From MAILER-DAEMON Fri Sep 17 12:52:04 1999 Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by luna.oit.unc.edu (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id MAA27228 for ; Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:01 -0400 (EDT) Received: from listserv.albany.edu (listserv.albany.edu [169.226.1.24]) by listserv.albany.edu (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id MAA11036 for ; Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:51:57 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199909171651.MAA11036@listserv.albany.edu> Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:51:57 -0400 From: "L-Soft list server at University at Albany (1.8d)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG9901D" To: adamf@METALAB.UNC.EDU Content-Length: 165046 Lines: 3890 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 21:40:55 -0500 Reply-To: info@beeworks.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Eyre Subject: Re: _Fifty_Years_Among_the_Bees_ by C.C. Miller MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT On 21 Jan 99, at 9:57, Ted Fischer wrote: > I checked out barnesandnoble.com, and they were asking $8.75. I think > that must be considered better than $56 (or $70 or $120). Whoa, lets back up the bus, please. Ted you're quoting in pounds sterling, not dollars. We have it in our price list from Thornes at $30.95 US. Incidently, for books printed in England, buying from the UK makes sense. Books printed in the US are obviously cheaper over here. To get the best price, check where it's printed! ***************************************** The Bee Works, 9 Progress Drive, Unit 2, Orillia, Ontario, Canada. Phone (705)326 7171 Fax (705)325 3461 David Eyre, Owner e-mail http://www.beeworks.com This months special:-Queen Rearing Equipment. **************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 09:15:13 -0500 Reply-To: tvf@umich.edu Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ted Fischer Organization: ACB Dept., Univ of Michigan Subject: Re: _Fifty_Years_Among_the_Bees_ by C.C. Miller MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit David Eyre wrote: > > On 21 Jan 99, at 9:57, Ted Fischer wrote: > > > I checked out barnesandnoble.com, and they were asking $8.75. I think > > that must be considered better than $56 (or $70 or $120). > > Whoa, lets back up the bus, please. Ted you're quoting in pounds > sterling, not dollars. > We have it in our price list from Thornes at $30.95 US. I went back to the barnesandnoble.com site, and they definitely are quoting in $US. I agree that it must be a mistake, however - this is a 328 page book as well as a classic. I think I'll try to buy it at their quoted price and see what happens! Ted Fischer Dexter, Michigan USA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 06:57:46 -0800 Reply-To: robert@jobhaus.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Robert MacKimmie Subject: Re: _Fifty_Years_Among_the_Bees_ by C.C. Miller Content-Type: text/plain Mime-Version: 1.0 (NeXT Mail 4.2mach v148) On 21 Jan 99, at 9:57, Ted Fischer wrote: >>>> I checked out barnesandnoble.com, and they were asking $8.75. >>>> I think that must be considered better than $56 (or $70 or $120). David Eyre wrote: > Whoa, lets back up the bus, please. Ted you're quoting in pounds > sterling, not dollars. > We have it in our price list from Thornes at $30.95 US. Just to clarify, www.barnesandnoble.com does have Fifty_Years_Among_the_Bees_ by C.C. Miller for $8.75 US. I grabbed two. Barnes and Noble also has a good selection of used books that are viewable one screen beyond the query result list screen. Have fun. robert@citybees.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 10:49:36 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Spray for thistles MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Matthew asks "Does anyone know a good weed-spray to use on thistles? I purchased some acreage and wish to kill off the thistles before they get a grip on the land - but I have bees on the property." Last year I visited a well known queen breeder and during the course of our discussion asked what was done to control weeds. I was told "I use a hand sprayer with Roundup(tm), and on occasion have accidentally sprayed bees in front of hives on the entrance board.' 'I've never seen any effect on the bees, and weeds are very well controlled." I have since used it myself, with similar results. You do not say what type of thistle you have, but Roundup(tm) quickly kills my Canadian thistle. Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 11:39:55 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ernest Huber Subject: Hand Fertilization of Unfertilized Eggs Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" On 1/18/99 Michael Haberl wrote (in part): "- Here comes the most difficult part: Fill a sterile syringe (volume about 1 ml) about half with sterile sperm dilution buffer (same as used as a stop solution in AM)." Mr. Haberl, could you please explain what the "stop solution" is? Also, could you please say what the 1919 reference to Barrett appeared in? Is the Neumann article in Deutsches Bienenjournal in English? I find this whole discussion of hand fertilization fascinating. You also say (in part): "If queens are reared from AF-eggs and mated uncontrolled, you may profit from heterosis effects (in workers) in each generation, but at the same time be able to keep 'your' race/breeding line/etc. 'pure'. But one can think of many more applications. Compared to AM, time schedules are reduced significantly." Apparenly it is possible to control the genetics of both selected queens And selected drone donors through this process, and if so , does that make it unnecessary to do artificial insemination to accomplish the same thing? Why would anyone prefer to do artificial insemination if this technique is available? Sorry to ask so many questions but it really is interesting. Thanks, Ernie Huber ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 13:26:51 -0800 Reply-To: robert@jobhaus.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Robert MacKimmie Subject: Historical information request ... Content-Type: text/plain Mime-Version: 1.0 (NeXT Mail 4.2mach v148) A writer doing a short article for a popular Bay Area magazine has asked about the significance of the bee on Napolean's crest. Does anyone have information about the symbolism or meaning of this so that I could pass it along to the writer. Thanks in advance. robert@citybees.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 19:40:01 -0500 Reply-To: dublgully@worldnet.att.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Gaida Subject: Re: ABF Updates anyone? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On Wednesday, Jan 20, George posted his report on the ABF. Thanks, George. I have been thinking about his yelling (in caps indicates loud) about Shim's clearing up any confusion. Couldn't decide if I should write or not. Heck, it is just my honor, but, by Gawd, it is Shim's government job (Sorry, just a bit of sarcasm). I am pleased that 'Shim' has reversed himself on the hive beetle. But I have checked with a few others that were at the meeting and asked their impression of the hive beetle. Most said they were not worried. One said he was confused because of what he has read vs. what he heard at the meeting. I also was able to listen to a tape that a lady did for husband who was unable to attend. They were able to dig it out of the pile, it had not yet been reused. And, yes, 'Shim' did say that he did not think the hive beetle should be a problem. Except for some commercial beekeepers who didn't have the time or resources to check and clean all of their hives as often as needed. Remember that 'Shim' had just returned from South Africa. His talk was about how they took care of the beetle. But he also said one beekeeper lost and replaced 100 hives by catching swarms in one year. There were many followup questions about the beetle. Such as, what temperature of water; where you should rinse the frames, will the larvae that is rinsed off come back to the hives, etc. One other point, 'Shim' explained that the size of the beetle was just slightly smaller than the honeybee. Some who have witnessed the beetles, say they are much smaller than that. Perhaps the beetles that 'Shim' saw in South Africa were not the same. Bottom Line: I am pleased that 'Shim' has reversed himself. I did state at the beginning of my previous post about that meeting that any errors would be mine alone in the transcription. I stand by that. I am sorry if I misled you. Judy in Kentucky > From: George W Imirie > To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU > Subject: Re: ABF Updates anyone? > Date: Wednesday, January 20, 1999 4:48 PM > I missed chatting with you. I will write more about the small hive > beetle about February 1st; but meanwhile, don't let anyone suggest to you that > it won't be a problem in Maine or Minnesota because of the cold, or that > apistan, formic acid, > or essential oils will take care it, or that coumaphos can be gotten anywhere > or that it can be easily used - 'CAUSE IT AIN"T SO! Just to "nip it in the > bud", FROM THE PODIUM, LOUD AND CLEAR, Shim announced that "Yes, small hive > beetles are a major problem EVERYWHERE, and anything contrary to that was a > misinterpretation > or words taken out of context". ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 22:29:37 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Ralph W. Harrison" Subject: Buckfast Abbey Question ? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit A question for the Bee-List Brother Adam retired in 1992. At that time Brother Leo Smith (Brother Leo had travelled with Brother Adam on some of his journeys in search of new strains of bees) took over as head beekeeper at the Abbey. Is Brother Leo still the head beekeeper? If he isn't who has taken his place? Regards, Ralph Harrison Western Connecticut Beekeepers Association Milford, CT USA Lat 39 North ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 17:41:47 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Richard Spiekhout Subject: Re: Spray for thistles Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit roundup kills all vegetation. Crossbow is more selective, I use it in a hand sprayer for nodding thistle before it blooms. If I miss some, I chop off the bloom and then spray. Richard ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 08:02:29 -0500 Reply-To: mpalmer@together.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Palmer Organization: French Hill Apiaries Subject: roundup MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Roundup is a nice product for killing unwanted vegetation. An extension agent once told me he'd rather eat a spoonfull of roundup than one of salt. I don't think I'd go that far, but it is very safe. Breaks down within a week, and the area sprayed can be planted to a more desirable species. I have sprayed in front of active colonies with no apparent damage to the bees. I only found one problem with it. When used to kill grass in front of hives, it works great - but - once the grass is dead, herbaceous plants like nettles, burdock, thistles, etc, grow in its place. I would rather have grass growing in front of my hives. After killing the vegetation in front of a colony, consider planting a low growing grass, or something like "New Zealand" clover that grows low and thick and chokes out the herbaceous plants. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 17:28:29 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Pierre Meylinere Subject: Re: Historical information request ... In-Reply-To: <199901222143.WAA10235@front1.grolier.fr> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > A writer doing a short article for a popular Bay Area magazine has asked > about the significance of the bee on Napolean's crest. In fact, the main emblem of Napoleon was the eagle. He also chose the bee "as a supplemental" by a decree of 1804, on the insistence of Cambac=E9r=E8s - the chief architect of the Code Civil -, who liked the working habits and the strong social structure of the bees. He also pointed out that the bee was an emblem of the Merovingians (in fact it was cicadas that were found in their tombs). (From T. Lentz "Mon ambition =E9tait grande" D=E9couverte Gallimard) Pierre =20 ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 11:57:16 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Richard Spiekhout Subject: Re: Bee Venom on M.S. Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I know that it was on the list before but I cannot find it. A friend with MS has asked me to find out what Dr. in Pa.( I think) practices bee venom therapy and any other info available. If you can help, e-mail to me and save the list the extra traffic. Thanks, Richard RASpiek@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 14:12:05 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Alan Tremblay Subject: Billet Easyloader MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To any and all of you out there who have suffered from wrenched backs, aching muscles, and bone chilling weariness at the end of a day of supering, pulling honey, or moving bees, there is something new here for you in the Billet Easyloader. November 1997 my wife and I were in an auto accident which wrecked my shoulder. I feared that my 27 year career as a commercial beekeeper was finished. Taking advice from Mervin Cloake of New Zealand who has two of these beauties, I contacted Copeman Engineering of Ballina, Australia about their Billet Easyloader. The long and short of it is that I bought my first loader in the spring of '98, a rear mounted manual model. This loader is unlike any other boom loader I've ever seen. Please refer to Copeman Engineering's website at www.om.com.au/beeload for graphics and information. You must check this out!!! What this machine will do for you. It will allow you to move colonies up to six high, bees, honey, everything, alone. No need for a two man team to move bees. It will assist you in supering by carrying stacks of supers to the colonies, rather than making multiple trips to the truck. It will allow you to bottom super your bees without having to hand lift 2,3,or 4 boxes of honey off the colonies and without disturbing the bees. It will allow you to check broodnests, insert queen cells, or escape boards by lifting the honey up and off again without disturbing the bees. It will assist you in taking off honey by lifting stacks of honey on drip trays onto the truck rather than making individual trips back and forth with single supers. I cannot stress this feature enough! And, as a bonus, you will find that your exposed time in the yard will decrease resulting in less robbing. It can assist you in unloading your truck at day's end if your are not already using a loading dock. This machine allows ONE man to operate 600 colonies or better with virtually NO ADDITIONAL LABOUR! These machines come in sizes taylored for flatbed pickups and 1-tons on up to 3 tons or better. They can be mounted forward, middle or rear. Rear mounts are good if you wish to load a truck plus attatched trailer. Models are either manual leveling or hydraulic leveling, and all with electric winches. Winch motors and hydraulics are all US made and readily available. There really is very little to break down with these machines anyway as they are really well made. I used the RM200 all summer with no difficulties whatsoever and would strongly recommend these units to anyone who wants to work smarter and longer in this industry. I have just purchased my second loader, a hydraulic unit, from Copeman Engineering and will be selling my manual unit. From personal experience, I would recommend the manual model in relatively flat terrain and the hydraulic model for hilly areas. This part