From MAILER-DAEMON Fri Sep 17 12:52:06 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 MAA27245 for ; Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:05 -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 MAA11056 for ; Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:01 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199909171652.MAA11056@listserv.albany.edu> Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:01 -0400 From: "L-Soft list server at University at Albany (1.8d)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG9902D" To: adamf@METALAB.UNC.EDU Content-Length: 157651 Lines: 3647 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 17:03:29 -0800 Reply-To: tlc1@well.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tom Chester Subject: Honey-plugged brood chamber MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I keep about a dozen colonies in San Francisco and nearby areas on the coast. I use double deeps for brood chambers. (Keeping bees in such an urban area I want to give the queen plenty of room as one way of discouraging swarming.) Over the course of our typically mild winter, however, several of my colonies have completely filled the top brood chamber with honey, leaving no room for the queen to move up and lay. Several beekeepers I know deal with this problem by just extracting the honey and putting the empty frames back on the hive for the queen to lay in. I really don't want to go to the hassle of extracting those frames, especially in this cool time of year. Also, the honey in the plugged frames was gathered when I was treating with Apistan and Terramycin, so it would not be useful for human consumption. Any suggestions on approaches to this problem? One other bit of information: I want to do some splits this year and it would be useful to solve the plugged frame problem in a way that might fit in with my plans to make splits. I thought about replacing several of the honey-plugged frames with foundation to give the bees something to work on and maybe discourage them a little from swarming. But then I have to do something with the frames of honey I remove. Another beekeeper suggested that perhaps I could place the honey-filled box on the bottom underneath the active brood box, using a cappings scratcher to expose the honey in the plugged frames. Then I could place a deep super of foundation on the very top. In that arrangement, the bees might feed on the honey from the bottom box and draw out the comb in the top box. That way I could use the drawn comb in the new box when I make my splits in April. Would that work? Tom Chester ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 19:45:43 -0500 Reply-To: mpalmer@together.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Palmer Organization: French Hill Apiaries Subject: bee stings/strokes MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My wife's uncle recently had a stroke. This happened just after having a bad reaction to a "bee" sting. His brother the physician says the two events were probably related. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Mike ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 19:38:51 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stan Sandler Subject: Re: sperm storage and multiple matings Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi Rob and All: You wrote and I snipped three snippets: >The queen will mate with some 17-34 drones per mating >flight (gary 1963; Adams et al. 1977) and may take up to 5 mating >flights (Roberts 1944; Gary 1971).> >Genetic studies of the queens progeny using minisatellite dna >fingerprinting, as John Burgess has pointed out , and more >recently using microsatellite analysis (a more sensitive form of >genetic dna fingerprinting), has confirmed that the fertilised eggs >(workers) are derived from at least 10-17different drones (e.g. Adams >et al. 1997; Estoup et al. 1994) >Therefore why the excess, that is 17-37 drone copulations per mating >flight and up to 5 mating flights? I very much enjoy speculation about evolutionary adaptations and selection pressures. But perhaps in this case the first figures are merely incorrect. This is extreme presumption on my part, because I have not read the papers, but my understanding is that in the natural state it is very difficult to see a mating let alone count the number of partners. What methods were used? The second references are much more current and the dna fingerprinting is less open to error. These are the figures that have been mentioned before on this list as to the number of copulations (in the 10 to 30 range). I am not an academic and have no access to papers. I do not like to ask you to "support" their work, and I am not. But just a brief note as to your understanding of how they counted the drones would be much appreciated. Regards, Stan ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 10:33:20 +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: sperm storage and multiple matings MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Stan Sandler wrote: > The second references are much more current and the dna fingerprinting is > less open to error. These are the figures that have been mentioned before > on this list as to the number of copulations (in the 10 to 30 range). > > I am not an academic and have no access to papers. I do not like to ask you > to "support" their work, and I am not. But just a brief note as to your > understanding of how they counted the drones would be much appreciated. Regarding the method of genetic paternity determination, for example see: http://es.rice.edu/projects/Bios321/DNA.html You might want to click around on this whole site, as there may be several things that might interest you. Michael -- 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, 22 Feb 1999 10:21:21 +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: Use of sperm by the queen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit John Burgess cited Prof. Beaumont: > 2. There were roughly equal numbers of workers produced from the 10 drones, > so the queen stores the sperm but uses it equally, but randomly. A number of studies suggest that a queen usually stores UNEQUAL amounts of individual drones, but uses them randomly. This inequality in sperm storage may result from unequal sperm production in individual drones, unequal sperm transfer during mating or unequal sperm transfer into the spermatheca. > 4. When a swarm occurs, the workers did not divide randomly: they divided > very much according to their drone parents, the swarm consisting very > largely of workers from only 3 or 4 of the drones. End quote See e.g.: http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00265/bibs/7040004/70400271.htm Studies indicated that workers do not divide randomly, but I think it is misleading to say 'they divided VERY MUCH according to their drone parents'. The same is true for genetics and its influence on task partitioning: Workers from different subfamilies (having different fathers) may have different probabilities for different tasks (feeding, comb building, foraging, ...), but this is far from that mainly or even only workers of one subfamily perform one specific task. Michael -- 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, 22 Feb 1999 10:23:34 +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: Use of sperm by the queen MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Is it known how the queen stores the sperm from different drones?. Please see the abstract under: http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00265/bibs/8042004/80420247.htm > ... > On the other hand if the sperm is 'all mixed up' then we can have different > types of workers in the hive at the same time. Yes, this turned out to be the case! Please see the BEE-L archives. There already has been some discussion into this. Michael -- 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: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 10:43:33 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tom Speight Subject: Re: BEE-L Digest - 18 Feb 1999 to 19 Feb 1999 In-Reply-To: <919486980.2123732.0@uacsc2.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 In message <919486980.2123732.0@uacsc2.albany.edu>, Automatic digest processor writes >On the other hand if the sperm is 'all mixed up' then we can have different >types of workers in the hive at the same time. It is not unusual to see different types of bee in one colony. It is more easily noticable if you have dark bees and your neighbouring stock (managed or feral) is of light italian strain. -- Tom S ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 18:01:59 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Computer Software Solutions Ltd Subject: Benefits of varroa floors Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All I am compiling a list of the benefits of varroa floors for my local beekeeping association and to send it to the Irish monthly Beekeeping Magazine. Being aware of these benefits may make it more attractive for beekeepers to use such floors and to see them in a positive light. Since we really must use them if we are serious about our beekeeping, IMO we should derive as much benefit from them as possible, and use them as a window on the hive especially when we cannot or should not open the hive. I accessed the archives to try to learn as much as possible from them although this did not yield very much. I will chip in the little I have found out, maybe it can be added to and corrected, and then when all the data is received, I will send a 'consolidated' post to the List. These are the benefits as I see them. 1. During the winter, or at anytime, the number of frames occupied by the bees can be seen by observing the debris on the insert, as the outlines of the frames can be clearly seen. (This information alerted me the other day to a hive which I subsequently discovered was bursting with bees, and something needed to be done.) 2. Pieces of wax on the floor may indicate that the bees are uncapping cells and thus are using stores. 3. Where medication is to be applied e.g. menthol or oil of wintergreen, it can be placed in a suitable container and placed on the varroa insert surrounded by thumb tacks or drawing pins. Thus the bees cannot tamper with it or drown in it. 4. It is unecessary in spring to change the floor board of any hive equipped with a varroa floor. 5. Entry of moisture into the hive via the floor can be clearly seen. Some questions arise which may assist in eliciting additional information on varroa floors. I have noticed tiny little mites crawling around on the inserts. These little fellas move quite rapidly. What are they, can they be a problem?. Sometimes the debris is pale yellow and sometimes quite dark. Is this dependent on the colour of the combs giving rise to the debris and can anything be learned from that?. Thanks for all input as always. Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South Park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland Hobbyist beekeeper e mail cssl@iol.ie Tel + 353 1 289 5269 Fax + 353 1 289 9940 Latitude 53 Degrees 16' North Longitude 6 Degrees 9' West of Greenwich ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 19:22:02 -0400 Reply-To: jtemp@xs4all.nl Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jan Tempelman Organization: on trip in Chile Subject: Re: selfmade beekeeping gadgets MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Photo please they tell more than thousand words. gr. jan Bill Truesdell wrote: > Took the bag- clear plastic- and attached it to the > two poles making a square opening when you held the poles > parallel to each other. > Closed the bag by bringing the > poles together and twisting them. -- Chile op http://www.xs4all.nl/~jtemp/Chili.html -- Rotterdam------ 51.55 N, 4.29 E-------------- San Javier------ 35.36 S, 71.44 W-------Chile- -- http://www.xs4all.nl/~jtemp/index3.html Jan Tempelman mailto:jtemp@xs4all.nl -- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 13:10:34 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Re: Queen Introduction Cage MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ernest Gregoire states that queen introduction is easier in the Spring than during the Fall (Autumn in the UK). Is this yet another variation between our climates as I have found the exact opposite applies. As the strip of water between Tom and me is considerably less than between Ernest and both of us in the British Isles and Ireland, would/should the experience of Ernest apply to us? The problems that I have experienced with Spring introductions is coinciding with any swarm preparations that the colony may be making, but generally these can also be overcome by using, as Ernest states, the safest method possible - the introduction into a nucleus (always advocated by that great queen breeder in Ireland, Michael Macgiolla Coda, and by the late Brother Adam in Devon). Apologies to my UK beekeeping friends, (that includes Tom and Chris) too busy to dig out my copy of Wedmore but no doubt they will. Ken Hoare Shropshire, UK ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 06:35:27 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Paul Cronshaw, D.C." Subject: Bees in Plastic Bags Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bill Truesdell wrote: >I made a simple swarm catcher from two poles and a plastic trash >bag. I needed to get a swarm off the trunk of a tree. It was my >first swarm. Took the bag- clear plastic- and attached it to the >two poles making a square opening when you held the poles >parallel to each other. This sounds like a great technique for getting swarms but I would NOT use a plastic garbage bag. I did this one time, captured a swarm in a plastic garbage bag... and by the time I got to my apiary (10 min) the poor swarm had suffocated. I vowed never to do this again. I recommend a laundry bag or a bag with lots of ventilation. Paul Cronshaw DC Hobby beekeeper in Santa Barbara ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 10:14:57 -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: Bees in Plastic Bags MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Paul, I agree if you are going any distance. Mine were in for about five minutes and were fine at the apiary. Before I put them in the trunk I popped open the bag and twisted it shut inflated , so they had plenty of air. I did it again when I took them out of the trunk becasue I was worried about them suffocating, but they were fine. The main use is in getting the swarm from where they are located- in a hard place, to the box without having to position the box. It would work equally well on branches. I would not want to go long distances with either a plastic or cloth bag. The box is better. Bill "Paul Cronshaw, D.C." wrote: > This sounds like a great technique for getting swarms but I would NOT use a > plastic garbage bag. I did this one time, captured a swarm in a plastic > garbage bag... and by the time I got to my apiary (10 min) the poor swarm > had suffocated. I vowed never to do this again. I recommend a laundry bag > or a bag with lots of ventilation. -- If there is a zz before clinic.net, remove it to reply directly. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 17:02:19 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Robert Butcher Organization: Dundee University Subject: Re: sperm storage and multiple matings In-Reply-To: Stan. Hi. You are quiet correct to ask for justification of qoutes, regardless of whether if you are an "academic" or not. So no apology is ever required for that! > > >The queen will mate with some 17-34 drones per mating > >flight (gary 1963; Adams et al. 1977) and may take up to 5 mating > >flights (Roberts 1944; Gary 1971).