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EDITORIAL
APIS CHRISTMAS Welcome
to the short Christmas edition of Apis UK which in fact has ended
up longer than I originally intended. As you may recall, we had
a reader survey on GMOs in the last issue which hasn't attracted
many replies but which has attracted a lot of attention and several
pertinent (and impertinent) letters to the editor. Some are not
for publication unfortunately but most are and these will be published
in the January Apis. So even if the survey was of minor importance,
at least we are now hearing what people think with most views confirming
my initial thoughts that there is no correct answer and not even
a correct question. But more of this in January.
My Christmas will be spent ensuring that my 1 year old and 7 year
old daughters have an enjoyable time, and engaging in the enormous
amount of land tidying, tree pruning, firewood cutting, bramble
clearing and levy maintenance work that beckons each winter.
The bees generally look after themselves with sufficient nectar
and pollen sources to keep them happy. All in all, we will have
a very happy Christmas and I am sure, a good 2003.. I wish all readers
of this newsletter the same.
David Cramp, Editor.
NEWS
CHINA
China's honey exports were down by some 43% during the first 7 months
of 2002. The price however increased by 15% offsetting some of the
downturn. Japan remained the top importer.
USA BEEKEEPER
USES BEES TO GUARD MARIJUANA FACTORY
Eric Rassmussen of Kirksville New York, listed as a beekeeper by
occupation was sent to jail recently for operating a marijuana factory
in a barn. The barn was guarded by a number of beehives, forcing
state troopers to enter the barn by a small rear window. 19 rifles
and shotguns were also found. (They wouldn't have got past my
iberian bees. Ed).
The Proceedings
of the 6th European Bee 2002 Conference are now available at £9.50
post paid
from Northern Bee Books. This A4 volume consists of 161 pages. The
papers given by a range of world famous scientists are listed below.
Buy online from the URL: http://www.beedata.com/nbb/ibra-eb6thc2002.htm
 |
Session
One
Chittka, L The Ecology Of Space Use In Bees
Cranmer, L The Use Of Linear Landscape Features ByPollinators
Cresswell, J Bee Movements In Patchy Landscapes: Progress And Unsolved
Problems
Gordon, S A Comparison Of The Foraging Of Apis AndBombus Spp. In
A Mixed Farming Landscape.
Kwak, MM Flight Distances Of Bumblebees In Relation To Pollination
Mand, M Foraging Of Pollen-Collecting Bornbus Terrestris L. In A
Fragmented Farm Landscape
Martin, A Studying Bee Flights With Harmonic Radar
Osbome, J Characterising Bumblebee Orientation Flights With Harmonic
Radar
Showler, K Some Observations On Drone Congregations In The Welsh
Southern Uplands
Session Two
Pierre, J Pollination By Airborne Pollen Released By Honeybee Foraging
Stout, J Pollination Mutalisms And Invasive Weeds: The Pollination
Ecology Of Rhododendro Ponticurn In Native And Introduced Habitats
Vaissiore, B Effective Pollen Transfer Among Nestmates In Honey
Bees: Evidence And Consequences
Session Three
Benedek, P Bee Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants: A Review Of
Recent Research Results And The Need For Further Studies
Jones,R Existing And Future Networks
Martin, P The International Honey Commission The Global Network
Of Honey Scientists
Simuth, J Apigen- Intemational Networks Of Integrated Honeybee Research
Programme
Williams, I The International Pollinator Initiative
Session Four
Allsopp, M The Threat Of Varroa To Beekeeping In Africa
Ball. B Does The Movement Of Viruses Matter?
Berg, S Investigations On The INAerance To Vanua Destructor In Primorsky
Honeybee Colonies
Cakmak, I Honeybee Past And Disease Survey In The Southern Marmara
Region Of Turkey
Fries, I African Honey Bees (Apis Meliffera Scutellata) And Nosema
(Nosema Apis) Infections
Fuchs, S Varroa Destructor On Flight Bees Of Apis Mellifera
Gregorc, A Alternative Varroa Control
Hatjina, F Morphological Differences in Prothoracic Spiracles Between
Three Strains of Apis Mellifera Existence Of A Resistance Mechanism
Against Acarapis Woodi
Korpela, S Honey Bee Tracheal Mite In Finland: Population Dynamics,
Natural Transmission Between Apiaries And Impacts Of Introduction
Via Bee Trade
Lindstrom, A The Impact Of Temperature And Duration Of Heating On
The Growth Of Paenibacillus Larvae Larvae And Contaminating Bacteria
Milani, N Serniochemicals Involved In The Varroa Destructor Apis
Mellifera Relationship
Murilhas, A Varroa Destructor Infestation Impact On Merida Capped
Brood, Bee Population And Honey Storage
Ritter, W Monitoring Of American Foulbrood By Means Of Examination
Of Food Samples On Spore of Peenibacillus Larvae L:
Rosenkranz, P Invasion Rates Of Varroa Mites Into Honey Bee Colonies
And Their Impact On The Population Dynamics Of The Parasite
Session Five
Galian, J Mitochondrial Dna Variability In Non-Migratory And Migratory
Honeybee Colonies Of Southeast Spain.
