From LISTSERV@UACSC2.ALBANY.EDU Sun Oct 2 15:10:44 1994 Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 16:46:38 -0400 From: BITNET list server at ALBNYVM1 To: Allen Dick Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG9307" ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1993 08:01:29 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Chris Plowright Subject: Vaccinium and cement-mixers . . . From: plowright@csi.uottawa.ca Dear Bee-Liners: This is in response to Liz Day's query regarding the depredations of bears on bee hives. It is written somewhat in the heat of passion (anti-bear passion, that is!), because in the vicinity of St- Felicien, Que., we have recently lost all but two of the 80 or so experimental bumblebee hives that we have set out on the lowbush blueberry fields (fancifully titled by our Trekkified research assistants with names like "Deep-Space-Nine", "The Neutral Zone", and "Confederation Space"--in fact one of the Bombus colonies was itself known as "BORG", but don't ask me why . . .) to at least two bears--the tracks after the first attack showed that it was an adult and her cub. (The two colonies that survived were foraging through a window from one of those cute little shacks that they put up on the blueberry fields around Lac-St-Jean). We speculated long and hard about why the bears weren't rolling around in agony after so much stinging (in the blueberry fields near St-Felici- en they were also destroying each and every honeybee hive that they could find--to the point that the beekeepers eventually gave up and removed all of their hives)--decided that the most parsimonious explan- ation has to be that bears actually LIKE pain! Certainly, they do not give up once they have acquired a taste for the comb of bees--in fact we were told that although electric fences work quite well to deter bears that are not yet initiated in the arts and delights of hive-robbing, they do nothing to deter an animal whose lust for honey is already inflamed. One ingenious suggestion that we heard about was to attach an opened can of sardines to the wire of the electric fence! Now THAT, feeling the way that I do right now, I sure WOULD like to see!! The general impression seems to be that the bear problem has become considerably worse on the blueberry fields, especially in Maine, in recent years. What to do about it is problematical--the reactions in St-Felicien were (a) SHOOT the b......s (we heard about an extraordinary increase in the number of hunting licences that were confiscated by officials of the Quebec Ministry of Nat. Res.), or (b) TRAP them (there were stories of hideous shark-like jaws, placed, so we were told, by other officials of the Quebec Ministry of Nat. Res.--to the point that our research assistants were actually scared to go out into the fields!) but I can't believe that either of these solutions is optimal. We ourselves first had to face the problem of bears (and skunks) attacking bumble bee hives about 15 years ago, when we studying the effects of forest spraying on forest pollination in New Brunswick. What we did then, with excellent results, was to sink lengths of galvanized stove-pipe deep into the ground. The colony was set inside the stove- pipe, which was then covered with a metal roof attached by two clips (cunningly designed by Mr. Ray Weaver, formerly Chief of the Department of Zoology shops at University of Toronto) that were so difficult to undo that even a highly educated Post-Doc found it hard to get them off- -but such technology would not be practical for protecting the hundreds of Bombus hives set out on a large blueberry farm. Anyone know anything about methods for constructing concrete bunkers!? Best regards, Chris Plowright. -- Chris Plowright - via the University of Ottawa Return addresses: via INTERNET: plowright@csi.uottawa.ca via UUCP : ...uunet!mitel!cunews!csi2!uplow!chris ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1993 07:42:48 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Richard Spear Subject: Re: animal predators of bee nests In-Reply-To: <01GZZV2IEJV68WXOBC@HAMLET.CALTECH.EDU> hmmm - humans also raid colonies with little or no protection and suffer stings, but press on. i imagine the lure of the honey is strong, and resistance to the sting can be developed? richard rspear@sookit.jpl.nasa.gov all disclaimers apply ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1993 11:14:34 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Resent-From: jeff gilbert Comments: Originally-From: BITNET list server at ALBNYVM1 (1.7f) From: jeff gilbert Subject: Output of your job "GILBERT%UGA.bitnet" I am having a whale of a time trying to subscribe to bee-l@albnyvm1. I keep getting this same old tired message, as follows below. Any advice? Thanks, J. Gilbert. ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- > ok 7B1519 The confirmation code you gave (7B1519) does not correspond to any pending command, either because you did not confirm the command in time or because you mistyped the confirmation code. Check the confirmation request again to make sure you typed the code exactly as it was shown. If you lost it, just issue the command again to get a new code. Summary of resource utilization ------------------------------- CPU time: 0.005 sec Device I/O: 0 Overhead CPU: 0.005 sec Paging I/O: 0 CPU model: 3084 DASD model: 3380 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1993 12:54:15 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Adam Finkelstein Subject: Re: Bee-l In-Reply-To: from "jeff gilbert" at Jul 1, 93 11:14:34 am Good god, I remember how long it took me to get on... you are going to get 1000000... answers to this (mine is one) but all I can tell you is to mail to THE LISTSERV (LISTSERV@...alb or whatever it is) SUB BEE-L YOUR NAME Good luck Adam Adam Finkelstein VDACS Apiary Inspection 116 Reservoir St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 adamf@virginia.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 13:38:05 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: malcolm roe Subject: Re: animal predators of bee nests In-Reply-To: <199306302329.AA00589@ernie.eecs.uic.edu> from "La Reine de la Cite' des Phoques" at Jun 30, 93 06:29:48 pm Liz Day asks about animals plundering bees' nests. Are they stung? Does it hurt? I suspect that part of the answer, at least with larger animals, is that the prize is worth the cost. However, with smaller animals they may behave in such a way that they do not provoke attack. The following short extract from Ted Hooper's book, "Guide to Bees and Honey," (p 100) is interesting: "Some six years ago I saw a colony in October without a mouse guard, and noticed that pieces of comb were being pushed out of the entrance. I lifted up the brood chamber and looked underneath, and there were five long grey tails hanging down. I put the brood chamber down again and gave it a kick. Five jet propelled mice came flying out of the entrance with several very angry bees attached to each. It is quite extraordinary that the bees did not attack them until I did something which released the attacking impulse." -- Malcolm Roe Phone : +44 442 230000 ext 4104 Crosfield Electronics Ltd Fax : +44 442 232301 Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP2 7RH, UK E-mail : roe@crosfield.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 08:52:00 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: Re: sting reaction and ibuprofen Does anyone have a more solidly based report of this possible connection? This is the second time I've heard of the alleged effect, but the 2 cases cited in this last one are not compelling. There are a lot of histories of sting reactions quickly becoming more (or less) serious, in the absense of these drugs. It seems to me there is a lot more at work in sting reactions, than the conventional IgG/ IgE story. Anyone know of a model that covers these common unconventional histories? Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture 1201 103 Ave Dawson Creek B.C. V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299 INTERNET KCLARK@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 12:33:11 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MCNEILLM@ATSUVAX1.BITNET Subject: Request for information - Survey Dear Users of Electronic Mail, First, please accept my apologies for posting this information on multiple list. My intent is to send this information to a broad group of people who are users of this technology and are involved in undergraduate education in agriculture. Second, let me introduce myself and explain the purpose of this mailing. My name is Mark McNeill (MCNEILLM@ATSUVAX1.BITNET) and I am a High School student from Dunn, North Carolina, working in an intern program at North Carolina A&T State University. I am working with Dr. Fields C. Gunsett (GUNSETFC@ATSUVAX1.BITNET) in the Department of Animal Science who is interested in information technology and its application to undergraduate training. A brief survey follows that will help us determine how other institutions provide educational opportunities in computer literacy, local area networks, Internet and using computers to manage information. I would like for any one who participates in the resident instruction of undergraduate students to send their response directly to me (MCNEILL@ATSUVAX1.BITNET). I will distribute a summary after it has been completed. The program that I am involved in ends on July 23, 1993. I would like a response prior to July 15,1993. This will provide me with time to present my findings to my peers within the program. Thank you for your interest and time. If you are not involved in resident instruction - but, have and opinion on this topic, please send them to me. They may be helpful in future curriculum development. Sincerely, Mark McNeill ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** Application of Information Management Technology to Education of Students in Agriculture Demographic Information Institution: --------------------------------------- Academic unit or Department: ----------------------- Specialty or discipline: ------------------ Academic rank or appointment (Administrator, Faculty, Staff): --------------- When you use a "personal computer" which environment do you use the most (Macintosh, MS-DOS, Windows 3.*, Unix, Other): ----------- 1. Does your Department, School, College or Institution offer a course in utilizing computing technology specifically for students in agriculture? Yes No To the best of your knowledge what is the title of this course, ----------------------- If yes, Is the course required to be taken ... Yes No A required elective .................. Yes No A general elective .................. Yes No If no, Do you feel that your undergraduates should offer a course of this type to undergraduates in agriculture? Yes No If you answered No to question 1, please skip the following and go to question 6, 2. How much attention is spent on each of the following aspects of the course (answer to your best knowledge), 1 = Virtually None .... 