> The number of mating flights is by observation. It is weather dependent and probably good reliable data. However it isnt confirmed that queens that went on lots (3-5) MATING FLIGHTS ACQUIRED SUFFICIENT SPERM IN THE EARLY FLIGHTS, EXCEPT THEY WERE OBSERVED TO EXUIDE SPERM 9SUPPORT FOR MIXING) SUGGESTING AN EXCESS RATHER THAN SHORTAGE. (OOPS sorry about the caps locK) The estimates of copulation numbers per mating flight are based upon observation and tethered queens. Both have problems that are likely to lead to probable overestimation. In the former case an observed drone encounter with a queen during the mating flight may not be an actual copulation. Additiopnally, drione grasping with the queens genitally may look like a brief copulation but again the female may reject the male before sperm transfer occurs. In the second case the tethered female cannot fly away, land etc and so it may be overestimated due to forced matings. I therefore would be happy with your assumption that these are likely to be overestimates (i neither keep bees nor work on them, so cannot comment!), but included them because the second point, namely minimal paternal analysis only yields the minimal number of copulations which successfully transfer viable sperm to the queen which she uses. this may be reasonable estimate of copulations or an underestimate > >Genetic studies of the queens progeny using minisatellite dna > >fingerprinting, as John Burgess has pointed out , and more > >recently using microsatellite analysis (a more sensitive form of > >genetic dna fingerprinting), has confirmed that the fertilised eggs > >(workers) are derived from at least 10-17different drones (e.g. Adams > >et al. 1997; Estoup et al. 1994) I should add the data of Haberl & Tautz 1998 here as well which is pertinent to whether if sperm are mixed following mating (sorry Micheal and thanks for drawing the list and me to it). Again they used microsatellite loci (dna fingerprinting) and showed the fertilised eggs laid sequentially are from multiple paternity, but do not change much over time. This is really good support for the sperm mixing arguement and so relevant to the original post. For those unfamiliar with microsats, i should point out it is a very reliable system if sufficient loci are used. > > >Therefore why the excess, that is 17-37 drone copulations per mating > >flight and up to 5 mating flights? Robert Butcher, Evolutionary and Ecological Entomology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Dundee University, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Tayside, Scotland, UK. Work Phone:- 01382-344291 (Office), 01382-344756 (Lab). Fax:- 01382-344864 e-mail:- r.d.j.butcher@dundee.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 19:07:44 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: P-O Gustafsson Subject: Re: Queen cage MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lloyd Spear wrote: > I happen to live only 40 miles (64 km) from Betterbee and have seen this new > cage. I just realize I got a picture of this cage. They have been around for quite a while in Europe. http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/biodling/req.htm -- Regards P-O Gustafsson, Sweden beeman@algonet.se http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 11:27:32 -0500 Reply-To: BobCan@TDPI.Com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bob Subject: Queen Clipping MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I went to a bee class a few weeks ago and we spoke about swarming. I asked if clipping a queen would reduce swaming and the I got was the queen wouldn't get far but besides that, clipping a queen makes the other bees think something is wrong with the queen and they will try to kill her off and supersede her. So I was recomended NOT to clip. My question is, IS THIS TRUE? ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 13:51:58 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Queen Clipping MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT > ... clipping a queen makes the other bees think something is wrong > with the queen and they will try to kill her off and supersede her. > ... question is, IS THIS TRUE? A queen "sufficiently damaged" WILL be superseded. A clipped wing is not "sufficient damage" for supersedure. Oft times the act of clipping a queen's wings CAN cause "sufficient damage" to cause supersedure, but that "sufficient damage" is not a clipped wing. Perhaps the queen was squeezed too tightly while her wings were being clipped and the tight squeeze caused internal (such as ovary) damage. As a means of swarm control, clipping a queens wings is ineffective. A colony with a clipped queen bent on swarming will do just that, it WILL swarm. The clipped queen will be unable to fly, will fall to the ground and be lost to the swarm. Without a queen, the swarm will return to its hive. A few days later after a virgin queen emerges the hive will swarm with a virgin queen. So clipping a queen's wings is not a swarm prevention technique, it's a swarm delaying technique. Recommended reading: _Swarming:_It's_Control_and_Prevention_ by L.E. Snelgrove (an oldie, but a goodie)> Aaron Morris - thinking the old masters are still the best! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 19:06:35 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Tom from Ireland enquired about varroa screens (floors). My opinion is:- the wax particles on the insert might be light coloured, dark coloured, large (not too large - mice), small or whatever, and unless the colony is dead they are going to be present throughout the year (they need to feed). But I fail to understand that you can judge the strength of a colony from observing an insert. What is learnt from all this useless information, that is apart from discovering the natural mite mortality drop. So much better to quietly remove the cover board and look down between the frames in winter, or lift the frames from the box during summer. Not enthusiastic about the use of any of the oils or crystals such as menthol or wintergreen which rely on evaporation, especially with our fickle weather where it can be hot one day and an anorak job the next, so could not add to the comments. Most certainly disagree when he states it is unnecessary to change the floors in spring, I should think the wax moths will revel in that statement as my experience is that whenever floors are in use the inserts have to be changed regularly, not only to observe the mite drop but also to remove the moth larvae. The floors also need changing regularly as the moths just love the edges and corners. No varroa screens are a tool to be used in beekeeping, just like the smoker and hive tool, and once they have served their purpose they should be cleaned up and put away until the next time. Regarding the multitude of creepie crawlies that can be found on an insert, and they were obviously on the floor before we started using inserts, maybe fewer as the bees would have been able to move them on, I think Tom will find the majority of these are just scavengers living off particles of pollen and the like - please don't say there anything else otherwise we will have no beekeepers left in the UK - that is apart from the Wedmore student in Shropshire, UK. Ken Hoare ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 16:19:42 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garry Libby Subject: Help Seeking Employment MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, Is there anyone on the list that could help this Gentleman find employment? He has a pretty impressive resume that I will send to anyone requesting it ,Or You could contact Him directly. Thanks in advance for any assistance. Sincerely, Garry Libby Boston, USA LibBEE@email.msn.com ********************** Dear Sir, I'm scientist in Central Veterinary Research Institute, Sofia, Bulgaria. I work in Department of Bee Pathology since 1988. I have pH.D. I would like to make specialization in your Center. I would like to inform you that I have two patents about ecologically pure medicines against Varroa jacobsoni and Ascosphaera apis. I also have ideas about other medicines in this area. Have you got any possibility to support me to make a specialization or to find a job in this field? Please more information about the conditions. With best regards. D.V.M. Ilian Getchev Tedy [kuksa@bgnet.bg] Attachment Converted: "c:\inet\eudora pro\attach\Getchev6.doc" Garry Libby Boston, USA 42: N 71: W LibBEE@email msn.com Illegitimi Non Carborundum Est ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 16:53:57 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Adrian Wenner Subject: Honey bees in the U.S. Comments: cc: rwthorp@ucdavis.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 09:11 PM 99/02/19 -0800, Steven wrote: >I am looking for information about the origin of bees in the americas, >specifically the date of entry of the insect into this continent if it is >known with any certainty. >Can you tell me an approximate date or century for the entry of this insect into this continent? ******** On 22 Feb 1999 08:33, Kerry Clark responded. I think I remember Dr Adrian Wenner in California, having researched the earliest importation of honey bees to North America. In May of 1993, Robbin Thorp and I published an article in BEE CULTURE ("The honey bees of Santa Cruz Island." 121 (5):272-275). We gave some background about honey bee introductions in that article. Apparently, the first United States honey bees arrived in the Virginia Colony in 1622 (a bit of research confirmed by Eva Crane in her volume, ARCHEOLOGY OF BEEKEEPING). By 1654 they had reached New England. Lee Watkins documented the arrival of bees in California, the first in 1853. Walter Sheppard published quite a complete account in the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL in 1989 (two articles: p. 617-619 and 664-667). Adrian Adrian M. Wenner (805) 963-8508 (home phone) 967 Garcia Road (805) 893-8062 (UCSB FAX) Santa Barbara, CA 93103 **************************************************************************** * * "Nature only answers rightly when she is rightly questioned." * * Goethe **************************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 20:11:20 -0500 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: Steve Newcomb Subject: Re: Honey-plugged brood chamber MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have the same problem this year. My bees have barely touched the honey in the top deeps. We discussed this at our recent association meeting. The best suggestion that I received, and one that I plan to follow, is to use the capped frames as a food source for splits. I hope to split my 2 strong hives into at least 3 new ones. I will take the capped frames out, and replace them with undrawn rite-cell, alternating capped and new foundation across the brood chamber. This should give me a good food source, control swarming, and get me more hives. This plan will only work if the bees don't eat everything between now and April 1st. Steve Newcomb Elyria, OH ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 20:41:51 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Paul Nicholson Subject: Re: Follow UP on Killer Ants In-Reply-To: <199902210242.SAA21128@alto1.altonet.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 14:02 -0800 2/20/99, Andy Nachbaur wrote: >We left our Texas beekeeper stuck between California and Arizona, back and >forth for a week. At last Arizona allowed the bees to be transferred to a >closed van for the trip back to Texas. They made it but 100% were dead. > >Another Texas beekeeper who had pressured washed every pallet as they were >loaded got pass the Arizona station, no problem, but because it was Sunday >no one at the California boarder station could pass the load. And because >it was a long weekend no one could check the bees until Tuesday AM. The story made the Los Angeles times today. A Texas beekeeper was stopped at the border because inspectors found fire ants in every one of the first four hives they checked. They parked the trailer on the tarmac at an airport in Blythe while the beekeeper tried to get the bees back. A local California beekeeper kindly helped the bees. Arizona would not allow the bees to return, Nevada did not care, and Utah said no. Finally the beekeeper was allowed to bring the bees back through Arizona in a refrigerated closed trailer. The Beekeeper estimates a $40,000 dollar loss. It's too bad we have this problem, because we sure don't need the fire ants out here. The little 2mm Argentine ants are a major pest. I have my hives on greased blocks of wood, which have to be regreased weekly. The Argentine ants have displaced the larger and less invasive native ants, much to the demise of horned toads (actually lizards), which feed on the larger native ants, and find the Argentine ants unpalatable (they smell awful when one smashes them). The Argentines are so small that they are hard to keep out of houses as they come in through the smallest of cracks. The nests have multiple queens and these queens will march off with workers and brood to start a new nest. I've found queen ants and brood living in the top of a box where the frame ends are hung, beyond the reach of the bees. Already there is an infestation of fire ants in Orange County, and a plan to eradicate them completely before they spread is being devopled. It's unfortunate that the poor beleagured beekeeper has to worry about yet another problem, and I hope California can work out an inspection system whereby bees don't sit in bureacratic limbo on the tarmac at Blythe Airport, but I don't think we should allow importation of fire ants in beehives. Paul Paul Nicholson Electronic Imaging Systems, Inc. TEL 805 532 1068 5148 Commerce Avenue, Unit F FAX 805 532 1065 Moorpark, CA 93021 U.S.A. paul@eisusa.com http://www.eisusa.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 16:14:36 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Computer Software Solutions Ltd Subject: Benefits of varroa floors Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All Thanks to Ken Hoare for the comments. I would comment further as follows: >But I fail to understand that you can judge the strength of a colony from >observing an insert. I was of the understanding that the strength of a colony can be estimated by the number of frames occupied. The varroa floor insert shows the number of frames occupied by the debris on the insert. Am I missing something here? > >Most certainly disagree when he states it is unnecessary to change the >floors in spring, Good point and taken. >No varroa screens are a tool to be used in beekeeping, just like the smoker >and hive tool, and once they have served their purpose they should be >cleaned up and put away until the next time. I understood that the varroa screen should be left on the hive permanently, and the paper/card insert changed to indicate mite fall against time. Again straighten me out if I am wrong. > please don't say there anything else otherwise we will >have no beekeepers left in the UK - that is apart from the Wedmore student >in Shropshire, UK. I too am a Wedmore student. I would heartily recommend 'A Manual of Beekeeping' by E.B. Wedmore. Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South Park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland Hobbyist beekeeper e mail cssl@iol.ie Tel + 353 1 289 5269 Fax + 353 1 289 9940 Latitude 53 Degrees 16' North Longitude 6 Degrees 9' West of Greenwich ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 13:48:36 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Sid Pullinger Subject: Boardman MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 For Mr Krengel et alia, The Boardman feeder is described in the 1905 edition of the ABC of Bee Culture by Root. Also in there is a biography of a Mr H R Boardman, born= 1834 in Swanzey, N.H. but moved at the age of one to East Townsend, Ohio.