Garrido, C Geographic Distribution Of Varroa Spp. Genotypes And
Their Reproductive Abilities
Kraus, F.B Diversity Of Natural And Managed Honeybee (A. Mellifera
L.)
Populations In Germany
Palmer, K Conservation Of The Danish Black Bee, Apis Mellifera Melfifere
Paxton, R. J Population Genetic Structure, Gene Flow And The Conservation
Of A Wild Bee, Andrena Vaga, In Southwest Germany.
Schluns, H Paternity Skew In Colonies Of The Genus Apis L.
Sumuth, J The Postgenomic Area In Apidology
Session Six
Allsop, M Don't Mess With Cape Bees
Banaszak,J The Problem Of Changes In Bee Fauna - A Question Of Time
Or Scale?
Brown, M Monitoring For Varroa Resistance To Pyrethroids In The
UK
Delaplane K The Small Hive Beetle (Aethina Tumida) In the United
States: Its Biology, and Impact on Apiculture
D-Sanchez,D Stingless Bees As Alternative Pollinators And Their
Possible Competition With Africanized Bees In Tabasco, Mexico.
Lipinski, Z Psychobiological Aspects Of Adaptive Swarming Behaviour
In Honeybees
Mutinelli, F Oie And Ue Regulations Governing International Trade
And Community Exchanges Of Bees And Bee Products
Poster Presentations
Cooper, R The Potential Of Welsh Honeys For Wound Treatment
Cranmer, L Pollination Of Plants In Habitat Fragments With Different
Connectivities: A Bioassay Approach
Gautam, I Antibacterial Activity Of Some Nepali Honeys
Lodesani, M Functional Characteristics Of Semen In The Honey Bee
(A.M.Ligustica S.) Queen Spermatheca And Efficiency Of The Semen
Mixing Technique In Instrumental Insemination
Marino, A Nd2 And Co1Mitochondrial Genes In Apis Melfifera L.: A
Molecular Approach To Mediterranean Populations Monitoring
Marino, A A Molecular Approach To Mediterranean Populations Monitoring.
Simuth J The Properties Of Most Abundant Royal Jelly Protein -Apisalbumin-ln
Relationship To Processing Of Floral Pollen By Honeybee Tchuenguem-F,
FN Exploitation Of Syzgium Guineense Var.
Macrocarpum Flowers By Apis Melfifera At Ngaoundere (Cameroon)
A
Visit to the National Honey Show, November 2002
Written by Janie
and David Edwards. We
are novice beekeepers who started this Spring with the encouragement
of Steven Turner's 'Bees in Gardens' scheme. We entered the Bromley
& Orpington Show in September and, to our great surprise and
pleasure, won two Firsts and a Third Prize. Our egos thus inflated,
we decided to enter the National.
We had not
realised that the Show is physically put together by members of
the Kent Bee Keepers Association, mostly friends from the Bromley
Branch. Since he was going up to Kensington every day of the week
before the Show, Steve kindly took our entries (5 classes) with
him.
On Saturday
16th November we arrived at the Show mid-afternoon. Kensington Town
Hall is an impressive, modern building with three floors in use.
Show entries were arranged on the lower and ground floors, with
the jars of honey well set out on tiered stands. The ceilings are
studded with hundreds of spotlights which showed the clarity of
the honey well and made the glass jars sparkle.
The main Hall
was devoted to stands from commercial exhibitors, academic and government
research departments and craftspeople. They had obviously gone to
a great deal of trouble over their exhibits, and the overall effect
was colourful and lively. We found a few nice Christmas presents
and chatted to some of the exhibitors who were friendly and helpful,
though after three days' work some were looking forward to the long
drive home!
Our daughter
Lucy (10) and her friend Becky enjoyed the Show and were interested
to note a significant number of gentlemen with large woolly beards.