of New York is quite hilly. Copeman Engineering quotes prices that include delivery to the nearest major center and shipping takes 6-8 weeks. Prices range from USD 6800 to 11000 depending on the model. That may seem expensive at first glance but that price is easily recaptured in 1-2 years from reduced labour cost alone! Not to mention that honey production should increase due to better, more time sensitive management of the colonies. And your wife will still love you when you've got energy left for more than a grunt when you come home at the end of the day. I haven't been this enthused about a beekeeping product for a long time and just could't resist the opportunity to share it with others. Regards, Alan ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 20:32:55 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Peter Dalby Subject: Re: Spray for thistles MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have used roundup for a number of years in all my apiaries for total weed control.Nature abhors a vacuum and as soon as the ground is bare vegetation tries to reastablish so repeated applications are needed(1 or 2 per year in southern England). Some years ago I read of some Australian research where Roundup had been fed to bees in syrup with little or no ill effect but I dont have a reference for this. Even so I have always sprayed at night taking care not to spray hives more than absolutely necessary and have never had any problems. To kill the thistles but not the grass there are selective herbicides available but seek professional advice from a qualified agronomist regarding bee safety and which products are passed by the pesticide regulatory people in your area. An alternative" organic" approach which works on English creeping thistle--Cirsium arvense ---is to mow the plants off just as they are about to flower when reserves of energy in the plant are at their lowest. This may take 2 or 3 seasons to be totally effective. Lastly thistles are a wonderful source of nectar for our little friends and in England Gold Finches love to feed on thistle seeds. Peter and Barbara Dalby, England E-mail: peter.pebadale@virgin.net barbara.dalby@virgin.net Web Site: http://freespace.virgin.net/peter.pebadale ----- ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 20:56:31 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stefan Stangaciu Subject: Re: Bee Venom on M.S. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Richard Spiekhout To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU Date: Samstag, 23. Januar 1999 18:46 Subject: Re: Bee Venom on M.S. I know that it was on the list before but I cannot find it. A friend with MS has asked me to find out what Dr. in Pa.( I think) practices bee venom therapy and any other info available. If you can help, e-mail to me and save the list the extra traffic. Thanks, Richard RASpiek@aol.com Hello dear Richard, There are several methods to get the answer to your above question: * to send the same question to "Apither-List" (see details about how to join this list on www.sci.fi/~apither * to join the American Apitherapy Society (AAS); being a member in this society, you will get, of course, the list with it's members * to ask somebody which is already "Network member" in AAS; * to ask Linda Day, Office Coordinator at AAS at: Linda.Day@hopewell.net Good luck! Stefan Stangaciu, MD, LAcup. Constanta, Romania apither@gmb.ro www.sci.fi/~apither www.beesting.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 20:00:02 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Peter Hutton Organization: ZbeeNet computer networking for beekeepers Subject: requeening of broodless colonies CHRS: IBMPC 2 CODEPAGE: 437 MSGID: 240:244/116 52d19420 REPLY: 240:44/0 767cfed9 PID: FDAPX/w 1.12a UnReg(526) Hello Wolfgang, I had two carnica queens mate in October 97 only because I had left another queenless colony with plenty of drones but they were too poorly mated and reverted to drone layers themselves. That was as an experiment since I wanted carnica drones early in Spring. >From what you write it is as you say apparent that the colony is queenless, even though you breed your queens late in the summer in Germany it is unrealistic to expect drones to be available or even flying so late into Autumn. I do not know of a method that will discover whether you have a queen present, whether fertile or infertile, if you have a virgin queen present then uniting the colony with a queenright colony will lose you the laying queen. A virgin queen will always kill a laying queen. If your bees are in a beehouse then you might be able to thoroughly inspect them to find the queen, kill her and then unite them, you can always make up a nucleus next Spring. Queenless bees are recogniseable by experience in the way they move and the noise they make. Wo hast du so gut Englisch gelernt, es gibt kein Fehler bei ihre Beschreibung. Gruesse aus der Garten von England Peter Hutton --- * Origin: Kent Beekeeper Beenet Point (240:244/116) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 20:28:16 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Peter Hutton Organization: ZbeeNet computer networking for beekeepers Subject: Murray McGregor comments CHRS: IBMPC 2 CODEPAGE: 437 MSGID: 240:244/116 52d1fe0c REPLY: 240:44/0 8c25a47b PID: FDAPX/w 1.12a UnReg(526) Hello all, I'll put in my six penneth worth, I collect more swarms than anyone in my locality, I also have many swarms arrive of their own volition since I set up bait hives. Since two years before Varroa was noticed here in South East England the propensity for swarming increased. 40% of existing beekeepers gave up on losing their bees in 95, mine dropped from 200 colonies to 20, I now have around a steady 50. I have always (over 35 years) removed feral colonies from buildings, I am aware of some 60 properties, trees etc that home feral colonies in my region. Most of all those feral colonies were dead by 96-98, the voids were not taken up because of the frass left by the greater wax moth, tons of honey has fallen down chimneys and through ceilings as a result. Only now are the swarms reoccupying some of the voids. Here the facts, what has been written of swarming bees leaving relatively free of mites is to my mind correct, a swarm arrived and hived itself on foundation and one drawn comb. All the combs were drawn (early May) the queen laid up all the combs (6) the bees provisioned the larvae, stored pollen and nectar, at about twelve days, two queen cells (supersedure, very common with swarms) were laid up,four days on all bar 50, left and moved on, I know not where. If I knew I would have grabbed those bees because I think that might be evolution at work. They had left all the Varroa entrapped, I did not mention they also removed all the stores so the 50 bees were rather a sacrifice. I have kept bees for 39 years now, I only wish I had the mind of a scientist and recorded all the odd things that happen with bees so that I might determine if my theories have any substance. In 98 many of the remaining beekeepers hereabouts had no honey to speak of, they nearly all lost prime swarms and afterswarms. My best crops came from the colonies I managed rigorously or from the early swarms I took. I have some colonies that appear to cope better, they have fewer mites than others but unfortunately they are the colonies I wished to requeen because their temper is poor. It is a dilemma? Until some of my docile colonies show an aptitude to overcome Varroa I feel obliged to keep these other queens going. I keep the two extremes eight miles apart. The colonies at apiaries in between I treat with various hard and soft drugs. This summer I promise myself to keep records better than in the past. Who knows? Regards and keep on going despite adversity. peter.hutton@btinternet.com --- * Origin: Kent Beekeeper Beenet Point (240:244/116) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 10:57:30 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Dumb Bee Gadgets MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT A while back, I received a junk email, and seeing as it was about bee stuff, I took a look. It went like this... > Hello Beekeepers, As fellow beekeepers we are hurting every day the > time we waste on unprofessional work. We have teamed up with the Bee > Guard company that have invented the Easy Bee Guard, that will save you > hundred of working days a year. Following is a short explanation of the > product. We suggest that you enter our E-Mail Site, that has a detail > explanation with pictures of the Easy Bee Rig. The site will let you > understand and "feel" the product, and its advantages. > http://www.bee-guard.co.il Naturally I even visited the web site mentioned: http://www.bee-guard.co.il I was impressed by the amount of work that the people have put into this product, but cannot imagine it working at all well in any situation, for at least 100 good reasons. I imagine using it would be an expensive and inconvenient total nightmare. I wonder how many people have gone for it. It also makes me wonder about all the other inventions out there, from the thousands of 'improved ventilation that vastly increase yields' scams to the 'amazing new hive mover' gizmos to the 'quick queen finder' that I know a big commercial guy poured thousands into. Beekeepers are inventors. Always looking into a better way. In my limited 25+ years of commercial bee experience, I've learned that sticking to the tried and proven standardized basics usually is the safest and most profitable policy. My dad recommended that when I started out; but I had to prove he was right the hardest way possible. Over and over. (He was). Nonetheless, I have to admit that I'm an inveterate and unreformed tinkerer and think nothing of building an entirely new machine just because I think it will work. These days it usually does. Sorta. I'm right now in the process of having my shop build 6 new truck decks and will likely build at least 5 removable vans for them of a totally unproven design. I'll also think they are wonderful until I actually have to use them for a season. What amazes me is that although we have standardized the design and function of the decks, it is almost impossible to get my weldor to build two the same. I guess when he gets the hood down and that light starts to flash hypnotically in front of him, he gets inspired. I have to spend about half an hour a day convincing him that I would really like them to all be identical. Creativity is a funny thing. Too little and a person is not much help unless the job is entirely repetitive, too much and the person is a menace. Anyhow, all this is a lead in to ask you what the dumbest bee related thing you've ever seen is? I've given you mine. Allen ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 08:46:07 PST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: T & M Weatherhead Subject: Re: Spray for thistles In-Reply-To: <199901232036.GAA28884@iccu5.ipswich.gil.com.au> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Peter Dalby wrote Some years ago I read of some Australian research where > Roundup had been fed to bees in syrup with little or no ill effect but = I > dont have a reference for this. I can confirm that this research was carried out. This work was done by = Graham Kleinschmidt from Gatton College. The results were as Peter says. Trevor Weatherhead AUSTRALIA ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 20:42:01 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Green Subject: Re: Dumb Bee Gadgets Comments: To: allend@internode.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/23/99 6:36:17 PM Eastern Standard Time, allend@internode.net writes: > Anyhow, all this is a lead in to ask you what the dumbest bee related > thing you've ever seen is? I've given you mine. Cheesecloth foundation....... Didn't work, of course, but the guy kept trying for quite a while. Of course this guy wanted to start with a couple dozen worker bees he had trapped as they came to rob some honey he put out. He came to me, wanting a queen. I sold him a nuc instead (he had some old boxes) and tried to explain the ropes to him, but he was bound to do it all HIS way. Pollinator@aol.com Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA The Pollination Scene: http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html The Pollination Home Page: http://www.pollinator.com Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles) http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 17:54:00 -0800 Reply-To: gstyer@worldnet.att.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: George Styer Subject: Re: Dumb Bee Gadgets MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Not sure it is really dumb, but it certainly falls under the category of worthless. One piece of equipment that I have never understood was the frame grasping handle. Picking up a frame by the ends of the top bars is completely natural. On the other hand, how clumsy it is to try to grip these handles tight so as not drop the frame and at the same time try to look at the other side of the frame. Any beginner will probably see a great improvement in the handling skills once they ditch this worthless device. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 12:02:44 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Sr. Monica Ryan" Subject: Condition of Colony MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello to All! Can any one help? I have been told that if one were to sit quietly facing the entrance of a colony, before opening or smoking it, one should be able to draw at least six conclusions about the condition of that colony. What might these six be??? I would really appreciate an answer. Than you to one and all. Sr. Catherine Duffy. (Sr. Monica is just the typist!) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 11:17:23 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Murray McGregor Subject: Re: requeening of broodless colonies In-Reply-To: <917129575.1021762.0@uacsc2.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 In article <917129575.1021762.0@uacsc2.albany.edu>, Peter Hutton writes in answer to Wolfgang Poehlmann >I do not know of a method that will discover whether you have a queen present, >whether fertile or infertile, A fairly reliable indication is to cage the queen of another colony in a reasonably large shipping cage. Place it briefly on the top bars of the brood chamber of the colony you are working. If the bees feed her they are looking for a queen. If they are hostile then they already have one. Persist for a few minutes if the results are not instant, and only rarely will you get an inconclusive answer. Quickly put the queen back to her proper home. However, we generally only do this kind of thing with the spare queens we carry about with us during the active season. Doing it in winter with the disruption to both colonies is not something I would undertake. Finding the queen in the subject colony is an altogether different matter. >if you have a virgin queen present then uniting >the colony with a queenright colony will lose you the laying queen. A virgin >queen will always kill a laying queen. We have found this piece of tradition to be unreliable, surprisingly often the older queen is left after uniting. If practicable we do always try to kill the unwanted queen first, but due to time constraints this is not always possible and we have to rely then on nature taking its course. > If your bees are in a beehouse then you >might be able to thoroughly inspect them to find the queen, kill her and then >unite them, you can always make up a nucleus next Spring. Queenless bees are >recogniseable by experience in the way they move and the noise they make. If they are in a queenless (or perhaps even if not) state one must always ask if they are worth the effort of persevering with. You are often a lot better off doing away with such colonies and splitting your better ones in spring into the vacant hive(s). Buy or breed a new queen for the queeless half. A lot less hassle than attempting to salvage anything from a hopeless case. I have tried almost everything to save colonies like this, and occasionally (and foolishly) still do, it is hard to make the ruthless decision at times. But it is almost invariably wrong. Give it the chop and start with a fresh split in spring. If you feel you must requeen it, then southern hemisphere queens are available right now. Carnica can be got from Australia amongst others. I would however hazard that the prognosis for a colony requeened at this time under the described circumstances would remain very poor. Murray -- Murray McGregor ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 08:40:29 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Green Subject: Re: Condition of Colony Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/24/99 7:43:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, mr@DROGHEDA.EDUNET.IE writes: > Can any one help? I have been told that if one were to sit quietly > facing the entrance of a colony, before opening or smoking it, one > should be able to draw at least six conclusions about the condition of > that colony. What might these six be??? I would really appreciate an > answer. Hmmmmmmm lessee....... 