From MAILER-DAEMON Fri Sep 17 12:52:14 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 MAA27260 for ; Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:07 -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 MAA11065 for ; Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:03 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199909171652.MAA11065@listserv.albany.edu> Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:52:03 -0400 From: "L-Soft list server at University at Albany (1.8d)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG9903C" To: adamf@METALAB.UNC.EDU Content-Length: 131172 Lines: 2874 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 02:19:01 -0300 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Hugo Aguirre Subject: FGMO vs. varroa Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Following Dr. Rodriguez's idea about using FGMO against the varroa, prevention and or treatment, I used it this season and as a result now I have the same kind of hive that I use to have before varroa cames up here: 2% hive death rate during wintering - 20 % before FGMO - and 0 % during spring or summer time - 5% before FGMO- twice nucs and honey/hive. To my 300 hives I just sprayed inside of the boxes and in the top bar a mixture (prepared just before to use it, and well shaked when it is used) 1 lt. water + 200 gr. sugar + 100 cc FGMO (lasts for 50-70 hives). They were sprayed: at the end of winter (1 time), in the beginning of spring (2 times each 15 days), and the end of fall (2 times each 15 days). I hope this is usefull for some-one who needs a cheap, easy and effective treatment against that mite, like it was to me.- Good luck - good crop - good prices ** Hugo Aguirre =====> hugoagui@sguillermo.datacop3.com.ar ********************************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 13:34:10 -0500 Reply-To: slnewc@alltel.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Steve Newcomb Subject: Sugar water recipe MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I will be teaching a pest & disease class to new beekeepers soon. I will be discussing Fumidil-B and feeding. Since most of these new beekeepers will only have one hive, I'd like to give them a recipe for 1 gallon of the mix. Using the Fumidil-B instructions, plus my wife's cookbooks, I have calculated that 1 gallon of 2:1 syrup is equal to 7 Cups + 5 Tablespoons of water, mixed with 17 1/2 Cups + 1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons of sugar. If Fumidil-B is required, add 1 rounded teaspoon to 4 Tablespoons of hot (100 - 120 degree F) water, mix thoroughly, and add to above COOLED mixture of 2:1 sugar water. I know the measurements are pretty exact, but thetas what I have calculated. I would appreciate someone reviewing this recipe to double check that my measurements are correct. Thank you Steve Newcomb Elyria, OH ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 19:27:56 -0800 Reply-To: compost@telusplanet.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ted Leischner Subject: Hive Losses in North America caused by Mite Infestation MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I am looking for up to date statistics on the number of hives or percentage of hives being lost to mite infestation in North America. I am writing a proposal and need to quantify this trend and indicate whether the trend is being held in check or if hive losses are increasing? The context of the proposal focuses on the impact of mites on the pollination of crops. Can you assist me? Your input would be greatly appreciated. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 19:17:42 -0800 Reply-To: compost@telusplanet.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ted Leischner Subject: Multiple entrances for Observation Hives MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Would a top and bottom entrance benefit a six-frame observation hive? Would such a system improve the wintering success of a six-frame observation hive in Calgary, Alberta, Canada? Thanks for any and all input and shared experiences. Ted Leischner. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 14:16:42 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Yves Layec Subject: imidaclopride Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi. In France "imidaclopride", a systemic insecticide, is used to cover seeds of cultures such as sunflower, corn, beetroot, and some others, under the trade name GAUCHO, manufactured and sold by BAYER Cie. Beekeepers suspect it to be the cause of decreases in honey production, losses and mortalities of bees, and so on. After some studies last year, the results of which are controversial, in january the french minister of agriculture interrupted the use of Gaucho on sunflower only . I would like to know if such a problem is encountered in other countries where imidaclopride is used, and what are the actions engaged by beekeepers. Thanks. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 09:43:48 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tom Sanford Subject: Re: Drying bee pollen? Comments: To: "S.T.W.H.S." MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Mike, I think seed driers have been used with good success, but don't have any specifics. I am sending your query to the bee-l list for possible input. Tom Sanford S.T.W.H.S. wrote: > > What's the best ways to dry bee pollen commercially? > Thank you, > Mike ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 10:44:57 -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: Advice on hive set-up for feeding MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jeffrey R. Hills wrote: > A "lift test" shows two feeling somewhat > light. I propose to feed using those black plastic in-the-hive > feeders. Do I position them ABOVE the top board so the bees commute up > through the hole in the board to an otherwise empty deep super? Or do I > put the new deep super with just the feeder in it UNDER the top board, > opening up a whole new cold place above the frames where the bees have > made it through the winter so far? If you are talking about the division board feeders, those that go in the place of a frame, I wouldn't advise it at this time of the year. Better to put a zip-lock bag feeder on the top bars (although not on the bees!) in an empty super, then the inner cover on top of that. Or, if you expect it to get cold again, put on candy boards. They are excellent feeders for cold weather. Check out the archives for directions. Ted Fischer Dexter, Michigan USA ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 08:44:45 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jerry J Bromenshenk Subject: Re: Multiple entrances for Observation Hives In-Reply-To: <199903151231.FAA22007@selway.umt.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 07:17 PM 3/12/1999 -0800, you wrote: I am not sure what benefit would be achieved by a top and bottom entrance. My four and five frame observation hives have either a bottom or a top entrance. Assuming that the hives are indoors, I prefer a bottom entrance. However, the hive in my office has a top entrance - otherwise the bees would exit the window too close to the lawn. The bees had no problem adjusting to the top entrance, but they don't do as good a job cleaning out dead bees. Dragging them up to the top is difficult. If they drop the bee and it falls to the bottom - they rarely go back down. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind or the bee equivalent. The colony also tends to hang high in the hive, often ignoring the bottom frame. I had to provide a cleanout in the bottom. The bottom entrance makes for easier management. The bees usually take out the dead bees, and they work more from the bottom up in the hive. It is also easier to feed them with a bottom entrance hive. We found that you can't put a feeder at the bottom of a top entrance hive and expect the bees to find/use it. I always provide ventilation at the top of the hive. In our climate, without some air flow, moisture condenses on the glass sides. Also, until recently, I used glass, but I now use Lexan. The bees haven't glued it up any worse than glass, and it sure adds a big safety margin. Cheers Jerry >Would a top and bottom entrance benefit a six-frame observation hive? >Would such a system improve the wintering success of a six-frame >observation hive in Calgary, Alberta, Canada? Thanks for any and all >input and shared experiences. Ted Leischner. > > Jerry J. Bromenshenk, Ph.D. Director, DOE/EPSCoR & Montana Organization for Research in Energy The University of Montana-Missoula Missoula, MT 59812-1002 E-Mail: jjbmail@selway.umt.edu Tel: 406-243-5648 Fax: 406-243-4184 http://www.umt.edu/biology/more http://www.umt.edu/biology/bees ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 16:01:12 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: Landing Boards Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All The bees are now flying well on mild days. Whilst watching them today I started comparing the ease with which the bees returned to the one hive I had equipped with a landing board, with the other hives which did not have a landing board. It appeared to me that the advantages lay with the landing board. On many occasions I saw bees on the point of complete exhaustion (so it seemed to me), fail to catch the meagre foot hold at the entrance and fall to the grass. With the temperature barely above the point at which the bees can fly, some became immobilised and failed to take off from the cold wet grass. I also feel (but without any direct evidence), that the landing board gives the guard bees a better opportunity to have a good look at each arriving bee to check that it is not a robber. It also appears that the bees have a much harder time landing when the hive is fitted with a varroa wire mesh, as they must obviously land on the mesh rather than on a solid surface as heretofore. So I cut out some rectangles from stiff plastic to act as crude landing boards which I pushed in under the entrance block of each hive, and over the next hour or so I got the impression that there was a considerable improvement in the bees landing behaviour. Few if any bees fell to the ground. What do the members think of landing boards?. 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: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 10:57:05 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: CONFIRM BEE-L - YOU MUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!!! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT PLEASE FOLKS, follow the instructions for the CONFIRM exercise!!! DO NOT respond via your REPLY KEYS, DO NOT send a message to BEE-L, follow the instructions! To CONFIRM your subscription you must send a single line of mail to: LISTSERV@cnsibm.albany.edu that reads in the body of the mail (not the 'Subject:' header): CONFIRM BEE-L Users who send the reply to BEE-L are not getting their confirmation to LISTSERV and will be dropped automatically from the list on April 1. CONFIRM BEE-L is a service requst. SERVICE REQUESTS GO TO THE SERVER! Aaron Morris - thinking RTLI (Read The Listserv Instructions)! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 11:09:02 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Aaron Morris Subject: FGMO (Food Grade Mineral Oil) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Users new to the FGMO discussion are directed to Barry's web page for the original references. Surf to: http://www.birkey.com/BLB/Beekeeping/mineraloil.html ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 11:02:57 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Kenn Tuckey Subject: Oriented Strand Board Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii This request may make sense only to Canadian or US beekeepers. In Canada we have a popular building product available called oriented strand board - sometimes called chip board or Aspenite. It comes in 4' X 8' sheets and is quite a bit cheaper than normal plywood. Has anyone used this for applications that are close to bees such as supers, nucs boxes, tops or bottoms? If so did it have any negative effects on the bees that you noticed? We know that ordinary lumber or plywood is best n the long run but we envision only a short tern, particular case use. Our concern is in the glue or curing chemicals that may be used. Any comments will be appreciated. Comment directly to me or to BEE-L if you feel this may be of general interest. Kenn Tuckey Edmonton, Alberta, Canada ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 13:57:52 -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: Oriented Strand Board MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have used oriented strand board (OSB) in making inner covers. I find that the major problem is that when propolis or beeswax fastens the cover to underlying structures the strands pull off and separate from the board. Because of this I find it of limited usefulness. I doubt that the glues used would interfere with the bees or get into edible products, since the board seems to be rapidly covered with a propolis varnish, as is every other hive surface. Ted Fischer Dexter, Michigan USA ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 13:09:37 -0600 Reply-To: Barry@Birkey.