We wondered whether this was a consequence of many years' beekeeping.
We had a splendid
time, and were pleased to be awarded a 'Commended' in the Clear
Honey (Gift) Class. (This article was previously published in
the December newsletter of the Bromley Beekeepers Association E.d)
http://www.kentbee.com/bromley
BEEKEEPING
COURSES 2003 UK
Organisation:
London Beekeepers Association
Venue: Roots and Shoots, Lambeth, London
Course Title: The aim of the course is to introduce the beginner
to all aspects of practical beekeeping and the natural history of
bees in order to raise awareness, interest and enthusiasm for beekeeping.
Starting: The course follows the British Beekeepers Association
(BBKA) syllabus over ten Thursday evenings commencing Thursday 16th
January 2003 from 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm. All evening sessions take place
at Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, Lambeth. For those driving
to Roots and Shoots the timing avoids congestion charging. Further
details on booking.
Contact details: David Perkins, Wildlife Outreach Worker,
The Wildlife Garden at Roots and Shoots: 020 7582 1800 http://www.kentbee.com/londonbeekeepers/courses.htm
Organisation:
Derby College
Venue: Broomfield Hall campus, Morley near Derby
Course Title: An Introduction to Beekeeping
Starting: Saturday May 3rd 2003
Tutor: Margaret Cowley M.Sc., Cert. Ed. Fee £82
Contact details: course@threeroofs.org.uk
Organisation:
South West Surrey - Adult & Community Learning - Spring 2003
programme
Venue: Rodborough Secondary School, Milford, near Godalming,
Surrey
Course Title: 'Beekeeping - for Beginners/Progressors'
Starting: Tuesday 14 January 2003 for 10 weeks, with break
for half-term.
Tutor: Moyra Davidson
Fee: £53.00 (plus concessions - £42.40 and £26.50)
Contact details: The Godalming Adult & Community Learning
Centre at Godalming Library, godalming, Surrey Tel: 01483 421387
or Fax: 01483 425480 or e-mail: anne.collins@surreycc.gov.uk
Further info: This is a follow-on course from the Autumn
course held in September to December 2002. Absolute beginners as
well as those who wish to further their beekeeping skills and knowledge
are equally welcome. There will be the opportunity for some practical
beekeeping in an apiary towards the end of the 10 weeks, weather
permitting!
Organisation:
Avon Beekeepers Association
Venue: Millennium Hall in Chew Magna on the B3130 some 8
miles south of Bristol
Course Title: A course for beginners
Starting: Held over three Saturdays in Spring 2003; 22 March,
29 March and 5 April 10-5pm.
Tutor: The cost will be £25 inc tea/coffee. Cheques
payable to ABKA
Contact details: Tel: 01225 874035. E-mail: lyn.sykes@abbeyapiary.fsnet.co.uk
Further info: Download
full details [PDF 26KB]
Organisation:
Tonbridge Adult Education
Venue: Tonbridge Adult Education Centre, Avebury Avenue,
Tonbridge TN9 1TG
Course Title: Beekeeping for Beginners
Starting: "The Basics of Theory and Practice" follows
the BBKA exam syllabus Course No. 7035 TON-02-A 5 weeks on Thursdays
March 6 to April 3 "Practical Beekeeping" continuation
of the previous theoretical course Course No. 7035 TON-02-B 5 weeks
on Thursdays May 1 to June 5
Tutor: Peter Hutton Fee for each course £26, concessions
£15.60 and £13
Contact details: Phone: 01732-354313
DATES
FOR YOUR DIARY
Event organisers are welcome to forward dates and details
of their events to the editor (by e-mail) for incorporation on this
page.
Saturday 11th January 2003 - West Sussex Beekeepers
Association present 'Managing Bees with Minimum Medication'
at Brinsbury College on A29 north of Pulborough. Lectures and Workshop
to enable beekeepers to plan for the coming season. Lecturer/Facilitator
Maurice Field with Glyn Davies, Chairman BBKA. From 10am until 4pm.
Tickets £5 in advance or £6 on the day from Andrew Shelley,
Oakfield, Cox Green, Rudgwick, West Sussex RH12 300. (sae appreciated)
Refreshments available in the College Restaurant. Further details
on 01903 815655 or e-mail john_bateman_hunt@hotmail.com
Saturday
22 February 2003 - SBKA 2003 LECTURE DAY. The Somerset Beekeepers'
Association will be holding their Lecture Day on (Those who already
have their 2003 diaries, please note this is a different date to
the one announced at the 2002 Lecture Day) We are putting together,
what we think, is an interesting programme of lectures. Finalisation
of the programme has been delayed as one of the lecturers had to
withdraw, but the programme should be available early in October.