5 = A lot Programming in high level languages (FORTRAN, Pascal, C, ...) 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Spreadsheets 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Word processing 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Database management 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Presentation graphics 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Scientific Graphics 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Using Local Area Networks 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Using Internet 1 2 3 4 5 N/A E-Mail 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Multimedia 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Other 1 2 3 4 5 N/A ------------------------------ 3. To what level students is this course designed? Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior 4. Is this course offered by a department within Agriculture? Yes No If yes, which department? -------------------------- 5. To the best of your knowledge, what is the breakdown on contact hours for this course, Lecture - ------- Laboratory - ------ 6. Regardless of how your answer to question 1 please answer the final question. To the following statements please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Neither agree or disagree, 4 = Disagree, 5 = Strongly disagree and N/A = No opinion). Computer training is not the domain of agriculture 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Students with skills in microcomputer applications are more employable 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Knowledge of using networks is valuable 1 2 3 4 5 N/A The technology changes rapidly and takes away from the time required to meet basic curriculum needs 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Students in agriculture have special computing requirements and needs 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Knowledge about how to use a spreadsheet is not a resource to the employers of students in agriculture 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Electronic mail is an effective method of communications 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Students in agriculture will be at a competitive disadvantage if they are not literate in technology that allows for the management of information 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Thank you for your time and interest. I realize that you represent a biased sample of agricultural educators - but, I needed to start somewhere with someone. I have tried to keep this survey as brief as possible. I realize that there are many other questions that could be asked and I encourage you to comment on anything or opinion that you may have pertaining to the education of undergraduates in agriculture. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 08:40:50 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Dave D. Cawley, a De Leon Socialist" Subject: How Do I Subscribe? Hi, How do I subscribe to this list? I don't have any bees, but I have an interest in getting some for next summer...I do have a ton of bee magazines from a local keeper though. ******************************************************************************** Dave D. Cawley | University of Scranton | SAVE THE SMALL POX VIRUS!!! ddc1@jaguar.uofs.edu | ddc1@SCRANTON | ******************************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 12:58:49 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Ron Grimard DDP Augusta Subject: Re: Output of your job "GILBERT%UGA.bitnet" Sounds like the problem I had when I tryed to subscribe. Not saying that is your problem as well,but the server did not recognize my "OK" address either. Your mail package may not be sending mail with the correct packett information preceding the actual text of the note, therefore when the server gets your note and looks for the word "OK" in a certain position within the note it does not see it. Anyway, save yourself some time and send a note to "Editor@albnyvm1.bitnet" he is a real person and will look at your note .....good luck ...Ron ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 09:04:00 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: Re: bears and bees There are lots of bear stories from up here. I've heard from one person who watched (I don't remember why) a bear tear apart a hive and consume several frames of comb, being attacked by the bees, rubbing its snout and crying, whining or wimpering through the whole process. The person interpretted this as a sign that the bear was hurt by the stings, but maybe the sounds were expressions of "joy" at the great meal. A beekeeper tried a new method of bear protection: he placed 2 rows of 5 hives, touching side to side , and back to back, then wrapped the whole block with chain link fencing and some 2x4s. As an extra, he put some heavy nails 4-6 inch? sticking outward, through the 2x4s. He left this armored block of hives in a remote mountain location for about 2 weeks. It was a bad year for bears. When he came back the block was OK, but the bottom edge of some hive fronts had been broken away by bears clawing at the entrances, and the nails had tufts of bear hair and blood on them, and there were bloody footprints on the rest of the cage and the ground in front. The conclusion seems to be that bears have a great tolerance for being stung or slightly injured, when the reward (or hunger) is great enough. My experience with bears has been that they will carry (roll?) boxes or combs away from the hive stand, perhaps to reduce the bee attack and eat in relative peace. One year of repeated bear visits to a yard indicated that the bears chose brood patches in summer, (as neatly removed as a person could do) ignoring the honey, but switched to honey in the fall. This has got me thinking... I'd better go change a battery at one of my experimental yards. Skunks? I saw some "skunk excluders" that were reported to work well. They were wooden frames like the edges of a cube (one edge omitted), designed to fit against the bottom front of the hive and protect the entrance. The 2 sides, front and top were covered with mesh fencing, about 2 inch square holes, and an "apron" extended out from the bottom about 1 foot. The skunks couldn't dislodge or dig under the frame, and couldn't get close enough to the entrance to cause any damage. The bees flew through the mesh. bye, good luck Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture 1201 103 Ave Dawson Creek B.C. V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299 INTERNET KCLARK@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 17:04:39 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Michael Moroney Subject: Re: bears and bees For whatever it's worth, contrary to the popular image of bears attacking bee nests to get at the honey, they're really after the brood. At least according to one of the beekeeping books I've read. This is definitely true for skunks (they're insectivores, they often dig holes in people's lawns to get at the grubs in the ground. -Mike ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 10:32:06 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Bee-L David Kesler Subject: GUY POPPY AND HPLC I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REACH GUPOPPY TO ASK IS HE FOUND OUT HOW TO USE HPLC (E. WAVELENGTH SETTINGS) FOR SUGAR ANALYSIS. GUY ARE YOU OUT THER THANKS. DAIVD KESLER KESLER@RHODES.BITNET ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1993 11:18:34 +0000 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jean-Marie Van Dyck Subject: Re: Sugar In reply to > Jeffrey Young > 22 Jun 1993 23:02:46 -0400 (EDT) > I have seen some beekeepers putting small blocks of sugar on the top of > frames. What is the benifit of this? > > jeff About two weeks the question is on the net, and no answer ...? Perhaps it's not precise enough ? Which colony? Which time? Which weather? Generally you put solid state sugar to the colony (above - below - behind, where you find place)(blocks or coarse crystals) to simulate a small continuous crop. Benefit : keep and don't stop the queen eggs laying during a bad weather period. Taking is so slow that you find no sugar in the supers !? Hard system for small colonies (needs a lot of water). Also use in the winter to try to feed a starving hive ! So Jeff, I hope the answer suits you ! Jean-Marie Local blooming informations ... Lat. : 50o 30'N - Long. : 4o 56'E - Alt. : 200 m - North Sea at 200 km In our country the honey crops are nearly terminated ... Summer blooms don't give nectar enough to fill the supers. The hive on scale weight will begins to decrease : End of clover (trifolium repens L.) and of linden (tilia sp.). In the Ardenne, we keep two weeks more (Alt. 400-600m) if it's not too dry (but ... this year, it's !). The last possibility is honeydey in the forest. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jean-Marie Van Dyck email : bitnet jvandyck@bnandp51 B.P. 102 internet jvandyck@cc.fundp.ac.be B-5000 NAMUR (Belgium) School Med. - Physiol. Chem. dept ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1993 11:11:24 CDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Fernando Subject: Help unsubscribe I would like to apologize for sending this for the hole list, but I did not find another way to get help! I subscribed to this list months ago. Now, I need to unsubscribe. I tryed the command unsubscribe to the listserver and got a strange messa- ge saying that I could not act in behalf of my address. I wonder: If I could subscribe, why can't I unsubscribe now? Does someone have any key for the exit door? Thank you, Fernando ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1993 14:21:28 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Malcolm (Tom) Sanford, Florida Extension Apiculturist" Subject: July APIS FILENAME: JULAPIS.93 Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues (ISSN 0889-3764) Volume 11, Number 7, July 1993 HONEY BEE HEALTH--WHEN IS A COLONY SICK? A recent Article in American Bee Journal (June, 1993, pp. 431- 434) by Jost Dustmann discusses the natural defense mechanisms protecting the health of the honey bee. It asks a provocative question: when is a social organism like the bee colony sick? The presence of pathogens, the article continues, in a colony, single bees, food or wax does not mean a colony is sick (emphasis is mine). Only when the number of diseased or dead bees, larvae or pupae exceeds a certain limit and normal functioning of the colony is disturbed, is a colony deemed sick. A small loss of infected bees and developmental stages is necessary for any healthy colony. The article discusses ten main defense mechanisms honey bees have against diseases and pests: 1. Cleaning or grooming behavior of adults. Some call this "hygienic behavior." It is the basis for several breeding programs in the U.S. This pattern includes: (a) single infected bees reacting quickly by dying soon and removing themselves as a source of infection and/or (b) sister bees quickly identifying abnormal (diseased) individuals (adults, larvae and pupae) and eliminating them from the population. Hygienic behavior is shown to be effective against American foulbrood, nosema, chalkbrood, sacbrood and paralysis. The article also indicates it will probably be involved in resistance to Varroa mites in European bees as has been observed in Asian species. 