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Barry Birkey Organization: BIRKEY.COM Subject: Re: Oriented Strand Board MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Kenn Tuckey wrote: > In Canada we have a popular building product available called oriented strand > board - sometimes called chip board or Aspenite. It comes in 4' X 8' sheets and > is quite a bit cheaper than normal plywood. > Our concern is in the glue or curing chemicals that may be used. Any comments > will be appreciated. Kenn - I would be more concerned with OSB's particular properties and how they would work with bee equipment than I would with it's glues or chemicals. You can always seal the wood with paint to keep any undesirable elements of OSB from effecting the bees. OSB does not handle moisture well and will swell substantially if not treated. For cheap, inexpensive material, OSB meets that criteria but don't expect to get a long life out of it when used for hive equipment. I've not used it for this purpose but have worked with it first hand in the building trade and it's not worth the few dollars saved over plywood when you see what happens to it in certain situations. As long as you know what you're getting for the few dollars saved, use it accordingly. Regards, -Barry -- Barry Birkey Illinios, USA barry@birkey.com http://www.birkey.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 12:18:55 -0600 Reply-To: lithar@midwest.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: AL Subject: Re: Landing Boards MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Computer Software Solutions Ltd wrote: > > Hello All > > What do the members think of landing boards?. > > Sincerely > > Tom Barrett I build my own bottom boards with the landing board built in. This helps the bees *and* the overall size provides a more stable platform. However, I do not transport hives so I don't have to be concerned with maximum packing on a trailer/truck bed/pallet. Your approach addresses the problem and is cost effective. AL ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 14:17:02 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: Landing Boards Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I have been making my hive bottoms the same dimensions as a hive so that a folded piece of hardware cloth can be slipped under for a mouse guard with the weight of the hive keeping it in place. So far I see no difference between the hives with a landing area and the hives without other than it is easier to mouse guard the ones without. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 22:22:52 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David & Sarah Grew-Foss Subject: Re: Landing Boards Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > >What do the members think of landing boards?. I have skunks and have found that the landing board in fromt of the hive makes it too hard for the skunks to get the bees out without being stung themselves for them to bother the hive. The landing boards also keeps the weeds down... Sarah Grew Richmond, California ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 20:03:17 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: Oriented Strand Board Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-15 13:10:14 EST, you write: << This request may make sense only to Canadian or US beekeepers. In Canada we have a popular building product available called oriented strand board - sometimes called chip board or Aspenite. It comes in 4' X 8' sheets and is quite a bit cheaper than normal plywood. Has anyone used this for applications that are close to bees such as supers, nucs boxes, tops or bottoms? If so did it have any negative effects on the bees that you noticed?>> I've used it for nuc boxes, covers, and miscelaneous stuff. The bees come into contact with it both fresh and painted, and I've never noticed any toxicity. <> I won't ever use it again. I bought some equipment made by another beekeeper, and it seemed okay. Actually he had soaked the pieces in oil based paint, which did extend the life a bit. I got enthusiastic about the cost- saving material and made quite a bit of equipment with it. Then I painted it mostly with latex house paint. I just simply don't think it is cost effective, because its lifespan is so short. If you are using it for some kind of throwaway, or disposable stuff. I guess that's different. Dave Green SC USA The Pollination Home Page http://www.pollinator.com The Pollination Scene http://members.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop on the Internet (honey & beeswax candles) http://members.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 21:05:22 -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: Advice on hive set-up for feeding Comments: To: tvf@umich.edu In-Reply-To: <199903151549.HAA00587@alto1.altonet.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:44 -0500 3/15/99, Ted Fischer wrote: >If you are talking about the division board feeders, those that go in the >place of a frame, I wouldn't advise it at this time of the year. Better to >put a zip-lock bag feeder on the top bars (although not on the bees!) in an >empty super, then the inner cover on top of that. > >Or, if you expect it to get cold again, put on candy boards. They are >excellent feeders for cold weather. I've had good luck with a mason jar with a perforated "entrance feeder" cover placed in a circular hole cut to fit the jar lid in a piece of plywood on top of the brood chamber. The perimeter of the plywood is cut to the dimensions of the box. An empty box with a cover on top is placed on top of the plywood. Unlike an entrance feeder, yellow jackets and robber bees won't get to the syrup unless they can get through the hive. Also, no bees drown with this system. Yellow jackets get up early in the morning and can start robbing an entrance feeder before the bees arise. A puddle of syrup can collect under an entrance feeder if the bees are inactive and some may drown. Yellow jackets really like sugar marinateded dead bees. Because the jar is inside a box it is protected from those early morning fast temperature rises which cause the air in an almost empty jar to push out a bee drowning volume of syrup. Refilling the jar is easy too. Since no bees are in the empty top box, the cover is easily removed. I keep a small scrap board in top box which can be placed over the circular hole to keep the bees out of the top box while the jar is refilled. Or, of course you could have a prefilled jar to pop right in the hole when the empty is removed. A few bees may try to get out when you put in the new jar. With a little care you can push any would be escapers out of the way as the lid is lowered into the hole. If any do end up in the top box after the jar lid is in the hole, lift up the top box and brush them towards the entrance. You want to make sure the plywood is at least as thick as the jar lid is high so that proper bee space exists between the top bars and the bottom of the lid. My prototype was made with 3/8 plywood, which let the jar lid stick through too much, so I cut a small piece of 3/8 plywood to double up the thickness. Paul ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 08:20:20 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jerry J Bromenshenk Subject: Re: Landing Boards In-Reply-To: <199903161253.FAA10364@selway.umt.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:22 PM 3/15/1999 -0800, you wrote: >> >>What do the members think of landing boards?. I think you have whimpy skunks in your part of the world. Every skunk that I have ever seen eats guard bees (and gets stung - even in the mouth and throat). The skunk scratches at the entrance and deliberately stirs up the bees. Eventually things get a bit too much even for the skunk, and it moves on to the next hive. I have tried powders laced with pepper, entrance guards, tack bars in front of the hive, etc. The only method that appears to be 100% is to place the hives on tall hive stands with the bottom boards overhanging or at least flush with the stand. Skunks are relatively short and don't seem to be able to climb very well. Thus, if the hive is higher than the skunk is tall, end of skunk problem. Now, this isn't a solution for commercial beekeepers with lots of hives, but it works for hobbiest and the occassional researcher. Also, it is a lot easier on the back - providing you don't stack the honey supers too high. Cheers Jerry > >I have skunks and have found that the landing board in fromt of the hive >makes it too hard for the skunks to get the bees out without being stung >themselves for them to bother the hive. The landing boards also keeps the >weeds down... > >Sarah Grew >Richmond, California > > ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 19:47:03 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Donald James Tupper Subject: Re: Set up for feeding bees in winter MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm from southern Vermont also. So far the weather looks like it's going to cut close the food stores of a few hives so heres what I did for the six of mine. First I moved some of the frames in from the sides of the hive to the center next to the cluster with out disturbing it. I did this on a warm day 2 weeks ago. Then I mixed up a batch of thick sugar syrup and poured into a large plastic storage box that was bigger than an extracting super. I took the extracted frames and soaked them in the syrup while using a clean paint brush to work it into the cells. I put three full frames in the center of the supers and placed them on top of the hives. I kept the rest of the empty frames in the supers for insulating purposes. Hopefully this will get everybody by until this lousy depressing weather breaks. Good Luck. Donny Tupper Red Top Aparies ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 19:03:53 -0500 Reply-To: info@beeworks.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Eyre Subject: Re: Drying bee pollen? On 15 Mar 99, at 9:43, Tom Sanford wrote: > I think seed driers have been used with good success, but don't > have any specifics. I am sending your query to the bee-l list > for possible input. > > Tom Sanford > > S.T.W.H.S. wrote: > > > > What's the best ways to dry bee pollen commercially? > > Thank you, > > Mike There was no other address, so this has to go to the list, sorry for the 'commercial'. We market a pollen drier. It is a round base, an electrical 300 W fan drivea a large alloy fan blade which circulates hot air through a series of trays with nylon 30 mesh screens. Trays are 12' in dia and 1.5" deep. Overall height 9". For pricing and shipping info please contact us direct. ***************************************** The Bee Works, 9 Progress Drive, Unit 2, Orillia, Ontario, Canada.L3V 6H1. Phone (705)326 7171 Fax (705)325 3461 David Eyre, Owner e-mail http://www.beeworks.com This months special:-New style foundation. **************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 17:45:51 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Christopher Slade Subject: Re: White winged bees Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit As today was about our first warmish day I looked briefly through my hives to see how they had got through the winter. In some of them I saw a few bees whose wings looked as if the ends had been painted white. This is something I have not seen before. Could it be Cloudy Wing Virus? If not, then what? Chris Slade ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 18:44:42 -0600 Reply-To: Martin Braunstein Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Martin Braunstein Subject: IHEO: WEB PAGE...!!! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all, The group of exporters members of the International Honey Exporters Organisation (IHEO) have started a process of "laundering". Almost nobody never heard of them but they felt the impact of my messages to this list. In an attempt to gain both credibility and respect they are working on a web page soon be launched into the Internet world. You may check this by yourself visiting http\\:www.iheo.org Although still under construction these guys realized they couldn't stay in the shade and darkness any longer. Hopefully (if I am not kidnapped or something like that) I will be able to share with you their reports on honey trade. Just to give you an example please read below their opinion on the US honey market (as per the Feb. 15 '99 report, please bear in mind prices are expressed into Metric Tons): "USA (is not IHEO member, Canada gives this information) Actual Price: U$S 1,200-1,400 FOB beekeeper; U$S 970 - 1,230 FOR 85 MM. General comments: beekeepers holding for higher prices (hoping U$S 1,330 - 1,400) packers trying to push prices down or not buying at all. Packers interest in imported honey is very low, they prefer to go day by day with domestic purchases, only buying as they need something" All in all the report consist of a market analysis of 13 more countries. Regards. Martin Braunstein Queen Breeder & Exporter Criador de Reinas y Exportador Malka Cabania Apicola e-mail: malka@webnet.com.ar Phone (54+11)4446-8350 Fax (54+2322)487564 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 12:15:46 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: James Jacobs Subject: feeding pollen patties MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Howdy folks, I was just wondering if anyone has a recipe for making pollen patties. I have some pollen left over from last year and thought I'd make up some patties with crisco,powdered sugar and pollen. The only recipe I've seen so far is for protein supplement patties and calls for a 50lb bag of brewer's yeast. Having only 3 hives, I don't think I need quite that many patties. Also, are there any thoughts on adding other protein supplements besides the pollen (ie. soy flour...) or would that be overkill. Thanks for any ideas. James R. Jacobs (\ Circulation Dept. {|||8- Knight Library (/ U of O (541)346-0752 jamesj@oregon.uoregon.edu (\ {|||8- (/ (\ {|||8- (/ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 22:05:17 -0600 Reply-To: lkrengel@mc.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Larry Krengel Subject: the inventive beekeeper MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The Northern Illinois (USA) area was the home of Dr. C. C. Miller, a beekeeper with the reputation for being inventive and for having the wisdom to advise others on their inventions. For many years before his death in 1920, he wrote a column for A. I. Root's Gleanings in Bee Culture - "Stray Straws". We are celebrating his heritage in the April 16 meeting of the Northern Illinois Beekeepers Association. As part of this, we are looking to collect as much information on new inventions in beekeeping as possible. If any of the BEE-L listers are marketing their newest gadget, we would be happy to distribute information, or show off samples at this meeting. Please email me directly for more info. If you are or will be in the area, consider yourself invited to the gathering. I will provide directions. Larry Krengel Marengo, IL USA ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 13:38:26 -1000 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Thomas W. Culliney" Subject: Re: Hive Losses in North America caused by Mite Infestation Comments: To: Ted Leischner In-Reply-To: <99Mar15.022912hwt.49946(4)@elele.peacesat.hawaii.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII On Fri, 12 Mar 1999, Ted Leischner wrote: > I am looking for up to date statistics on the number of hives or > percentage of hives being lost to mite infestation in North America. > I am writing a proposal and need to quantify this trend and indicate > whether the trend is being held in check or if hive losses are > increasing? The context of the proposal focuses on the impact of mites > on the pollination of crops. Can you assist me? Your input would be > greatly appreciated. I haven't done an exhaustive literature search but, as far as I know, there aren't many publications providing hard data on colony deaths attributable to mites. Apart from anecdotal accounts (e.g., Lazaneo, V. 1994. Parasitic mite is to blame for lack of honey bees. San Diego Union-Tribune. Sept. 25, 1994; Bradley, D. 1994? Columnist buzzing over loss of honey bees. Portland Review & Observer [no date given] [both reprinted in the newsletter of the Mississippi Beekeeper's Association]), the only articles I've come across that include any numerical or percentage data on colony losses are the following: Adams, S. 1993. Fighting for survival against bee mites. Agricultural Research (March): 14-17. Loper, G.M. 1995. A documented loss of feral bees due to mite infestations in s. Arizona. American Bee Journal 135(12): 823-824. **************************************************************************** Tom Culliney Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, 1428 South King St., Honolulu, HI 96814, U.S.A. E-mail: culliney@elele.peacesat.hawaii.edu Telephone: 808-973-9528 FAX: 808-973-9533 "To a rough approximation and setting aside vertebrate chauvinism, it can be said that essentially all organisms are insects."--R.M. May (1988) "Bugs are not going to inherit the earth. They own it now. So we might as well make peace with the landlord."--T. Eisner (1989) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 19:42:15 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Caldeira Subject: Re: Multiple entrances for Observation Hives MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Ted Leischner wrote: >Would a top and bottom entrance benefit a six-frame observation hive? >Would such a system improve the wintering success of >a six-frame observation hive in Calgary, Alberta, Canada? Bees head towards the light when trying to exit from the hive. If the hive is near a window, the bees often go towards the top as they search for a way out. However, a top exit often makes it difficult for the bees to carry out their dead, as an earlier reply mentioned. This can be overcome with either a second entrance at the bottom or a debris dungeon drawer. A hive I maintain at a local science center has both an upper and bottom entrance, and about 90% of the bees use the upper entrance. There are often some dead bees left on the floor, so I can't say the bottom entrance was an overwhelming success. The hive is near a window. The dungeon/drawer concept has been effective in collecting dead bees and debris in one of my portable, temporary observation hives, and I plan to try it on a permanent hive. The dark dungeon area below collects debris that falls in, and can occasionally be cleaned out by the beekeeper. The drawer can also be used to feed bees, a concept that was apparent in an observation hive designed by Thomas Nutt in the early 1800s. Don't know whether a second entrance would have much impact on wintering, but advise not to create a wind tunnel effect from air exchange between inside and outside (assuming your hive is indoors), as it will stress the bees and increase condensation on the glass. I strongly recommend that inside ventilation be avoided. -John John Caldeira jcaldeira@earthlink.net Dallas, Texas, USA http://home.earthlink.net/~jcaldeira/beekeeping/ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 07:48:34 -0500 Reply-To: BobCan@TDPI.Com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bob Subject: Medication MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Last night I made up some medication for nosema and after I made it was wondering if I had missed a step. My question is, if you are creating mix to make 1 gallon of medication do you mix the medication to 1 gallon of water then add the sugar? Or do you mix your 1:1 or 1:2 mixture first then add medication? I added the medication to 1 gallon of water then added the sugar and got almost 1 3/4 of total mixture. So in my case since I only added one teaspon of fumibil. Am I incorrect in that method, and should I of made the mix to 1 gallon then added fumigillan? ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 08:26:16 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Chris and Janet Sauer Subject: AFB in supers In-Reply-To: <199903170502.XAA22801@subcellar.mwci.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have just been informed that the fellow I purchased 100 supers from has terramyacin resistant AFB. He used excluders on all of his hives and there's no evidence of scale or brood in the supers. My local inspector doesn't know if AFB would be a problem or not, but suggests being safe and not using the equipment. He is not sure if it would be a problem. Any information or opinions out there? Thanks for your help. Chris Sauer Colesburg Apiaries ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:41:01 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Green Subject: Dead Bees in front of hives (southeast US) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I have received several phone calls and e-mails from beekeepers worried about dead bees. I see them myself in front of many of my hives. While starvation, varroa mites, or pesticide misuse in the area can cause dead bees, once these factors are eliminated as possibilities, there is no need to worry. These are the bees that went through the winter and have exhausted themselves in the early brood rearing. It is quite common at this time to see a "flush" of loss. Northern beekeepers will probably see it a bit later. As long as your hives are brooding up well, and the total strength is increasing, you should not be concerned about the dead bees. Watch out! Bees that are starving on March 20 will be making swarm cells on March 21. (=More or less --Dates may vary according to the year.) We are starting some splitting, and expect to do a lot more next week. It is always amazing to see how fast we have to shift gears. Yellow jasmine affects brood, not adults. They die in the pupal stage. As long as there is a nectar flow or supplemental feeding, yellow jasmine seems to not be a problem. If there is a real dearth, bees will go to jasmine, and brood loss can be severe. 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: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 17:42:06 -0600 Reply-To: pilkguns@pilkguns.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Scott Pilkington Jr Organization: PCE, LTD Subject: "Bee bee" Tree MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In October Marvin Walker wrote Forest Farm in Williams, OR has the Evodia (Tetradium) daniellii. Known as the Bee Bee Tree. There Phone number is 541-846-7269 These areyoung trees in tubes so there is not much expense to ship. The price is 5.95 per tube. I finally got around to calling about these trees and Forest Farms will not have any in stock until this fall. Does anyone have another source for these trees? Rhonda Pilkington > Marvin Walker > Springdale, Arkansas > > -- > MZ=90 -- Import, sales and service of Steyr-Mannlicher competition guns Fine engraving on arms and knives http://www.pilkguns.com 931-924-3400 fax 931-924-3489 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 23:01:25 +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: White winged bees In-Reply-To: <921605971.20591.0@uacsc2.albany.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII On Mon, 15 Mar 1999, Christopher Slade wrote: > As today was about our first warmish day I looked briefly through my hives to > see how they had got through the winter. In some of them I saw a few bees > whose wings looked as if the ends had been painted white. This is something I > have not seen before. Could it be Cloudy Wing Virus? If not, then what? > Chris Slade I think `cloudy' is a good description. They look distinctly misty or like there's a smear of milk on them. What you have doesn't sound to me like I saw it. However, I'd suggest doing some varroa tests promptly just in case. 