The lecturers are Dr Ruth Waite (nee Spinks), Dr Michael Keith-Lucas,
Robin Dartington, Margaret Thomas NDB and Richard Ball, RBI. The
cost for the Lecture Day for non-SBKA members is £12 and this
includes a ploughman's lunch with dessert and refreshments during
the day. The venue is the St. Ivel Lecture Hall at the Bath and
West Showground near Shepton Mallet. If any of your members would
like to attend, tickets will be available from the SBKA Education
Officer, Mrs Caroline Butter, The Old Manse, Draycott, Cheddar BS27
3SF from 8 January 2003. Prior to that date tickets will only be
available to our SBKA members. From 8 January 2003 tickets will
be available on a "first come, first served" basis as
we are limited to 100 seated in the lecture hall. If you require
any more information, please do let me know. Mrs
Sharon Blake e-mail: m-s.blake@overstratton.fsnet.co.uk
PROGRAMME updated 3/12/02
9am - Coffee
9.30am - Opening by The President
9.35am - Have All Your Colonies Survived the Winter? - Margaret
Thomas NDB
10.40am - On the Honey Trail - Dr Michael Keith-Lucas
11.45am - Coffee
12 noon - Bugs, Bees and Disease: Research in to Bee Diseases at
the NBU - Dr Ruth Waite
1.05pm - 1st Lunch followed by Pyrethroid Resistance and EFB: Implications
for Bee Husbandry - Richard Ball at 1.50pm
1.05pm - Pyrethroid Resistance and EFB: Implications for Bee Husbandry
- Richard Ball followed by 2nd Lunch at 1.50pm
2.35pm - How Satisfied Are You With Your Beekeeping? - Robin Dartington
3.40pm - Tea
3.55pm - Your First Visit to the Bees - Margaret Thomas NDB
5.pm - Close
1st March 2003 - Bucks County Beekeepers Association
ANNUAL SEMINAR To be held on March 1st 2003 at Wendover Memorial
Hall from 10am to 4.0pm. Speakers:- Glynn Davies - Chairman BBKA
'The bees knees' Celia Davis -Gardening for Bees Andy Johnston -"Never
trust an expert" (thoughts on Queen rearing) Cost:- £10
for BBKA members, £11 for non-members Ploughman's lunch included
For details contact S. Chamberlin, 61 Wordsworth Road, High Wycombe,
Bucks HP11 2UR.Tel. 01494 522 082. E-mail: Sylvia
Chamberlin
Tuesday 11 March 2003 at 7 pm at Roots & Shoots,
Walnut Tree Walk, Kennington Road, Lambeth SE11. Norman Carreck,
Bee Researcher at Rothamsted Research, will speak on "Current
Bee Research at Rothamsted". This date is during National Science
Week, in which David Perkins, Outreach Worker at the Wildlife Garden,
is taking a broader part, so this talk on scientific research on
bees forms a fitting contribution, and will be extremely interesting
to all bee-keepers. All LBKA members and members of neighbouring
BKAs are most welcome.
Refreshments will be served. Julian Lush JulianLush@amserve.com
22nd March 2003 - Cambridgeshire Beekeepers' Association One
Day Meeting. Speakers: Professor Martin Wolfe "Some concerns
about the use of GM"; Dr. Mark Whittaker "Biological control
and natural pollination in the UK horticulture industry''; John
Potter ''Honeybees under glass"; John Wilkins "Sniffer
bees - What are they? Exploring the potential of insect olfaction".
Ticket price of £11 includes lunch and lunch-time drinks.
Full programme (with map) and tickets available early in 2003 from
Dr. D. J. Abson, 6 Ascham Lane, Whittlesford, Cambridge, CB2 4NT
(01223 834620) SAE appreciated. E-Mail David
J. Abson
March 29,
2003 (Saturday) - The Northern Illinois Beekeepers Association is
proud to announce the 2003 Midwest Beekeeping Symposium!