2. Quickly regenerating losses of population. This is extremely effective as removal of diseased individuals can be compensated for in a short time. The ability to replace bees rapidly generally outstrips even the greatest current threat to populations, the Varroa bee mite. 3. Continuous rotation of bee generations. Brood followed by adults followed by brood is analogous to crop rotation in commercial agriculture, where growing of one crop is often followed by sowing another. The article suggests a good example of this is tracheal mite infestation, which cannot keep up with replacement of bees by a colony in normal times. There is also evidence of active movement of mites into older bees. However, when older bees live longer, the mites may get the upper hand. 4. Swarming. A major defense is building new wax combs after bees swarm from their old colony. This appears to be a predominant strategy of African honey bees, which not only swarm, but also abandon (abscond from) their nests. 5. Restricting disease to either larvae or adults. This strategy ensures that if larvae are diseased, adults are not and vice versa. Both stone brood and Varroa are exceptions to this rule. 6. Control of fertility and population control. More in evidence in Varroa infestations, the mite's preference for drone brood deflects parasitization away from workers. In addition, the heavy cappings on affected drone brood, if left intact, ensure no mites will emerge. 7. Immune reactions. Observed in single adult bees, this has not been shown for the colony as a whole. Bactericidal molecules (peptides) are formed in individual bees and consumption of foreign materials (phagocytosis) by blood (hemolymph) cells has also been observed. 8. Stinging and biting. The first is self-evident. Biting has been shown to be a defense mechanism against Varroa, but found at low levels in European bees. 9. Proventriculus and peritrophic membrane. The former structure prevents entry of foreign organisms (bacteria, pathogens) from the crop or honey stomach into the digestive system. The latter lines the digestive tract, protecting it from rough materials and also preventing entry of bacteria and fungi into the hemolymph. 10. Antibiotic substances. An extremely important aspect of the honey bee's defenses, these chemicals can be found in honey (called "inhibine"), stored pollen and propolis (flavonoids, terpenes). These substances have also been implicated in human health concerns, including the use of diluted honey as a surgical dressing and consumption of propolis as preventative medicine. The article concludes with another question: How can the beekeeper manage bees without interfering with the above natural strategies? There are five recommendations: 1. Selecting and breeding bees that have the necessary defense mechanisms already in place. Controlled mating is seen as essential. 2. Ensuring the environment provides enough of the right food for bees. If not, then the beekeeper must feed both carbohydrate (sugar) and protein (pollen substitute/supplement). 3. Determining the beehive is the right size with reference to colony size and management practices. Establishing artificial swarms that build new combs and uniting young colonies with older ones established the year before ensure rotation of bees and wax. Routinely replacing old combs is something every beekeeper should consider. 4. Keeping bees without using drugs (emphasis the author's). In general, the article concludes that medical treatment of a colony will interfere with the natural defense mechanisms discussed above. This is especially true for antibiotics, which cannot eradicate infections, but only mask symptoms, leading to sometimes huge reservoirs of disease ready to break out at any moment. One exception to this, however, is the use of a registered pesticide to control Varroa, an absolute necessity. APITHERAPY AND HUMAN HEALTH The latest Bee Well newsletter, April, 1993, of the American Apitherapy Society (AAS) contains evidence that the activities of the Society are increasing and that the use of apitherapy by some physicians is on the rise. This year's AAS annual meeting and scientific symposium was held in May in Baltimore. The Society is attempting to get a group together to travel to China in conjunction with the World Apicultural Congress, which will attend Dr. Fang Zhu's International Conference on Apitherapy in Nanjing, September 27-30, 1993. Cost is approximately $4,000.00; for more information contact Mr. Michael Renaker, Citizen Ambassador Program, 509/534-0430. The newsletter contains an introductory letter by President Weeks: "...the AAS has begun an historic working relationship for the first time with the National Institute of Health. Up until now, only foreign governmental scientific agencies have accepted our challenge to research the merits of apitherapy. The National Multi-Center Apitherapy Study (NMCAS)...constitutes approximately 6,000 cases." These include 250 multiple sclerosis patients, 1800 arthritic patients, and 50 gout patients. If you or your physician have information on cases that are being effectively treated with apitherapy, you should contact Dr. Weeks and fill out a form for the NMCAS database. A feature article concerning venom therapy and arthritis published in 1988: J. Rheumatology, 15:10: 1461 was reprinted with permission in the newsletter. It concludes: "Based on accumulating evidence, venom therapies merit attention both for possible (adjunctive) clinical value and as a probe to better understand the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis." A footnote suggests much has been learned since this article was published. Two articles published in the American Bee Journal (March, 1993) are also reprinted. One is by Pat Wagner, Waldorf, MD, 301/843-8350, telling about her experiences with bee stings and multiple sclerosis (M.S.): "...when they (doctors) give medicines (ACTH, steroids, antibiotics, etc.) they are giving the adrenal glands (your internal get-well system) a day off for bad behavior. Bee stings tell your adrenal glands 'Hey! Wake up! You are going to work overtime until this person is well again. What have you got to lose? A wheelchair? Numbness? Rigidity? Incontinence?...whatever it is, go ahead and lose it...you have everything to gain." Charles Mraz, arguably, the U.S.' longest active beekeeper practitioner (60 years!) of apitherapy, details his experiences treating M.S. cases, almost all responding well, some dramatically. Mr. Mraz will be visiting China, and he and Dr. Weeks recently spent time in France at that country's equivalent of the U.S. NIH. Kate Chatot, a Registered Nurse (RN), shares her experiences in a column entitled, "Kate's View." This is a moving account of using bee venom therapy to treat "L'hermitte's sign," a painful electric shock accompanying a flare up of M.S. The symptoms were alleviated in one week with the help of 46 bee stings. Ordinarily, this would have meant some three months of serious disability. A review of world scientific literature in this issue publishes abstracts about venom and allergy, glaucoma, M.S., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and inflammation. There follows a number of letters to the editor from persons who have had venom therapy for tennis elbow, arthritis (3), M.S. (3), melanoma, numbness, optic neuritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Finally, the newsletter publishes a statement from Charles Pixley, President of Writers and Research, Inc. entitled: "Health Care Reform...Another View," and sent to the Clinton transition team for consideration. The current system of health care, according to this statement, is that the industry of medicine has become driven by decision making prejudiced by commercial considerations to the obvious detriment of "health care." A resolution then calls for (1) removal of the Medical Practice Acts, the legislation that U.S. medical practice is based on, (2) a mandate that insurance companies cover "alternative" treatments and all branches of the healing arts be made available to every member of society and the medical profession without prejudice and (3) elimination of funding for NIH, CDC and FDA, considered reactive, not proactive in health care issues. It concludes: "...'fear of quackery' harbored by the prevailing body of medical government has prevented the medical professionals from expanding their knowledge and providing these alternative treatments." For those interested in bee venom therapy, contact the American Apitherapy Society, Bradford Weeks, President, P.O. Box 74, North Hartland, VT 05052, ph 802/295-6383. Membership is set at $30.00 per year. In addition, the Society offers annotated bibliographies of apitherapy, proceedings of the Society's annual meeting, back issues of the newsletter and other information. Now, for my experiences. I personally know two individuals who were repeatedly stung throughout their apicultural careers and yet came down with diseases that venom therapy has been recommended for. One case involves a professional beekeeper who remains afflicted with multiple sclerosis. Another is a scientist who late in life contracted Parkinson's disease. Why did exposure to venom not prevent their conditions? To my knowledge, neither of these individuals has undergone bee venom therapy. If they did, would their situations improve? Some clues to answer these questions may be provided in how one defines "therapy." The system may need to be continually challenged by venom and dosages are critical. As Dr. Jean-Marie Van Dyck recently wrote on the Bee-L network , "The 'Mast Cell Degranulating (MCD) Peptide' [H-Ile-Lys-Cys-Asn-Cys-Lys-Arg-His-Val-Ile-Lys-Pro-His- Ile-Cys-Arg-Lys-Ile-Cys-Gly-Lys-Asn-NH2, two disulfide bonds Cys3- Cys15 and Cys5-Cys19] is present in small amounts in the venom of the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. This highly basic peptide causes, at low doses, mast cell degranulation and subsequent histamine release (inflammation, swelling, irritation). At higher doses, it produces an anti-inflammatory effect, which may be beneficial in rheumatic and allergic diseases. Dr. Van Dyck gives two references: Dempsey C.E. (1982) "Selective formulation of a- amino group or s-amino group of peptides." J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans I 1982(11), p2625-2629, 28 ref. Univ of London, Univ. Coll. Christopher Ingold Labs, and Buku A., Blandina P., Birr