1. The quantity of flight (in comparison to other hives) would give a rough gauge of the strength of the hive. 2. Bees landing heavily (will full bellies) indicates a nectar flow. 3. Paucity of flight (in all hives) might indicate a lack of nectar filled flowers. 4. If bees are fighting or chasing bees around on the bottom board, robbing may be going on. 5. A good quantity of pollen coming in, is evidence of queenrightness and presence of brood. 6. The color and size of the pellets of incoming pollen are good clues as to its source (pollen varies greatly in nutritional value, so knowing the main pollens will tell you somewhat about the future condition of the colony). 7. Clean looking bees, indicates general hive health and youthfulness of workers. 8. Shiny, greasy-looking workers with frayed wings indicates old bees or poor health. 9. Lots of fat drones in spring indicates a strong colony, possible swarm time approaching. 10. Lots of undernourished, undersized drones (along with greasy workers) indicates a drone laying queen, or laying workers. 11. Scratches on the hives, dug up ground in front, and nasty tempered bees would indicate a skunk has been pestering them at night. 12. Bees hanging out indicates a strong hive, a good flow that day, or preparations for swarming. 13. Bees washboarding (dancing in unison on the hive front) - possible swarm preparations. 14. Chalkbrood mummies on bottom board indicates presence of chalkbrood, and genetically weak, non-hygenic bees that need a replacement queen. 15. Urea odor - foulbrood (I have often smelled it before even opening the hive, though some of my fellow beekeepers don't believe this. I guess you have to have a sensitive smeller). 16. Other odors - can tell what nectar source is yielding. Goldenrod has a distinctive, sickly sweet odor. Basswood and orange blossom have their own unique odors. 17. Smashed up, scattered equipment, bees robbing, tooth and claw marks - Mr. Bear has been by, and you can write off the colony. 18. Smashed up, scattered equipment, bees robbing, tire marks and beer cans - Mr. Testosterone has been by, and you can write off the colony. Well that's more than six, I guess. Experienced beekeepers (mostly subconsciously) do gather a lot of data from visual and olfactory observations of the hives, before opening them. I guess listening could help a lot, too, but I'm a little hard of hearing (Huh?), so that doesn't help me as much. Pollinator@aol.com Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA The Pollination Scene: http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html The Pollination Home Page: http://www.pollinator.com Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles) http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 07:59:44 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Darkpast Subject: Condition of the Colony MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello Catherine, My Name is Jeff Barnett and I've been in the bee business for about 17 years. One thing that you can tell is if the bees are raising brood. If you see field bees bringing in pollen, that is a good sign that all is well with the brood rearing. Generally, the more pollen, the more brood being raised, of course their are always going to be exceptions ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 09:36:55 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Caldeira Subject: Dumb Bee Gadgets In-Reply-To: <199901240502.VAA01431@sparrow.prod.itd.earthlink.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Allen Dick wrote: > In my limited 25+ years of commercial bee experience, I've learned that > sticking to the tried and proven standardized basics usually is the safest > and most profitable policy. Yes, the history of beekeeping is full of bad inventions. The bleeding edge of technology is risky, too. "The second mouse gets the cheese," as the saying goes. However, innovation also gives us the good inventions. ~Someone~ had to try all the new products such as the bee blower, benzaldehyde and Bee-go, plastic foundation, Terramycin, the radial extractor and automatic uncappers. The future will bring us even more good beekeeping inventions. The good products are usually the only ones that enjoy high customer demand and survive. Don't you just love how free enterprise works? -John John Caldeira jcaldeira@earthlink.net Dallas, Texas, USA http://home.earthlink.net/~jcaldeira/beekeeping/ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 11:59:42 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ed Kosenski Subject: Beekeeping Software Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" We are looking for recordkeeping software that runs on Wndows 95 for our small beekeeping operation; any recommendations? Ed & Mary ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 12:47:19 -0500 Reply-To: Rod Hewitt Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rod Hewitt Subject: medium depth supers & essential oils MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE4797.AE1CA820" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE4797.AE1CA820 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I am expanding my small apiary into a commercial operation and have been = thinking about the possible advantages of one size equipment ( medium = boxes 6 1/4" size) for brood and supers. I know I would need to use = queen excluders which I don't like. I read in Better Bee about using the = excludes sideways allowing normal worker access to upper supers around the ends. Can anyone share = experiences with me about these two management methods. Also I have been using essential oils for mite control with good success = but find little about it on the net or in the bee journals? Why? Rod Hewitt http://www.dayspring-woodshop.com ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE4797.AE1CA820 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
I am expanding my small apiary into = a commercial=20 operation and have been thinking about the possible advantages of one = size=20 equipment ( medium boxes 6 1/4" size) for brood and supers. I know = I would=20 need to use queen excluders which I don't like. I read in Better Bee = about using=20 the excludes sideways allowing normal
worker access = to upper=20 supers around the ends. Can anyone share experiences
with me about these two management = methods.
 
Also I have been using essential oils for mite = control with=20 good success but find little about it on the net or in the bee journals? = Why?
 
Rod Hewitt
 
http://www.dayspring-woodshop.c<= /A>om
------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE4797.AE1CA820-- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 08:24:39 +1300 Reply-To: nickw@beekeeping.co.nz Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Nick Wallingford Subject: Re: Beekeeping Software In-Reply-To: <199901241702.GAA03010@axil.wave.co.nz> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > We are looking for recordkeeping software that runs on Wndows 95 > for our small beekeeping operation; any recommendations? I've collected a short listing of bkpr software at http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/others.htm but would be happy to add others as I hear of them... (\ Nick Wallingford {|||8- nickw@beekeeping.co.nz (/ NZ Beekeeping http://www.beekeeping.co.nz 'Order' files from an autoresponder... Bibliography: Honey as a Healing Agent? Email to: healing@beekeeping.co.nz ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 16:34:53 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Oils and use of 6 5/8" supers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Rod says "I have been using essential oils for mite control with good success = but find little about it on the net or in the bee journals? Why?" Rod, there is a lot about this in the Bee-L archives but you are right that there is little in the journals. My understanding is the reason there is little in the journals is because there has been real difficulty: - getting predictable, consistent, and reproducible results - determining which of the many ingredients in essential oils are causing the effects. Many of the researchers at USDA and universities believe that there is "something" going on with essential oils that (sometimes, often?) kills or controls mites. My understanding is that they have encountered great variability in results. Sometimes a given oil will work well, and sometimes it won't work at all! I also understand that in the simplest essential oil there are a bewildering variety of chemicals, any one or more of which can be causing the effects. This makes it very difficult to determine just what is going on, which makes it difficult to reproduce the desirable effects! Many, many beekeepers, commercial and otherwise, are using 3 Illinois depth supers (6 5/8") as a brood nest and for over-wintering, and for supers. There is no reason you should have any difficulty doing so. However, I don't understand why you feel you need to use queen excluders; because you do not! Once you have sufficient drawn frames, just put three supers on each hive around May 1 (in your area). This will give the queen plenty of room, and minimize swarming. She will initially move up and lay in the added supers, but as nectar comes in the bees will store it as high as they can, and move down. As they crowd the queen with nectar, she will move back down and by August will be down in the three bottom supers...which is where she started! You don't (or should not) care that nectar is stored in the same cells where brood has been raised. Of course, this only applies to producing honey for extraction. When producing comb honey, just put two of your Ross Round(tm) supers on top of the brood nest about May 1. The queen will not lay in them, although it has been reported that you might get a single row of drone brood along the bottom of the sections nearest the brood nest. (Most beekeepers have never seen that.) Rotate these when the bottom one is 75% filled, and add another super if both are mostly filled by July 15 or so. Hope this helps, Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 16:33:51 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ernest Huber Subject: Head Beekeeper at Buckfast Abbey Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello BEE-L On 1/22/98 Ralph Harrison asked the following question: >Brother Adam retired in 1992. At that time Brother Leo Smith (Brother Leo had >travelled with Brother Adam on some of his journeys in search of new strains >of bees) took over as head beekeeper at the Abbey. > >Is Brother Leo still the head beekeeper? > >If he isn't who has taken his place? When my wife and I visited Buckfast Abbey last October there were just three beekeepers- Brother Daniel who had been working the bees for about 10 years, as I remember, and two who weren't brothers- Peter Donovan and Roger Brain. Of the three Peter Donovan had been working bees for a long time with Brother Adam (maybe 20 years) and he does the artificial insemination. He is trying to retire but still puts in a lot of hours. We didn't meet Roger Brain but he was the newest beekeeper although he might be the one "in charge". I didn't hear any mention of Brother Leo. Buckfast Abbey has a web site/ It is: >http://www.buckfast.org.uk/index.htm< Ernie Huber ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 09:15:22 +1300 Reply-To: nickw@beekeeping.co.nz Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Nick Wallingford Subject: New training video... Comments: To: bkprs@beekeeping.co.nz Comments: cc: cobey.1@osu.edu MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Susan Cobey of Ohio State University has a new 25 minute training video that might be of interest to some list members: INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OF HONEY BEE QUEENS With Susan Cobey This training video presents the technique of instrumental insemination in specific detail. It is designed for the beginner as well as the beekeeper who wants to refresh and update their technique. The Schley instrument and the Harbo large capacity syringe are used for demonstration purposes. In addition, a review of various types of instruments is presented. In step by step detail; eversion of the drone, semen collection, positioning the queen, bypassing the valve fold and insertion of semen are explained and demonstrated. Key aspects of each of these topics are reviewed with trouble shooting sections focusing on common problems. Working with stored semen is also featured. To check your technique and success, the video also shows a simple field dissection method of the queen's spermatheca. Available from: Susan Cobey cobey.1@osu.edu http://iris.biosci.ohio-state.edu/honeybee/breeding I've read a very favourable review of the video written by Dr Harry Laidlaw, Jr, and have no doubt it would be worth viewing, whether you are beginning in instrumental insemination, well-practiced, or even just a 'wannabee', so to speak... (\ Nick Wallingford {|||8- nickw@beekeeping.co.nz (/ NZ Beekeeping http://www.beekeeping.co.nz 'Order' files from an autoresponder... Feeding Sugar to Bees? Email to: feeding@beekeeping.co.nz ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 22:35:50 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stefan Stangaciu Subject: Re: Beekeeping Software MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Ed Kosenski To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU Date: Sonntag, 24. Januar 1999 17:46 Subject: Beekeeping Software We are looking for recordkeeping software that runs on Windows 95 for our small beekeeping operation; any recommendations? Ed & Mary Hi Ed, If you know German you can contact my friend Thomas Schachtner from Passau who made an excellent such software called "Stocky". He may translate it in English too, so just get in touch with him. His coordinates are: Schachtner Thomas : Kreuzbergstr. 