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: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 07:27:50 PST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: T & M Weatherhead Subject: Re: White winged bees In-Reply-To: <199903171801.EAA14102@iccu5.ipswich.gil.com.au> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Christopher wrote asking about white winged bees and asking if it could = be cloudy wing virus. Gordon wrote > I think `cloudy' is a good description. May I suggest that Christopher collects some bees and sends them to an = appropriate laboratory to have SEM work done to determine if it is actual= ly cloudy wing virus (CWV). Whilst the field symptoms may look like CWV,= there is only one way to be actually sure that it is CWV. I can relate experiences in Australia where people saw something and thou= ght it was Kashmir bee virus (KBV) and so thoughts then became facts. = This is evident by all the stories floating around the world about KBV. = It was not until laboratory examinations were done that a true diagnosis= was available and it turned out there was no KBV. So you could have the same situation. Unless you have a laboratory test,= you cannot say it is CWV and you may go down the same path where people = will now assume that Christopher has CWV when there is actually no proof. It begs the question of when does opinion become fact? Trevor Weatherhead AUSTRALIA ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 22:45:10 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: IHEO: WEB PAGE...!!! In-Reply-To: <199903161041.SM00180@CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT > please read below their opinion on the US honey market (as per the Feb. 15 > '99 report, please bear in mind prices are expressed into Metric Tons): > ...Actual Price: U$S 1,200-1,400 FOB beekeeper; U$S 970 - 1,230 FOR 85 MM. > General comments: beekeepers holding for higher prices (hoping U$S 1,330 - > 1,400) packers trying to push prices down or not buying at all. Packers > interest in imported honey is very low, they prefer to go day by day with > domestic purchases, only buying as they need something" This does not correspond to what we are seeing here in Canada or the offers I am receiving by email from Argentinian beekeepers. I wonder about the authenticity and the date of that report. If it is not bogus, it seems 'way off on the high side. At the particular time mentioned, prices had already sunk below the 80 cent Canadian mark here and in past weeks I have seen offers around the 72 cent mark and heard that people had sold in that vicinity. ($1.00 Canadian is ~65 cents US) That 72 Canadian cents translates into something more like $1030 / metric tonne, if I am figuring correctly. What gives? And, I guess I should step up here and stick up for a friend of mine... > In an attempt to gain both credibility and respect they are working on > a web page soon be launched into the Internet world. I'd like to set things straight regarding Wayne, and maybe the IHEO, seeing as his name came up and some things were said. I have been in *regular* contact with Wayne by phone (his 800 number) and in person at meetings for years. He has always quoted fair prices and been scrupulously honest in his reports to beekeepers. Knowing Wayne, I could not believe for one minute that he would become involved in any effort to drive prices down -- or up. He has a sterling reputation among Canadian beekeepers as an honest broker. In fact, when our co-op was overwhelmed with honey this year, I sold him a load. There are lots of buyers I wouldn't even talk to. I've been aware of the IHEO for some time. In fact Wayne has mentioned the organisation to me in our discussions of honey prices. He knows I'm a honey producer, and one with a big mouth to boot, so I don't think the IHEO is a secret society -- in Canada at least. My understanding is that the IHEO has a strong interest in maintaining orderly markets. So do I and anyone who makes a living producing, trading, or packing honey, and so does our government for that matter. FWIW, The Canadian government loans money to beekeepers to keep them all from being forced to dump their honey the minute the crop comes in, thus destroying the market. I hope other countries do the same. Anyhow, I find this discussion interesting and important. I hope we can continue it without demonizing any person or group, because that way we can all work together. 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, 17 Mar 1999 19:45:39 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Ron Auble Subject: mold Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I've run into another, "new" problem. Went out to retrieve and refurbish a hive that had died over the winter. When I opened the box, I was surprised to find a covering of mold growing over everthing. Guess I should have expected this with the current warm wheather (63 degrees) dead bees and honey. Question is, what can I do about this condition now? Can the frames be cleaned in some manner and used? Do I need to discard everthing? Original inspection took place approx. two weeks ago, (30 degrees) and no indication of dease was found. Believe the population was to small going into winter, my fault should have combined. Thanks for any advice offered ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 08:13:20 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: mold Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-18 03:58:11 EST, Auble1@AOL.COM (Ron Auble) wrote: << I've run into another, "new" problem. Went out to retrieve and refurbish a hive that had died over the winter. When I opened the box, I was surprised to find a covering of mold growing over everthing. Guess I should have expected this with the current warm wheather (63 degrees) dead bees and honey. Question is, what can I do about this condition now? Can the frames be cleaned in some manner and used? Do I need to discard everthing? Original inspection took place approx. two weeks ago, (30 degrees) and no indication of dease was found. Believe the population was to small going into winter, my fault should have combined. >> Mold is not a serious problem, good strong bees will clean it up so fast you won't believe it. First, do a post mortem. You should be SURE why your bees died. Run a search on the archives for past years about this time for more. Second, clean out all dead bees and debris. Let the hive dry out. This will stop further mold production. Third, if you found no trace of foulbrood scale, use the combs again.....as a super on a good hive, or to install a nuc or package. If you install new bees, rather than a full strength hive to clean it out, give them a good feed to get them started. Dave Green SC USA The Pollination Home Page http://www.pollinator.com The Pollination Scene http://members.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop on the Internet (honey & beeswax candles) http://members.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 07:37:49 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Mesinger Subject: Re: mold In-Reply-To: <199903180859.DAA398784@unix.mail.Virginia.EDU> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Our VA winter has been very warm until two weeks ago. This is the second year of this. I did two things differently this year, so the result might be due to a combination of bee characteristics and hardware. 1} I now use a slatted rack on the bottom board below the first brood box and a modified imrie shim above the inner cover. The modification is 8 half inch holes drilled in the sides with screen wire glued on the inside of the holes. 2] I shifted to NWC carniolan bees last spring from the hybrid Italians. The result was the Carniolans used about 1/3 of the stores the remaining Italian hive did [all in 1 9in and 1 6in boxes]. And none of the boxes were damp. I suggest you take a look at carniolan bees for cold weather states. Cordially, John F. Mesinger ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 08:37:04 +0100 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Jean J. MENIER" Subject: ellow jasmine Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: Quoted-Printable Dear bee-lers, New on the list I may have missed something about yellow jasmine : can someone provide the latin name of this plant so I can check that what you call yellow jasmine in the US is or is not what we call jasmin in western Europe. Thanks in advance, Sincerely to all, Jean J. Menier Professeur, Laboratoire d'Entomologie, Mus=E9um national d'Histoire naturelle, 45, rue Buffon, F-75005 PARIS T=E9l=E9phone : 01 40 79 33 93 (direct), ou 34 00 (standard du labo). T=E9l=E9copie : " " " " 36 99 >From foregin countries dial first 33 then 1 40 79 ... (no 0 before the 1) Site MNHN : http://www.mnhn.fr ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 23:26:05 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andrew & Tiffany Subject: how to make split ? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit hi , all my hives are double deeps, when making splits before I always made the split and added another deep super, my question is if I want to sacrifice honey production could I just make a split with a single deep and then add a medium super ? I would love to have all double deep hives but just dont have the cash to buy all new / used equipment.....but I do have a bunch of mediums and shallows so I would like to make sum splits.....what are some thoughts.... ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 19:00:51 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Christopher Slade Subject: Re: Landing Boards Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Arthur Worth, the chap who first taught me beekeeping did not favour landing boards for the very reason that Tom likes them. His reasoning was that the bees that don't make it back into the hive are bees that are on their last legs (wings?) through age or disease and the hive is better off without them. It might be an interesting project for a student to gather up a sample of the bees that don't make it and compare it with a sample of the bees that do. We may then be able to base opinions on fact rather than anecdote. Chris Slade ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 09:06:17 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Roger Flanders Subject: "Inside" Bucket Feeders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I've been given several one gallon, food-grade, plastic buckets with lids that seal to feed 1:1 sugar water in my hives this spring. My original thought was to make a few small holes in the lids, and invert the filled buckets on the top bars (one or two per hive), covering the buckets with an empty super, inner cover, and telescoping cover. Some of my reading, however, seems to suggest inverting the bucket on top of the inner cover, centering the holes in the bucket lid to flow through the slot in the center of the inner cover. Is it really essential to maintain "bee space" between the top bars and the bucket lid during the few weeks I would be feeding this spring? Feeding through the inner cover slot would limit me to one gallon per hive per feeding, but placing the inverted buckets directly on the top bars would allow two gallons per feeding (which would be a real advantage for me because my hives are too far away to work more than once a week and my new colonies last spring often emptied one gallon division board feeders in less than a week). As I've thought about this, I've begun to wonder why I couldn't simply leave the buckets of sugar water open and upright in an empty top super -- again either above or below the inner cover -- and loosely attach a piece of cotton sheeting across the top, letting the center of the cloth sag to the inside bottom of the bucket. The sheeting would absorb the sugar water like a wick, and allow the bees to feed without drowning. I'm also wondering why I couldn't use this same "internal bucket" system to provide fresh water to my hives, during and after the spring feeding. Will this work, or am I missing something important? (from Rog Flanders, a new hobbyist in SE Nebraska, with two overwintered hives and four new colonies arriving in mid-April) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 12:10:40 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: George W Imirie Subject: Re: mold Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Bees will clean up mold in a big hurry with no bad consequences. I'd be more concerned about what caused the death. You wrote that honey was present. If bees die of Tracheal mite infestation usually in January, but maybe February, there will be few dead bees on the bottom board, and just a small group clustered for warmth, but lots of perfectly good honey, even 50-70 pounds. Further, it does not sound like you had an upper entrance to let winter moisture out of the hive. The best upper entrance is to cut a 1" slot in the front edge of the inner cover, so that bees (and moist air) can crawl through that cut out slot onto the front face of the upper hive body just inside the edge of the telescoping cover, walk down the face of the hive maybe 1" and fly off. Cold weather does NOT kill bees, or bees would not be kept in plain hives in Alaska, Canada, or Maine. Something else other than COLD killed your bees. George Imirie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 12:17:58 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: George W Imirie Subject: Re: "Inside" Bucket Feeders Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Feed just as you propose - right on the top bars will be just fine! The only suggestion I have would be (but not extremely necessary) to elevate the feeders up off the top bars 3/8" to allow bee passage under the feeders. DO NOT FEED FROM AN OPEN BUCKET. The cloth will be a mess, and bee drowning is tough to control. George Imirie ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 18:12:12 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: Apidictor (Electronic Swarm Predictor) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All The Apidictor has already been mentioned on this List. I have received a specification and a wiring diagram of the Apidictor which was first built in the 1960s and enjoyed limited success. The broad requirement is shown below, which I have translated into how a PC might handle the job. It is required to be able to record the sounds from a beehive and transfer them to a PC. The software in the PC needs to be able to detect a 'warble' sound in the range 225 to 285Hz which needs to be amplified and separated from other hive noises, and also to detect a hiss which has a frequency of over 3000Hz so that it is required to block off sounds below that. According to Rex Boys, who has written a booklet entitled 'Listen to the Bees', and from whom I obtained the specification, if the above sounds can be identified in a hive one can predict swarming. I can already hear 'Why not just take the roof off the hive, and check for swarm cells or split the hive to preempt swarming etc. etc etc.'