD is making a resurgence. You may perhaps have noticed the old writing style, or terms used in the Agriculture Report. If you have, good work, because the article is from 1869, reporting on the honeybee mortality of 1868. Is history repeating itself? There are a few similarities, not only with some of thesymptoms, but more strikingly, in the human reaction. As the CCD of today has some calling it the AIDS of bees, In the years following the 1868 bee mortality, that disease has been paralleled to another disease feared by humans at that time, -Cholera. The bee disease of 1868 became known as Bee Cholera. In fact, in the years following the 1868 bee mortality, the panic was so severe with consumers, newspaper reports state that consumers refuse to buy what is called Bee Cholera Honey, -where the bees have died of this disease, consumers dont like it, and the doctors think it is dangerous to life. In 1869, fear spreads amongst beekeepers the same as with todays CCD, which as in both instances, created a need for blame. During the Bee Cholera die off, articles in the Bee journals quote beekeepers as saying: Bee Cholera was not known in the United States until the Italian bee was introduced, and the belief that the Italian bee was to blame endured for years. In the article below, please find the symptoms associated with the Bee Cholera,of 1868, so you can make your own diagnosis. Page 34 Annals of Bee Culture The Bee Cholera of 1868. By D. L. Adiar. During the fall of 1868 and following winter, honey bees died in great numbers throughout a large portion of the States of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, in a manner not before noticed in diseases of that insect. All the bees in some large Apiaries died or disappeared, and over large districts scarcely a colony escaped, and the few that still survive are in a diseased and weak condition. From my own observation, and a correspondence with parties, in different parts of the infected district, I have ascertained the existence during the fall and winter of following unusual conditions of the hives. 1. The honey stored by the bees from about the 20th of July was of a bad quality. When taken from the hives it fermented in a short while, and a great deal of it fermented in the hives. 2. The honey not only fermented in the cells that were uncapped, but in those that had been sealed up. 3. The fermentation partially decomposed the wax covers of the cells, turning them an ashy gray, giving them a bleached or faded appearance, and bubbles or froth oozed through. 4. The honey was of a peculiar reddish color, and somewhat turbid, and of a bitter disagreeable taste. 5. In the first stages of the fermentation, the honey was viscous, slimy or ropy. It afterwards lost its viscous character, and emitted an odor like rancid butter, which I suppose to be butyric acid, developed perhaps by the decomposition of the wax. The honey up to this time (1st of Feby. 1869) still retains some of that odor, and is yet turbid. 6. The bees did not commence dying until the honey in the hives showed fermentation, about the 20th of August. 7. There was an unusual activity about the diseased hives, the bees flying in great numbers before and around the hives, and excitedly running in and out, apparently greatly confused or disturbed. 8. The abdomen of the bees, after death, was considerably swollen, and filled with an offensive fluid, and some of them are now, after being dead four months, as soft and pliant, as if they had just died, not having stiffened or dried up in the least >From these observations I infer that the disease was induced by the unhealthfulness of the honey. Best Wishes, Joe http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/ Files> 13) Honeybee Mortality and Hardship "exportant corpora carentum luce tectis, et ducunt tristia funera." - they bear off the bodies of those deprived of life from the hives, and lead out sad funerals. (Virgil, Georgics, Book IV) ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 21:45:55 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter L Borst Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit In my previous post I doubted whether egg-laying by honey bee workers serves any useful purpose either by design, or by accident. Here Gro Amdam compares the behavior to cancer, with its symptoms of the breakdown of the normal control mechanisms that govern the colony. She concludes that the ensuing chaos provides a useful model for studying the breakdown of regulatory systems that govern social as well as biological order. > The reproductive capability of individual worker bees is normally suppressed by pheromone driven inhibition of oogenesis and nest surveillance schemes enforced by the worker population. This system can be compromised, however. The order of the honeybee society is subsequently torn apart by uncontrolled replication of a malignant worker phenotype, a situation that is comparable to a lethal social cancer. [refers to Apis mellifera capensis] > Within European honeybee populations (A. m. mellifera), a more benign dynamic arises through the behavior of so called "anarchistic workers". Although a considerable number of the drones in such colonies may stem from eggs laid by workers, the queen continues to be the dominant female reproductive. Thus, the society does not progress into the destructive state that emerges under A. m. capensis infestation. > In this context, our chapter is a first initiative to underline that the honeybee, in addition, can become a model for understanding the frailty of underlying regulatory systems -- thereby increasing the knowledge of principles of disorder. Order, Disorder, Death: Lessons from a Superorganism Gro V. Amdam and Siri-Christine Seehuu Adv Cancer Res. 2006 ; 95: 3160. -- Peter L Borst Room T3 001 Vet Research Tower Cornell University http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/plb6 ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 19:20:44 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > >I would liken ovaries in a worker honey bee to mammary glands in male > mammals. Don't know, Pete. Look at A.m. capensis. This is a closely related subspecies, yet ovary development of at least some workers is "normal." As far as the EHB, my impression from the literature is that egglaying by some workers is fairly normal. I think that perhaps ovary development is more on a continuum, rather than clear nonfunctionality. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 20:01:49 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: randy oliver Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > > The reproductive capability of individual worker bees is normally > suppressed by pheromone driven inhibition of oogenesis and nest surveillance > schemes enforced by the worker population. Just so everyone knows, Pete and I have a long off list correspondence in sharing papers on this subject. I find the comparisons of different social insect colony reproductive strategies fascinating--there are many ways to skin a cat. Honey bees (discounting A.m. capensis) have one system, which works well for them. When we see "aberrations," such as laying workers, it may not be clear whether such aberrations are atavistic "throwbacks," or the "selfish gene" exerting itself, or a clever backup mechanism that has evolutionarily proven to be of benefit. I've seen reams of papers on the subject, and looked at complex mathematical models. The field is hardly settled, and each new discovery or hypothesis adds to the discussion. My interest is in practical applications, to wit, how we approach bee breeding. Randy Oliver ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 07:08:36 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: Peter L Borst Subject: Re: Genetic compatibility effects on caste determination MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Randy wrote: >As far as the EHB, my impression from the literature is that egglaying by some workers is fairly normal. I think that perhaps ovary development is more on a continuum, rather than clear nonfunctionality. To further complicate the recipe, add "trophic eggs" and stir > In most meliponine bees of the Western Hemisphere and in one African genus, trophic eggs are laid by workers. These eggs are inviable, developed only to be eaten by the queen of the colony. In many species, these are the main food of queens. Trophic eggs produced by meliponine colony workers are analogous to the secretions from food-producing glands in Meliponini and Apis workers. Beig (1972) describes Trigona workers laying both trophic eggs and viable male eggs in queenright colonies. The evolution of food-producing glands in eusocial bees Thomas C. Webster and Ying-Shin Peng Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 1:2 165-176 1988 ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * ******************************************************* ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 20:31:20 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: BEE-L@listserv.albany.edu From: de roeck ghislain Subject: Tackling bee decline in Britain. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >From msn.com: http://environment.uk.msn.com//news/headlines/article.aspx?cp-documentid=133 72588 kr, Ghislain. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * *******************************************************