32, 94036 Passau; Tel: 0049-851-81691 Fax: 0049-851-87588 e-Mail: 101565.1776@compuserve.com e-Mail: schachtn@fmi.uni-passau.de eMail: apitherapy@iname.com Kind regards, Stefan Stangaciu Constanta, Romania apither@gmb.ro ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 19:32:34 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tom Sanford Subject: school project Comments: cc: toomire@ibm.net MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Please correspond directly to: toomire@ibm.net Tom Sanford >Return-path: >Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 16:21:24 -0800 >From: toomire@ibm.net >Subject: school project >To: mts@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU, tami.toomire@ibm.net >Reply-to: toomire@ibm.net > >Dear Sir/Madame: > >I am working on a school paper for children's literature and would like >to interview a child who has helped with beekeeping. Possibly helped >their parents or a friend? My instructor suggested getting quotes to >make the article more readable to other children. Any help I could get >with this would be greatly appreciated. Or if there are any other >websites that you can think of, please let me know. Thanks for your >help! > >Tami > > > > ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 13:14:47 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tim Sterrett Subject: Dumb Bee Gadgets: Frame Grippers Comments: To: gstyer@worldnet.att.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit George Styer wrote: > One piece of equipment that I have never understood was the frame grasping > handle. Picking up a frame by the ends of the top bars is completely > natural. When I began keeping bees, I used frame grippers (and gloves and long sleeves and long pants). They all helped build my confidence. Now I use the grippers, with a hive tool, to free the first frame in a hive body that is well-propolised. Tim -- Tim Sterrett sterrett@voicenet.com (southeastern) Pennsylvania, USA 40.0 N 75.5 W ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 10:51:13 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Failed Bee Gadgets In-Reply-To: <199901241657.IAA05984@mx1.thegrid.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" One invention for the bee yard that never rooted was a excellent system of solar powered theft alarms. It was seen by the industry as unproductive and impractical and never got much further then the inventors proto type. With my own experience and others that have lost large numbers of bee hives to theft it many be time to take another look at this or other ideas to discourage theft of truck loads of bee hives at a time. Chow, the OLd Drone http://beenet.com (c)Permission is given to copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)OPINIONS are not necessarily facts. USE AT OWN RISK! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 09:15:31 -0700 Reply-To: fishstok@nm.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Rebstock Organization: University of New Mexico Subject: Help Relocating Ground Bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit We are from Albuquerque, NM, USA and have a nest of beautiful black and yellow ground bees (we call them bumble bees). They love the orange trumpet vine in our courtyard and we don't want to kill them. We just want to move them a bit further away from the back door. Right now their nest is so close to the house that they often come in and get trapped. We know nothing about bees, but is there a safe way to get them to move their ground nest further from the house without killing them. We know approximately where their nest is and they are inactive right now. Can someone please advise us? Thanks, Deb Fisher-Rebstock John Rebstock fishstok@nm.net ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 20:24:55 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Oberle Subject: Re: Dumb Bee Gadgets: Frame Grippers In-Reply-To: <199901250208.SAA05489@ixmail2.ix.netcom.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit George Styer wrote: > One piece of equipment that I have never understood was the frame grasping > handle. Picking up a frame by the ends of the top bars is completely > natural. When I began keeping bees, I used frame grippers (and gloves and long sleeves and long pants). They all helped build my confidence. Now I use the grippers, with a hive tool, to free the first frame in a hive body that is well-propolised. That is what I use them for as well. They work great to help free glued in frames. And I have found that it is easier to hang on to a frame after working with a lot of them and my fingers and groves are all covered with honey. Thanks Michael Oberle Network Technical Services Inc. NTS1@ix.netcom.com Minnesota The state where absolutely nothing is allowed ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 17:16:13 -0600 Reply-To: Barry@Birkey.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Barry Birkey Organization: BIRKEY.COM Subject: Re: Oils and use of 6 5/8" supers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lloyd Spear wrote: > don't understand why you feel you need to use queen excluders; because you > do not! > You don't (or should not) care that nectar is stored in the same cells where > brood has been raised. I think it's only fair to point out again (this thought on excluders has been discussed exhaustively already, see the archives) that it does matter if brood has been in honey supers from the stand point of keeping wax moths out of the combs during storage. You should have no worry with the moths if the combs have never had brood in them. I've never done anything more than stack the supers for winter storage and have never had moth larva in any of them as no brood has ever been in the comb. -Barry -- Barry Birkey Illinios, USA -------------------------------------------- 630.293.1181 ph > 630.293.3613 fx barry@birkey.com > http://www.birkey.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 13:52:25 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Urs Schaufelbuehl Subject: Re: Condition of Colony MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: David Green To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU Date: Sunday, 24 January, 1999 05:46 Subject: Re: Condition of Colony >In a message dated 1/24/99 7:43:08 AM Eastern Standard Time, >mr@DROGHEDA.EDUNET.IE writes: > >> Can any one help? I have been told that if one were to sit quietly >> facing the entrance of a colony, before opening or smoking it, one >> should be able to draw at least six conclusions about the condition of >> that colony. What might these six be??? I would really appreciate an >> answer. > >Hmmmmmmm lessee....... >18. Smashed up, scattered equipment, bees robbing, tire marks and beer cans - >Mr. Testosterone has been by, and you can write off the colony. Nr. 18 definitely has to include have a BEEutiful day ;-) Urs Schaufelbuehl urschau@mars.ark.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 21:12:26 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Darkpast Subject: Re: Dumb Bee Gadgets: Frame Grippers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, it has been my experience that using the frame grip gets my hands stung more often cause the bees get in between my hand and the gripper. This causes me to unknowingly squeeze the bees and,of course, gets me stung. Also, sometimes my hand would cramp causing me to sometimes drop the frame. Jeff -----Original Message----- From: Michael Oberle To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU Date: Sunday, January 24, 1999 9:07 PM Subject: Re: Dumb Bee Gadgets: Frame Grippers >George Styer wrote: > >> One piece of equipment that I have never understood was the frame grasping >> handle. Picking up a frame by the ends of the top bars is completely >> natural. > > When I began keeping bees, I used frame grippers (and gloves and long >sleeves and long pants). They all helped build my confidence. Now I use the >grippers, with a hive tool, to free the first frame in a hive body that is >well-propolised. > > >That is what I use them for as well. They work great to help free glued in >frames. And I have found that it is easier to hang on to a frame after >working with a lot of them and my fingers and groves are all covered with >honey. > >Thanks >Michael Oberle >Network Technical Services Inc. >NTS1@ix.netcom.com > > >Minnesota >The state where absolutely nothing is allowed ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 21:46:33 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: awneedham@JUNO.COM Subject: Re: Failed Bee Gadgets MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Andy wrote: With my own experience and others that have lost large numbers of bee hives to theft it many be time to take another look at this or other ideas to discourage theft of truck loads of bee hives at a time. ......................................................................... .................................................................... Perhaps a simple type of transmitter that could be hidden inside a couple of hives that would transmit a signal to Police similiar to the "Lo-Jack" Car Theft Deterrent Device that is sold around here on the left coast. Or, maybe better an alarm that would create a terrific racket if someone moved an "armed" hive. Al ................................................................... The BeeHive - Scituate, MA,USA All About Honey Bees & Beekeeping Beekeeping Books & Videos http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 18:44:27 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Hally L Phillips Subject: Mason Bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Can you tell me if Cedar can be used for building Mason bee nests? Everything that I have read says that you can use Pine or Douglas Fir, or even treated lumber. But nothing I have read says anything about using Cedar. I wonder if Cedar is to aromatic for the bees? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you, David Phillips Lakewood, WA. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 10:43:23 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jan Kruit Organization: AVEBE Subject: Re: Mason Bees Comments: To: Hally L Phillips Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In Holland they use bee-hive bild from Red Cedar. The bees does not have problems with it. Kind regards. Jan Kruit The Netherlands Hally L Phillips wrote: > Can you tell me if Cedar can be used for building Mason bee nests? > Everything that I have read says that you can use Pine or Douglas Fir, or > even treated lumber. But nothing I have read says anything about using > Cedar. I wonder if Cedar is to aromatic for the bees? Any help would be > appreciated. > > Thank you, David Phillips Lakewood, WA. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 20:59:08 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Madeleine Pym Subject: Keeping bees on rooftops MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi everybody, I have a few questions to ask concerning keeping bees on rooftops in cities. If anyone has practical experience of this would they please contact me at: mpym@hive.netkonect.co.uk Thanks Madeleine ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 06:59:10 +1000 Reply-To: brownie@eck.net.au Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Anne Brown Organization: Brown's of 'Snake Hill' Subject: Re: Observation Hive MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Rather than a full obsevation hive we have a display case with just two frames in it which we use both at markets and as a teaching aid in schools. It rather resembles two windows joined together, one of which opens like a door. This allows us to take two frames of bees, including the queens, and place them in the display box either the evening prior to, or early on the morning of our engagement. We always select frames showing sealed brood, hopfully close to hatching, pollen & honey. Once we have put in the frames the case is locked. and covered for transportation. This double sided glass case, only one frame deep allows children and adults a close examination of our bees at work, and has been an outstanding success since we had it built. Now as our school year commences I will post our pamphlet to primary schools within a 100 km radius, and if last year is reeated we will make about 20 visits through the school year. xperience has aught us that our last visit must coincide with the bees close down for winter, so this takes out from mid-May until early August. Our pamphlet entitled Browns Busy Bees - Bringing The Absorbing World of Honey Bees to Your School, gives some details of the program we offer designed to fit in with the primary curriculum at various levels, something about who we are, asfety features and costs. In our experience these school visits are the most rewarding part of our beekeeping acitivites. The profit margin compared to the return on retailing our honey ($4.50 per kg.) or pollination ($30 per hive) is far greater. Admittedly I was a primary teacher in a previous life, but my partner had no such experience. We make a great team now and most schools book us back for the next year. Anne Brown Australia ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 09:39:31 +0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Karl Dehning Subject: hive-split ??? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; name="cc:Mail" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear BEE-L readers HELP!!! I am writing from Cape Town in sunny South Africa and currently run about 20 working hives ( had a good crop of honey thus far ), but would like to propogate the swarms to doube the working force for next season. Reports I've had on methods vary for the type of bee in question. I now ask all you cleaver Beekeepers out there that know the Cape Bee ( Capensis Meliflera) : "What is the most successful way to split a hive without encouraging the laying worker syndrome?" Yours faithfully Karl Dehning ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 10:55:50 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stefan Stangaciu Subject: Essential oils for varroa, OTHER bee diseases control and human beings. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Lloyd Spear To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU Date: Sonntag, 24. Januar 1999 23:47 Subject: Oils and use of 6 5/8" supers Rod says "I have been using essential oils for mite control with good success = but find little about it on the net or in the bee journals? Why?" Rod, there is a lot about this in the Bee-L archives but you are right that there is little in the journals. My understanding is the reason there is little in the journals is because there has been real difficulty: - getting predictable, consistent, and reproducible results - determining which of the many ingredients in essential oils are causing the effects. Many of the researchers at USDA and universities believe that there is "something" going on with essential oils that (sometimes, often?) kills or controls mites. My understanding is that they have encountered great variability in results. Sometimes a given oil will work well, and sometimes it won't work at all! I also understand that in the simplest essential oil there are a bewildering variety of chemicals, any one or more of which can be causing the effects. This makes it very difficult to determine just what is going on, which makes it difficult to reproduce the desirable effects! Hope this helps, Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com Hello dear Lloyd and friends, As a medical doctor (and hobby beekeeper) which uses regularly the essential oils I have here few comments to make: * the big ADVANTAGE is that the essential oils have MANY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES!!! * it has been so many times proven by the experience that the use of only one or few substances against viruses, bacteria, fungus or parasites (as is our case) leads sooner or later to RESISTANCE towards that substance; so, in my humble opinion, it will be again a big mistake to repeat ("ad infinitum"...) the same type of error, just for the sake of so called "science" or to fill up with a couple of more billion dollars the pocket of some chemical companies...; * this extraordinary variability in the composition of essential oils, again, is the big advantage! Why? Because: - it fights much better millions of DIFFERENT bacterias, viruses, fungus, bacteria, parasites by having so many DIFFERENT ACTIVE SUBSTANCES; in this respect, the essential oils are like a huge NATURAL PHARMACY; - it HELPS, in the SAME TIME, the bee's physiology (improves it's respiration, immune system, haemolymph flow etc., etc.); thus, the bee colony can get rid of many diseases mainly through its OWN acquired "powers" through this NATURAL, gentle treatment; - through a controlled methodology, one can use the hundreds of different USEFUL pharmacological properties not only for the bees but also for us, human beings! How? through "intentional" administration of the essential oils, in certain well controlled amounts, BEFORE honey's collection; thus, you can get an excellent "natural (bio) aroma-honey" with natural fragrances of let's say lavender, peppermint, rosemary etc., etc. maybe it is well to be known that there are already companies which are getting a lot of money by selling already honey "man mixed" with essential oils; why shouldn't you do the same thing in a much natural way, even if you have no varroa in your hives; - a client which will consume your future "aromatic honey" will be very happy not only with the new attractive NATURAL fragrance, but also he/she will see that this new type of honey it's a kind of "healing honey" because his/her general health will be IMPROVED; so, you can increase at least two fold the number of your clients, by advertising in a better way the new properties of your honey; I know the story with FDA, white Mafia etc., etc.; don't worry, honey will be always used not only by the healthy people but also by the mothers for their children having a cough, by the asthenic fathers,grandpa or grandpa or by surgeons in healing difficult wounds... - this great variability in NATURAL substances from the essential oils, again, is the big point; all your oriented "BIO", "ECOLOGICAL" clients will be very happy with your new beehive products and will even pay more for the same amount; - all over the world it is a big "movement", a big change towards NATURAL MEDICINE or NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE; there are millions of specialists in such therapies which are not satisfied (to use gentle words...) with the "heavy" and toxic chemical treatments of bee colony's diseases... So, why not to cooperate with these new "bio" generation? I have nothing against "Apistan" or similar products. I'm OK if they get day by day a couple of more thousands of dollars. The problem here is of PRINCIPLE and mainly GLOBAL EFFICIENCY not only for our beloved bees, but also for ALL our human clients... :-)) Stefan Stangaciu, MD, LAcup. Constanta, Romania apither@gmb.ro www.sci.fi/~apither www.beesting.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 11:37:10 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Moving bumblebees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "We are from Albuquerque, NM, USA and have a nest of beautiful black and yellow ground bees (we call them bumble bees). They love the orange trumpet vine in our courtyard and we don't want to kill them. We just want to move them a bit further away from the back door." Hmmm...if these are really bumble bees, it is unlikely that they will be in the same place next year. I am not certain of your climate, but I think it is pretty cold during the winter. If so, you almost certainly have a species of bumblebee that does not overwinter (there are many, many species of bumblebees). In temperate climates all bumblebees but the queen die during the winter. The queen goes into a state of something like hibernation, and overwinters in debris (leaves, twigs, pine needles, etc.) on top of the ground. In spring she comes back to life and searches for a cavity for a nest. Mouse cavities are frequently chosen. It is said she rarely occupies a nest from a previous year, and there is speculation that is an adaptation to minimize disease. She raises the first batch of larvae to adult on her own, i.e., with no help. As she had the entire job, the first adults are quite small. After the first batch, she only lays eggs and the adults take over the jobs of feeding, tending the nest, etc. As the larvae are better fed, they grow into larger bees, which is why the jumbo bumblebees are found in late summer and fall. So, you are unlikely to have the bumblebees so close to your house again...or at least in the same spot! Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 11:06:11 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Brood in supers and wax moths MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Barry pointed out that if brood is not raised in supers, there will not be a problem with wax moths. That is interesting and something I think I heard or read many years ago and forgot. (In the two years I have been on Bee-L, I don't think it has come up, but I might be incorrect.) This is good information, and I appreciate it being raised. The only production of honey for extraction that I am personally familiar with, and this covers many beekeepers, does not involve the use of excluders. These are all beekeepers in the northern part of the country. After extraction they let bees rob the web combs and then leave them outside without covers until frost. Wax moth will not bother combs exposed to sunlight. After frost they are moved into an unheated barn or shed for the winter, and suffer no moth damage as long as they are put back on hives in early spring...well before dandelions bloom. I can well understand that in more southern climates different wax moth control would be necessary and believe that Barry's practices would be of real benefit there as well as in other circumstances. Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 11:31:42 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "(Thomas) (Cornick)" Subject: Re: Mason Bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/25/99 12:21:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, hallydavid@JUNO.COM writes: > > Can you tell me if Cedar can be used for building Mason bee nests? > Everything that I have read says that you can use Pine or Douglas Fir, or > even treated lumber. But nothing I have read says anything about using > Cedar. I wonder if Cedar is to aromatic for the bees? Any help would be > appreciated. > Every place I have encountered mason bees has been in old quite weathered but dry wood. Perhaps you can rip some stock from used framing lumber or barnwood. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 18:00:00 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Kai-M. Engfer" Subject: Monkey Puzzle Trees (Araucaria) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Hi all, last week my girl-friend and me had a trip to Hamburg for visiting the Botanic Garden of the Hamburg University. Although it was cold and the sun was not shining, we spent a wonderful time. Plenty of Monkey Puzzle Trees (Araucaria araucana) grow there. They have been planted as naturally as possible, and although they derive from the much warmer Chilean Cordillere they survive here in Hamburg and feel pretty good! Does anyone of You know, where I can buy larger quantities of Araucaria seed? Please let me know. Thank You. Keep well! Kai-M. Engfer, Tel. 04347-8861 \| Ostlandstr. 1, http://insel.heim.at/mainau/330017 -|||8< D-24247 Mielkendorf /| ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 19:25:47 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Haberl Organization: Hessische Landesanstalt fuer Tierzucht Subject: Re: Hand Fertilization of Unfertilized Eggs MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > ...could you please explain what the "stop solution" is? In artificial insemination (AM in 'my' sense) the sperm from several drones is USUALLY NOT diluted with sperm dilution buffer. However, one uses sperm dilution buffer to handle such a small volume of sperm. The largest portion of a syringe is filled with sperm dilution buffer and just a little air bubble separates the sperm from the buffer. The buffer's function is only to replace the air in the syringe because as fluid it is not compressible to the degree air is and hence enables accurate small volume transfers. I do not know where the word 'stop' originates from, perhaps because the buffer sets the limit what has to be injected into the queen. Obviously, there is a chance that sperm comes into contact with the fluid used as 'stop solution'. So it is recommended to use the same fluid that would be used in real sperm dilution. There are several different recipes for such buffers. One of them is e.g. Hyes-Buffer (0.9 percent NaCl, 0.02 percent CaCl2, 0.02 percent KCl, 0.01 percent NaHCO3, in distilled water at pH 8.5). > Also, could you please say what the 1919 reference to Barrett appeared in? My citation refers to the publication of Frank Neumann in the Deutsches Bienenjournal 3/98, but with in this article there is no detailed reference list. > Is the Neumann article in Deutsches Bienenjournal in English? No, sorry, it is in German. > Apparently it is possible to control the genetics of both selected > queens And selected drone donors through this process, and if so , does that > make it unnecessary to do artificial insemination to accomplish the same > thing? Why would anyone prefer to do artificial insemination if this > technique is available? Yes, you could control the male side of reproduction by artificial fertilisation as you do with the aid of artificial insemination (AM) (but why the queen side!?). I see the difference between the both mainly in the number of fertilisation events you control. An artificially inseminated queen will produce thousands of workers and queens that carry the genes of the drones you used for insemination. With artificial fertilisation you only produce a few individuals of the desired genetic constitution. However, what you need for breeding are only a few individuals (queens) to produce males (sperm) and eggs! A problem might be, however, that you need a performance test for your breeder colonies to select the colonies for further breeding. But most commercially interesting traits (honey yield, etc.) result from workers AND the queen. With artificial fertilisation used as I mentioned, the workers influence the result of the performance test but carry only half the genes (those from her mother) you select for. In short: you can not test what you want to. > Sorry to ask so many questions but it really is interesting. Thanks for asking!!! I am curious myself why this technique has not become more popular so far. Or is someone on this list already practising AF? -- Michael Haberl Hessische Landesanstalt fuer Tierzucht, Abt. Bienenzucht Erlenstr. 9, 35274 Kirchhain, Germany, 51n 9w Tel: ++49-6422-9406-12 Fax: ++49-6422-9406-33 haberl@mailer.uni-marburg.de ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 12:34:18 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Re: H-ana In-Reply-To: <199812161529.HAA12356@mx1.thegrid.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 07:13 AM 12/16/98 -0800, you wrote: FOLLOW UP ON H-ANA THREAD Hi Beekeepers & Friends, >suspicious samples of honey should be sent too. I must also say I have >asked the Dhampur Sugar company for a sample of H-ana for analysis and >they have shipped it today, they say. I will give it the OLd Drones 98 >cent honey test before I send it off for a look see What me worry, the Rabbit died but it was not dead? As promised I sent off the sugar and honey samples and have now received the verbal reports. The H-ana passed the first tests for honey at the normal honey packer level of lab testing but on further testing was identified as a sugar product. Interesting when blended with honey it was easily detected as an adulterated honey but at the 100% sugar product level required outside lab work to confirm it was not honey. I guess you could say the advertising on this product was half correct. The 8 oz Squeeze Bear sample PASSED the honey tests at all lab levels but the rabbit died. What can be said here is that some blends of pure honey will and do look specious but legally are passed. (Cotton, mesquite, orange, manzanita are a few examples of honeys that when blended with clover type honey's may give a false alarm.) In fact what this all says is that no tests exists for honey adulteration this date that would give you the 100% reliability all the time at low levels of addition of certain sugars that are naturally found in honey at different levels depending on the floral type. Or sometimes these samples of honey are so to say adulterated naturally by the bees with no intention of deception and normally some of these samples will register as adulterated when not. (Its a cop out to protect the producer and without it most of us would be in trouble because our bees will work what they will work through no fault of our own.) Do I think the Squeeze Bear's were adulterated? NO I do not, but they could have been at very low levels. Also knowing the packer source of these samples I do not think they were adulterated but continued testing is warranted.. As for the H-ana product... Today the door is open a crack and the chances of passing this off as honey are poor but possible at the honey packer level. Bee sure this crack may have already closed and will be soon as new samples are received and reviewed by testing labs. At the producer level depending on what packer the adulterated honey is sold to it still will be caught sooner or later in normal honey industry standard lab testing. The producer of this product may bee actively trying to sell this product in the US and Canada. It is not know if this effort has been successful other then rumors. For most the difference in cost between pure honey and H-ana and other HF sugars is not great enough to make it attractive but does warrant watching. IMHO, the OLd Drone http://beenet.com (c)Permission is given to copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)OPINIONS are not necessarily facts. USE AT OWN RISK! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 20:51:22 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Al Needham Subject: Movie of bee(s) in flight MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0032_01BE48A4.77820A40" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0032_01BE48A4.77820A40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I have received the following message via my web site. Anyone have any suggestions ? --------------------------------------- I'm currently producing a 15 second 3D animation, of bees flying over a lawn and into a hive. The project is for a TV commercial selling some kind of honey here in England.=20 I've tried to get hold of some video footage reference so I can get the bee movements right. So far I haven't had much luck, so=20 that's why I thought it might be possible to get hold of some avi movies or quicktime movies relating to the subject. Do you know any web-sites where I possibly can download these movie formats? --------------------------------------- Thanks-Al Scituate, MA.,USA Visit " The BeeHive " Learn About Honey Bees And Beekeeping http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine ------=_NextPart_000_0032_01BE48A4.77820A40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I have received the = following=20 message via my web site.
Anyone have any suggestions ?
---------------------------------------
I'm currently producing a 15 = second 3D=20 animation, of bees flying over
a lawn and into a hive. The project is = for a=20 TV commercial selling
some kind of honey here in England.
I've = tried to=20 get hold of some video footage reference so I can
get the bee = movements=20 right. So far I haven't had much luck, so
that's why I thought it = might be=20 possible to get hold of some
avi movies or quicktime movies relating = to the=20 subject.

Do you know any web-sites where I possibly can download=20 these
movie formats?