. Yes, I quite agree, but for those keen on a bit of experimentation like myself, a version of the Apidictor using latter day technology may be interesting. Has anybody any personal experience of sound processing on a PC, or any contacts with an engineer involved in sound who may be able to suggest software to handle the above. (All of my computer experience is in the area of commercial software development, so sound processing is something I know nothing about at least not yet.) Sincerely Tom Barrett 49 South park Foxrock Dublin 18 Ireland ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 20:20:04 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Becky S Boehm Subject: Re: Apidictor (Electronic Swarm Predictor) On Thu, 18 Mar 1999 18:12:12 GMT Computer Software Solutions Ltd writes: >Has anybody any personal experience of sound processing on a PC, or >any >contacts with an engineer involved in sound who may be able to suggest >software to handle the above. (All of my computer experience is in the >area >of commercial software development, so sound processing is something I >know >nothing about at least not yet.) Hi Tom, You may be in luck...there are frequency analysis computer programs available for use in industrial applications, and they are quite sensitive. They can be used for monitoring equipment, machinery, etc., for changes in their operating conditions via frequency response. Changes in bearing noises, etc., are monitored in this fashion. We have such a program here, only we use it for different purposes (long story...voice analysis...). This program is called SpectraPro and it's not inexpensive...it was $1,000 U.S. when we purchased it 2 years ago. But it does a fabulous job. Also, we had to purchase a high-quality microphone and add an amplifier to the line-in that goes into the computer (for our purposes). This program charts frequencies very accurately and includes amplitude readings, which would be used to determine increasing or decreasing activity in any frequency range. How would one keep an expensive microphone clean inside of a hive?? Perhaps a different type of sensing device could be used, such as a transducer? Some experimentation would be necessary with such a sensing device... Thanks, Al Boehm Columbus, North Carolina USA ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 13:39:51 -0700 Reply-To: Allen Dick Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: Apidictor (Electronic Swarm Predictor) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >I can already hear 'Why not just take the roof off the hive, and check for >swarm cells or split the hive to preempt swarming etc. etc etc.'. Yes, I >quite agree, but for those keen on a bit of experimentation like myself, a >version of the Apidictor using latter day technology may be interesting. Moreover, with simple eavesdropping technology, it might be possible to simply monitor from one point near the yard using a dish and microphone. Instead of sweating and squashing bees, one could sit in air-conditioned comfort and sip a drink of one's choosing while the computer did the work. I am sure that if the principle has any merit, patterns could be found that tell of many things... Allen ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 23:55:05 -0000 Reply-To: joe@golberdon.prestel.co.uk Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Joe Hemmens Subject: Re: Apidictor (Electronic Swarm Predictor) In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT On 18 Mar 99, at 18:12, Computer Software Solutions L wrote: > The Apidictor has already been mentioned on this List. > > I have received a specification and a wiring diagram of the Apidictor > which was first built in the 1960s and enjoyed limited success. The broad > requirement is shown below, which I have translated into how a PC might > handle the job. > Has anybody any personal experience of sound processing on a PC, or any > contacts with an engineer involved in sound who may be able to suggest > software to handle the above. (All of my computer experience is in the > area of commercial software development, so sound processing is something > I know nothing about at least not yet.) Some time ago I tried a few searches on the Internet using something like sound+analysis+software. I found with little trouble at least fifteen programs for performing sound analysis. A little over half were definitely intended for use by musicians and did not seem to offer a more 'scientific' approach to sound analysis. Two that are intended for 'bio-acoustics' that I have tried are - SpectraPro FFT (Fast Fourier Analysis) Program. This is available for a free 30 day download and I heartily recommend it to try even if you do not wish to pay for the non-limited version - it is quite expensive. It seems to be very capable and would appear to do everything that would be needed to perform analysis of bee sounds. It is a Windows application and produces results which are easy for a layman like myself to interpret. This seems to me to be excellent software for the job. Daqarta. This is also available to download. This is a non- Windows program and seems to hate Windows so much I can only get it to work on my Win95 machine by restarting it with a clean boot disk. The program appears to be very capable but not as easy to use as SpectraPro. Has a very extensive help/tutorial system which I found very informative about all aspects of sound sampling analysis. This is the software that I plan to continue to use. Apart from the software a decent microphone and soundcard are needed. Both of the above programs recommend certain microphones and can be adjusted to compensate for the known characteristics of these microphones. More time spent on Internet searches would undoubtedly yield more suitable software. Let me know if you would like any more information about downloading or using the above software. Joe Hemmens ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 20:28:22 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: "Inside" Bucket Feeders Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I use inverted feeders on the inner cover but I put the on strip of wood 3/8" x 3/8" to allow bee space under them and then they do not need to bee directly over the slot in the inner cover. Works for me. Richard ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 21:45:57 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "W. G. Miller" Subject: Re: AFB in supers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit AFB contaminated equipment isn't worth putting in service, and that goes double for Terramycin resistant AFB. Unless you live in a state that has an ethylene oxide chamber or another means of disinfecting the supers, I would recommend you dispose of the 100 supers in accorance with your local rules and take your loss. W. G. Miller Gaithersburg, MD ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 11:09:12 -0200 Reply-To: imara@mii.lu.lv Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "M.Berzonis" Organization: SWH Tech. Subject: Wax melter Hi All, I am failing to find out average melting cycle length for 20 frame wax melter with a separate 3 kW eletric steam generator (or other with known frame count and steam generator electrical power). Could someone share this information with me? Sincerely, Almars Berzonis ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 07:33:14 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: tomas mozer Subject: Re: Hive Losses in North America caused by Mite Infestation for a synopsis of the scenario, check out penn state agriculture's "where have all the honey bees gone" at http://aginfo.psu.edu/PSA/ws98/bees2.html ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 07:33:14 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: tomas mozer Subject: Re: Shades Of This Years Outlook ? more bee bytes for those going through information overload withdrawal... anyone else missing andy n.'s beenews these days? on the texas troubles:"parasites ravaging texas bees"...check out http://www.expressnews.com:80/pantheon/news-bus/business/1601dgtf.shtml on the california conundrum:"killer bees reach northern l.a.county"...check out http://www.wcco.com:80/news/stories/news-990316-092915.html on the florida fiasco:"alien species of beetle threatens honeybees"...check out http://www.earthtimes.org:80/mar/environmentalienspeciesofbettlesmar17_99.htm ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 06:41:45 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Smart, Billy Y" Subject: Re: Apidictor (Electronic Swarm Predictor) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Another approach could be to imbed a filter circuit in the hive and have it send a signal to the computer when frequencies of a certain range/amplitude are detected. This may be cheaper than buying frequency analysis software. Filter circuits are cheap! Billy Smart ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 17:42:56 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Alan Pagliere Subject: Dying hive MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I am a hobbyist. One hive last year. Planning two this year. I took advantage of the weather yesterday to peek inside my one hive. The colony that seemed very, very strong during a warmish day last month is pretty much dead. There was a lot of water, condensation. There were lots of stores, they had taken some of the honey, but not that much. My theory at the moment, barring any diseases, of which there doesn't seem to be any evidence (question on this later), is that I left too much space on the hive for them to keep warm and ventilate. I saw no cluster of bees as such. Just a few up in the honey stores eating, many dead ones here and there and a few small groups of live bees here and there. I don't believe there was a queen or any live brood. So, I think the colony is dead. I thought I would ask here and see what people think. I believe I left too much space for them to keep warm and ventilate. I wanted to give them lots of stores, but I think I overdid it and just wound up freezing the poor girls. Very sad. And if that is indeed what I did wrong, it won't happen again. What say ye? Is that likely what my problem was? I did see what seemed to be water in some of the cells. I assume that if water condenses in the hive, it can condense and gather in cells as well as anywhere else. Is that right? I did see a few cells, not many, with what used to be brood. Sitting in what seemed to be water in the cells was something that looked like small white bits. Almost like grits or couscous, for lack of a better description. Were these just semi-dissolved larvae? I am trying to determine if what I saw is a sign of some disease. I'm only slightly worried that the imminent death of the colony is due to some disease. I did do the Apistan thing last fall, and, looking at some books, I didn't see (or smell) what I might consider symptoms of the usual foulbroods. If there was a disease, I assume I should worry about re-using the comb or frames, etc. I've already ordered a queen and a package for what was going to be my second hive. I guess I'll just order another set and start two from scratch (but with some drawn and used comb...?). Any thoughts would be appreciated. ---------------------------------- Alan Pagliere University of Michigan Digital Library Production Service Ann Arbor, MI ---------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 08:14:23 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: John Mesinger Subject: Re: Dying hive In-Reply-To: <199903191250.HAA175420@unix.mail.Virginia.EDU> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bees in nature don't have as much problems as some beekeepers add. I think too much water suggests just the opposit of what you speculate happened. Bees keep the hive warm in winter. To do this they eat stores and release water vapor. You do need to arrange for somewhere to let it out. I would suggest you screen the hole in the inner cover, andd an Imrie shim above it, with several 1/2 in holes on each side, screened on the inside to keep other bees and bugs out, and restrict the lower entrance somewhat. Tilt the hive a few degrees forward. You should have a dry hive in the future. Cordially, John F. Mesinger ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 09:15:33 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: Dying hive Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-19 07:49:28 EST, pagliere@UMICH.EDU (Alan Pagliere) wrote: << I took advantage of the weather yesterday to peek inside my one hive. The colony that seemed very, very strong during a warmish day last month is pretty much dead. There was a lot of water, condensation. There were lots of stores, they had taken some of the honey, but not that much. My theory at the moment, barring any diseases, of which there doesn't seem to be any evidence (question on this later), is that I left too much space on the hive for them to keep warm and ventilate. A post mortem is extremely important, both to protect yourself from future disease, and to learn the cause of death, so you can avoid future losses. Did the colony have a ventilation hole near the top? Your condensation could indicate a ventilation problem. This is extremely important in cold areas of the US. A strong hive will produce a lot of moisture in the metabolism of honey, and this often freezes on the bottom of the cover, then thaws and drops back on the bees. << I saw no cluster of bees as such. Just a few up in the honey stores eating, many dead ones here and there and a few small groups of live bees here and there. I don't believe there was a queen or any live brood.