C. & Gazis D. (1989) "Solid-phase synthesis and biological activity of Mast Cell Degranulating (MCD) peptide, a component of bee venom." Int. J. Peptide Protein Res. 33(2), p86-93, 58 ref. Cuny Mt. Sinai Sch. Med., Dept Physiol & Biophys, NY. With reference to the last study, Dr. Van Dyck concludes: "...a really immunized beekeeper doesn't keep a very long time this peptide avidly catched by his own immunoglobulins !" I purposefully kept that colorful speech pattern for emphasis. An interesting postscript to the above is that "new" drugs can sometimes cause unknown complications. For example, a recent re- published article in the Newsletter of the Florida State Beekeepers Association, obtained from the Maryland Beekeeping Newsletter, indicates that at least two cases have been reported of anti- inflammatory drug (ibuprofen, fenoprofen, naproxen, etc.) use correlated with loss of immunity to bee stings, resulting in allergic reactions. This originally was published in Understanding Prescription Drugs by Dorothy L. Smith (pp. 270-271) and referenced in the British Medical Journal 292:378, 1986. The bottom line from all this is apparent. There's still a lot to learn. Sincerely, Malcolm T. Sanford Bldg 970, Box 110620 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611-0620 Phone (904) 392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX: 904-392-0190 BITNET Address: MTS@IFASGNV INTERNET Address: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tom Sanford Extension Apiculturist University of Florida Mailing Address: Bldg 970, Hull Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611-0620 Voice phone 904/392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX 904/392-0190 INTERNET: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU BITNET: MTS@IFASGNV +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 05:50:07 -0400 Reply-To: MunnPA@cardiff.ac.uk Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Dr Pamela Munn Subject: Re: Help unsubscribe In-Reply-To: ; from "Fernando" at Jul 6, 93 11:11 am > > > I would like to apologize for sending this for the hole list, but I did > not find another way to get help! > I subscribed to this list months ago. Now, I need to unsubscribe. I > tryed the command unsubscribe to the listserver and got a strange messa- > ge saying that I could not act in behalf of my address. I wonder: If I > could subscribe, why can't I unsubscribe now? > Does someone have any key for the exit door? > Thank you, > Fernando > You will probably get a hundred replies, but here goes: send a message via bitnet to: LISTSERV@ALBNYVM1 message typed: SIGNOFF BEE-L That should do it. Pam Munn _____________________________________________________________________________ | E-mail : MunnPA@Cardiff.AC.UK | Mail: IBRA, | | Phone : +44 222 372409 | 18, North Road, | | Fax : +44 222 665522 | Cardiff, | |---------------------------------------| South Glamorgan | | Please state if the message is for | CF1 3DY | | someone else within IBRA | United Kingdom | |_______________________________________|___________________________________| ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 11:36:53 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: malcolm roe Subject: Beeswax polish. Does anyone know a good recipe for beeswax furniture polish? -- Malcolm Roe Phone : +44 442 230000 ext 4104 Crosfield Electronics Ltd Fax : +44 442 232301 Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP2 7RH, UK E-mail : roe@crosfield.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 11:50:35 BST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Brian Styles Subject: Re: Beeswax polish. There are smart ways, using ammonia, I think to make furniture cream, but good honest beeswax polish can be made, basically, by mixing beeswax with turpentine (genuine, not substitute). I use a honey jar, either crumble up or put through a cheese-grater the wax, pour in turpentine (in about equal volumes), shake a bit, then wait overnight. Some advocate heating (e.g. in a water bath), but the mixture is extremely flammible and this is too dangerous for me. With patience, it will all dissolve anyway. Keep the lid on most of the time or it will dry out. For application (e.g. to oak furniture), I use a bit of coarse hessian sacking kept for the purpose, leave to dry and finish off with a linen cloth. Any good? -Brian Styles *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* Dr Brian C. Styles, Computing Systems Manager Medical Research Council Telephone: 0223 330380 Biostatistics Unit International: +44 223 330380 IPH, University Forvie Site Fax: +44 223 330388 Robinson Way JANET: brian.styles@uk.ac.cam.mrc-bsu Cambridge CB2 2SR. Internet: brian.styles@mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk ENGLAND. Last resort: bcs1@phx.cam.ac.uk _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 00:56:01 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jeffrey=Young%SQA%Banyan@HIPPO.BANYAN.COM Subject: Hive Location I am planning on relocating a hive in a week or so and need to know what the criteria is for hive placement. My back yard faces south but I would like to know is there is a dramatic need to have the hive in a full sun (getting direct light all day long) location or will a tree sheltered spot be as good? Also, hive door orientation? Is south still the suggested direction? jeff ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 08:10:34 EST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tom Fisher Subject: Re: Hive Location In-Reply-To: <9307120505.AA19102@fieldofdreams.npirs.purdue.edu>; from "Jeffrey=Young%SQA%Banyan@HIPPO.BANYAN.COM" at Jul 12, 93 12:56 am > > I am planning on relocating a hive in a week or so and need to know what the > criteria is for hive placement. My back yard faces south but I would like to > know is there is a dramatic need to have the hive in a full sun (getting > direct light all day long) location or will a tree sheltered spot be as good? > > Also, hive door orientation? Is south still the suggested direction? The hive doesn't necessarily have to be in the direct sun all day long. Having the hive entrance facing east will promote the earliest possible daily activity (nectar and pollen gathering). Tom Fisher | "The light that burns twice as bright Purdue University | burns half as long...and you have tfisher@ceris.purdue.edu | burned so very, very brightly, Roy." - Eldon Tyrell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 09:51:17 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: George Hess Subject: Re: Hive Location In-Reply-To: <9307121309.AA06507@essnvd5.arrc.ncsu.edu> from "Tom Fisher" at Jul 12, 93 08:10:34 am > > > > > I am planning on relocating a hive in a week or so and need to know what the > > criteria is for hive placement. My back yard faces south but I would like to > > know is there is a dramatic need to have the hive in a full sun (getting > > direct light all day long) location or will a tree sheltered spot be as good? > > > > Also, hive door orientation? Is south still the suggested direction? > > The hive doesn't necessarily have to be in the direct sun all day long. > Having the hive entrance facing east will promote the earliest possible > daily activity (nectar and pollen gathering). > In fact, from what I've read, since you're in the South you probably don't want it in the sun all day long. That Georgia sun gets awful hot around midday and the bees have to do a lot of work to keep it cool. So the tree sheltered spot seems preferable - it will get morning sun, but afternoon shade. BIG DISCLAIMER: I don't have any hives yet, but have been reading up in preparation for a hive next spring. george_hess@ncsu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 15:00:03 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Dave D. Cawley, a De Leon Socialist" Subject: Did You Jump Right In? Hi, I'm an aspiring beekeeper, I plan on getting my first hive and colony next spring. I'm reading about 20 back issues of ABJ and GiBC, have read Dadant's FIRST LESSONS IN BEEKEEPING and apprenticing with a local keeper for the summer. I was wondering if most people jump right in or o some research and apprenticing before their first venture in bee keeping. Any other sources of bee info I'm missing that will help me? Thanks. ******************************************************************************** Dave D. Cawley | University of Scranton | SAVE THE SMALL POX VIRUS!!! ddc1@jaguar.uofs.edu | ddc1@SCRANTON | ******************************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 01:16:52 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Michael Moroney Subject: Re: Did You Jump Right In? I got my start as follows: Last year I had no particular interests in bees, until I discovered a colony was living in the roof of my barn. My first instinct was get some wasp killer and get rid of them, but then I started watching them. I then got the idea of trying to capture them and transfer them into a hive (they were fairly weasy to get at), but though that didn't work (didn't spot the queen and the bees basically took off) I learned how to handle them and what to expect, I got some honey and now I was interested. So over the winter I studied, I got another hive and ordered two packages. -Mike ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 14:56:30 COL Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MSANZDEL@ANDESCOL.BITNET Organization: Universidad de Los Andes - Bogota, Colombia I want to pertain at your E-magazine for discussion. I would thank you, very much M. Sanz de la Rosa Genetica ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1993 18:32:21 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "La Reine de la Cite' des Phoques (Liz Day)" Subject: Nectar Source Info Does anyone know if a book or list exists in which one can look up whether a species of plant makes nectar or not? I am part of a study of butterfly habitat at the Indiana Dunes, and we are trying to survey nectar sources. However, I think some of plants we are listing do no really make nectar. e.g., I suspect that roses and Tradescantia don't make nectar, but goldenrods and Cynthia do. It would be helpful to be able to check this in a book somewhere, since most of the plants aren't in bloom. Any ideas? Liz Day University of Illinois at Chicago day@eecs.uic.