= = The biography was written in the present tense so he was still alive in 1905.so in all probability he was the designer of this feeder. S= id P. = ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 15:08:45 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Hive Thefts (from "Al Needham" ) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT For what it's worth ........... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hive Stealers - (PASCO COUNTY) -- It was a honey of a theft. Last month, someone stole nearly three-hundred bee hives from the Fisher Bee Farm in Tribly. The owners say the hives are worth more than 20-thousand-dollars. The Fisher family is offering a five-thousand-dollar reward. Department of Agriculture officials say their inspectors will be on the lookout=20 for the hives that contain an estimated 14-Million bees. = ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Al Needham Scituate, MA.,USA Visit " The BeeHive " Learn About Honey Bees And Beekeeping http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 20:06:04 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Tom is correct, an insert which has dross over its entire surface must mean that bees are covering the majority of the frames, consequently strong. But I still think that practical beekeeping, you know the stuff where you actually get your head into the box tells me more than many of these gadgets. That sounds as if I am not in favour of varroa screens, not true, they help us hobbyist UK beekeepers manage the levels of varroa infestations and will probably be needed for quite a few years as a varroa diagnostic tool (I still remain with that opinion, they are a tool for judging levels of mite infestation and should not be left permanently in situ). But during my slumbers I often dream of these American commercial beekeepers, the one's that I am told manage many thousands of hives, do they run around pushing sheets of paper into a space under the brood box? Hopefully they will tell me but I think I already know the answer. But if screens are used in the States (are they?), or even for our UK commercial beekeepers, us hobbyists with the time available to use screens can be of assistance to them, by judging the level of infestation in an AREA. Also in those dreams I can foresee a day when varroa is controlled just like the Acarine or Tracheal Mite is and maybe then these screens will join the graveyards along with the Apidictor and many of the other things that have recently been mentioned on this list. But until that day, those that have the time should use the screens to give an indication of levels of mite infestation, only a couple of days ago I put screens under some, not all, of my hives, tore open a pack of Bayvarol strips and inserted them and maybe tomorrow I will have a rough idea of mite infestation levels, light (can forget until more brood is being produced), medium (will have check again shortly) or high (when the strips get left in the hive for the full six weeks), and all other colonies in the apiary are also treated. There I have earn't my keep for the pleasure of reading everyone else's contributions to Bee-L and will now return to my 'reader only mode' as neither Tom, Chris or Wedmore himself will put together the Associations magazine, or as the wife might say, "When are you going to do something with this flaking paint?" Ken Hoare from a Shropshire, UK with snow on top of the hills (but only on the tops). ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 13:32:15 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors In-Reply-To: <20230191401630@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > ... I often dream of these American commercial beekeepers, the one's > that I am told manage many thousands of hives, do they run around > pushing sheets of paper into a space under the brood box? Well, I have only about 3,000 hives, but I have been pondering the same thing. I don't plan to use screens, but it has ocurred to me to have a kid go around sticking standard 8-1/2" x 11" white copy paper -- or some such thing -- into the entrances of a portion of the hives in each yard, then return the next day to count natural mite drop. Maybe the paper needs to be coated with Pam or spray adhesive or something like that. I don't know. I gathered from discussion here that established populations have a normal steady die-off rate, and that need for treatment can be determined from looking at the number of naturally dead mites that accumulate over 24 hours. I heard somewhere that up to eight was no cause for panic, but that seems high to me. This paper method -- if it worked -- would be a cheap way of spotting hot spots in the outfit and targeting treatment. Up to this year we had relied on spot checks using alcohol wash with occasional Apistan/stick board checks and never found anything. This year when we found three mites -- using Apistan and a sticky board -- in a hive that had been made up of window bees from the honey house, we decided that we were late in the season, running out of time, and had an infestation somewhere unknown of unknown magnitude. Our response was to 'nuke 'em' We spent $10,000 on Apistan and to put strips in every hive. Next year we will have time to survey and use a more IPM type of approach. $10,000 could go a long way if we did that. Is this a practical way to test, or should we be relying on alcohol wash and/or ether shake? Or am I on the wrong track? Allen ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 16:27:52 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Varroa screens MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ken Hoare asked, "But if screens are used in the States (are they?),"... They are not used much at all. Until very recently we were encouraged to use the ether roll. However, during the past year one researcher has determined that we are missing a good thing in not using screens, so maybe that will change. Last year I visited some beekeepers in France. I was surprised to see that not only did they have Varroa screens permanently on the hives, but they also took off the bottom boards! The bees landed directly on the screens and went up into the hive, as you might expect. When the sticky boards were not below the screens, the Varroa (and other junk) fell through to the ground. I was told they were left on, without bottom boards, all winter and there was no wintering difficulty that could be measured. The latest I have heard is that the ether roll will only pick up about 50% of the mites on the bees being shaken. I have stopped using ether roll and am now relying on drone brood inspection. Dr. Calderone recently said that 2 mites per 100 drone brood inspected are not a problem and do not require treatment. Twelve mites per 100 drone brood in the spring or fall means a beekeeper should treat in the normal course. In late summer, six mites per 12 drone brood inspected means take off the supers and treat immediately, as the hive is in danger of collapse! (These were the notes I took. As I type them, I realize I don't know the meaning of three or four mites per 12 drone brood in late summer..., sorry.) Lloyd Email LloydSpear@msn.com Owner, Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 18:26:42 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Gordon Scott Subject: Re: Chalkbrood? In-Reply-To: <04554384107839@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I've only Just noticed this -- (pay attention at the back ;-) On Fri, 4 Dec 1998, Excerpts from BEE-L wrote: > From: Christopher Slade [snip] > Often Chalkbrood is noticed when there is an imbalance between the brood > and the nurse bees, possibly following swarming or manipulations by the > beekeeper. I believe there's good evidence that chalkbrood is more likely when there's a protein shortage in the food for the larvae. That would happen when there are too few nurse bees and also if pollen stores and forage is poor. It's quite common in my area to feed a pollen supplement in the spring, primarily as a `kick start', but also as an added protection against chalk brood. G. -- Gordon Scott gordon@apis.demon.co.uk gordon@multitone.co.uk (work) Gordon's Apis Home Page Beekeeper; Kendo 3rd Dan, retd :-(; Sometime sailor. Hampshire, England. Linux -- Because I like to *get* there today. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 16:04:57 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Al Needham Subject: Re: Hive Thefts (from "Al Needham" ) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry I left out that the hive thefts were in the State of Florida, USA. Al Needham Scituate, MA.,USA Visit " The BeeHive " Learn About Honey Bees And Beekeeping http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 20:43:21 -0500 Reply-To: heritage.hollow@sympatico.ca Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: TED & JOAN PICHURSKI Organization: Heritage Hollow Honey and Herbs Subject: Added Ingredients to Honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have recently been 'shopping' honey and have noticed several different apiaries are selling specialty honeys which include nuts, fruits and spices in their whole form. Is there not a risk of contamination to the honey? What does this do to the shelf life? The products are not in any type of 'sealer' jar. Any information on this subject - I'm sure many are producing products of this nature. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 23:42:21 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Open mesh floors and varroa MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lloyd Spear mentioned Open Mesh Floors being permanently used in France and I believe that this is a system that was originally developed in Germany. Alistair Read from the UK was investigating, probably developing this method and along with many others I joined in with his trials. I only ran three hives on the 'Reid Mesh Floor', in the UK climate, for a couple of years and I found them great, my colonies would come through the winter very strong, with fewer mouldy frames and much to my amazement in the autumn the wasps quickly gave up on trying to enter what they obviously thought was going to be heaven. Why did I not continue using them, don't know really, maybe just breaking old habits. I did find that the installing of installation above the cover board was a hassle, but think all my varroa mesh floors are going to be used as normal floors this season. Lloyd stated that Varroa Mesh Floors are relatively new in the States, see you learn something every day. Have no contact with any of the book companies but Northern Bee Books have a very useful booklet titled "Varroa Mesh Floors" and I believe it comes complete with drawings of the "Reid Mesh Floor". Help me out Wedmore, I need to escape!!!!!!! Ken Hoare ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 08:25:41 +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: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Varroa floors are widely used in Germany for monitoring the mite population and to determine the effect of treatments. A number of studies have led to the following rules of thumb: Time: June/July (in Germany!, heavily breeding colonies) number of mites in the colony = natural daily mite fall x 120 The natural daily mite fall can be estimated from the total number of mites on the varroa floor (whole surface under the colony, or apply a suitable correction factor) divided by the number of days the floors were in (without any special varroa treatment!). The floors should be in place for at least 10 days to obtain valuable estimates. The natural daily mite fall should not exceed 5 - 10 mites, otherwise it is recommended to treat with e.g. formic acid, of course, without honey supers on. Time: October (Germany!, poorly breeding colonies) number of mites in the colony = natural daily mite fall x 500 Again, the number of days the floors are in place should be at least 10 days. The natural daily mite fall should not exceed 0.5 - 1 mite, otherwise treatment is recommended. This second mite population estimate is necessary because the mite population can be heavily influenced at this time of the season by mites hitchhicking on drifting or robbing bees. Michael -- 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: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 07:22:02 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: Added Ingredients to Honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT > ... several different apiaries are selling specialty honeys which > include nuts, fruits and spices in their whole form.... This is a more common thing as time goes by. I attended a session at a conference somewhere (can't find - haven't gone looking for my notes) on the topic and decided it was something I'll not do. Although the "product" commands a higher price in the market place, it is no longer "pure honey" rather it becomes "food stuff" and as such is subject to a higher degree of scrutiny by those who scrutinize for food preparation sanitary conditions. Rules and regs for honey production are stringent enough as they are, food preparation rules ad regs put the bar too high for me to attempt. As always, your abilities and rules and regs may vary. Aaron Morris - thinking honey production is tough enough! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 08:13:37 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rick Green Subject: Re: Added Ingredients to Honey Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I have had sucess and continue to experiment because the market is much bigger than honey alone. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 07:02:54 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors In-Reply-To: <11004088302859@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > A number of studies have led to the following rules of thumb: Glad to see that this thread is getting some good replies. What I'm looking at is some easy, quick, non-destructive way to do the job without screens etc. My feeling on using a sheet of paper was that, although some of the dropping mites might get back up, and some might be cleaned out by the bees (depending on temperatures, hive population, etc.), that some predictable percentage would remain for some period of time, and a benchmark could be established for the method. Now, maybe plain paper would be entirely cleaned of mites by the bees in some cases, but it seems to me that unless the cluster is in contact with the paper, that most of the debris would remain in the short run. If not, then maybe there is some other simple, cheap item that would work by holding the debris. Adding salad oil to the paper would ensure some traction, and mite-killing properties, using something corrugated would trap things in the grooves (Consider the kind of cardboard that is smooth on one side an rippled on the other). I'm looking for ideas here that do not require opening a hive or adding a miticide -- other than possible smoking with tobacco or grapefruit leaves. BTW, does anyone know how to obtain grapefruit leaves of the correct type? I'd like to be able to hire unskilled helpers to independently sample my bees for me without invading the hive in any way other than by inserting a paper and possibly smoke at the entrance. Anything more than that is a concern, since it requires beekeeping expertise. I don't need 100% accuracy, just ballpark figures. Sorta like the way the farmers check for Lygus Bug by sweeping around a set number of times in the crop with a net and counting the bugs caught. Allen -- Buy, sell, trade, get a job, hire help, announce a meeting, advertise a business or publication... For free *beekeeping related* classified ads, visit http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/BeeAds/ often. These ads work fast! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 14:17:43 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: IBRA Subject: (Fwd) Fraudulent Royal jelly research MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- I am writing to update you on progress by industry to unzip mandatory harsh warning labels in Australia and New Zealand based on research with significant faudulent content. Two medical journal article published by Leung et al 1995, and Thien et al, 1996, have been proven and acknowledged as being duplicates of the same study. Some labaoratory results were fabricated, ages changes, clinical details altered and/or fabricated. Conclusions, for example, that all reactors to royal jelly had raised IgE levels were clearly false - two of seven subjects had negative results. The statement was made that the subjects had 14 royal jelly IgE proteins, they never mentioned that their control group had 18. Warning labels in NZ have been postponed for two months which gives us some time to regroup. Any information that you can give us about any aspect of royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis and bee venom allergies/adverse reactions/warning labels that you are aware of from anywhere in the world would be appreciated. There has been one adverse reaction to bee pollen reported in Australia in 27 years! there have been 141 reported hospitalisations in New Zealand as a result of anaphylaxis to foods. Please send this through your international network -- we are desparate for any scrap of evidence. Cheers Ron Law Executive Director National Nutritional Foods Association of New Zealand ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 07:08:53 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Top Ten Beekeeping Websites In-Reply-To: <19154970013192@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT The top beekeeping sites contributions have slowed to a standstill. I'm sure that we have not named all the best ones in terms of content yet. Anyhow, in that vein, I do have the list so far at http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/ on my 'Links to other sites' page. There is a lot of new content on my site lately. Most recent is a page with pictures of pollinating in Southern Alberta on the hybrid canola, and the completion of the text and pictures on the ABA Super Canola workshop page. If you've been there before and just want to see what's new, go to the 'What's New' Link. I try to keep it up-to-date. Allen "If I make a living off it, that's great--but I come from a culture where you're valued not so much by what you acquire but by what you give away," -- Larry Wall (the inventor of Perl) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 09:57:47 PST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ernest Gregoire Subject: Re: Queen Introduction Cage MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Good Point Ken, Hopefully the readership here on the Bee-l will take my geographic location into consideration when applying the information. Cold and dry is very different than cold and wet. Grist Mill Apiary 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 ------------------------------------- 02/24/99 09:57:47 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 18:38:02 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Computer Software Solutions Ltd Subject: Benefits of varroa floors Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All Allen Dick poses some questions. >What I'm looking at is some easy, quick, non-destructive way to do the job >without screens etc. I believe you must use a screen to ensure that the bees do not clean out the debris as is their wont. I understand that it is important that the mite fall count be accurate, since treatment is dependent on mite fall and time of year. Maybe somebody can devise a system that does not use a screen. However, using a screen this is what I do. Place a sheet of plywood under the screen to which you have affixed a sheet of paper (vaselined if you wish to guarantee that any mite which falls on it is permanently held), (I use computer listing paper), and then fit a batten and a handle to the end of the plywood board. You now have in effect a drawer which can be slid in and out and which is moth proof and draught proof. And you are of course working at the back of the hive. Write the date on the sheet of paper, and then at the next examination, just slide out the drawer, check for mites right away or else remove and fold up the paper for later checking, and insert a new sheet of paper. (High winds are your enemy here). I have only a few hives and no varroa yet, however I am behaving as if I had the pest, since I do not know when it will appear, as appear it must. I do not know how a commercial beekeeper would view the above procedures, I am a hobbyist. I shall be grateful for feedback. Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South Park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland Hobbyist beekeeper e mail cssl@iol.ie Tel + 353 1 289 5269 Fax + 353 1 289 9940 Latitude 53 Degrees 16' North Longitude 6 Degrees 9' West of Greenwich ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 11:37:23 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Bees live in Hornet Nests MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT It must bee true. I was out hunting on the net and look what I found: http://www.beesinc.org/index.htm Allen ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 18:48:20 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Computer Software Solutions Ltd Subject: Benefits of varroa floors Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All >Place a sheet of plywood under the screen to which you have affixed a sheet of paper I do apologise for such a bad construction which could be misleading. What I meant to say was 'Place a sheet of plywood, to which you have affixed a sheet of paper, under the screen' Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South Park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland Hobbyist beekeeper e mail cssl@iol.ie Tel + 353 1 289 5269 Fax + 353 1 289 9940 Latitude 53 Degrees 16' North Longitude 6 Degrees 9' West of Greenwich ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 13:06:39 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors In-Reply-To: <18583914103625@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > I believe you must use a screen to ensure that the bees do not clean > out the debris as is their wont. I understand that it is important that > the mite fall count be accurate, since treatment is dependent on mite > fall and time of year.... Place a sheet of plywood under the screen to > which you have affixed a sheet of paper Well, we have been using White Koroplast(r) and Pam(r). which are a plastic imitation of corrugated cardboard and a spray cooking oil respectively. 'The Koroplast can be wiped and re-used any number of times, and the Pam is liquid enough to come off easily. We have been laying a sheet of 6 mesh hardware cloth over the board and pushing it into the entrance. Nonetheless, I am wondering how much bees removing debris is going to affect the results, and if it is predictable -- at least on an overall average basis. Since we are dealing with -- or hope to, if we can simplify the process -- large numbers. Obtaining individual hive results are not important to us. The screen is the major nuisance and expense in the project. Moreover, we heard a recent case where a respected authority fooled himself into thinking a clean operation had mites by re-using a screen that may have had a varroa or two hung up in it. So, I am asking the inventive enquiring minds here on BEE-L if they think I could somehow eliminate the screen -- or greatly simplify the screens. Allen --- Newsflash! Visit http://www.beekeeping.co.nz/beel.htm to search BEE-L archives the easy, easy way or to update or change your subscription options. --- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 07:53:04 -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: Fw: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Allen Dick Date: 24 February 1999 20:06 Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors >So, I am asking the inventive enquiring minds here on BEE-L if they think >I could somehow eliminate the screen -- or greatly simplify the screens. >Allen Hi, There is commercially available a small tray with a screen over it which can be slipped in on the floor board for use as a varroa screen. This or something like it could be easily made up for use in a commercial operation and inserted and removed by unskilled persons. On the use of screens is the disadvantage that unless the paper insert covers the whole area of the screen, removing the paper will not remove the wax-moth larva which will breed happily protected from the Bees. At the moment in Ireland, the use of the screens could well be only in Spring and Fall in conjunction with an acaricide to test for the presence of the mite. When it is found then use without acaricide will allow of a natural mortality count, and thus by using the calculator referred to last year the total population can be discovered and the period before treatment determined. As you should not treat with acaricides when there is a honey flow on, you can really only treat Fall and Spring, this being so testing between these two seasons is not of much benefit. HOWEVER, the benefits available by using the screen as a ventilated floor means that I will probably keep the screen on and place the floor and paper on at times when I want to test. Ruary rudd rrudd@tinet.ie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 07:44:10 +0000 Reply-To: alan.riach@which.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Alan Riach Subject: GM Enriched Honey MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The question just had to be asked eventually , didn't it ? How much of the honey originating from areas which are " experimenting " with genetically modified plants is likely to contain GM proteins ? Is it possible to analyse honey to the degree that traces of GM material could be found or does the modified form of the original GM material have to be known beforehand ? We'd better start thinking up a few answers to these questions because there is a fair old head of steam building up in Europe around the "blind " i.e. unlabelled supply of GM foodstuffs. Alan ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 16:07:00 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "David C. Williams" Subject: activity MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I have not received any bee-list communications lately(2-3 days). Is = the bee list down? I have a couple of questions as a total novice. 1. My bees seem to be throwing out a number of young, some with wing = deformities. I have Apistan in place in the hive, as my first thought = is mites. =20 2. I plan to start 3 hives this spring as soon as I can get packaged = bees. I live in South Georgia. Most of the winter the bees have been = active, stopping only on those days when the temperature does not get = above 60 deg. F. In South Georgia, that's about 1 or 2 days a week in = the winter. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Dr. Dave ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:41:13 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: Crisco Comments: To: miel@finred.com.mx Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable In a message dated 2/1/99 6:52:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, miel@finred.co= m.mx writes: > I have read about the terramycin extender patties made of (for two 1/2 p= ound > patties): Mix 1/3 pund of vegetable shortening (CRISCO) with 2/3 pound > granulated sugar. Add two tablespoons of TM25 to the mixture. (Espanol abajo) I am no longer using terramycin in oil/sugar patties, as there is some thought around that this long-term treatment promotes a strain of bacteria that is resistant to the antibiotic. I have gone back to using terra in powdered sugar only. Oil and sugar patties are still thought to help knock back tracheal mit= es, if they are a problem. I haven't seen much loss in the last couple years t= hat I attribute to tracheal mite, so I am a bit ambivalent about treating my o= wn bees. I think I'm going to treat some, and not treat some, and see what is= the difference, if any. <> I'm sorry Luis, I don't know the Spanish terms (?aceite or graso?). Cris= co is a trade name, so may not be available in Mexico. At any rate, it is onl= y used by hobbyists. The commercial beekeepers use plain vegetable oil (usua= lly the cheapest brand). Crisco is solid and must be warmed to mix, so it is a= lot more work to use. Furthermore it is hydroginated (sp?), and hydroginated o= ils have been shown to be one of the worst possible human foods. I no longer e= at margerine for that reason (we've switched to mostly olive oil), and I just don't like to feed my bees something I wouldn't eat. You can get rough translations (computer program) of short documents at http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/translate? Here's what it did to what I wrote: **time-out** yo ser ninguno largo utilizar terramicina en oil/sugar empana= da, a medida que all=ED ser alguno pensamiento alrededor ese este a largo plaz= o tratamiento promover uno tensi=F3n bacteria que ser resistente antibi=F3ti= co. He ido de nuevo a usar terra en az=FAcar pulverizada solamente. Las empanadas del aceite y del az=FAcar son pensamiento inm=F3vil a ayudar= a golpear detr=E1s =E1caros traqueales, si son un problema. No he visto much= a p=E9rdida en los a=F1os pasados de los pares que atribuyo al =E1caro traqu= eal, as=ED que soy un d=EDgito binario ambivalente sobre tratar mis propias abejas. P= ienso que voy a tratar alguno, y a no tratar alguno, y veo cu=E1l es la diferenc= ia, si la hay. <> Estoy apesadumbrado que Luis, yo no sabe los t=E9rminos espa=F1oles (?acei= te o graso?). Crisco es un nombre comercial, tan puede no estar disponible en M=E9jico. De todos modos, es utilizado solamente por los aficionados a los hobbys. Los apicultores comerciales utilizan el aceite vegetal llano (generalmente la marca de f=E1brica m=E1s barata). Crisco es s=F3lido y se= debe calentar para mezclarse, as=ED que es mucho m=E1s trabajo a utilizar. Adem= =E1s est=E1 hydroginated (el SP?), y hydroginated los aceites se han mostrado para ser= uno de los alimentos humanos posibles peores. I no m=E1s largo come la margari= na por esa raz=F3n (hemos cambiado sobre todo al aceite de oliva), y apenas no te= ngo gusto de alimentar a mis abejas algo que yo no comer=EDa. (I had to cut and paste twice to get the whole thing.) 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: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:48:00 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: Mating nucs Comments: To: miel@finred.com.mx Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/1/99 7:22:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, miel@finred.com.mx writes: > What kind of mating nucs are most used by commercial breeders? I am setting > up two mating yards with 150 mating nucs each and I am planning to use > normal size frames, so I think I will use a standard box divided in three > sections, then I will have three 3 frame nucs in the same box. It's a very common arrangement. One beekeeper I know uses entirely 6 5/8 boxes for his mating nucs. Two things to make sure of: 1. Make sure there is no possible crossover from any cracks (mismatches) or you will lose some of the queens. 