---------------------------------------
 
Thanks-Al
           &nb= sp;        =20 <MailTo:alwine@xensei.com>
&nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;  =20 Scituate,=20 MA.,USA
          &n= bsp;           &nb= sp;    =20 Visit " The BeeHive=20 "
          =20 Learn  About Honey Bees And=20 Beekeeping
          = ;    =20 http://www.xensei.com/users/a= lwine
------=_NextPart_000_0032_01BE48A4.77820A40-- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 11:00:26 GMT+0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garth Organization: Rhodes University South Africa Subject: Small hive beetle/vs large hive beetle MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Just Saw Judy's post about the ABF report back and what 'Shim' had seen in SA. It is important to remember that in SA we have two hive beetles that cause problems - the small and the large. The large hive beetle, which is a bit smaller than a bee, but wider is easy to get rid of as one just tacks a few nails at the entrance of the hive and it cannot get in. I suspect beekeepers hardly ever have problems with these. If a SA beekeeper loses a colony to Aethina tumida (small hive beetle) theny they screwed up badly and did something wrong - usually pesticide damage from what I have gathered here. If somebody has pesticide damage happening to a hive, the cluster cannot maintain the brood pretection and shrinks - if there is capped brood it gets beetled. A healthy SA hive does not succumb to hive beetles. Keep well Garth Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Grahamstown Apis mellifera capensis 6139 South Africa Time = Honey ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 11:29:23 GMT+0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garth Organization: Rhodes University South Africa Subject: Aggressive Buckfasts - a theory MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi All I have read with interest the quotes of gentle happy buckfasts, and uggly mean buckfasts. It seems the common thread is that the original queens produce good gentle colonies, but if they requeen they produce ugly bees. There is a very simple and easy explanation to this: The buckfast contains certain 'african' elements, mainly mountain bees, which can be ratty at times. African queens and african bees are superior genetically in that they grow faster and have better flight muscles due to better enzyme systems - ie if there are african drones around they will get the queens first. If a cell swarms, the african lines from which queens are reared will hatch first. It is just the same old africanized bee story. Keep well Garth Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Grahamstown Apis mellifera capensis 6139 South Africa Time = Honey ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 11:48:43 GMT+0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garth Organization: Rhodes University South Africa Subject: Bee alarm - SA style MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi All Well, reading about bee alarms etc, and myself living in one of the crime capitals of the world I feel I should comments. A number of useful things exist to deter would be bee thieves. A spotlight - bees can fly at night and attack if a spotlight is placed near the hives - I have some hives on a field near here that are difficult to move at night even because they can attack because of the light. A capsule of alarm pheremone - isopentyl acetate (I think) although the isoamyl acetate we use for electron microscopy works OK placed in a hole drilled in the lid works ok - I have tested the idea, but never implemented it for fear of legal implications. - basically - somebody lifts the lid, breaks the capsule and the bees go balistic. The beekeeper however knows to lift the lid straight up. Strong hives - a strong hive protects itself (well here they do). A good bee beard halfway up the front of the hive makes moving, both by a thief and by oneself to be a painfull and horrible experience. Keep well Garth Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Grahamstown Apis mellifera capensis 6139 South Africa Time = Honey ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 19:32:58 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jerry J Bromenshenk Subject: Wanted, Honey Bee and Bumble Bee specimens embedded in clear resin/epoxy Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" One of my program officers wants some bees to pass around at presentations. He asked for pinned bees, but my guess is that they will fall apart very quickly. It seems to me that someone must provide bee specimens embedded in a clear matrix - or some hobbiest may do this. I need these a.s.a.p. Any suggestions? Thanks Jerry ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 21:47:39 -0400 Reply-To: rossybee@entelchile.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rossy Castillo Orozco Subject: Re: Monkey Puzzle Trees (Araucaria) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The araucaria araucana is an ornamental tree of great value, the seeds are edible, and only lives in places where the weather is cold and snowy. The seeds are produced in the fall. The araucaria grows very slowly until 50 meters high and lives hundreds years (900-1000). > Does anyone of You know, where I can buy larger quantities of Araucaria seed? > Please let me know. Thank You. Yes, as they are edible you can buy them but in the fall , I mean in our fall: april - may. It seems to me very strange the name "monkey puzzle trees " our country is very far of being a tropical country and here we can see monkeys only in the Zoo !!!!! ROSSY CASTILLO OLMUE -- CHILE rossybee@entelchile.net ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 17:59:52 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "W. G. Miller" Subject: Re: Frame Lifters Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit George Styer doesn't like frame lifters. As for myself, I keep one in my bee tool bucket, and it sees frequent use. Frame holders are good for the times you have to hold the frame with one hand and do something else with the other (e.g.; pull a queen off a frame). I also use frame lifters when I have to give a frame that extra shove to get it back into the colony, or otherwise handle a frame full of bees a little roughly. And another plus, it's hard to put your thumb on a bee when you are using a frame lifter. W. G. Miller Gaithersburg, MD ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 16:51:09 PST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ernest Gregoire Subject: Finger Nail Puller-Outer (Tools) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hello Gang, I have thoroughly enjoyed the "Dumb Bee Gadget" thread. This is especially true in regard to the frame gripper. I am surprised at the number of beekeepers who will admit to being so inept at using such a simple mechanical device. I guess they don't play the piano either,;-) A deep frame full of honey can rip off a finger nail and the whole thing can slip and smash into the hive or onto the ground making a honey of a mess.:-) A dropped frame can kill bees, including the queen. Rocky Balboa could hold on to a heavy honey ladden frame OK , but I do not resemble him at all. So, I use the grippers. I like the ones that look like a suit case handle. I have never dropped a frame using them. I have seen other models that look as if they could slip in your hand.These are made of smooth metal and are more rectangular in shape than the suit case handle model. de AA1IK, Ernie Gregoire R.R. 1, Box 221, South Rd. Canaan, NH. 03741 USA 43.6170 N, X 72.0225 W E-mail address: gregoire@endor.com ------------------------------------- 01/25/99 16:51:09 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 17:41:02 +0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Joel F. Magsaysay" Subject: honey vinegar MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Fellow Beekeepers, Can anyone help me with a recipe for honey vinegar? How can one ensure uniform turnout?Will a mead hydrometer help? Joel F. Magsaysay ILOG MARIA HONEYBEE FARMS PHILLIPINES ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 18:22:48 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Midnitebee Subject: beetlemania MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Beetlemania" ! byTony Jadczak located here:http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee Herb Holly-B Apiary P.O.Box 26 Wells,Maine 04090-0026 http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 06:35:36 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Chris and Janet Sauer Subject: Essential oils for varroa, OTHER bee diseases control and human beings. In-Reply-To: <199901260502.XAA27953@subcellar.mwci.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Seems to me that we want to keep our honey pure; despite the good doctor's claims that people will find "natural (bio) aroma-honey" attractive. I'm amazed that so many people seem to believe in the treatment without substantial, quantitative results. What's more amazing, though, is the suggestion that we sell honey that is contaminated with essential oils. Are beekeepers really that free and easy with what's put in the hive during supering? If so, this is as big a threat to our industry as any other. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 09:52:46 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Hive beetles MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Garth said "If a SA beekeeper loses a colony to Aethina tumida (small hive beetle) theny they screwed up badly and did something wrong - usually pesticide damage from what I have gathered here. If somebody has pesticide damage happening to a hive, the cluster cannot maintain the brood pretection and shrinks - if there is capped brood it gets beetled. A healthy SA hive does not succumb to hive beetles." I forget if Judy mentioned it, but Dr. Shim spent three weeks in S.A. studying the beetle. He told us that in examining hundreds of hives: - Every hive had small hive beetles - He saw no larvae! Florida has lost 5,000-10,000 hives, all along both coasts where humidity is high. Hive losses are due to larvae activity, not that of adult beetles, and some of the best beekeepers have had some of the largest losses. We saw slides of some of the yards that were lost and the hives were well painted, well off the ground, and in lightly shaded conditions. Beetles have been seen inland, but there have not been hive losses. The same is true in South Carolina. We had a commercial beekeeper from S.A. (the Northwestern part) at the meeting and he said that 100% of his hives had the beetle, and they were no problem. Dr. Shim is speculating that perhaps the small hive beetle we have is a sub-species of what he saw in S.A. DNA tests are in process to find out. He is also wondering if the Florida/South Carolina conditions of high humidity and sandy soil is providing unusually favorable conditions for the larvae. There is much speculation going on concerning why this is not a devastating pest in S.A. and seems to be here. Garth, do you normally see larvae in hives? Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 09:58:44 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Canon, Hartman" Subject: Re: Hive beetles MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain [Canon, Hartman] I am 15 miles from the east coast of FL. I see no hive beetles as yet. Do you have any data on how far inland they have been known to do damage? HBCanon Geneva, FL ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 10:19:42 -0500 Reply-To: dublgully@worldnet.att.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Gaida Subject: Re: Frame Lifters MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wonderful thread. I am a gadget guru, even have a gadget graveyard. I ordered the frame lifter for Dave after he spent quite a few apiary trips cussing because the frames slipped from his grasp. The local newspaper did a story on our beekeeping association. Had a picture on the front page of Dave examining a hive. (A good almost half page picture!) Dave was using the frame gripper. We got at least 4 phone calls from older beekeepers asking what they were and where did we get them. One of our new beekeepers, a little dinky lady, said she saw the picture and ordered them. Said they were cheap for how much they have helped her. (Her hubby laughed and said she was always dropping frames and 'making' him run, hollering, to the house). Dave also uses the frame rest that hangs on the side of the hive. There is no reason to set any frames on the ground and accidentally hurt any ladies. Judy in Kentucky, USA ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 11:40:44 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Midnitebee Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >I'm too inexperienced to judge the validity of your theory, but your >examples certainly are food for thought. How much salt per colony are you >providing annually with the TM dust and pollen substitute? Terramycin pre- mix contains salt! why add more salt? Herb Holly-B Apiary P.O.Box 26 Wells,Maine 04090-0026 http://www.cybertours.com/~midnitebee Can you tell if >the salt is being ingested at the same rate as the TM and pollen substitute? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 14:55:32 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garry Libby Subject: Re: honey vinegar Comments: To: ilogmria@CAV.PWORLD.NET.PH In-Reply-To: <02ee55822101a19CPIMSSMTPI08@email.msn.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello Joel, Here in the U.S., companies that sell beer making supplies sometimes sell the acetobacter starter (mother) to make vinager.Basically vinager is made by acetobacter bacteria that eat alcohol and produce acid. There should be beer making suppliers on the internet, maybe they could help You more, Your question seemed to draw a blank the last time I saw it, good luck in Your search. Garry Libby Boston, USA LibBEE@email.msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 21:36:09 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stefan Stangaciu Subject: Alternative methods against bee diseases. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Chris and Janet Sauer To: BEE-L@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU Date: Dienstag, 26. Januar 1999 13:45 Subject: Essential oils for varroa, OTHER bee diseases control and human beings. Seems to me that we want to keep our honey pure; despite the good doctor's claims that people will find "natural (bio) aroma-honey" attractive. I'm amazed that so many people seem to believe in the treatment without substantial, quantitative results. What's more amazing, though, is the suggestion that we sell honey that is contaminated with essential oils. Are beekeepers really that free and easy with what's put in the hive during supering? If so, this is as big a threat to our industry as any other. Hello dear Chris, Your above comments are for sure "emotional" ones. Please read again, more carefully, my last message related to the use of essential oils in controlling bee diseases. In order to give you a better "picture" of this very complex problem, please let me give you some more personal comments, as a MD practicing apitherapy for some years: * there are already too many pollutants in our bee products; of course, most of them are under the "risk" concentrations, but they are still there... * even if these pollutants will destroy only a couple of hundreds of cells from our body, why should this arrive? * "Apistan & Co". are extremely powerful poisons; * NEVER, a MD, ND etc. will accept with open and light "heart" the presence of these poisons in a traditional "pure", "natural" product; * generally speaking, mass media in many countries is not yet aware of these chemical treatments most of the "modern" beekeepers are doing, but can you immagine, my friend, what will happen when they will start saying that honey has inside so many chemicals, even if this will be in very tinmy amounts?! * unfortunately, many mass media people are looking for "scandals", and they will be ready to exploit such a "gold mine"; I saw recently in Germany such a big scandal related to a presumptive death through botulism of a suckling... Even if the sample with the "accused" honey was OK, the scandal continued... * in my humble opinion, if the beekeepers, world-wide will continue to use aggressive, chemical methods to fight bee diseases, we will have step by step a decrease in the bee products demand; please have in mind that this reality with chemical treatments will not stay for ever a "secret" for the non-beekeepers... * there are at least a dozen of very effective ways to keep under control varroa and other bee diseases through alternative methods; * there are already, world-wide, more and more good "bio-beekeepers"; it sounds weird... "bio-beekeepers" isn't it? ALL beekeepers should be 100% "bio"...! * the essential oils are NATURAL substances; in correct amounts they will never hurt somebody, on the contrary, it will help to get rid of many diseases, or will give just a better respiration. * if you do not want the essential oils in your products, as "contaminants", you can do the "aromatherapy" of your bee colonies, as you do now with your chemical method, AFTER you will collect your bee products, e.g. late in fall... I do not believe that practicing alternative methods is a "threat" towards the bee "industry"... I believe this is the ..salvation! Keep in touch! Friendly yours, Stefan Stangaciu, MD, LAcup. Constanta, Romania apither@gmb.ro www.sci.fi/~apither www.beesting.