>> When you have a good cluster, most with their heads in the cells, you have starvation. This can happen with a small cluster and a long cold spell, where bees got separated from their honey. They can move up to honey in cold, but not sideways. You indicate no general cluster, so I would discount starvation. Another clue is the scattered bees you mention. We saw a lot of hive losses during the tracheal mite era, in which the bees abandoned the cluster and could be found in scattered groups throughout the hive. I believe US stocks are gradually becoming more resistant to tracheal mites, and consider tracheal mite treatments to be a negative, in that development of resistance is delayed. I prefer not to buy queens from breeders who treat for tracheal mites. Hawaiian queens have never had the weak stuff sorted out at all, and are extremely susceptible. (Sorry to you Hawaiian breeders, but it is a fact). So TM may be a possibility. << So, I think the colony is dead. I thought I would ask here and see what people think. I believe I left too much space for them to keep warm and ventilate. I wanted to give them lots of stores, but I think I overdid it and just wound up freezing the poor girls. Very sad. And if that is indeed what I did wrong, it won't happen again. What say ye? Is that likely what my problem was?>> Too much space over the bees? Do you mean empty comb? Empty supers should never be left on the bee during cold weather. But you imply that it was honey stores, in which case it does not function as a negative heat loser, but rather a positive heat storage device. You didn't leave supers on with an excluder? The bees will move up, and the queen will be left to freeze below the excluder. (Okay, I admit it, I've done it; a BIG tuition expense in The University of the Seat of the Pants!) << I did see what seemed to be water in some of the cells. I assume that if water condenses in the hive, it can condense and gather in cells as well as anywhere else. Is that right?>> The bees can put it there, as well as uncapped honey they are preparing to use, which would look like water. I did see a few cells, not many, with what used to be brood. Sitting in what seemed to be water in the cells was something that looked like small white bits. Almost like grits or couscous, for lack of a better description. Were these just semi-dissolved larvae? I am trying to determine if what I saw is a sign of some disease. In honey cells the small white bits could be crystalized honey. But I think you are referring to actual brood cells, and I am a little puzzled here. Starving bees will suck the body fluids from brood, but it will not be in "small white bits." The brood would be intact, except shriveled, unless the bees recovered and began to dismember and carry out the pupae. Small white particles along the sides of the cells, could be varroa feces. You indicated treatment, so I would think not, unless you treated very late, or did not have the strips in the cluster, or had fluvalinate-resistant mites. Larger white lumps, one to a cell, might indicate chalkbrood, though usually a hive that is susceptible to chalkbrood will not survive until late in winter. Look for pictures in Morse's bee disease book, or show the frame to an experienced beekeeper. <> On the pollination home page, under buying used equipment, is a photo of AFB scale in the comb. The frame is held upside down for better light, so look at the tops of the cells in the lower, clearer part of the photo. If you see scale, do not reuse the frames, as you will just reinfect more bees. If there is no AFB, no other cause of death would prevent reuse of the equipment. There is one other cause of loss that is frequently not recognized. If your bees took a pesticide hit back last summer, then appeared to recover in the fall, they may have stored away poisoned pollen, covered with fresh. They are extremely vulnerable to this poison during late winter, when brood rearing commences, and there is no fresh pollen to dilute the poison effect. You can test for this by selecting a frame with a lot of pollen from this deadout, and putting it right next to the brood in a healthy hive. If you see spotty brood on the adjacent frame, like you see with a failing queen, in a couple days, you know the pollen is contaminated, and young brood is dying and being removed. It is hard to diagnose from afar. I can only give you clues. I feel stongly about knowing the cause of death, and those which I cannot determine to my satifaction really bother me. I hope you can figure it out. If there is no AFB, save the honey from any robber bees and use it to get your new hive(s) off to a quicker start. It is interesting, here in South Carolina, where the bees probably haven't had 10 days they couldn't fly, robbers will often not bother an undisturbed deadout, even if it has quite a bit of honey. But once it is opened, or moved, watch out!. I had a deadout on the truck the other day, not remembering that it had some honey in it. I didn't take the truck in the morning, but returned to a madhouse of robber bees working on the hive in my driveway. Good way to terrorize the neighborhood! Fortunately the neighbors were at work. Dave Green SC USA The Pollination Home Page http://www.pollinator.com The Pollination Scene http://members.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop on the Internet (honey & beeswax candles) http://members.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 10:08:42 -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: yellow jasmine MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit hello Dick et al, I am wondering what yellow jasmine is. In the UK we do have a yellow jasmine but people more commonly refer to forsythia as jasmine (also yellow and flowering in spring when little else is around). Forsythia is far more commonly planted as well, in towns it is extremely common. Not being sure of where abouts you are in the season I am a bit confused over this. Can you please confirm for me if this is jasmine or forsythia that is being discussed. My experience is that bees seem to leave both of them alone over here, as with the daffodil which I rarely see a bee on. Thanks Madeleine ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 10:47:40 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Rod Billett Subject: Re: yellow jasmine Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >Madeleine wrote: >I am wondering what yellow jasmine is. people refer to forsythia as jasmine. Madeleine, Here is South Carolina we have both Forsythia and Jasmine. They are two different plants. The forsythia is a decidious shrub, with the blooms appearing before the leaves pop out in the spring. Jasmine on the other hand is more of a fast growing evergreen vine (there may be a variety that is more shrublike, but i believe it is evergreen as well). Before everyone crushes me, I do not know the scientific name of either. Hope this helps. Rod Billett Lexington, SC USA ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 11:45:59 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Lloyd Spear Subject: Dying hive MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Alan asks about his hive that appeared very strong a month ago, and is not virtually dead. He suspects he left too much room for them to heat. Alan, if you think about it I think you will agree that a month ago, when the hive was strong, you had all ready been through the worst part of your winter in Ann Arbor. The bees survived those temperatures just fine, and the amount of space in the hive had no effect on their ability to keep warm! By suspending thermometers inside wintering hives, studies have shown that the bees only keep their cluster warm; they do not attempt to keep the total hive space warm. Therefore you giving them a lot of honey and room did not have an adverse effect. Based on your description, the bees almost certainly died of excess moisture inside the hives. Now, "moisture" does not hurt. However, the moisture permits growth of other ugly things, principally bacteria and molds, and these kill bees! The moisture is caused because the bees eat all winter long, and use the food to "shiver", creating heat, which warms the cluster. This same heat causes condensation. As a beekeeper one must allow this moist heat to escape the hive. Dry cold does not hurt bees, condensation kills them! There are many many ways of allowing the moist air to escape the over wintering hive. I will list some of them and make some comments: - Drill a 1" auger hole above the hand hold on the top hive body. This is what I do. The disadvantages are that you are putting a hole in your new wood and as you move equipment around the hole may be where you don't want it. - Prop up the outer cover about 1/8" with stones, a piece of wood, etc. This works fine, but you have to be certain that by doing this the cover does not blow off during the winter. - Cut a gap about 1/4" high and 1" wide in the outside of the inner cover. This works fine, but if you don't do it to every inner cover you will someday kill a hive because they did not have ventilation and you thought they did. - Put a 3/8"-1/2" piece of fiber board underneath the inner cover. This will absorb moisture and it will wick to the outside air. I know a very successful commercial beekeeper who does this with 2,000 hives. The only disadvantage is that the fiber board is another piece of equipment. You did not mention whether you treated for tracheal mites by using grease patties. If you did not, your bees might have been weakened by these mites, but the amount of moisture you described is almost certainly what killed them. Best of luck in 1999, Lloyd Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds(tm), the finest in comb honey production. http://www.rossrounds.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 13:22:10 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stan Sandler Subject: HFCS55 math teaser Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi All: Here I am sitting with some trillions of neurons in my brain trying to figure out how much water to put in the barrels so that when my HFCS55 comes I can dilute it down to 50% sugars (my usual spring feed when I was feeding sucrose). I note with some dismay that with only 1 million neurons the bees are able to judge syrup concentration with great accuracy both when they are gathering nectar, and when they are capping honey. Now the method I used is as follows: The density of HFCS55 at 50% is 1.23 So a 200 litre barrel at 50% will have 123 kg. of sugars, 123 kg. of water The density of HFCS55 at 77% when delivered should be 1.385 77% of x kg. = 123 kg. x = 123 * 100 / 77 = 159 kg. At a density of 1.385 kg/l 159 kg / 1.385 kg/l = 115 litres So *IF* my calculation is correct, I should put 85 litres of water in each 200 litre barrel and then top them up with HFCS55 when the tanker arrives. The problem is, my intuition doesn't agree with my calculation. I somehow feel that this is going to be too dilute. I might even recall having read on this list of someone adding a little water to their barrels, but I don't think that it was this much. Could anyone with some experience help please? Will I get good mixing just pumping into the barrels (the HFCS55 is supposed to come at near 80 degrees F)? Thanks, Stan thinking, its obviously not how many neurons you got, but how you use them ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 14:20:23 -0700 Reply-To: Allen Dick Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Allen Dick Subject: Re: HFCS55 math teaser MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >So *IF* my calculation is correct, I should put 85 litres of water in each >200 litre barrel and then top them up with HFCS55 when the tanker arrives. I wouldn't do this unless your water and barrels are sterile and you figure you can use the entire batch in a week or so. Otherwise, dilute to about 65% so that it does not crystalize and then dilute further when using it. 50% syrup has a pretty short shelf life and will ferment quickly in storage. 