2. The center nuc must have the opening on the back side. Otherwise you have three entrances all lined up too close. Bees seem to distinguish between right and left of two entrances, but the bees will likely not return into the center entrance at all. This means you have to make up a special bottom board. 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: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 10:06:49 -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: Chalkbrood? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gordon Scott wrote: > I believe there's good evidence that chalkbrood is more likely > when there's a protein shortage in the food for the larvae. That > would happen when there are too few nurse bees and also if pollen > stores and forage is poor. It's quite common in my area to feed > a pollen supplement in the spring, primarily as a `kick start', > but also as an added protection against chalk brood. I don't know about this. Several years ago I was much into the collection of bee pollen for commercial sale. In pollen from some of the colonies there were numerous chalkbrood mummies, so much so that cleaning of this pollen was almost impossible. It was experiences like this that caused me to leave the pollen business, even though it was much more lucrative than honey. I just didn't have enough time to hand pick chalkbrood mummies. Much pollen got through to the colonies, even with pollen collecting, so they were not devoid of food. Along this line, let me say that the second complicating factor in pollen collection was the presence of small Nitidulid sap beetles in the pollen. They were only slightly larger than pollen pellets and about the same weight, so they also had to be hand picked. If the pollen was not collected daily, these beetles would spread a yeast throughout the batch on the pollen trap which would ferment the whole day's collection. I mention this because these beetles are of the same beetle family, Nitidulidae, as are the small hive beetles we are hearing about these days. And just like my pollen beetles, these small hive beetles are associated with fermentation. Ted Fischer Dexxter, Michigan USA ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:56:40 -0500 Reply-To: Peter John Keating Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Peter John Keating Subject: Re: Fw: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --Greetings, when at the AHP meeting in Baton Rouge l had the impression that this deep screened varroa bottom was designed to trap the varroa under the screen, the reasoning being that the mite is unable to get back up into the colony if the bottom board is deep enough and screened.If this is the case, and there is heavy mite fall during the transport of hives (pollination) then this bottom board may be a tool to keep varroa levels at a tolerable level during the summer.Any thoughts from those who were at Baton Rouge? Peter ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 18:12:42 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Wolfgang_P=F6hlmann?= Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hello Allen Well, I think checking for varroa as you described it with a mesh over a board is not suited for untrained personal as you mentioned to use. When you insert this from the front of the hive you will bother the bees and may receive a sting if you are in a hurry. If you have a mesh floor you go to the colony from the back side and the drawer were you can count the mites is completely isolated from the bees by the mesh. Here mite counting can be done by any untrained people even without protective clothing because you dont get in contact with the bees. Also treatments that work with fumes can be placed on this drawer without any contact to the bees. I have some (old) hives with a closed floor wich I diagnose and treat in a similar way as you described and also have some mesh floors. Need at least double the time for the closed floor and not fun. I understand that the prize is a top argument for a professional as you, if you already have closed floors. I make these floors my self and think that they are relatve simple, should not cost more than the closed ones. So for replacement they are a good option. I found a diagram of Imhoff et al about the natural mite fall in October over the varroa population in a colony (test of 90 colonies). With 1 mite per day the average was 500 mites in the colony, but the minimum was 200 and the maximum 1000. The spread is quite big, but for the decision to treat or not this method is precise enough. Wolfgang Wolfgang Poehlmann, Hobby Beekeeper in South Germany Email: wolfgang.poehlmann@t-online.de homepage: http://home.t-online.de/home/wolfgang.poehlmann/imkerei.htm ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 17:17:49 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Scott Moser Organization: MailCity (http://www.mailcity.lycos.com:80) Subject: Vandalism Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings all, I am looking for any tips or advice anyone might have on vandalism of hives, and how to prevent it. I awoke this morning to find one of my hives tipped over. I am sure it was a person that tipped it over because the hive is in my yard, and there are no predators such as bears in the St. Louis area. I figured it was a matter of time before one of the locals figured it would be a good sport. I have been mulling ideas over in my mind as to how to prevent it again. I have narrowed it to two possible solutions. The first was to install an electric fence around the hives, but I am concerned about liability issues. The second option is to create a 4 strand barbed wire fence around them. I am open to any other suggestions anyone may have. I intend to split two of the hives, then move the 4 new hives to a new location, but I dont want to face that mess again before April! Thanks for your help all. Scott Moser Moser's Apiary Get your FREE Email at http://mailcity.lycos.com Get your PERSONALIZED START PAGE at http://personal.lycos.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 20:57:52 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ruary rudd stated >As you should not treat with acaricides when there is a honey >flow on, you can really only treat Fall and Spring, this being so testing >between these two seasons is not of much benefit.< > Kevin Stevens, the Product Manager at Bayers, when asked the question, "Can Bayvarol strips be used when supers are in place, and a honey flow is in progress", at a talk earlier this month to the Shropshire BKA (UK), replied, "Yes. Although it is sensible to try and avoid using the strips when nectar is being collected there will be occasions when this is unavoidable and there is no evidence that the chemical flumethrin is absorbed into honey." Kevin received, and approved a draft copy of a report that has been included in a local magazine. Adopting the timetable suggested by Ruary might mean you have left it too late. Regarding the insert not covering the whole area of the floor, the problem is that you do not get a true evaluation of mite drop (and an increase in wax moths). Ken Hoare ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:48:46 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors In-Reply-To: <17395489700202@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > If you have a mesh floor you go to the colony from the back side Hmmm. We have four hives on a pallet, so there is a problem with back access. Side access also would be a problem in that some hives have the left available, and some the right. Moreover, we have also spent a lot of money building the floors we currently use. > I found a diagram of Imhoff et al about the natural mite fall in > October over the varroa population in a colony (test of 90 colonies). > With 1 mite per day the average was 500 mites in the colony, but the > minimum was 200 and the maximum 1000. Hmmm. Again. There are several factors here, and I guess we don't get to see all the mites that fall, but that seems odd to me. When it appears a large percentage are not recovered on the floor. I forget how long a mother mite lives, but assume 50 days and that the mites are evenly distributed as to age at any given time. In that case, with a stable mite population, we would expect to see one mite drop every fifty days for each mite living in the hive. Thus -- if we saw every mite that dropped dead -- we would deduce that 1 mite falling per 24 hours meant 50 mites living in the hive. This is very crude, but, I think the logic is there. Extending this, then 10 mites would mean a population of 500 mites, etc. Now we have a formula: Drop=Population/Lifespan We can refine this further to Observed Drop = Recovering Eficiency X Drop And then Population = Drop X Lifespan / Recovering Efficiency This neglects changes in mite populations over the lifespan of one mite, and probably several other minor (I think) factors. And I am just guessing here at typical mite lifespan. Now, this brings into question the efficiency of recovery. From empirical data given we see that 1 mite/day observed using whatever means they used (I'm assuming a sticky board about big enough to occupy the entire floor area) means a 500 mite population. Using my number from above, we see that means we did not see 90% of the dropping mites. They escaped our sticky board. Interesting. If we reduce the area of our board to 1/4 of the hive floor size and centre it, then we will miss up to 97.5% of the mites dropping instead of 90%, assuming that the mites are evenly distributed over the cross-section of the hive (which they are not). Nonetheless, over a number of hives, one quarter of the floor area should be an adequate test for whether to treat the yard or not if the clusters are reasonably strong and centred. Shouldn't it? Allen ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 18:34:58 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: big bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Today was beautiful and I sat and watched the bees come and go, pondering my plans for this spring. I have been feeding 1:1 syrup and decided to see if they would take pollen substitute from a box. They ignored it so I sprinkled some on their landing board. I spilled too much and covered some bees. I thought that the other bees would clean them off but they didn't. It was interesting to see the white ones leave on a foraging trip and return. It may be a way to track bees to find out where they are working. Then I notice some large bees (3 or 4) coming and going in one hive only. They were larger than drones and flew with their legs hanging down. I needed to change the hive body so I decided to do so. I found lots of capped brood, larva, bees and honey. I did not see any eggs(I have never seen one so maybe I don't know what to look for) nor could I find the queen. I did find very large larva, all in brace comb on the top bars, about 3/4 " long and fat. I did not see any peanut looking queen cells. What have I seen today? I am in Ky USA. Is it too early for them to make queens? I have queen ordered to use to make splits. Some say leave the old queen in the colony and put the one in the nuc. Some say visa versa. How do I know what's best? ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 19:24:38 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Robert A. Roach" Subject: Formic Acid MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Now that there is an exemption from a tolerance, is there a formic acid label coming in the U.S.? Bob Roach ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 180 [OPP-300451A; FRL-5600-4] Formic Acid; Tolerance Exemptions AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This regulation establishes exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the pesticide formic acid in or on honey and beeswax when used to control tracheal mites and suppress varroa mites in bee colonies and applied in accordance with label directions. DATES: This regulation becomes effective February 22, 1999. Objections and requests for hearings must be received by EPA on April 23, 1999. - this part is interesting. I. Response to Comments There were 12 comments received in response to the notice of filing of the petition to exempt formic acid from the requirement of a tolerance. Nine of the commenters urged the Agency to proceed with registration and to grant the tolerance exemption for formic acid. Most of the comments which raised questions regarding use of formic acid, related to the FIFRA registration decision. Although these comments were not strictly relevant to this tolerance exemption, EPA has responded to all of the comments below. One of these nine commenters expressed concern regarding impacts of formic acid on short and long-term brood survivability, and potential absorption into brood nest wax, which might later be rendered and introduced into the market. It should be noted that in the United States, brood nest honey and wax are generally recycled in the bee colony, and not harvested for sale as either liquid or comb honey. However, if brood nest wax were to be marketed for non-food use, it would likely be heavily processed due to the marked discoloration of brood nest wax, thereby reducing potential formic acid residues. Regarding the brood survivability issue, one commenter submitted a research report entitled Sublethal Effects of Three Acaricide Treatments on Honey Bee Colony Development and Honey Production. This study investigated the effects of fluvalinate, menthol and formic acid (2 application methods) on colony development and honey production. Worker bee longevity, colony weight gain, adult bee mortality, brood viability, sealed brood area, returning foragers, pollen load weight, and emerged bee weight were not statistically different between fluvalinate- and formic acid-treated colonies, and control colonies. Brood viability, adult bee population, returning foragers, and honey production were not statistically different between menthol- and formic acid-treated colonies, and control colonies. Queen behavior patterns and the number of workers attending the queen were not statistically significant before versus after colonies were treated with formic acid. There were, however, small, but statistically significant decreases in bee longevity and sealed brood area in formic acid-treated colonies as compared to fluvalinate-treated colonies and controls. In addition, formic acid-treated colonies experienced slightly lower honey production than either menthol-treated or control colonies. The overall conclusions of the researcher are that formic acid is not detrimental to colony development or surplus honey production, and that the benefits gained from using formic acid to control parasitic bee mites far outweigh the slight decrease in sealed brood. One commenter urged the use of spearmint oil, which he considers less invasive, and one commenter expressed concern that beekeepers do not monitor the presence or numbers of tracheal mites before or after applying miticides. This same commenter urged the use of menthol as a less invasive alternative. The Agency supports the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) wherein pest population levels are monitored before application of a pesticide, and actively promotes the adoption of IPM practices using less environmentally invasive alternatives. Based on the information, data, and findings described in the preamble to the proposed rule, EPA establishes the exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance as set forth below. ### ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 19:39:16 -0600 Reply-To: countrymeadow@ibm.