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 08:42:00 GMT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: poppy@AFRC.AC.UK Subject: Re: GUY POPPY AND HPLC Hi David, I've just been away for 2 weeks on Holiday. I have got together some\ info on HPLC and when I've cleared my desk, I will get back in touch with you. Guy Poppy ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 10:48:00 GMT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: poppy@AFRC.AC.UK Subject: bumblebees and mouse odour Hi beeliners, As a semiochemical researcher who is new in the bee world, I am looking around for interesting research projects. One area which interests me concerns the potential of bees to locate new nests by odour. I understand from the literature that this has not been proven and is disputed by some sources (eg Alford). Has anyone got any info which may be of use to me. I have collected several bumblebee colonies and am now interested on getting some virgin queens, which I can mate and test their choices. What is the best way to obtain some queens which I could test this winter/autumn - I understand CO2 does the trick, but when should I start looking for queens and when should I CO2 them? I am in the UK and our timing may be different from the literature I have seen - Can anyone help me, Best wishes, Guy Poppy ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 11:03:00 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: Re: Nectar source info Pellett, Frank. 1920. American Honey Plants. Fourth edition 1976. Dadant and Sons, Inc. 452 p. Ramsay, Jane. 1987. Plants for Beekeeping in Canada and the northern USA. International Bee Research Association. 198 p. good luck ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 16:58:51 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Malcolm (Tom) Sanford, Florida Extension Apiculturist" Subject: Workshop on apitherapy Georgia Apitherapy Workshop Dr. Brad Weeks, President, American Apitherapy Society, is presenting a workshop in North Atlanta, GA, Governmental Annex Bldg, Main Auditorium, 7741 Roswell Rd. Call 404/551-7670 or 404/551-7600 for directions, if lost. The date is Sunday, July 25, 1993, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Focus of the workshop is practical considerations involving apitherapy: **Do honey bee stings cure arthritis and multiple sclerosis? **Is raw honey the best (and cheapest) treatment for 2nd and 3rd degree burns? **Does bee pollen cure allergies? **Does propolis lower cholesterol levels? **Does royal jelly keep you forever young? (Answer: "not quite") The registration charge is $40 for non members; $30 for members. For more information, contact Dr. Weeks by tel/fax 802/295-8764. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tom Sanford Extension Apiculturist University of Florida Mailing Address: Bldg 970, Hull Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611-0620 Voice phone 904/392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX 904/392-0190 INTERNET: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU BITNET: MTS@IFASGNV +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 20:33:00 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: di5 Subject: Re: bumblebees and mouse odour In-Reply-To: <9307191746.AA01962@umailsrv0.UMD.EDU> CO2 narcosis affects the foraging behavior of honeybees. See references in Kearns and Inouye 1993. Techniques for Pollination Biologists. I don't know whether it affects bumblebees' behavior. David Inouye di5@umail.umd.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 06:30:22 -0400 Reply-To: MunnPA@cardiff.ac.uk Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Dr Pamela Munn Subject: nectar sources The 'Directory of important world honey sources' by Eva Crane, Penny Walker and R Day has got a lot of info on this. Its published by IBRA in 1984. If you want more details contact me directly at address below. Pam Munn _____________________________________________________________________________ | E-mail : MunnPA@Cardiff.AC.UK | Mail: IBRA, | | Phone : +44 222 372409 | 18, North Road, | | Fax : +44 222 665522 | Cardiff, | |---------------------------------------| South Glamorgan | | Please state if the message is for | CF1 3DY | | someone else within IBRA | United Kingdom | |_______________________________________|___________________________________| ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 08:47:09 EST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Peter Kevan Subject: Non-Apis pollinator workshop II Following the success of the FirstInternational Workshop on Non-Apis Bees and their Roles as Crop Pollinators, there will be a Second. This will take place in 1994. To be placed on the mailing list for information, please contact: John Vandenberg Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory USDA-ARS Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5310 USA ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 11:54:18 EST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Peter Kevan Subject: Non-Apis Workshop II NO SUCH THING!!! I posted an announcement about the International Workshop on Non-Apis Bees and their Role as Crop Pollinators II earlier today. THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED (published in a newsletter under Conference Notices) TURNS OUT TO BE IN ERROR. I have been in contact with the Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory in Utah and have been assured that NO SUCH WORKSHOP is presently being organised. It would be a good idea to have one, I agree. Wishful thinking may result in something happening elsewhere. I sincerely apologize for any confusion I may have caused. Cheers, Peter ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 16:28:04 ADT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: BO_BS@AC.NSAC.NS.CA Subject: Re: bumblebees and mouse odour Hi, Sounds like an interesting project. As far as I know, most Bombus queens [the species in this region anyway] make their nest selections in the spring after emerging from their overwintering burrows in which they remained in diapause (sp?) after mating in the fall. I've found several areas where many tens or up to a couple of hundred queens were emerging from a patch of ground only 3 to 4 meters in diameter. I think it would also be intresting to find out how/why these locations are selected in the fall after the queens have been mated. I have some sources which I could forward if you are interested. Unfortunately they are at home but it would be no trouble to dig them up. I will post them along within the next few days. Cheers Brooke M. Oland Plant Industry Branch, Harlow Institute, N.S.D.A.M.,Truro,N.S. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 13:15:19 PDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Adrian Wenner Subject: Re: bumblebees and mouse odour In-Reply-To: <9307201937.AA22401@lifesci.lscf.ucsb.edu>; from "BO_BS@AC.NSAC.NS.CA" at Jul 20, 93 4:28 pm 20 July 1993 / 1300 The question of nest sites interests me. On our Santa Cruz Island project, we have installed 130 swarm hives (courtesy of Justin Schmidt) and also routinely check cavities in which colonies formerly lived. Swarms fairly regularly move into swarm hives, but it appears that a cavity formerly used by a colony has an edge over swarm hives. That is puzzling, because some of these cavities hardly look suitable. Furthermore, Once a colony has died, honey is robbed out be wasps and other bees, wax moths move in and destroy the comb, and often the cavity is nearly filled with wax moth coccoons. In short, the place is a mess, and one can sometimes smell such a cavity from some distance downwind. I suspect that the odor leads scout bees to check out the cavity. Perhaps the "varnishing" of the interior walls (with propolis) is an important factor in cavity choice. Adrian M. Wenner Prof. of Natural History, Emeritus Dept. of Biol. Sciences wenner@lifesci.ucsb.edu Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara Phone: (805) 893-2838 Santa Barbara, CA 93106 FAX: (805) 893-8062 > > Hi, > Sounds like an interesting project. As far as I know, most Bombus > queens [the species in this region anyway] make their nest selections > in the spring after emerging from their overwintering burrows in which > they remained in diapause (sp?) after mating in the fall. I've found > several areas where many tens or up to a couple of hundred queens were > emerging from a patch of ground only 3 to 4 meters in diameter. I think > it would also be intresting to find out how/why these locations are > selected in the fall after the queens have been mated. > I have some sources which I could forward if you are interested. > Unfortunately they are at home but it would be no trouble to dig them > up. I will post them along within the next few days. > > Cheers > Brooke M. Oland > Plant Industry Branch, > Harlow Institute, > N.S.D.A.M.,Truro,N.S. > ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1993 09:10:27 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Adam Finkelstein Subject: Re: Insemination Equipment & Info Wanted Dear Bee-liners, I would like to purchase an I.I. set-up and thought perhaps one is out there somewhere gathering dust. I am also interested in your comments, anecdotes,opinions,caveats,gripes,praise,etc about I.I. equipment you have used or are using. Please e:mail me with actual for sale equipment details, otherwise do whatever you feel like. Thanks! Adam --- adamf@hopper.acs.virginia.edu Adam Finkelstein VDACS Apiary Inspector 116 Reservoir St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1993 09:32:00 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Kerry Clark 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" Subject: hive odour A few years ago I examined a hundred or so samples of winter hive debris (for Varroa). I did some of the examination outside where the light was better and the air fresher. It was March, not likely above 15 oC. There were no apiaries close by, but a few honey bees would generally appear, obviously attracted to this debris, even though there was no food reward (maybe some dicarded honey crystals, but the bees didn't get to harvest them). The debris was mostly wax chewings, I had taken the larger bee bodies out. I suppose at that time of year, bees investigating mouldy hives sometimes discover a "fortune" in honey from a nest in which the bees have died overwinter. That advantage might maintain a sensitivity to the odour and lead to attraction at other times of year when the advantage is less. Regarding bumblebees, though, from what I've seen of spring bumblebee queens, I would expect some kind of visual attractivness as well. Sometimes these queens will show great interest in small openings. I don't think it's widely known how attractive to bumblebees are the pheromone traps (Unitrap) used to monitor for Bertha armyworm Mamestra configurata. These are green plastic containers with a cone entrance. People put them on fence posts to monitor the moth population in Canola fields to make spray decisions. The number of forager bumblebees can be enough top become a nuisance (10 per day in July). I haven't tried the traps without pheromone, pheromone with a different trap, etc. Because it's foragers, I'd expect the pheromone rather than the entrance is the attractant. Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist B.C. Ministry of Agriculture 1201 103 Ave Dawson Creek B.C. V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299 INTERNET KCLARK@GALAXY.GOV.BC.CA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 08:53:11 EST Reply-To: POLPAL-L DISCUSSION LIST Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Resent-From: Peter Kevan Comments: Originally-From: Carlos Baied From: Peter Kevan Subject: POLLEN TRAPS ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Hello! I am in the need of Tauber or Tauber-type pollen traps to be set for a year in the highlands of Bolivia. Could someone help me directing me to a source, or somebody has a few to lend or sell. Thank you. Carlos A. Baied gg_cab@lewis.umt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 09:25:42 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Dave D. Cawley, a De Leon Socialist" Subject: What's the best deal? Hi, Most of you already know that I'm going to start keeping hives next summer, I think I'm going with two (as was suggested by a number of people). I was looking at the starters kit in the Dadant catalogue and was wondering if it was better to go that route or to go to a dealer (there's one about 1.5 hours away. Or is there a better starter kit from other companies? How about anybody out there, have anything to sell to a newbie? And in the opinion section is it better for a newbie to start out with the plastic combs with wax sprayed on them or the regular all wax kind? Thanks! ******************************************************************************** Dave D. Cawley | University of Scranton | SAVE THE SMALL POX VIRUS!!! ddc1@jaguar.uofs.edu | ddc1@SCRANTON | ******************************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 09:58:00 CST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: tdahms@SLEDGE-PO.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU Subject: July 93 'Buzz'-Iowa Beekeepers newsletter File item: BUZZ0793.TXT 7/26/93 9:32AM 17408 Submitted by Terry Dahms - President East Central Iowa Beekeepers ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE BUZZ JULY, 1993 ----------------------------------------------------------------- A newsletter published monthly as a cooperative effort by The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and The Iowa Honey Producers Association (IHPA), an affiliate member of the Iowa Horticultural Society. Copy deadline is the 20th of each month. Your ideas, comments and letters are welcomed and encouraged. EDITOR: Bob Cox, State Apiarist, Iowa Dept. of Agriculture, Wallace Building, Des Monies, IA. 50319 phone: (515) 281-5736 IHPA MEMBERSHIP: Membership dues in the Iowa Honey Producers Assn. are $5.00/year. Send to Robert Shepherd, IHPA Treasurer. ----------------------------------------------------------------- STATE APIARIST REPORT The honey flow is on in many parts of the state, especially in southern Iowa at the time of this writing (June 22nd). This warm weather is a welcome change. We have fewer colonies this year to start with, but the surviving colonies are in good shape. The new bee law and rules go into effect July 1st. A copy of the new rules are included in this issue of THE BUZZ. The critical item is Varroa mite treatment. If ten or more mites detected, treatment must start within 10 days. However, bees with fewer than 10 mites on an ether roll must be treated sometime before October 15th of the same year. Mite-infested or diseased bees that are not treated will be declared a nuisance and destroyed. As with the previous law, neglecting a disease or parasite problem is what gets you in trouble. If you would like your bees inspected, contact my office at (515) 281-5736 or one of the field inspectors listed below. Southern Iowa Eastern Iowa Mike O'Hearn Tom Schuster RR 2, Box 17 15926 Old Hwy. 20 Northboro, IA 51647 Peosta, IA 52068 (712) 534-2272 (319) 556-6670 Central and Northcentral Iowa Northwest Iowa Louis Rickers Bill Eickholt 1531 13th St. 412 Sherman Ave. Boone, IA 50036 Cherokee, IA 51012 (515) 432-8037 (712) 225-5207 This spring 20 entry permits were issued for beekeepers to transport approximately 14,000 colonies of bees into Iowa. Most of the bees originated in Texas, but colonies were also brought in from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Nebraska. In addition, I don't know how many bees in packages and queen cages were shipped to Iowa from all over the U.S. It's no wonder that we have a parasitic mite problem in Iowa. Fortunately, Apistan package strips or queen tabs accompanied many of these shipments. The new Iowa bee law requires all packages not shipped via the U.S. Postal Service, be shipped with an Iowa Entry Permit. SIOUX HONEY ASSOCIATION PIONEER PASSES AWAY C.A. "Bert" Brown, part of the family who were founders of Sioux Honey Association passed away in December 1992. The name, Brown is also remembered as the resistant bee stock that Dr. Rothenbuhler tested in his famous study with behavioral disease resistance in honey bees. The following is a quote about Bert from a September, 1988 ABJ article by Dr. Joe Moffett. Bert was a third generation beekeeper who literally grew up with the bees. His grandfather kept bees at Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. His father, Edward Brown and his brother, Edward, Jr., were two of the original founders of of Sioux Honey Cooperative Association in 1921. During the early years of the coop., Bert helped his mother keep the books for Sioux Honey. Meanwhile, his father was president of Sioux for the Cooperative's first 51 years (1921-1972). He ran bees with his father and brother, Edward, Jr., until 1935 and then again from 1938-1941. During that time, the Browns kept between 2,500 and 3,000 colonies. They also did the wax rendering for the Sioux Honey Co-op for many years. During the thirties the Browns developed the famous Brown strain of bees that was resistant to American foulbrood. The apiary containing these bees was located near their wax rendering plant. These bees would rob the combs Sioux members would bring to the plant to have melted. Therefore, the bees were exposed to American foulbrood from many different sources. This apiary was the source of the famous Brown genotype of bees that Dr. Rothenbuhler and others have used in their genetic studies on American foulbrood resistance in honey bees. Bert attended Iowa State College at Ames where he worked with Dr. Floyd Paddock and Frank Pellett. The Browns also cooperated with Paddock, Pellett and others in the development of bees resistant to American foulbrood. Since leaving the family business in 1941, Bert has held several responsible positions, including chief engineer at Methodist Hospital and at Morningside College, both in Sioux City. Yet, until recently he always operated 500 colonies, in addition to his other responsibilites. The Browns have always wintered their colonies in artificial caves. They ran 200 colonies in each apiary. One hundred colonies were kept in each cave, so two caves were constructed in each apiary site. The caves were made in a hillside of 4x8x12 inch clay tile. Four feet of straw was placed on top of the plywood ceiling. This straw was covered with a roof of corrugated tin. The entry way is protected by eight feet of dirt and by double doors to help insulate the caves. Until recently Brown used one the two caves on his land to winter his colonies. There are two ventilators in the top of each cave. Bert says you must keep the humidity high and ventilate adequately. The temperature should be kept between 38 and 42 degrees F. When the cave got too hot, Brown opened the doors to the cave. Iowa will miss Bert Brown! FOR SALE: Bee equipment-14 deep supers with frames, bee veil, hat, gloves, foundation and other miscellaneous beekeeping equipment. Make offer! Contact Ray Hailey in New Virginia at (515) 449-3542. FOR SALE: Uncapping tank (20-frame), 2 - 300 lb. honey storage containers, 2-frame extractor. Call Don Keller in Ames at 232-3773. WANTED: Quality used bottling equipment. Prefer used Maxant or Dadant 300 lb. (bottler w/water jacket), honey pump, and 02. filtering unit. Would like to buy as a package. (515) 253-0525. HONEY OF A VERSE I eat my peas with honey. I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, but it keeps them on my knife. 1993 IOWA STATE FAIR State Fair is coming up soon. I hope you are thinking of coming to the fair, to exhibit apiary products and/or help in the honey salesbooth. Its a great oportunity to visit with other beekeepers. Every year there is prize money unclaimed because not enough people enter to even have six place winners in all classes. An entry blank and description of the classes and rules are included in this issue of THE BUZZ. The major change at the fair this year is that we have 20 feet less space for the table displays and therefore the tables will be smaller than in previous years. For further information contact Bob Cox, Apiary Superintendent for details at (515) 281-5736. FEDERAL HONEY PROGRAM SAVED BUT CHANGED The House Ag Committee voted to retain the honey program as is with the following changes: 1. Reduce the loan rate to 50 cents from 53.8 cents 2. End the marketing assessment of 0.538 cents. 3. Reduce the maximum buy-back differential a producer may receive in a year. The current law sets the limit at $125,000 for the 1994 crop and subsequent years. The change would gradually reduce this limit down to $50,000 by 1998. (Information taken from ABF newsletter) UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA PROGRAM UPDATE - Dr. Marla Spivak The College of Agriculture at the University recently made the Apiculture program permanent because of the overwhelming moral and financial support of beekeepers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota and Iowa. As most of you know, when unfortunate health problems prevented Dr. Furgala from continuing his research at the University, the College decided to hire a new Apiculturist on a three-year appointment. Now, a little over a year later, beekeepers and the Department of Entomology within the College have successfully rallied to make the program permanent again. That's good news for the beekeepers in the region. The good news for me is that the College and Entomology department also decided to keep me as the Apiculturist. The paper work is in progress to change my status to a regular tenure-track appointment without having to open another national search for a candidate. I can't thank you enough for your support and encouragement. I hope the research I conduct here will be as useful to you as your efforts have been to the Apiculture program and to me. In other news, the beekeeping short course was a huge success. Over 60 people enrolled (including beekeepers from Wisconsin, North Dakota, Iowa, and Indiana!), so we offered it twice to ensure the class size was small enough to offer individual attention. Everyone tried their hand at grafting larvae and all were successful, thanks to the patience and positive attitude of Abbie Zeltzer who came up from Arizona to help out. Gary Reuter and I wrote a manual for the course. It includes construction designs for special queen rearing equipment, step-by-step instructions