65% syrup should last a month at least without significant fermentation. FWIW, we always feed at 67% solids, unless the weather is cool and we have to add a *little* water at the least minute to get the syrup to flow down the hose. Allen ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 12:54:32 -0800 Reply-To: gclewis@penn.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Gary C. Lewis" Subject: Re: "Inside" Bucket Feeders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A few words from someone that has lost hives to bucket feeders. Make sure that you use very small holes in the lids, also very few holes. Make enough syrup to fill the buckets completely. Turn the bucket over outside of the hive to ensure a tight seal allowing the bucket to drip and form a vacuum. Then place them on the top bars. You can shim or not for bee space, once they find the syrup they will spread the word. This is also a good time to treat for Nosema with "Fumidil B". I have lost hives to leaking buckets and it is really a bad feeling going down an opening your strong hive to find the healthy cluster is soaked with sugar water and dead. I have lost 3 hives this way over the past 2 winters. Keeping only two hives you can see where this is a very costly mistake. Last spring I paid over $115.00 for replacement bees. Good Luck Gary C. Lewis Duke Center, Pa. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 08:16:19 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: Dying hive Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit When did you put the strips in? Earlier the better. And, is it possible that the strong quanities of bees you saw were just robbing and the hive had been weak from the start? ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 15:53:43 -0800 Reply-To: gclewis@penn.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "Gary C. Lewis" Subject: Plastic Hive Parts. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Bee Folks, I have a catalog here from the "Walter T. Kelly, Co.". They have plastic, bottom boards, inner covers and telescoping covers all made from cast plastic. (high temp and pressure molding?) Has anyone used these parts on their hives? I can see where they could be very useful especially the inner-covers, the wood framed covers only last a few seasons and then rot. The plastic bottom board has a 1/8 inch lip to hold the bottom super in until the bees propolize it in place. The plastic top seems like a good idea also but I am wondering if the plastic would hold in to much moister or even add to condensation within the hives. The prices aren't to much out of line for the same type wooden parts The outer cover is a bit more. So if anyone has used these items I would like to hear what they have to say about them. They seem like they would be a plus overall. Gary C. Lewis Duke Center, Pa. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 09:55:50 -0600 Reply-To: cmichel@pbmo.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "M. C. Michel" Organization: Snap Shot Subject: Re: Plastic Hive Parts. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "Gary C. Lewis" wrote: > "Walter T. Kelly, Co.". They have > plastic, bottom boards, inner covers and telescoping covers all made > from cast plastic. (high temp and pressure molding?) Has anyone used > these parts on their hives? Gary, I have (and am) using lots of them. The tops are great! The inner covers work very well also. As for the bottoms. I do use some but there is a problem. They are too flexible. With a short amount of time the bend and warp. You have to make sure that the are evenly supported. I use concrete block to elevate my hives. When you do the will bend and even open small openings where they are not supported. As for the positive, no work! Last year I was very behind getting ready for my spring splits. I ordered some of these because I had little wooden ware left from the year before. It was SO EASY... Open the box and put them on. This year, I'm more organized. No new plastic purchases, only wood. I Use copper napthenate to preserve and high quality paint. My wood should last and last. And best of all they don't warp. Chris Michel Michel Family Apiaries Missouri ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 08:22:48 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Roy Subject: Re: Apidictor (Electronic Swarm Predictor) Comments: To: Allen Dick MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Allen Dick wrote: > Moreover, with simple eavesdropping technology, it might be possible to > simply monitor from one point near the yard using a dish and microphone. > Instead of sweating and squashing bees, one could sit in air-conditioned > comfort and sip a drink of one's choosing while the computer did the work. > > I am sure that if the principle has any merit, patterns could be found that > tell of many things... > Hello Allen and All, The use of electronic monitoring of Beehives has been going on for some time by Jerry Bromenshenk.It is star wars , at a useful level.Look at his web site, Bee- alert. Sound is a very important part of evaluating conditions within a beehive.It takes years to understand the sounds that go on in a beehive. Can you imagine getting a graphical read out, that can be put up against known behavior charts. As far as that goes,it could be evaluated by a computer program. I have seen Jerry's hives and equipment.The potential is only limited to ones mind.Evaluation of queens has to be up front in any breeding skeem.Between sound and chemical studies, which can be done, with the equipment that is already in place.We can make some quantum leaps in understanding , what is going on in a beehive. Best Regards Roy Nettlebeck ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 11:44:00 -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: Plastic Hive Parts. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gary: There have been many discussions on the List about Plastic Frames, etc. If I recall correctly, generally speaking the plastic hive parts do not fare too well.... seem to warp after a bit. We will see what others may have to say on the List. You can do a search of the List archives to relive prior discussions. Al Needham Scituate, MA.,USA Visit " The BeeHive " Learn About Honey Bees And Beekeeping http://www.xensei.com/users/alwine ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 16:24:28 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: JCooper Subject: Re: Plastic Hive Parts. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Telescoping covers and bottom boards are quite satisfactory. Mine are still in use after more than twenty years. Inner covers do warp. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 07:18:51 -0500 Reply-To: mpalmer@together.net Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Michael Palmer Organization: French Hill Apiaries Subject: plastic hive parts MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gary - The orchard I used to work for bought 5 sets of these plastis hive parts in 1982. I bought their bees in 1986, and "inherited" them. I still have and use the outer covers. They have deteriorated some, but are still solid and usable. The bottom boards and inner covers are another story. They warp something terrible. Total waste of money. Now you know why they have the little cleat on the bottom. Doesn't look like a band-aid or smell like a band-aid, but.... Mike ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 09:39:24 +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: Plastic Hive Parts. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gary, I'm using only plastic hives. Boxes too and it works fine. But it's not the same plastic material. In northern Europe it's quite common to use styrofoam hives. The walls are 40 mm thick and gives enough insulation to take bees through winter so no other wrapping is needed. They are also very light and saves the beekeepers back. Minimum 90 grams per litre density make them hard enough to stand normal handling. Moisture in winter is no big problem when there is a large ventilation hole in the bottom board. No ventilation is provided in the top of the hive. http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/biodling/hive.htm -- Regards P-O Gustafsson, Sweden beeman@algonet.se http://www.algonet.se/~beeman/ ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 16:21:46 -0800 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Subject: Re: Honey-plugged brood chamber In-Reply-To: <199902230340.TAA22041@mx1.thegrid.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 08:11 PM 2/22/99 -0500, you wrote: It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Andy passed away on 3/17/99. This is the reason you have not recieved a reply and his site has not been updated. A bee person is going to take the site over ASAP. A friend of Andys. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 19:04:17 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: "D. Murrell" Subject: water for city bees MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hello Everyone, This spring, I used a division board feeder to supply water for my suburban hive. It works great in my climate (semiarid inter mountain west, USA). Following suggestions, I had previously placed a water source within 10' of a hive location in my backyard. It attracted most of the bees gathering water but the bird bath, leaking garden hoses and outdoor faucets attracted their fair share of bees also. This spring I used a division board feeder to supply water inside the hive and also provided the usual water source 10' from the hive. The bees were not attracted to any outside source. Using a Plexiglas inner cover revealed minor activity in the feeder and a slight increase in early morning condensation on top of the top bars in the hive ( 60 degree F days, 35 degree F nights). I removed the feeder and the bees immediately began actively foraging for water at all the usual sources. The bees essentially ceased using outside water sources three hours after inserting the feeder. Using a division board feeder to supply water inside the hive might keep the bees out of the neighbors water sources and reduce problems for suburban beekeeping if your in a climate like mine (central Wyoming) Best Wishes D. Murrell ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 20:07:25 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Garry Libby Subject: Re: Plastic Hive Parts. Comments: To: gclewis@penn.com In-Reply-To: <0a8732518071439CPIMSSMTPI12@email.msn.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Gary, I have used the plastic hive parts from Kelley and I love them. I create top ventilation in My hives so I don't have any moisture problems. But I don't really see any more moisture than in the few wooden topped hives that also use. In the winter I don't really think wood holds that much moisture anyway (please, someone correct Me if I am wrong). I also use the homeosote board grooved insulating tops, they soak up moisture that the bees will go after on warmer days. I painted some of My plastic outer covers to camouflage them and the paint has lasted pretty good but the paint comes off the top from the stones I use as weights. I find the outer covers to weigh a lot more than the wooden covers I see on the market. The bottom boards will last forever, I am very satisfied with them the only little thing I don't like is the plastic wedge in the center of the front entrance area because that stops Me from using a varroa trap. I think it is supposed to be for support and might be removed without causing any harm. the ridge they add to prevent the hive body from slipping off is only needed for the first few weeks, after being used for a short while they will be just as stable as wooden bottom boards. And the plastic inner covers only have one easily correctable fault. They might bow in the center before being used for the first time, but if it is laid in the sun for a little while they will return to normal. I wish someone would invent a hive with the great ventilation and propolis free frame features of the D.E. Hive and the permanence of the plastic. I'm sure that would be a really popular product. Garry Libby Boston, USA LibBEE@msn.