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 01:18:26 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Peter Hutton Organization: ZbeeNet computer networking for beekeepers Subject: Do you have killer bees in your country? CHRS: IBMPC 2 CODEPAGE: 437 MSGID: 240:244/116 52e1263d REPLY: 240:44/0 428d7f78 PID: FDAPX/w 1.12a UnReg(527) Hello all, I read and have heard on the radio Switzerland has the most colonies and beekeepers per hectare of any Country world wide. In the UK 1 person in 10,000 stands to die of anaphaltic collapse due to extreme allerigc reaction from wasp stings and only 1 in 100, 000 from a bee sting. I have met three people who fall in this catergory, they all have to self inject with andrenaline or andrenaline substitute in the event of stings/ bites. Two were beekeepers. The other is still alive and kicking but gets a mite upset when a swarm stops by. She won't come out of her house. Peter Hutton --- * Origin: Kent Beekeeper Beenet Point (240:244/116) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 07:12:29 +0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Joel F. Magsaysay" Subject: brood combs and wax moths MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Fellow Beekeepers, We get a long slow honeyflow that can last 5 to 6 months. I have used half depth honey supers and I have found that wax moths attack only combs in storage in which brood has been raised. Exposure to sunlight helps a little. However, just a little bit of shade between a comb and a wall can lead to wax moth infestationhere in the tropics. Joel F. Magsaysay ILOG MARIA HONEYBEE FARMS PHILIPPINES ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 15:29:26 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "(Thomas) (Cornick)" Subject: Re: Alternative methods against bee diseases. Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit The reason I use deeps for hive bodies (brood chambers) and mediums for supers is that anytime I put feed or medicine on the hives they are either without supers or I remove the supers beforehand. I have considered using all mediums but so far I like the size difference and the peace of mind that comes from not having drugs and chemicals in my wax or my honey. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 13:32:48 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Paul Walton Subject: Re: Buckfast Abbey Question ? In-Reply-To: <917083280.116134.0@uacsc2.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 In article <917083280.116134.0@uacsc2.albany.edu>, Ralph W. Harrison writes >Is Brother Leo still the head beekeeper? > >If he isn't who has taken his place? I believe that Peter Donovan is now the Apiary Manager at Buckfast Abbey. -- Paul Walton Bedfordshire, England. Email: Paul@adrem.demon.co.uk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 17:52:17 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: George W Imirie Subject: Re: Alternative methods against bee diseases. Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Tom: What about the footprints of your bees moving from brood chamber to super area? Also, what about the bees movement of honey to make laying space for the queen as the winter turns into spring? Researchers in testing for chemical holdover in wax that the only variant was the age of the wax in the colony. No difference was found in same age wax found in supers as compared to brood wax. I think that it is great that you are diligent enough to think of these things and try to help all of us, but in this case I think you might be "carrying coals to Newcastle". George ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 17:20:06 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Christopher Slade Subject: Re: Help relocating ground bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit It sounds as if the ground bees that you call bumble bees are in fact bumble bees. I have never heard them called ground bees. There are many species of bumble bees which are in the Bombus group. They are fairly large, rounded and furry. Other bees and wasps also nest in the ground but do not present this appearance. Honey bees are the only insects apart from ants that over winter as a colony. All the others rear a quantity of fresh queens in the late summer and the nests are then dispersed. The workers and drones die and the new fertile queens hibernate individually in crooks and nannies. The survivors will each attempt to start a colony of her own in the spring to re -start the cycle. Some species take over an old mouse nest as a ready made home and can find one by the smell. If you want to have bumble bees in the garden first find a child who keeps pet mice. Beg, borrow or steal the old nest material and in the spring when you see the first bumble bees flying put the nest material in a half buried inverted earthenware flower pot. Do several and this will increase your chances of success. Watch the bees searching for nest sites to see the sort of positions they prefer. The bees are not flying from the nest now because it has been abandoned. You will be able carefully to dig it out to see how it was constructed. Fill the hole to prevent it being re used by mice and subsequently more bumble bees. Enjoy your bumbles. Chris Slade ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 17:20:11 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Christopher Slade Subject: Re: Condition of Colony Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Sr Catherine should obtain a copy of a book entitled At the Hive Entrance by H.Storch which lists hundreds of observations which can be made without disturbing the colony and the deductions which may be made from the observations. Every cloud has a silver lining. Now that Varroa has been found in Ireland doubtless Sr Catherine will be using a varroa floor. Besides catching varroa mites which fall from the colony above onto the removable drawer of the floor everything else that falls stays there also as the bees are prevented from removing their debris by the mesh. Sr Catherine might for example find mouse droppings, chalk brood mummies, pollen pellets, fresh wax scales or lumps of old pollen on the floor and make appropriate deductions. The position of the debris on the floor will tell her which frames are being actively worked on by the bees vertically above. As far as I know nobody has made a systematic study of what can be found on a varroa floor and what it means. This could be another project for the award winning Irish students or a lucrative publication for Sr Catherine's convent. Chris Slade ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 19:21:34 -0600 Reply-To: lithar@midwest.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: AL Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Midnitebee wrote: > > >I'm too inexperienced to judge the validity of your theory, but your > >examples certainly are food for thought. How much salt per colony are you > >providing annually with the TM dust and pollen substitute? > Terramycin pre- mix contains salt! why add more salt? > Herb > Holly-B Apiary > P.O.Box 26 > Wells,Maine 04090-0026 > Can you tell if > >the salt is being ingested at the same rate as the TM and pollen > substitute? I too am too inexperienced to judge the validity of the sale theory but to further muddy the waters, I offer this tidbit: According to Richard Bonney's "Beekeeping: A Practical Guide", pg51, "Both the deficiencies or the presence of certain minerals can be detrimental. For instance, salt reduces longevity." I don't suppose Richard Bonney would happen to be on this list? AL ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 08:44:00 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bill Truesdell Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The question "how much salt" is on the mark. However the salt in terramycin is HCl not NaCl. Since NaCl seems to be the basic salt in biological functions, I would assume it is the one needed for bee biology as it is for ours. HCl also probably fits in, but is more likely synthesized by the bee, if it needs it, just as we synthesize it for our digestive system. As far as NaCl reducing bee longivity, it will do the same for a human if consumed in too great a quanitity. Just try to survive on sea water. You can get too much of a good thing. Bill Truesdell Bath, ME > > Midnitebee wrote: > How much salt per colony are you > > >providing annually with the TM dust and pollen substitute? > > Terramycin pre- mix contains salt! why add more salt? AL wrote: > According to Richard Bonney's "Beekeeping: A Practical Guide", pg51, > "Both the deficiencies or the presence of certain minerals can be > detrimental. For instance, salt reduces longevity." ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 16:41:33 GMT+0200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garth Organization: Rhodes University South Africa Subject: Re; Lloyds questions about S.hive beetles MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi All/Lloyd It is interesting hearing now the comparisons between the bees here and in the US. (BTW-I have seen hive beetles in the mountain bee race in Lesotho at 10000 ft plus above sea level - in an are which gets covered by snow for many months a year) Lloyd asked whether I ever have seen larvae in the hives -the answer is yes - in other peoples hives, and once in my own - an observation hive. My disaster- I set up an obs hive, with inadequate temp regulation and the brood cluster was on one frame not two for a few hours- when I fixed things they incubated the brood diligently, even although it was capped. They incubated it for 7 days, whereupon it imploded, releasing hundreds of larvae and a foul smell - which dripped down and stained a carpet. The bees absconded. The next round I used a much stronger hive and crammed them all into the obs and this did not happen again- hence my observation that damage occurs when the bees don't guard the cluster. In others hives- sometimes when people move bees they do it by day -leaving bees behind- such hives get zapped a bit by beetles, but not badly. If ants make a hive abscond, the beetles destroy it fast if there is brood. AND PESTICIDE - Bees will die at much lower concentrations of all pesticides I know than hive beetles. I have seen beetles in a hive which had been killed with a can of DOOM -a local contact killer for cockraoches and ants (Pyrethrum and organophos based) this spray lasts for 4 weeks. A friend of mine takes his bees to apple orchards, and he had a few dead outs from pesticide/beetle damage this year. That is the only time I have heard of a real hive here dieing. I will contact some of my friends who kept italians in the '50's when the government here was giving them away. Maybe they had beetle problems. I know they said the bees were ratty and not worth the effort of requeening as far as the honey crops were concerned. The reduced crop may have been because of beetle problems. If the florida conditions are good for the beetles, then so will those in Kwazulu-Natal and Mpumalanga province(where Dr Shim went). Climatically they are similar, but slightly hotter. Keep well Garth Garth Cambray Camdini Apiaries 15 Park Road Grahamstown Apis mellifera capensis 6139 South Africa Time = Honey ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 15:03:14 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Al Lipscomb Subject: Re: Essential oils for varroa, OTHER bee diseases control and human beings. In-Reply-To: <199901261432.JAA27952@mail.keswick-k12.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 06:35 AM 1/26/99 -0600, you wrote: >Seems to me that we want to keep our honey pure; despite the good doctor's >claims that people will find "natural (bio) aroma-honey" attractive. I'm >amazed that so many people seem to believe in the treatment without >substantial, quantitative results. What scares me is the thought that just because a substance is found from a "natural" source it must have some special powers that should exempt it from the same testing that a "man-made" chemical should have. It brings to mind the quacks of the old days when extracts from crude oil (itself a "natural substance") were to be ingested to solve any number of ailments. Al Lipscomb arl@suncoast.org 1275 4932 DFA1 97EB D3A1 903D 7563 2936 A66B 86B3 MCSE AA4YU ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 20:21:04 -0600 Reply-To: countrymeadow@ibm.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garland Allen Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bill Truesdell wrote: > > The question "how much salt" is on the mark. An article in the "American Bee Journal" is a good source of information. In the September 1998 issue page 662 is an article entitled "Salt - An Important Dietary Supplement in Honey Bee Nutrition". The article is a review of how salt levels effect the life span of a honey bee. The magic number from this sorce is 0.5%. The salt was delivered in a water source for the bees. The bees average life was somewhat shorter below this level but fell off quickly as the percentage increased from 1% to 10%. Garland Allen ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 02:28:14 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Olda Vancata Subject: Re: Alternative methods against bee diseases. In-Reply-To: <21100146817052@quicknet.se> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > From: Stefan Stangaciu Stefan > * there are already too many pollutants in our bee products; I agree. Especielly when thinking on how much water, air etc is circullated trought the beehive during the year and the enviroment outside the beehive is not the cleanest one (pollutants burried thousands of km). > * there are at least a dozen of very effective ways to keep under > control varroa and other bee diseases through alternative methods; Can you please give me an account of 12 alternative and effective methods how to keep varroa under control? Can you for each method describe: a- method; b - efficiency in %; c - time consumed for total treatment? Thanx \vov ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 02:16:10 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: www.varroa.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Some time back, there was some talk here about the varroa strips made and promoted by ZiYang Bee Medicine Factory Zhi Yong Wan No. 2, Qiao TinZi, 641300 ZiYang, Sichuan, Chine and advertised on www.varroa.com Several people said they would be ordering them. Since then, nothing. Has anyone received them? How do they look? Allen ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:01:38 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Murray McGregor Subject: Re: Alternative methods against bee diseases. In-Reply-To: <917381522.119113.0@uacsc2.