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garland Allen Subject: Article on Bee's MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up my new copy of Invention & Technology. The cover article is called "Bee Tech - inside an industry where the machines are insects". It is well written and covers the history of the beekeeping industry. The article was written by Roger A. Morse a professor of apiculture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. I am an Engineer and have received this publication for several years. The publication normally focuses on the history of items which have been a driving force in industry over the last century. Articles have ranged from the history of steam power to the history of the fax machine. This should expose a whole new group of people to the honey bees. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:12:21 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Vandalism MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT The best tip I know of regarding vandalism is to place your hives where vandals won't find them. This is a serious answer, not a joke. I have one yard where my bees are quite a distance away from where I am able to drive my truck. I had the option to move the MUCH closer, but the new location would have put the hives in sight distance of a county road. Fearing vandalism I chose to leave the hives where they were. At this yard the price of no vandals is a lot of extra work schlepping equipment back and forth to the site where the hives are unseen. Aaron Morris - thinking out of sight, out of vandals' minds! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 15:29:11 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stacy Brockett Subject: Re: Vandalism MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit What about a combination barbed wire/electric fence (alternating strands). Have you tried filing a report with the police? It lets them know that something is going on, and if you do catch the person doing it you should be able to do something about it. As for liability... I'm sure the idiot pushing over your hives could get away with suing you if he get's stung... This is what the world has come to I'm afraid... Maybe it would help to put up some signs warning of the hot wire, and the dangers (however remote) of being stung. This is advice coming from a non-beekeeper, but I do keep wildfowl and deer, so some of these techniques are drawn from that experience. Hope this helps... Stacy L. Spitz ) 1998 Stonegate Meadows http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1393 qwnramoth@juno.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 07:40:50 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: Re: varroa floors UK method (from Madeleine Pym) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Hi everyone, I have gone on a 'reccy' for you all to try and track down the 'official' line here in the UK (on the web) on varroa treatment as it relates to recent discussion and will mean you can drop those calculators, as the work has already been done. I recommend you visit this site, set up by Chris Parker, if you want to know more about varroa monitoring/calculations/drone method/varroa floors/ etc. He has reproduced the MAFF (Ministry af Agriculture, Fisheries and Farming) leaflet advising UK beekeepers. It will answer all those questions I have seen lately on BEE-L. Site: http://www.airtime.co.uk/beekeeping/apiary/maff.htm Madeleine Pym, London, UK ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 00:39:01 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Allen I apologise if you have previously received this message (computer operator problems) which was mailed a couple of days ago, but currently nobody has mentioned the system which will be perfect for the likes of yourself with 3000 colonies - the uncapping of sealed drone larvae. I stated in the previous mailing; "Now if I had 3,000 hives I know how I would go about detecting for levels of Varroa infestation and that is uncapping sealed drone larvae with the uncapping fork. Every time you go to a yard as you call them, quickly open as many hives as possible and search for combs containing a fair proportion of sealed drone comb, you will appreciate there likely to be the flank combs so you will not even be disturbing 'Her Majesty'. You need drone larva that are at the 'red eyed stage' which is going to be about 7/8 days after the cell is sealed. Not wishing to be too murderous a beekeeper I usually just remove a couple of cappings to judge the age of the larva in that area, but once I have found some of the correct age I run the spikes just below the cappings, give a little 'jiggle', a shake really which just loosens the cappings and lift. You've probably seen the photographs or slides of this process, there in all our Ministry leaflets. Once clear of the cells any reddish/brown varroa mites on the impaled larvae can be clearly seen against the whitish/cream bodies of the pupa. Its also a good idea, if you have got the time, to look back into the now open cells." The previous message contained more - too much - and seemingly failed the system but come back direct if I can be of further assistance. Ken Hoare bees@kenlia.enta.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 16:53:39 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Larry Connor, Wicwas Press" Subject: Wicwas Press books with FREE shipping! Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Dear Friends: During the past few weeks, I have been getting Wicwas Press re-established and want to offer my Internet contacts a chance to save some money on postage/shipping costs. Now through the end of March 1999, I'm offering Wicwas Press titles free of postage/shipping charges. There are two restrictions: First, your order must be prepaid. Second, we will ship by book rate (Special Standard) within the USA or surface book rate to foreign addresses. (If you need other service (priority mail, airmail, Airborne Express, or other express rate), ask for a quote.) And please note: Allow up to a month for delivery in the USA, and longer elsewhere. To Order by email ... ljconnor@aol.com ... List the author and title of the book(s) you want and email me at ljconnor@aol.com. DO NOT SEND YOUR ORDER TO THE SERVER LIST!! Include your name, postal mailing address and payment method. Include your Visa, MasterCard or American Express number in your email or send these numbers by mail or phone and leave a message. To Order by Fax ... 203-272-6574 ... List the author and title of the book(s) you want and fax me at 203-272-6574. THIS IS A NEW FAX NUMBER. Include your name, postal mailing address and payment method. Include your Visa, MasterCard or American Express number in your fax. To Order by Mail ... Wicwas Press, PO Box 817, Cheshire CT 06410-0817 USA ... List the author and title of the book(s) you want and mail it to Wicwas Press, P.O. Box 817, Cheshire, CT 06410-0817, USA. Include your name, postal mailing address and payment method. Include your Check, Money Order, Visa, MasterCard or American Express number in your letter WICWAS PRESS TITLES AVAILABLE FOR THIS POSTAGE-FREE PROMOTION LAIDLAW AND PAGE: QUEEN REARING AND BEE BREEDING. 224 p. large format softcover, 118 photos and figures. $25.00. PUBLISHED IN 1998. "Written for beekeepers who know little about genetics and geneticists who know little about beekeeping." Harry Laidlaw considers this his most comprehensive book on both queen rearing and bee breeding. It summarizes Laidlaw's life's work and incorporates the work of Rob Page. The large format and clear presentation will make this a frequently used book in your collection! Don't be caught without one this season! Coggshall and Morse: Beeswax production, harvesting, processing and products. 192 p. softcover. $14.95 >From beeswax production by honey bees to final uses by humans. Industrial processes are included. Morse: Making mead (honey wine). 128 p. softcover $12.95 This very popular book includes the history and methods of making fermented honey drinks and honey-fruit combinations. An excellent starter book for the new mead maker. Johansen and Mayer: Pollinator protection: A bee and pesticide handbook. 212 p. softcover $17.95 Survey of bee biology, the risks pesticides pose to bees, role of formulation and application methods, and ways to protect bees. Honey bees and other bee species are discussed. Ideal for the beekeeper as well as the farmer/grower/applicator in a reader-friendly format. Hooper and Taylor: The beekeeper's garden. 152 p. color photos, hardcover $24.95 A useful guide to plantings for bees, including flowers, shrubs and trees which attract bees for pollen and/or nectar. This is the best title on the market for those in search of a reference on honey plants... Morse: Rearing queen honey bees. Expanded second edition, 128 p. softcover $14.95 The ideal starter book for the beekeeper who wants to start queen rearing. Completely revised in 1995, this edition includes a chapter on rearing queens from Africanized stocks! Hooper: Guide to bees and honey. 260 p. hardcover, color plates, $19.95 Well-written, this American edition of this British classic offers much new material even for the experienced beekeeper. Jaycox: Beekeeping Tips and Topics. Softcover $11.95 My supply of this classic is just about sold out. Get your copy while the supply lasts! Adam (Bro.): Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey, 122 p softcover $17.95 Read Brother Adam's own account of the history and development of the Buckfast strain of honey bee which has shown mite resistance. Morse and Morse: Honey Shows: Guidelines for exhibitors, superintendents and judges. New in 1997, this 40 page softcover book sells for $9.95. It is a concise reference on preparing honey products, beeswax, honey baked goods, and other materials for a competitive honey show. Suggestions are made for both the exhibitor and the superintendent/judges, including scoring systems. Connor, Rinderer, Sylvester and Wongsiri, Editors: Asian Apiculture. 704 p, hardcover $49.95 One of the most comprehensive books written on the bees and beekeeping in Asia. This reference includes nine sections, including: Trends in apiculture, Bee biology (biodiversity, biotechnology, genetic manipulation and research), Beekeeping, Natural bee products, Bee botany, Bee mites, Bee pathology, Pesticides and Bees and Bibliography on Asian honey bees 1979-1991. Authors of the 80 chapters include: Eva Crane, H. Shimanuki, M. Mossadegh, L.R. Verma, T. Yoshida, G. Koeniger, N. Koeniger, M. Mardan, D. Smith, W.S. Sheppard, J. Woyke, J. Nakamura, M. Ono, A. Matheson, N. Bradbear, P.G. Kevin, M. Ismail, C. Chang, R. Kiew, S. Buchman, M. Sasaki, W. Rath, L. de Guzman, J. Trouiller, O. Boecking, W. Drescher, W. Ritter, K. Woo, J. Calis, H. Ramon, O. Van Laere, H. Pechhacker, T. Ha, M. Hornitizky, I. Fries, M. Gilliam, E.L. Atkins, D. Mayer, G. Giordani and others. This proceedings of the first international conference on the Asian honey bees and bee mites is a must for the serious beekeeper and researcher. IN PRESS HONEY BEE BIOLOGY AND BEEKEEPING BY DEWEY M. CARON. 356 pages, hardcover, hundreds of photos and illustrations. $35.00. Expected delivery Spring 1999. Reserve your copy today and save shipping costs! University of Delaware's Dewey M. Caron has received top University teaching and extension honors for his excellent teaching and presentation skills. A popular author in Bee Culture and the American Bee Journal, Professor Caron is the current Chair of the Eastern Apicultural Society of North America as well as a popular beekeeping lecturer. Now, Dr. Caron's textbook is finished and is "In Press." Dr. Caron and I started this project over 10 years ago, and I believe that Dr. Caron has produced one of the most comprehensive, yet understandable beekeeping textbooks ever written. Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping is based upon Dr. Caron's college beekeeping course, with a strong input from his beekeeper short course experience. The book is organized into two general sections. The first group of chapters deal with bee biology and behavior--what is a bee to foraging behavior. The rest of the book deals with beekeeping--from getting started to intensive managment; from apiary sites to varroa mites. This book is ideal for your library. For self study. To use as a textbook in a beekeeping class. Bee clubs may base beginning courses on selected chapters, and then offer intermediate and advanced classes with some of the remaining chapters. Order your copy today. If you reserve with a credit card, I will not bill your card until the book is shipped to you. DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE Wicwas Press offers discounts on most of these titles. Contact me for a schedule. Larry Connor Ph.D. Wicwas Press LLC P.O. Box 817 Cheshire CT 06410-0817 Phone 203-250-7575 Fax 203-272-6574 email ljconnor@aol.com (That's LJ not 1J) Thanks, Larry ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 08:44:27 -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: big bees MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Richard Spiekhout wrote: I did find very large larva, all in brace comb on the top bars, about 3/4 " long and fat. I > did not see any peanut looking queen cells. > What have I seen today? > I am in Ky USA. Is it too early for them to make queens? > I have queen ordered to use to make splits. Some say leave the old queen in > the colony and put the one in the nuc. Some say visa versa. How do I know > what's best? You saw drone brood in a very typical location. When separating brood chambers, this is a good place to examine for varroa mites, since they prefer drones, especially in the spring. They will be dark red-brown, and very visible upon the white drone pupae. I would advise always giving the new queen to the nuc. She will be accepted much more readily. Occasionally I have inadvertently moved an older queen to a nuc, and she will immediately jam everything with brood - not a very good idea. Ted Fischer Dexter, Michigan USA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 10:51:49 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Madeleine Pym Subject: re varroa floors UK method MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi everyone, I have gone on a 'reccy' for you all to try and track down the 'official' line here in the UK (on the web) on varroa treatment as it relates to recent discussion and will mean you can drop those calculators, as the work has already been done. I recommend you visit this site, set up by Chris Parker, if you want to know more about varroa monitoring/calculations/drone method/varroa floors/ etc. He has reproduced the MAFF (Ministry af Agriculture, Fisheries and Farming) leaflet advising UK beekeepers. It will answer all those questions I have seen lately on BEE-L. Site: www.airtime.co.uk/beekeeping/apiary/maff.htm Madeleine Pym, London, UK ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 08:21:12 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Gauthier Buddy J Subject: Quarantine MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Just like to share a letter I received from the State of Louisiana, Bob Odom, Commisioner of Agriculture and Forestry Memorandum Dated February 4, 1999 To: Beekeepers From: Jimmy P. Dunkley. Adm. Coordinator Nursery and Apiary Programs RE: Small Hive Quarantine and Survey The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) has implemented a quarantine prohibiting the movement of honey bees and used beekeeping equipment from any areas where the small hive beetle (SHB) is discovered. The Louisiana Beekeepers Association (LBA) requested quarantine action against the SHB at their annual meeting in December 1998, as it has been determined to be a serious honey bee pest and there is currently no registered treatment to control the beetle. Since the SHB is a recent discovery in the United States and is not known to occur in Louisiana, the LDAF imposed the SHB quarantine, effective at noon February 1, 1999. The terms and conditions of the quarantine are as follows: 1. Pest and Description: Aethina tumida-Murray, a predacious insect pest of the honey bee and hive related material. 