and discussions on breeding and timing of queen rearing in northern regions. We will offer the course again next April -- please plan to attend. I received a small (but important) grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct research on hygienic behavior in bees. The money will allow me to hire Rebecca Melton, my new graduate student, as a Research Assistant. We will concentrate our efforts this summer on breeding bees for hygienic behavior and testing the relationship of this behavior to resistance to chalkbrood and varroa mites. THREE BREEDERS SELECTED TO PROPAGATE MITE-RESISTANT QUEENS WASHINGTON, June 7--Three honey bee breeders have been selected to propagate new Yugoslavian bees that have resistance to two damaging mites, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced. The Yugoslavian bees, Apis mellifera carnica, are the first insects that USDA's Agricultural Research Service has ever released for breeding, said Thomas Rinderer, who heads the agency's Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The three companies will maintain the Yugoslavian bee stock and sell breeder queens to queen producers, Rinderer said. The lab will send about 40 queens to each company--Hybri-Bees, Inc. in Florida; Taber's Honey Bee Genetics in California and John Klapac & Co. in Maryland. They were selected by a Stock Release Panael comprised of ARS and industry representives. Rinderer said the three will rear breeder queens that can pass along resistance to varroa and tracheal mites. "?These queens will be sold to queen breeders. We've already had more than 100 queen breeders express interest in buying them," Rinderer said. The Yugoslavian bee --designated ARS-Y-C-1-- have been under study since 1984 in a joint project between ARS scientists and research in the former Yugoslavia. The bees were first quarantined in this country in 1989 and later reared for field tests before being released to the three breeders. The bees are twice as resistant to varroa mites as susceptible domestic bees, but would still require some chemicals to control severe outbreaks of varroa mites, Rinderer said. But the Yugoslavian bees are so resistant to tracheal mites that chemical controls for that pest probably would not be needed. He estimated that the resistant stock could save beekeepers $2 per colony in tracheal mites treatments. Three chemicals are registered to control the mites: menthol and Miticur strips for tracheal mites, and Apistan for varroa. A fourth chemical, formic acid is pending approval for use against both mites. Queen breeders interested in buying breeder queens of the new stock can contact the companies at the following addresses: Hybri-Bees, Inc., 471 N. Lee Street, LaBelle, FL 33935; Taber's Honey Bee Genetics, P.O. Box 1672, Vacaville, CA 95696; and John Klapac & Co., 5016 Shookstown Road, Frederick, MD 21702. HONEY OF A VERSE Taste and see that the LORD is good! (Psalm 34:8) How sweet are Your (God's) words to my taste, Sweeter than HONEY to my mouth. (Psalm 119:103) CALENDAR OF EVENTS JULY 11 Scott County Beekeepers Picnic 12:30 p.m. at Duck Creek Park in Davenport. Meet down by the shelters. AUGUST 19-29 Iowa State Fair - Apiary Booth on 2nd Floor of the Agriculture Building. Sign-up sheet on last page. SEPTEMBER 10-11 Laplanders Honey Conference 6:30 p.m. Friday and Honey-Walnut Bake-off on Saturday at the Inn of the Six-toed Cat, Allerton, Iowa. 18 Central Iowa Beekeepers Meeting & Fall Field Day. Noon until 6:00 p.m. Topics: Overwintering & Disease Prevention. Evening meal will be catered. More details coming in the next issue of THE BUZZ. 25 "Taste of Honey" Day at Des Moines Botanical Center 27-28 American Bee Research Conference, College Station, TX OCTOBER 9 IHPA Fall Field Day 1:00 p.m. at Doug Schmitz's Honey House in Defiance, Iowa. More details later. NOVEMBER 5 & 6 Annual Meeting of the Iowa Honey Producers Association Starlight Vilage Best Western Motel in Ames, Iowa. HONEY MONTH MEDIA KITS AND RECIPES AVAILABLE NOW! September was declared National Honey Month by Mike Espy, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. National Honey Month press kits are available for beekeepers from the National Honey Board. The National Honey Board also has de developed recipes for restaurants. The recipes are printed on cards w with full color photos. Recipe cards are also available on request. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 12:25:42 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Teri Rhan {FMO} Subject: Re: Did You Jump Right In? In-Reply-To: <9307122021.AA18112@mx1.cac.washington.edu> Hi Dave, I'm back from vacation and am catching up on my email. This is my first year of beekeeping which happened somewhat by default. (To jog the memory of those kind souls who came to my rescue here on this list, I agreed to have some hives stored in my backyard by my soon-to-be-ex where he was to take care of them but then he disappeared). I've endured 3 swarms, foul broad, and now up to 13 bee stings and have learned to deal with them all. My stepmother has opted to join in with her own bee suit et al which has been a real blessing as we didn't have much in common before and have been developing a nice relationship in our comradery over bees. I was basically in it for the pollination factor as I'm a gardener at heart but I've grown quite fond of these little guys and have set up a veiwing post from my backyard porch where family, friends and neighbors come to my house to sit and watch the bees and discuss world affairs. The honey has been a real bonus as for the first time I'm canning with honey, making bread with honey, fruit leather with honey, etc. The biggest factor in my learning was joining the local beekeepers association. Very helpful folks not to mention a real earthy down home pleasant attitude they all seem to have. It's been a real pleasure acquiring a whole new group of friends at one time. We had a beekeepers potluck a couple of weeks ago at a state bee yard in a local park where the state apiarist came and worked the hives with a couple of dozen of us beekeepers (seasoned & wanabees) to watch him in action. I learned more then that from all the reading I've done in that last 3 months. Good Luck, Teri Rhan $.02 On Mon, 12 Jul 1993, Dave D. Cawley, a De Leon Socialist wrote: > Hi, > > I'm an aspiring beekeeper, I plan on getting my first hive and colony > next spring. I'm reading about 20 back issues of ABJ and GiBC, have read > Dadant's FIRST LESSONS IN BEEKEEPING and apprenticing with a local keeper for > the summer. > I was wondering if most people jump right in or o some research and > apprenticing before their first venture in bee keeping. > Any other sources of bee info I'm missing that will help me? Thanks. > > ******************************************************************************* * > Dave D. Cawley | > University of Scranton | SAVE THE SMALL POX VIRUS!!! > ddc1@jaguar.uofs.edu | > ddc1@SCRANTON | > ******************************************************************************* * ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 08:03:38 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Adam Finkelstein Subject: Re: Honeybee Insemination Info please Dear Bee-Liners > I am looking for information concerning Instrumental Insemination. > Specifically, I would like to know about differing insemination apparatus, design, practical use, quirks, advantages,etc. Ideally, individual anecdotes would be great, but references would be wonderful as well. I would gladly correspond directly, if you provide me with your address. > Thanks, > Adam > Adam Finkelstein > VDACS Apiary Inspector > 116 Reservoir St. > Harrisonburg, VA 22801 > adamf@hopper.acs.virginia.edu > or > jef2f@livia.acs.virginia.edu > > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 15:19:38 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "James E. Hoyt" Subject: What's the best deal? You might want to check Walter Kelly as well -- I have found they usually have the best prices. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 16:25:32 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Walter A Anastazievsky-2 Subject: Bee specialist from Ukraine (former Soviet Union) In-Reply-To: <01H11GJQZQMYAR2ER9@vx.cis.umn.edu> I am writing on behalf of Vitaly Stashenko, a specialist in beekeeping from the Ukrainian Academy of Agriculture. He is currently in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, on a farm exchange program. Unfortunately, the work he is currently doing is not related to his area of expertise - bees. In addition to his 10 years of experience teaching apiculture to students at the Academy of Agriculture, he had done extensive research in his field, and published a number of articles in international journals. He is *very* interested in any kind of professional/scholarly exchange while he is here in the U.S. He has much knowledge to share, especially in the areas of artificial insemination of bees, and increasing honey production through the use of specially-designed hives. He is also certain that there is much information he could gain from U.S. (or Canadian) specialists. If any one on this list is interested in making contact with Mr. Stashenko to set up a professional or scholarly exchange program, feel free to contact me: Walter Anastazievsky anas0001@student.tc.umn.edu (612) 627-4208 (days) 123 Ninth Avenue Northeast Minneapolis, MN 55413-1964 Mr. Stashenko has a visa which currently runs through February 1, 1994 (it may be possible to extend this). Please bear in mind that he must support himself while in this country. Thank you! Walter ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 18:06:00 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Eileen Gregory Subject: NC Beekeepers Convention Does anyone have information regarding the North Carolina Beekeeping Convention to be held in Greensboro, NC, 7/29-7/31? I'm hoping to get the starting time on Thursday and the name of the place (hotel?) where it will be held. Any information will be appreciated. Eileen Gregory UEPMEG@UNCMVS.OIT.UNC.