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 > > * "Apistan & Co". are extremely powerful poisons; This is, I'm afraid, more of the usual OTT stuff regarding Apistan and its cousin Bayvarol. This opens a whole line previously done to death over and over again. Fluvalinate and Flumethrin, the active ingredients in the two treatments, are synthetic pyrethroids. This family of insecticides are amongst the most benign treatments available. They are man made adaptations of chemicals found in plants of the chrysanthemum family (pyrethrums), and, when correctly administered, place small, controlled dosages into the colony. They are nowhere near as noxious as formic acid. > > * NEVER, a MD, ND etc. will accept with open and light "heart" the >presence of these poisons in a traditional "pure", "natural" product; I agree, yet many people advocate taking propolis regularly. A UK based academic I was talking to fairly recently told me of research into contamination of propolis, and the samples were ones on retail sale, which revealed alarming levels of contaminants, especially lead which was present in such quantities as to be downright dangerous. Quibbling over of honey from Apistan treated colonies, and then advocating eating propolis which is a magnet for environmental contaminants, seems to me inconsistent. > > * the essential oils are NATURAL substances; in correct amounts they >will never hurt somebody, on the contrary, it will help to get rid of >many >diseases, or will give just a better respiration. The natural/synthetic debate is entirely bogus. Many natural substances are more noxious than many of the synthetic ones on offer. You just have to take each treatment on its merits and reach a balanced judgement. Whether the substance has been synthetically produced or obtained direct from nature is not particularly relevant. There are after all some EXTREMELY dangerous 'natural' poisons out there. > > * if you do not want the essential oils in your products, as >"contaminants", you can do the "aromatherapy" of your bee colonies, as >you do now with your chemical method, AFTER you will collect your >bee products, e.g. late in fall... Three years ago we bought 200 hives from the widow of someone who had been using Thymol. For exactly what I do not know and could not ask him as unfortunately he took the reason with him. The hives smelt differently, and it took two years to get rid of the smell. The honey produced from the hives smelt different, and was in fact rejected in Germany because of the smell and taste. We still catch the occasional whiff of it. I appreciate that when it is your own hive you may be able to put up with this, but try selling the honey on when its flavour and smell have been tainted! Authorities to whom I have talked warn that essential oils alone are NOT an effective way of dealing with varroa. Their effectiveness is less than current controls and is highly erratic. Unless you are operating on a small scale and can treat every colony in optimum conditions you should be very wary of adopting this strategy. Research is continuing all the time and an effective system may become available soon. > > > I do not believe that practicing alternative methods is a "threat" >towards the bee "industry"... Possibly not, but I would not want an 'alternative methods' user as my neighbour. I just would not want the re-invasion problem from those colonies of his/hers which were collapsing because treatment X or Y did not work. Using unproven/uncertain treatments is not a friendly act to those around you. > > I believe this is the ..salvation! Again possibly, but I feel that the bee breeders are those with whom the ultimate salvation lies. Murray -- Murray McGregor ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 07:42:01 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: RFC822 error: Incorrect or incomplete address field found and ignored. From: Ruary Rudd Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Bill Truesdell Date: 27 January 1999 13:44 Subject: Re: salt > However the salt in >terramycin is HCl not NaCl. Since NaCl seems to be the basic salt >in biological functions, I would assume it is the one needed for >bee biology as it is for ours. HCl also probably fits in, but is >more likely synthesized by the bee, if it needs it, just as we >synthesize it for our digestive system. I alway thought that HCl was an acid and not a salt. :-) Ruary Rudd rrudd@tinet.ie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 19:43:40 +0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Justin Knight Subject: Zinc MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Would anyone know if zinc supplements are advisable for bee keepers to take or would it merely keep bees away? I've read that insects are attracted to people deficient in zinc and that an increase in zinc intake is to help prevent bee stings. If recommended, what would be a safe dosage? Also, just yesterday I got stung by a bee above my eye and my eye is still half swollen shut (over 30 hr. later) When I first got stung by bees it seemed to be no real big problem. Then at some places where stung (on face or arm) it would swell up a day or two later and took quite awhile until it was back to normal. Could I have developed an allergy or is this normal? Justin Knight ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:41:44 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bill Truesdell Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit As a part of terra, terra is an acid salt. HCl is an acid if alone. The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics describes salts containing acid Hydrogen. It is in the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry section. I used HCl incorrectly in the stomach part where it is an acid- thanks. Bill Truesdell Bath, ME Ruary Rudd wrote: > I alway thought that HCl was an acid and not a salt. :-) > Ruary Rudd ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:51:38 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Richard Bonney Subject: Re: salt MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > I too am too inexperienced to judge the validity of the sale theory > but to further muddy the waters, I offer this tidbit: > > According to Richard Bonney's "Beekeeping: A Practical Guide", pg51, > "Both the deficiencies or the presence of certain minerals can be > detrimental. For instance, salt reduces longevity." > I don't suppose Richard Bonney would happen to be on this list? In retrospect, I might have said it better in the book. Not simply that salt reduces longevity but, too much salt reduces longevity, and better yet, not just salt , but mineral salts. The latest edition of "The Hive and the Honey Bee' has a chapter on Nutrition in which it summarizes some of the relatively small amount of knowledge on minerals in the bees' diet and gives a number of citations of past studies. Dick Bonney rebonney@javanet.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 15:00:46 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Haberl Organization: Hessische Landesanstalt fuer Tierzucht Subject: nectar quality - bee marking MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear BEE-Lers, I would like to ask you for help: 1) I recall to have read about an 'instrument' to measure the quality of nectar sources available for bees. Basically, the set up was a number of vessels that contain sugar solution in different concentrations. The bees are supposed to visit only those artificial feeders which offer sugar solutions at the same or higher concentrations than the surrounding plants do (more or less, of course, flight distance and other parameters are involved too). Does anybody of you have experience with this or knows of some references? I thought I have read this in the von-Frisch book ('Tanzsprache und Orientierung ...') but could not find it again. 2) I recall as well to have read about a method of mass marking bees at the hive entrance with some colour pigments. Thought it was in 'Bee World' or 'J Apic Res'. Could please someone point me to relevant references. I searched the archives but have not been successful as yet. Thank you for your help! -- Michael Haberl Hessische Landesanstalt fuer Tierzucht, Abt. Bienenzucht Erlenstr. 9, 35274 Kirchhain, Germany, 51n 9w Tel: ++49-6422-9406-12 Fax: ++49-6422-9406-33 haberl@mailer.uni-marburg.de ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 12:01:55 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Hive beetles-Garth's reply MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank you for your reply. You said, in part, "(BTW-I have seen hive beetles in the mountain bee race in Lesotho at 10000 ft plus above sea level - in an are which gets covered by snow for many months a year)" Shim reported that here in the US they have found the beetles killed at freezing temperatures. However, they froze some larvae for 12 hours (or so, I forget exactly) at 10 degrees F (-12 C.) and when thawed they were fine! Scary stuff! You also said "Lloyd asked whether I ever have seen larvae in the hives -the answer is yes - in other peoples hives, and once in my own - an observation hive." Implied here, and in your message where you talked about your observation hive, is that when larvae are seen "it is too late". If I have the combination of your and Shim's comments correct the story seems to be "seeing beetles in a hive is not bad, but seeing larvae is a disaster!" Is that more or less right? In other words, there does not seem to be a level of larvae infestation that is visible to a beekeeper and still harmless to a hive? If that is the case, and since beetles seem to be endemic in S.A., larvae must "normally" be elsewhere than in a beehive, and the beetles must be attracted to the hives from locations elsewhere. Feral colonies? Another host? You also said "If ants make a hive abscond, the beetles destroy it fast if there is brood." Are you being specific with your reference to BEETLES, or do you mean LARVAE? I suspect the latter, which implies that beetles are actually laying eggs in the hives, and the bees are somehow eliminating those eggs or very young larvae. When the bees are gone, the larvae can take over. What you find from the beekeepers who raised Italians will be interesting, as here it seems the bees are ignoring the hive beetles. Unlike in S.A., when beetles are seen in the US, larvae seem to always be seen. I for one, was around well before we had mites in the US and survived them, despite being almost wiped out twice. Moreover, I was never as concerned about the effect of the mites as I am about the beetles! Thanks for all your comments Garth. Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 16:46:01 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Beenetuk1 Organization: ZbeeNet computer networking for beekeepers Subject: The 1999 National Honey Show This years National Honey Show in London, England Make a note on your calendar now: Three Day Event Thursday 11th November 1999 Friday 12th November 1999 Saturday 13th November 199 Visitors are expected from all round the world. We have a Internet mailing list for news about this International Honey Show. To Subscribe to the mailing list Email: mailserver@zbee.com Subject: Messagebody: subscribe nhs The NHS Website: http://www.beeman.dircon.co.uk/nhs/ Note this site is constantly being updated when information becomes available. Thankyou STEVEN TURNER G6LPF Beekeeper/gardener Sysop of ZBeeNet BBS. http://www.beeman.dircon.co.uk/ Email: beeman@zbee.com .. Platinum Xpress & Wildcat!..... Nice!!!! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 19:12:03 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Giacomo Omallini Subject: Undetectable Honey Adulteration Scare Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Contribution to the "Honey-analog" debate. Article italian language LUCIA PIANA http://www.eurolink.it/aol/piana1.htm La determinazione dell'origine geografica nel miele e le frodi collegate http://www.eurolink.it/aol/piana2.htm Frodi sull'origine botanica http://www.eurolink.it/aol/piana3.htm Frodi nella composizione del miele http://www.eurolink.it/aol/piana4.htm Frodi relative alla denominazione commerciale 'miele' REGARDS. --------------------------------------------------------- Giacomo Omallini Apicoltura on line url:http://www.eurolink.it/aol mailto:aol@fr.flashnet.it 03011 Alatri (Fr) Via Termini 11 tel +39 775 408019 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 21:46:29 -0500 Reply-To: mayortb@ix.netcom.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Thom Bradley Subject: Tidewater Beekeeper's Assoc. Short Course MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The Tidewater Beekeeper's Assoc. will be conducting their annual short course April 16-17 1999 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The course is open to the public and instructors will include several Master Beekeepers. You may e-mail me privately or post here for more information. I will repost as the date becomes nearer. Thom Bradley Newsletter Editor Tidewater Beekeeping Association, Chesapeake, VA ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 21:32:06 -0500 Reply-To: mayortb@ix.netcom.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Thom Bradley Subject: Affects of mild Winter in SE Virginia MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello all, in particular Mid-Atlantic USA We have had a very mild winter so far this year, and we normally have mild ones. I have been performing weight checks for stores but have resisted the tempatation and stayed out of the hives. Today 70 deg. F, I went in the hives to asses effectiveness of Early Winter Apistan treatments and Fall menthol and to make sure we were on track to begin feeding 1:1 in a couple weeks.. Let this be an alert to 'keepers in similar weather conditions as Norfolk, VA area. 3 of the 6 colonies in this yard were already working on their second (at least) brood cycle. Normally we get a maple bloom about this time, the trees I checked have still not bloomed. Either I have selected poorly or the (surpise!) early dandelion bloom is providing nectar as well as pollen. I had just finished this Spring's management plan and then found I needed to begin reversing today. The weakest of the 6 had eight (8) count'em, 8 frames of brood and eggs. This is weeks ahead of schedule and will necessitate splits to prevent swarming despite regular eversing. Once the maple bloom is over we have a nectar but not pollen dearth so be prepared with lots of syrup to keep those huge colonies from starving. Mid Atlantic Coast 'keepers, check your colonies to ensure they are not ahead of you. If you have the opportunity to make bees and make honey, this may be the year to do it. Thom Bradley NC Certified Beekeeper, Chesapeake, VA Tidewater Beekeeper's Association ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 18:48:44 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Christopher Slade Subject: Re: salt Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Is the 0.5% by weight or by volume? Would 1 gram of salt to 199cc of water be about right? Does it matter if the water is chlorinated.? Would sea salt which possibly includes extra trace elements be better? How can bees possibly have survived as long as they have without us sorting out their salt for them? Chris Slade ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:32:43 -0800 Reply-To: tlc1@well.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tom Chester Subject: Langstroth and bee space MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have been looking through the 1853 edition of Langstroth's book, _The Hive and the Honeybee_, but have not been able to find any specific mention of bee space. Does he discuss his discovery in that book, and, if so, where? ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 20:47:49 -0800 Reply-To: ttownsen@telusplanet.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tim Townsend Organization: TPLR Honey Farms Subject: Re: Essential oils for varroa, OTHER bee diseases control and human beings. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Chris and Janet Sauer wrote: (snip) Are > beekeepers really that free and easy with what's put in the hive during > supering? If so, this is as big a threat to our industry as any other. Chris and Janet: No, most beekeepers are not that careless as to use treatments of any sort when supering, be it Apistan, Formic, Terramycin, or Essential oils. All are to be used in the non-production part of the season, with no honey supers present. Sincerely; Tim Townsend TPLR HONEY FARMS Stony Plain AB ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 21:50:01 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: JohnBee Subject: Essential oils for Varroa etc. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Stefan Stangaciu says " * the essential oils are NATURAL substances; in correct amounts they will never hurt somebody, on the contrary, it will help to get rid of many diseases, or will give just a better respiration." I am sure you never intended to imply that "natural" substances are, by definition, harmless. Many of the most toxic substances known are "natural", having been produced by plants or animals as part of their defence mechanisms, and you should be careful in choosing wild mushrooms to eat. What about essential oils? Well, there is nothing "essential" about them. They are more accurately known as volatile oils, which is what makes them of use in beekeeping. Many are complex mixtures. Several individual components are known to be quite toxic (eg methyl salicylate lethal dose 10ml for children, 30 ml for adults). Most components are of unknown toxicity. (read "What's so essential about essential oils?" written by USDA staff in The Speedy Bee - sorry I don't have the proper reference) Any substance ending up in honey has to be a bad thing. The problem with the use of "alternative" treatments is the poor regulation of the amounts applied. The chemical strips used to apply Apistan or Bayvarol do at least exercise this control, and are backed up by analysis to determine residues (Undetectable in honey, wax is another story) Any chemical, natural or otherwise, is very undesirable in honey. Surely the best approach is by management techniques in the season (eg drone brood uncapping), keeping all chemical treatments to the autumn when the supers have been removed? John Burgess, editor Gwenynwyr Cymru, The Welsh Beekeeper