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 23:01:55 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: RockyTop Farm Subject: Availability of pollen in early spring Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit MIME-Version: 1.0 (WebTV) Hello everyone, I am going into my first full year as a beekeeper in Southeast Pennsylvania. My question concerns the availability of pollen at this time of year. We have had several days of reasonable temperatures and my bees have been out of the hive. I have noticed what appears to be green, mustard and bright yellow colored "pollen" in the bee's baskets. I did not think that this was possible so early in the year, before flowers and trees begin to bloom. Is this really pollen? I live in a wooded area with farmland nearby. Thank you very much, Barb Miller ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 22:23:03 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Green Subject: Another Oak Has Fallen Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit It is with great sadness that hear that Andy Nachbaur, retired beekeeper, and cyber-beekeeping pioneer, has entered into rest on March 17. Andy's wit and wisdom, sometimes opinionated ramblings, will be greatly missed by this beekeeper. Andy pioneered in cyberspace with a beekeeping bulletin board that offered a lot of resources for beekeepers before the internet really got going. He was a frequent contributor to the Bee List and to Sci.Agriculture.Beekeeping, often kindly steering new beekeepers into greater understanding of the craft, sometimes pricking the balloons of those who only thought they were experts. He finally discontinued his bulletin board in favor of a web page, which still can be found at www.beenet.com. The page will be taken over by a friend. I never met Andy personally. I knew him only through his writings, but gained a great respect for him though this portal. Andy's posts were always read first. I hope someone close will fill us in on the details. Andy has been ill for some time and suffering greatly, and has been rather quiet of late, so some of the new members of this group may not be aware of his extensive contributions and of the great loss to all of us. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 22:47:53 -0700 Reply-To: fltdeck1@ix.netcom.com Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Matthew Subject: Re: success with a ventilated top ! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Upon observing many attempts at creating a 'better' ventilated hive-top, I spent a few hours last August & re-invented one for my hives. After inspection today, I found that two deeps & two of the three supers are still full of honey. 2/3 of the frames were covered with highly active bees. This isn't the best hive I have so far for brood - as only 1/2 of remaining super was filled with capped brood - but I'll say that's appropriate for our climate (CO) during this time of year (no nectar sources yet). There was MUCH less junk to clean out of the bottom board - and a much cleaner hive throughout (mildew, dead bees, chewed down frames, etc.). The difference between this hive & the 18 or so others at the same site was obvious - with the other hives clearly showing they had weathered the winter. (Note - this is the only hive I left all the supers on last fall - perhaps the insulating value of the honey was enough to keep the bees comfortable?). The hive top is really just a box, which I constructed of 10" x 1" lumber - leaving 2" to telescope over the hive-sides. The inside cover was fitted with the standard-oval opening - which I used hardware-mesh to make a tube-shaped funnel for outside bee-access through a hole drilled on the outside surface. Above and around the mesh, I placed fiberglass insulation & cross-drilled four holes on opposite sides - drilling up so the rain/snow wouldn't easily enter the box. Another piece of wood sealed off the top with approximately 7" of insulation between the bees & the outside. Rather heavy piece of equipment when I was through - but I think I'll try several next year to give a better 'trial' of the idea. Lot's of variables may have had a play in this hive - new queen, race of queen (NW Carniolan), placement of hive, somewhat mild winter (so far - though we did have two solid weeks of -20F temperatures), amount of available stores, etc... We live in rather arid conditions, so types of insulation to fill the space in the box may need to be accommodated for your environment. I'm thinking even common styrofoam peanuts may provide a good deal of weather-resistant 'ventilated-insulation'. If other people have tried insulated tops with ventilation - please post your views on the subject. Happy Keeping, Matthew Westall in Castlle Rock, CO ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 07:36:15 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Stan Sandler Subject: death of Andy Nachbaur Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" It was very sad to hear of Andy's death. I file some letters from this list in folders, according to topic. I have one called "Pure Andy". In it I have some posts that didn't necessarily have to be saved for informational content, but were just too humourous to delete. His wit, his long knowledge of the beekeeping industry, his continuing curiosity about bees, and his vast amount of experience will be much missed by many members of this list I am sure. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 07:58:57 -0600 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Bill Johnson Subject: Re: Availability of pollen in early spring MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Barb Miller wrote about the possibility of early pollen. I know that before I was interested in bees, that I was really unaware that there were some real early bloomers. My bees in central Missouri have been collecting pollen for a couple of weeks when we have warm weather. Skunk cabbage and willows bloom early. I saw in the woods a couple of days ago, aromic sumac blooming, the maples are on the verge of blooming, there is a blue weed that blooms early called henbit, I think. I have seen some patches of it in fields as I drove along the road. And of course it does not take very long for dandelions to bloom. There may be some early bloomers in the woods outside of your place. It's amazing how much activity is going on in the plant world and we are totally unaware until we keep bees. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 08:54:18 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: David Green Subject: First Swarm: That makes it "officially" spring! Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Friday, we hived a nice swarm hanging in a blooming plum tree. It wasn't a large one, but appeared healthy. I was particularly interested in it, because I know of no kept bees within two or three miles, and swarms don't usually travel far, before they first pitch. A close visual inspection in bright sunshine revealed no varroa mites. They had been there a couple days before being discovered, and were quite nervous. I had fears of losing them, just as we attempted to hive them. There were a lot of dancing scouts, so they were apparently in the process of selecting a home. They have now spent two nights in their new home, so I have greater hopes of keeping them. Once a swarm has "made up its mind" on a home, they often will leave the hive anyway. When they have established brood, I will check again for varroa. If there is no sign of it, I will not treat them, until I see evidence of varroa. All the wild swarms I have ever gotten have eventually succumbed to varroa, though one that I thought showed promise, was lost due to a drone layer. That one lived a year. Another which lived a year and a half, and was extremely productive during its first year, broke down in late spring to a heavy varroa infestation. Pollinator@aol.com Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA The Pollination Scene: http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html The Pollination Home Page: http://www.pollinator.com Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles) http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 08:02:00 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: Availability of pollen in early spring Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/21/99 4:56:47 AM EST, RockyTop_Farm@WEBTV.NET writes: > Is this really pollen? I live in a > wooded area with farmland nearby. > Willows, pussy willows, maple ,birch, hazlenut, skunk cabbage, crocus, maybe even the beginning of oaks. Once you keep bees you never see a flower quite in the same light ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 07:59:14 EST Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Jon C Peacock Subject: Re: Availability of pollen in early spring Good Morning Barb Miller I really cannot speak for the Penn area, but here in middle upper Georgia my bees will bring in pollen in January. With the weather a bit on the lopside we had the Red Maples blooming very early in January. It is good that you are noticing what your bees are doing. Now take your opera glasses and look at the peculiar red blooms on the maple trees. Take a walk in the fields and woods and look for small and very small flowering plants, bushes, shrubs and trees. I belive you will be an excellent bee keeper. Each day something is blooming, and here in upper middle Georgia we have yellow bells (Forsythia) and Flowering Quince with a light dusting of snow or covered in ice. But I tend to talk much. Happy beekeeping. Regards, J. C. Peacock, :-} Retired from 5 day work week. Grandfather to 6. Small craft sailor. Planting Zone, Cotton, Apples and Peaches & 2 lb tomatoes. 18 yrs B kpr. "Every day discover something new in the every day things around you, look at things differently." Approx; 33.15N, 84.23W ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 13:06:34 -0500 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: Tim Sterrett Subject: Re: Availability of pollen in early spring MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Re: Availability of pollen in early spring: In southeastern Pennsylvania, bees work skunk cabbage (pale green pollen) and (non-native, but widely-available) snowdrops and crocuses. When the tiny red flowers of soft maples (red and silver maples) bloom, winter has ended for the bees. Squirrels chew off some of the red maple flowers, allowing the beekeeper to check on the bloom by picking up flower clusters from the ground. The flowers have yellow stamens and yellow pollen. Last year, maples around Philadelphia were in bloom on March first. This year, the bloom began this past week. (Bees in southeastern Pennsylvania usually begin to swarm when the petals fall off the apple flowers and stop swarming when tulip poplar bloom ends.) Tim -- Tim Sterrett sterrett@voicenet.com (southeastern) Pennsylvania, USA 40.0 N 75.5 W ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 13:07:36 -0700 Reply-To: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology Sender: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology From: T'N'T Apiaries Subject: Re: "Inside" Bucket Feeders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Is it really essential to maintain "bee space" between >the top bars and the bucket lid during the few weeks I would be feeding >this spring? Fact: You must keep the meniscus(es) formed at the opening(s) in your inverted pail from touching the topbars. If you do not, wicking will occur and your syrup will drain out. This may or may not be a problem, depending on the rate of loss and the colony's ability to take it up. Depending on the container, the necessary space may be achieved by a rim on the lid. However, some lids with rims are so flimsy that the weight of the syrup pushes the center down substantially, thus it makes contact with whatever surface the pail is resting on and wicking occurs. One manufacturer of feeder pails had to recall several thousand 2.5 Gal. pails becuase they bowed so much they made contact with the edge of a 2" hole in the inner cover . Opinion: A gallon a week is a lot of syrup in the spring (I can only speak for our conditions and management). We use frame feeders which they empty out in a couple of days, but a check shows they have just moved it into the combs. I have seen colonies plug themselves out with feed in the spring, so be careful and observe the conditions within the hive (When doubt feed, just don't over do it). More importantly with no inner cover, you will be creating a situation where the bees must regulate the temperature in a much larger area. In spring we can ill afford to loose the heat up into an area where the bees cannot cluster. Brood rearing would suffer greatly. David Tharle Ardmore, AB