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 07:29:36 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Stephen Bambara Subject: Re: NC Beekeepers Convention In-Reply-To: <9307280448.AA27444@wolf.ces.ncsu.edu> from "Eileen Gregory" at Jul 27, 93 06:06:00 pm > > Does anyone have information regarding the North Carolina > Beekeeping Convention to be held in Greensboro, NC, 7/29-7/31? > I'm hoping to get the starting time on Thursday and the name of > the place (hotel?) where it will be held. > Any information will be appreciated. > Eileen Gregory > UEPMEG@UNCMVS.OIT.UNC.EDU > Eilene, The Meeting is July 29-31. It will be at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Greensboro. This is just off I-4- at the airport exit just west of Greensboro. Overnight arrangements should be made with the NC State Beekeepers. Call 515-3140 and ask for John Ambrose or Grace Haven. The meeting starts Thursday afternoon with a beekeeping short course. There is a little information that evening, but most of the program is Friday morning with workshops Friday afternoon and the banquet Friday evening. There is a little more program Saturday morning. Sorry I can't give you more, but I am on my way out of the office for a meeting. Call the number above if you need to talk to someone. Stephen -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | Stephen Bambara NCSU-Entomology, Box 7626, Raleigh NC 27695-7626 | |=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=| | Voice: (919) 515-3140 | INTERNET: sbambara@ent.ncsu.edu | | FAX: (919) 515-7273 | 2% of the population feeds the other 98% =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 07:30:32 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Stephen Bambara Subject: Re: NC Beekeepers Convention In-Reply-To: <9307280448.AA27444@wolf.ces.ncsu.edu> from "Eileen Gregory" at Jul 27, 93 06:06:00 pm > Eileen Gregory > UEPMEG@UNCMVS.OIT.UNC.EDU Sorry I spelled your name wrong. -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | Stephen Bambara NCSU-Entomology, Box 7626, Raleigh NC 27695-7626 | |=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=| | Voice: (919) 515-3140 | INTERNET: sbambara@ent.ncsu.edu | | FAX: (919) 515-7273 | 2% of the population feeds the other 98% =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 11:22:50 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Ralph Scott Subject: Re: NC Beekeepers Convention In-Reply-To: Message of Tue, 27 Jul 1993 18:06:00 EDT from After about five long distance phone calls I found it! It is to be held at the Embassy Suits motel in Greensboro, NC Registration is $10.00 President is Mr. Fred Small (919) 288-6202. Embassy Suites is at Greensboro airport, junction of US 40 and 68. Hope this helps, and see you there! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 11:32:23 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Ralph Scott Subject: Re: NC Beekeepers Convention In-Reply-To: Message of Tue, 27 Jul 1993 18:06:00 EDT from Oophs! Forgot starting time which I think Mr.Small said at 10 a.m. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 10:08:10 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: jonathan_beard Subject: bee-sting antidote To Bee-Line readers July 29, 1993 Antidote for Africanized bee stings, another contribu- tion from the champions of self-abnegation, beekeepers. As a free lance science writer, I got a press release today from the University of Arizona. Their College of Medicine claims that a doctor (Michael Schumacher MD, an allergist) and a researcher at BioSeparations (Ned Egen) have taken the first step toward a substance to neutralize bee stings by Africanized bees. To sum- marize, they first found that ounce per ounce the Euro- pean and African venom was equally potent, in fact identical. Then they drew blood from beekeepers who are stung routinely and so have antibodies, isolated those antibodies, and proved that they reduced venom toxicity in vitro. They next ran the same course with mice. Now, if someone gives them money, they will go on to produce the antibody in industrial quantities via tissue culture. Then they want to test the anti-venom in humans stung by large numbers of Africanized bees. This was picked up by local media in Tucson, which ap- parently has a mild panic following a dog fatality from the killer bees, which I suppose are known to be in Pima County (?). I have heard of only one human fatal- ity in the US so far, but others may know of more--that was in Texas. Some more information, perhaps, might come from the University News office, which can be reached via Vern Lamplot: vlamplot@gas.Uug.Arizona.Edu |-----------------------------|------------------------------| |-Jonathan D. Beard-----------|--Internet jbeard@aip.Org-----| |-Science Writer and----------|--CompuServe 72301,563--------| |-Photo Researcher------------|--Voice tel-212-749-1055------| |-820 West End Avenue 3B------|--Fax 212-749-9336 or 662-3426| |-New York City 10025-5328----|--alternate jbeard@panix.Com--| |-----------------------------|------------------------------| |-----Summer address--June 25 to August 26, 1993-------------| |-441A Linden-----------------|--Tel 703-943-1659------------| |-Waynesboro, VA 22980-------|--Fax 703-943-8247------------| |------------------------------------------------------------| ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 10:27:20 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: enter your name here Subject: bee-sting antidote In-Reply-To: note of 07/30/93 07:09 Mr. Beard - You might intertested to know that ordinary meat tenderizer pur- chased at a grocery store works wonders on bee stings (as well as mosquito bites). I simply shake a little of the tenderizer salt (which contains a protease to degrade the venom) on my hand, mix it in a few drops of water and smear the mixture on the sting site. In minutes the stinging lessens and rarely does redness and swelling develop. Winifred Doane, ASU -- (enter your signature here) (5-xxxx) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 12:24:28 CDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Bee Surgeon Subject: bee-sting antidote Wouldn't the meat tenderizer also make your arm or finger tenderized ? and the protease in it would probably not only degrade the venom protein, but also your skin or muscle protein as well :). I d rather take the sting! This NOTE is a reply to: ------------------------ >Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 10:27:20 -0700 >Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology >Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology >From: enter your name here >Subject: bee-sting antidote >To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L >In-Reply-To: note of 07/30/93 07:09 > >Mr. Beard - You might intertested to know that ordinary meat tenderizer pur- >chased at a grocery store works wonders on bee stings (as well as mosquito >bites). I simply shake a little of the tenderizer salt (which contains a >protease to degrade the venom) on my hand, mix it in a few drops of water >and smear the mixture on the sting site. In minutes the stinging lessens >and rarely does redness and swelling develop. Winifred Doane, ASU > >-- (enter your signature here) (5-xxxx) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 10:36:00 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Teri Rhan {FMO} Subject: Re: bee-sting antidote In-Reply-To: <9307301734.AA15534@mx1.cac.washington.edu> The folks at the Beekeepers Association recommended putting a few drops of ammonia directly on the sting right after the incident. I tried it and sure enough the pain just went away within a minute or two. The swelling however, still was bothersome. I wonder if a person can combine the ammonia treatment with the meat tenderiser treatement some how. Teri On Fri, 30 Jul 1993, Bee Surgeon wrote: > Wouldn't the meat tenderizer also make your arm or finger tenderized ? > and the protease in it would probably not only degrade the venom protein, > but also your skin or muscle protein as well :). I d rather take the sting! > > > This NOTE is a reply to: > ------------------------ > >Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 10:27:20 -0700 > >Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology > >Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology > >From: enter your name here > >Subject: bee-sting antidote > >To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L > >In-Reply-To: note of 07/30/93 07:09 > > > >Mr. Beard - You might intertested to know that ordinary meat tenderizer pur- > >chased at a grocery store works wonders on bee stings (as well as mosquito > >bites). I simply shake a little of the tenderizer salt (which contains a > >protease to degrade the venom) on my hand, mix it in a few drops of water > >and smear the mixture on the sting site. In minutes the stinging lessens > >and rarely does redness and swelling develop. Winifred Doane, ASU > > > >-- (enter your signature here) (5-xxxx) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 11:14:06 PDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Dave Pehling Organization: WSU CAHE USER Subject: Re: bee-sting antidote In-Reply-To: Message of Fri, 30 Jul 1993 12:24:28 CDT from Actually, I've used meat tenderizer for stings and found it fairly effective as are household ammonia and Mrs. Stewarts Laundry Blueing. The commercial product "Sting-Kill" is also good. My own favorite is simply holding a cold-pack (I often use a bag of frozen peas) on the sting site for several minutes. Of course, none of these tricks will do much good if you are allergic. Cheers, Dave Pehling CE6431@WSUVM1.CSC.WSU.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 14:47:10 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Treatments for stings Take it like a ma.., eh, True Beekeeper! Scrape the stinger out and go about your business! Stings come with the turf! This is a joke, please no flames. ;-) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1993 13:06:46 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: jonathan_beard Subject: bee sting revisited In response to my message about Arizona efforts toward an "antidote" to bee stings, several bee-liners have written about meat tenderizer or scraping out stingers. Such suggestions miss the point if we consider what could happen when the Africanized bees become widespread in the southern United States. From 1975 (introduction) to 1988 (acclimation), about 350 people were killed by these bees in Venezuela. A typical in- cident involves getting stung 50-200 times in a few minutes. These people are NOT going to be looking for meat tenderizer. If sufficient antibodies could be produced to provide injections that would immunize people--cops, firefighters, EMS crews, utility workers, etc.--most likely to come into "contact" with Afri- canized bees, that would save many lives. Such injec- tions might even help people who have already been stung. Interestingly, this kind of immunotherapy has been available routinely for snakebites for decades, despite the fact that snakes kill very few people in the USA every year, while hymenoptera stings kill dozens. |-----------------------------|------------------------------| |-Jonathan D. Beard-----------|--Internet jbeard@aip.Org-----| |-Science Writer and----------|--CompuServe 72301,563--------| |-Photo Researcher------------|--Voice tel-212-749-1055------| |-820 West End Avenue 3B------|--Fax 212-749-9336 or 662-3426| |-New York City 10025-5328----|--alternate jbeard@panix.Com--| |-----------------------------|------------------------------| |-----Summer address--June 25 to August 26, 1993-------------| |-441A Linden-----------------|--Tel 703-943-1659------------| |-Waynesboro, VA 22980-------|--Fax 703-943-8247------------| |------------------------------------------------------------|