2. Quarantined Areas - The states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina or any other state, U.S. territory, foreign country or geographical area where the SHB is discovered and is designated by the state entomologist as a quarantine area. 3. Prohibition - No association, common or private carrier, corporation, firm, individual, legal entity or any other person or entity shall bring, move or transport into Louisiana any regulated materials originating from or coming from the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina or any other areas where the SHB is discovered, except as set out herein. 4. Regulated Material - individual honey bees; honey bee colonies; package honey bees (including queen battery packs); bee hives; nuclei; comb or combless packages of bees; queens; used or second-hand beekeeping fixtures or equipment or any other thing that has been used in operating an apiary; and any other product, article, or means of conveyance, of any character whatsoever, when it is determined by an inspector that it presents a risk of spreading the SHB. 5. Movement of Certain Regulated Material into Louisiana Under Permit - Honey bee queens and attendants in individual shipping cages will be allowed entry into Louisiana from quarantined areas when accompanied by a permit issued by an authorized agent from the state of origin that certifies the bees to be from an apiary free of the SHB. Each certificate shall be based upon an actual inspection of the bees to be shipped or moved into the state made within sixty days preceding the date of shipment. If you have purchased or moved bees in the past from any of the states quarantined for SHB, please contact me and provide details of the honey bees and/or equipment moved. The LDAF will contact you during spring inspections to survey your bees for this pest. You may contact me by calling (225)925-7772. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. JPD Cc: Matthew Keppinger Craig Roussel Dr. Dale Pollet Steve Bernard Hope this informs you and not bothers you with excessive reading. Buddy Gauthier Computer Systems Analyst / Bee Hobbyist Cameco Industries, Inc. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Phone: (504)448-0339 Fax: (504)435-4704 Email: T802273@deere.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 10:37:49 -0800 Reply-To: pyramid@epix.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Pyramid Subject: Re: Vandalism/barbed wire MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There is a tendency among the users and sellers of electrified fences against the use of barbed wire. Once again, it is the legal and liability problems. Animals, particularly pets with collars, as well as people could be ensnared and held by the by the barbed wire and severely injured or killed by the continuous shocking. Multiple smooth wire fences with hot wires alternating with grounded wires provide a shock waring without the same chance of entrapment. Electrified fence construction is usually availabe at your local farm supply store. Burns ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 17:39:18 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rimantas Zujus Subject: Re: Vandalism Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-4" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Scott, Maybe, the Infrared sensors (IRS) would help you. A few years ago I was interested in IRS technology devices for protection of our summer cottage in a country. I have yet a short prospectus of STEINEL IRS equipment: For e.g. HS 5140 (Protection by light - Halogen Light Fixtures with 500 W capacity). As I remember, the range of man detecting is some 10 meter. Also, I was shown a similar device including sound alert. There are devices with sensor and sound alert boxes apart (two different boxes) and the sensor's electric signal is sent by the same power supply cable. (220V here). You can hear an alert sound besides your table (or bed :) and the light flash directed to your hives frightens the invader nevertheless who it is: a bear or a human being. I am sure similar devices are in shops all over the world. Sincerely, Rimantas Zujus Kaunas LITHUANIA e-mail : zujus@isag.lei.lt ICQ# : 4201422 http://www.lei.lt http://gytis.lei.lt/ 55 N, 24 E > -----Original Message----- > From: Scott Moser > I am looking for any tips or advice anyone might have on vandalism of hives, and how to prevent it. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 18:24:45 -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: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Ken Hoare Date: 25 February 1999 20:57 Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors >Ruary Rudd stated > >>As you should not treat with acaricides when there is a honey >>flow on, you can really only treat Fall and Spring, this being so testing >>between these two seasons is not of much benefit.< >> >Kevin Stevens, the Product Manager at Bayers, when asked the question, "Can >Bayvarol strips be used when supers are in place, and a honey flow is in >progress", at a talk earlier this month to the Shropshire BKA (UK), replied, >"Yes. Although it is sensible to try and avoid using the strips when nectar >is being collected there will be occasions when this is unavoidable and >there is no evidence that the chemical flumethrin is absorbed into >honey." Kevin received, and approved a draft copy of a report that has been >included in a local magazine. > I stand corrected but Mr Stevens is selling the product, also I would suggest that the use of his word "sensible" would mean that normally one would wish to avoid using acaricides when a honey flow is on. But would use then in emergency. >Adopting the timetable suggested by Ruary might mean you have left it too >late. Both Tom Watson and I are from Ireland where at the moment the outbreak is remote from either of us. (The situation which appertained in Britain about 5 years ago), We are both trying to be prepared for when the infestation reaches our respective areas. This being so we are monitoring for the presence of varroa, and I would suggest that the evidence is that there is about three years from first infestation to collapse of colony. Use of the BBC /MAFF calculator shows that a NATURAL mite drop of 200 per day in March is required before treatment would be needed in September. If testing with Bayvarrol or Apistan is used the mite drop could well be some 360 times larger assuming a 90% efficiency. Monitoring at 6 months intervals, combined with treatement when required should be adequate under these circumstances. > >Regarding the insert not covering the whole area of the floor, the problem >is that you do not get a true evaluation of mite drop (and an increase in >wax moths). I agree, but Allen was looking for a simple insert which could be slipped in, under the brood nest, and then taken away and examined, by unskilled labour. If the labour is suitably clad, the bees well smoked then the tray can be inserted and withdrawn. Ruary Rudd rrudd@tinet.ie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 19:33:40 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Scott Moser Organization: MailCity (http://www.mailcity.lycos.com:80) Subject: Vandalism Thank You! Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Greetings all, Thank you for your suggestions and ideas concerning vandalism solutions. It is unfortunate that we have to live in a society where these things happen, and would be a topic of concern. What bothered me worse than anything is that the bees are trying hard to come out of a winter, though mild it has been here, to such a stress at this time of year. As in all animals, stress takes it's toll. Most of the dislodged and cold bees appeared to make it back into the hive when the afternoon warmed up, and it appeared that loss may have been light. I guess a good thing was it is a strong hive that still had plenty of stores available. My concern now is loss or damage of the queen. Only time will tell now. I took a multiple approach to solve the problem. I installed 4 strands of non-electric barbed wire, and a temporary motion detector light. In addition, I insulated the doghouse so the dog can spend more nights outside. I also reported it to the sherriffs department. Hopefully this will deter any further problems. Again, thanks for your help and concern! Scott Moser Get your FREE Email at http://mailcity.lycos.com Get your PERSONALIZED START PAGE at http://personal.lycos.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 22:51:15 +0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Wolfgang_P=F6hlmann?= Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Now, this brings into question the efficiency of recovery. From >empirical data given we see that 1 mite/day observed using whatever >means they used (I'm assuming a sticky board about big enough to >occupy the entire floor area) means a 500 mite population. Using my >number from above, we see that means we did not see 90% of the >dropping mites. They escaped our sticky board. The numbers that I cited are without a sticky board! We have usualy only a flat panel (the drawer) on wich the mites fall. Sticky boards or oiled paper are not used. I dought that the efficiency justifies the amount of work involved. Do you have any data about this? The lifespan of a varroa mite differes depending of the brood in the colony (similar as for the bees). This is part of the reason why the natural fall off differs in times with bees breeding and not. Michael Haberl has pointed out this some days ago. When the bees have no brood you find only the dead oldies (dark brown) on the drawer. If they are breeding you find also youngsters that have not fully developed. These are from white to light brown. How are your bottom boards on the palettes. Are they four separate boards or one big board with four entrances? I understand that you, as a professional have to be very cautious about a new system, because you dont have your bees for fun plus a very small income as I do. But I think that the mesh floors are simply the best system for beekeeper wich have to fight with varroa. In your situation I would give them a trial for a few colonies and see how well they work. Diagnosis is a matter of seconds.1000 mites in the colony means 2 fall off per day. Compare this with the ether roll that kills you some hundred bees or counting the mites in 100 drone cells, nasty and time consuming. Further it is the place were you can treat a colony without any contact to the bees. Wolfgang Poehlmann Alte Schoeckinger Str.11 D-71282 Hemmingen ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 22:29:57 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: BBKA/MAFF Calculator MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ruary states >Use of the BBC /MAFF calculator shows that a NATURAL mite drop of 200 per< >day in March is required before treatment would be needed in September. If< >testing with Bayvarrol or Apistan is used the mite drop could well be some< >360 times larger assuming a 90% efficiency.< I believe he is failing to use the Conversion Chart at the rear of the BBKA/MAFF calculator which states for the month of March; Daily mite fall X 100 = Estimated number of mites in colony. (Rough estimation) So Natural Mite Mortality of 200 per day = 20,000 mites in the colony, a severely infested colony probably past the point where any treatment will prove useful, and way off the edge of the calculator which only rises to 5,000. Ken Hoare ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 19:44:45 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: James Chris Guppenberger Subject: Re: Vandalism MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There is a simple thing that I have used to keep unwanted persons out of my 'secure areas'. I located a local military surplus store and found a little device called a trip siren, there is a small pressurized canister attached to a trip wire. The trip wire is stretched around the hive area and when the unsuspecting vandal approaches the area and trips the line the pressurized canister emits a loud whistleing sound heard over a mile...... Another thing I have used because I am a law enforcement officer is available at most hunting outfit stores is a infrared sensor camera, it can be attached to a nearby structure and when the infrared beam is tripped it takes a picture of your suspect...all you do is take your camera to the local shop and have the standard 35mm film developed....and you have a nice picture of your suspect.. Depending on your local laws I have more ideas..... Chris Guppenberger jcguppy@gnc.net "When I talk about my honey....its my bees not my wife...." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 14:44:10 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Paul Nicholson Subject: How are varroa attracted to bees and larvae? In-Reply-To: <199902261837.KAA08923@alto1.altonet.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, Is anyone investigating what stumuli varroa use to find bees, larvae and drone larvae? Perhaps there is a chemical achilles heel, a chemical or chemicals that tell them dinner is served. If these attractant(s) could be identified, it may be possible to build a mechanical trap, like for instance a frame insert with mite sized holes in it lined with the attractant(s) and a sticky substance. How do they know drone cells from worker cells? Is it that they actively seek out drone larvae over worker larvae and if so, why? Or are they just able to raise more young if they happen to end up in a drone cell. Maybe there is a drone cell pheromone that they go after. Paul ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 18:16:10 -0700 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors In-Reply-To: <22453000802682@systronix.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > The numbers that I cited are without a sticky board! We have usualy only > a flat panel (the drawer) on wich the mites fall. Sticky boards or > oiled paper are not used. I dought that the efficiency justifies the > amount of work involved. Do you have any data about this? Nope. I wonder, though, where the other mites go? > Compare this with the ether roll that kills you some hundred bees or > counting the mites in 100 drone cells, nasty and time consuming. Further > it is the place were you can treat a colony without any contact to the > bees. Right I hate killing bees for no good reason, I'll give it some thought. In the meantime, I realised that there is an ideal product for catching mite drop samples without a screen: A sheet of Permadent, Plasticell or Pierco cut in half and oiled lightly, with a half inch or so hole to hook it by then pushed in with a wire poker or somesuchthing. After two uses (one on each side), a trip through the dishwasher would make it ready to go again. They are white and the deep depressions should make it hard for the bees to get the mites out. Comments anyone? allen ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 09:17:19 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "John K. Warsaw" Subject: Plastic Laminate for Varroa Floor? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Has anyone tried a sheet of high-pressure plastic laminate as a varroa floor? (Common brands in the US are Formica and Wilsonart. It is used over a substrate for kitchen and bath countertops.) This stuff is about a tenth to a sixteenth of an inch thick, and could be slipped in from the front without modifying the bottom board. Fancier rigs, with drawers opening to the rear or screen covers, could be made easily. The sheets could be sprayed with cooking oil to make them sticky, and could be reused just about forever. I haven't tried this, but it seems like plastic laminate would be cheap, easy to use by inexperienced people, and require no modification to the hive unless additional features were desired. Any thoughts? ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 09:13:12 PST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ernest Gregoire Subject: Re: Vandalism MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hello Scott, and Gang I am sorry you had trouble with your hives being tipped over. It is a sickening sight. My suggestion is taken from a page in home secutity. You did not mention how close you live to the hives. So I shall assume that they are in your back yard. You are not concerned about four legged preditors, so my suggestion is mainly regarding the 2 legged kind. This will work for either one. Step 1. Clean out a 6 foot area around the hives, remove plants and grass. Place pea stone, ( 1/4 to 1/2 inch stone) around the hive area to a depth of about 2 to inches where you removed the grass. Step 2. Buy a dog. The dog will hear anyone stepping on the stone path and bark. This will alert you and you can turn on a spot light, confront the intruder, call the police, etc. Little yippy dogs are great for this, Terriers especially. Grist Mill Apiary 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 ------------------------------------- 02/26/99 09:13:12 ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 13:18:24 GMT Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Computer Software Solutions Ltd Subject: Varroa floors Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All I have in front of me the Varroa calculator issued by MAFF in the United Kingdom. I also obtained from Dr Stephen Martin who developed this calculator, a copy of a paper entitled 'A population model for the ectoparistic mite varroa jacobsoni in honey bee (Apes mellifera) colonies' which was used to develop the calculator, and runs to 15 pages. For me at any rate, the research work has been largely done, and I do not believe that it is productive at this stage, for us to attempt to engage in figuring out our own home grown formulae or theories. I quote below some notes on mite monitoring which are printed on the calculator and which may be found useful. (Obviously these relate to the UK or to countries having a similar climate). 'Before you can use the Varroa calculator to estimate the period before control measures are required, you must first estimate the number of mites in the colony. This can be achieved by either measuring the daily mite fall or infestation level of the bees or sealed brood.' It then goes on to give equations as follows: (Do not let the word 'equation' put you off, this is only simple arithmetic!). 'To convert the daily mite drop into estimated number of mites in the colony use the following equations. ( E = estimated number of mites in colony, D = daily mite fall, * is multiply) Nov to Feb: E = D * 400 May to Aug: E = D * 30 Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct: E = D * 100. The value of 100 is a rough approximation and should be used as a guide only.' It will thus be appreciated that the accuracy of the estimated colony mite count directly relates to the accuracy of the daily mite fall count. And since the estimated colony mite count is the basis for when (if at all) treatment is carried out, the accuracy of the daily mite fall count is of paramount importance. 'To convert the bee or sealed brood infestation levels into estimated number of mites in the colony use the following equations. (* is multiply, / is divide, E = estimated number of mites in colony) For sealed drone brood use: E = Number of drone cells infested / number of drone cells sampled * Total number of sealed drone cells in colony * 10 For sealed worker brood use: E = Number of worker cells infested / number of worker cells sampled * Total number of sealed worker cells in colony * 1.8 For adult bees in summer use: E = Number of bees infested / number of bees sampled * Total number of bees in colony * 2.9 For adult bees in winter use: E = Number of bees infested / number of bees sampled * Total number of bees in colony' The following paragraph also appears on the varroa calculator. 'The calculator was developed by Dr S Martin of the NBU. For further copies contact NBU, CSL, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ (UK), or BBKA, NAC, Stoneleigh Park, Warks CV8 2LZ (UK)' I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Madeleine Pym for having found and told us about Chris Parker's site on varroa. It is an excellent site and I believe that it should be visited by every beekeeper. Site: www.airtime.co.uk/beekeeping/apiary/maff.htm I have learned a lot from this interchange, and thanks to all who posted replies to my initial questions regarding the additional benefits of varroa floors over and above their obvious benefits in combatting varroa. Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South Park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland Hobbyist beekeeper e mail cssl@iol.ie Tel + 353 1 289 5269 Fax + 353 1 289 9940 Latitude 53 Degrees 16' North Longitude 6 Degrees 9' West of Greenwich ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 18:33:41 -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: BBKA/MAFF Calculator MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Ken Hoare Date: 26 February 1999 22:29 Subject: BBKA/MAFF Calculator >Ruary states > >>Use of the BBC /MAFF calculator shows that a NATURAL mite drop of 200 per< >>day in March is required before treatment would be needed in September. If< >>testing with Bayvarrol or Apistan is used the mite drop could well be some< >>360 times larger assuming a 90% efficiency.< >Daily mite fall X 100 = Estimated number of mites in colony. (Rough >estimation) > >So Natural Mite Mortality of 200 per day = 20,000 mites in the colony, a >severely infested colony probably past the point where any treatment will >prove useful, and way off the edge of the calculator which only rises to >5,000. > >Ken Hoare > I stand corrected ,( mea culpa) I assumed incorrectly that the calculator worked on the natural mite fall so that the real figure is a natural fall of 2 mites per day in March equivalent to a population of 200 mites in the colony would require treatment in September. However, what I was trying to state is that if you tested for the presence in Spring and Autumn (Fall) using an acaricide for 48 hours, and if mites were found then continuing the treatment for the full period stated by the manufacturers, you would be using the treatment as the English MAFF recommend in their paper to which Madeline Pym referred. Ruary Rudd ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 19:04:14 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: P-O Gustafsson Subject: Re: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The plastic mite trap/insertion was mentioned earlier here. I have taken pictures of the model available in Europe for those interested. http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/research/temp/floor.htm -- Regards P-O Gustafsson, Sweden beeman@algonet.se http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/ ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 09:00:41 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Adrian Wenner Subject: Re: Plastic Laminate for Varroa Floor? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" John Warshaw inquired: >Has anyone tried a sheet of high-pressure plastic laminate as a varroa >floor? (Common brands in the US are Formica and Wilsonart. It is used >over a substrate for kitchen and bath countertops.) This stuff is about a >tenth to a sixteenth of an inch thick, and could be slipped in from the >front without modifying the bottom board. Fancier rigs, with drawers >opening to the rear or screen covers, could be made easily. The sheets >could be sprayed with cooking oil to make them sticky, and could be reused >just about forever. > >I haven't tried this, but it seems like plastic laminate would be cheap, >easy to use by inexperienced people, and require no modification to the hive >unless additional features were desired. Any thoughts? Yes. Material in the Formica brand, when not laminated to something, is actually very brittle; one can snap a piece off a corner with ease. I don't see how it would hold up well in the field. Adrian Adrian M. Wenner (805) 963-8508 (home phone) 967 Garcia Road (805) 893-8062 (UCSB FAX) Santa Barbara, CA 93103 **************************************************************************** * * "Nature only answers rightly when she is rightly questioned." * * Goethe **************************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 11:42:21 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: Plastic Laminate for Varroa Floor? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Laminate tends to warp. Perhaps with a frame it would be more stable. There appear to be 2 kinds of varroa floor-one to trap and count mites, and one to let them fall to the ground. Cardboard liner board might be worth a go. Liner board is the stuff on either side of corrugated like a cereal box is made from. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 20:26:49 -0000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ken Hoare Subject: Varroa et al MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable John K Warsaw asked about using plastic laminate (Formica) as a varroa insert. Yes, half of my inserts are Formica, the other half are offcuts of vinyl flooring (used upside down to avoid the pattern). The first option is definitely the best and mine being white allows the mites to be clearly seen. Don't know about cheap though, at least not in the UK, was just a c= ase of use what was stored in the garage before the wife found another job fo= r me. The vinyl flooring is relatively cheap and can be purchased in small amounts but all I have seen is a cream coloured back, but still useful. Interestingly, I think you can forget spraying them with cooking oil, coating with petroleum jelly or whatever as I find that within just a few hours they acquire their own stickiness. Its obviously droplets of nectar but more than adequate for the purpose. They are easily discoloured by fallen pollen but washing soda restores to nearly as good as new. "and I do not believe that it is productive at this stage, for us to atte= mpt to engage in figuring out our own home grown formulae or theories", stated Tom Barrett from Ireland. These must be the truest, most honest words ever spoken, and sentiments which if many of those around me had adopted would have prevented them fr= om currently looking at empty wooden boxes. I also believe the same applies = to the chemical strips, if the manufacturer states "use two" well use two, o= r adding to the report of Bayers Kevin Stevens talk, "UNLESS YOU INTEND TO = USE BAYVAROL STRIPS STRICTLY ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, DON=92T USE TH= EM AT ALL." Regarding 'Vandalism'. I would hate to promote anything other than that o= ur bees are hard working creatures who might sting simply to defend their ho= me, as would we all. Several years ago keeping colonies in an old ladies gard= en in central London the 'lads' found them and caused havoc during two or th= ree visits, and the person that suffered was the old lady with many stings. Before moving them she gave me permission to erect the largest sign possible, but only visible to those entering her garden, stating, "THESE BEE'S KILL". It may have been coincidence but the attacks immediately ceased. Ken Hoare ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 12:31:00 +1200 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lewis Subject: Brix Scale, honey moisture conversion MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I am trying to find a Brix scale to honey moisture content conversion table or formula. I have access to a Brix 58 to 92% refractometer and need to use it in a meaningful way. Perhaps someone can point me towards a source of this information or give me any rules of thumb that they use in determining the moisture content of honey using a Brix scale refractometer. Thanks, John Fiji Islands 18S 178E ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 07:40:02 -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: Benefits of varroa floors MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Abitibi- I am not sure of the spelling- is a 1/8 inch thick board with a smooth formica like side my wife uses as a backing for her painting. I bought it at a local lumber dealer. It comes in 4 by 8 foot sheets. It seems to be stable but not sure about weathering. But if it only a one day use, it might be a good candidate for a varroa board. One side is smooth white plastic and the other side looks like masonite. I recall the price was not much more than a regular 1/4 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. Bill Truesdell Bath, ME ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 15:18:20 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rune Stenseth Subject: Phacelia Tanacetifolia MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Does anyone have any experience with Phacelia as a means of securing nectar and pollen for the bees? How efficient is this plant? Rumours say this is the most effective plant one can use here in Norway. How big area would one use pr. hive?, or, how do one measure/calculate the use of Phacelia? Best Regards Rune Stenseth Secretary Ullensaker Birxkterlag -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Address: Gudmundsrud Gaard - 2056 Algarheim Norway Email: rsten@online.no - Mobile +47 93 29 34 31 Phone: +47 63 98 64 99 / +47 63 97 72 29 Fax: +47 63 97 46 65 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 15:23:06 +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: Brix Scale, honey moisture conversion Comments: To: Lewis MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The brix scale is not correct. In holland they learn that you must take the read of the scale + 1.7 % brix = moisture content of the honey. Beekeeper greatings. Jan Kruit Lewis wrote: > I am trying to find a Brix scale to honey moisture content conversion table > or formula. I have access to a Brix 58 to 92% refractometer and need to use > it in a meaningful way. Perhaps someone can point me towards a source of > this information or give me any rules of thumb that they use in determining > the moisture content of honey using a Brix scale refractometer. > > Thanks, > > John > Fiji Islands > 18S 178E ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 09:28:14 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: Vandalism Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 2/26/99 7:55:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, SYSAM@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU writes: > The best tip I know of regarding vandalism is to place your hives where > vandals won't find them. Right on, Aaron. Along the same line; a favorite mistake of many beekeepers is to paint their hive white. Paint them a more neutral color, so they don't stand out so much. Again, a hive that's not noticed, is much less likely to be vandalized A local painter drains all his used paint cans into a five gallon pail. He gets some interesting colors, browns, grays, greens.....I love it. He supplies me with all the paint I need for a few honey jars. Also, most vandalism occurs the first year the bees are situated in a spot. Generally people who know about them have accepted them and don't bother after that. I have very little vandalism in bee yards, but do have some each year in the fields. When you do pollination, you should figure some vandalism as part of the cost. 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