8:30 am –
3:30 pm McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, Illinois. The Northern
Illinois Beekeepers Association and McHenry County College present
the 2003 Midwest Beekeeping Symposium. The 2003 Symposium will combine
both general sessions and numerous small group sessions. The diverse
and jam-packed agenda will range from beginner topics to advanced
such as, integrated pest management strategies, mead making, research
updates, honey competition strategies and many more. Our 2003 featured
speaker will be Dr. Dewey Caron, Professor of Entomology, University
of Delaware. His topic for the keynote address will be “Integrated
Pest Management - The Best Strategy for Mite and Pest Control Within
the Hive”. Dr. Caron, author of Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping,
Africanized Honey Bees in the Americas, and co-author of Observation
Hives, is one of the country’s most popular speakers on Beekeeping.
His research interests are insect pollination, pest/predators of
honeybees and issues in conservation of Bees and natural resources.
To receive
a brochure with more information, including registration information,
e-mail your name, address and phone number to mwalsh@mchenry.edu
or call 815.455.8697. Additionally, Symposium information can be
found on the Illinois State Beekeepers Association website at www.isba.ws
The Symposium registration fee of $30.00 covers all presentations
and a Honey themed lunch. Ken Haller President, Northern Illinois
Beekeepers Association, Northern Region Director, Illinois State
Beekeepers Association.
12th April 2003 (Saturday) -
The Yorkshire Beekeepers Association Conference. "Something
Old and Something New in the Practice of Beekeeping", In conjunction
with Bishop Burton College, Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire. Guest
Lecturers Glyn Davis - Chairman - British Beekeepers' Association
Bob Ogden - Devon Beekeepers' Association Ian Molyneux - Regional
Bees Inspector - Northern Region. Conference organisers are Dudley
Gue and Ivor Flatman.
http://www.bbka.org.uk/bbkafiles/yorkshire-bka-12april2003.pdf
[42KB PDF]
Saturday
12th April 2003 - The West Sussex beekeepers Association 'Practical
Beekeeping' Convention at Brinsbury College (on A29 between
Pulborough and Billingshurst) from 9.30am Speakers include: John
Furzey (over 50 years of Commercial Beekeeping) Norman Hughes (former
BBKA Chairman) Richard Ball (Southwestern Regional Bee Inspector
who discovered resistant mites) Trade stands. Lunch available in
the College Restaurant. A superb day of Beekeeping. Tickest £6
in advance or £8 on the day from Andrew Shelley, Oakfield,
Cox Green, Rudgewick, Horsham RH12 3DD (sae appreciated) Further
details, if required, on 01903 815655 or email john_bateman_hunt@hotmail.com
Email
John Bateman
3rd May
(Saturday) - The Meon Valley Beekeepers Association.
24th Annual Auction sale of Beekeeping equipment. Stocks of
bees and Beekeeping books and Plants on Saturday, May 3rd 2003 At
1.00 pm. prompt at The Village Hall, Greatham, Nr Liss. (Off A3).
Viewing from 11.30 a.m. on the day of the sale only. It is expected
that the usual large quantity of equipment and stocks of bees will
be on sale. Items for the inclusion in the sale are now welcome.
The first 300 lots accepted. Deliveries of lots for sale to be made
to the hall on the morning of the sale only between 8.30 a.m. and
11.30 a.m. Catalogues, printed 11th April, will be available at
the sale ground or can be ordered by sending 40p and an A4 S.A.E.
Commission on sales - 10% plus 50 pence per lot entered. Information
and Catalogues from Francis Farnsworth, 2 Malcolm Road, Chandlers
Ford, S053 5BG Tel/Fax 023 8027 0622. E-mail mintybees@hotmail.com
24-29 August
2003 - 8th International Congress of Apimondia. Ljubljiana,
Slovenia. Slovenia
is to host the 38th Apimondia beekeeping Congress. The congress
will be held in the City of Ljubljiana and the congress invites
the submission of papers. Details of subjects and more information
can be found on : www.apimondia2003.com
22-25 February
2004 - Apimondia Symposium on Tropical Beekeeping: Research
and Development for Pollination and Conservation. Heredia Costa
Rica More detail is available from: Isanchez@una.ac.cr
23-27 February
2004 - 7th Asian Apicultural Association Conference Los
Banos College, Lagunas, Philippines. More information from: cleofas.cervancia@up.edu.ph
6-10 September
2004 - 8th IBRA Conference on tropical Bees: management
and diversity. Ribeiro Preto, Brazil.
THE
BEE PRESS
BEECRAFT
The latest issue of Bee Craft offers a wealth of information, advice
and items of interest for all beekeepers in its monthly columns.
The following is its contents list:
 |
Beecraft
December 2002 Volume 84 Number 12
http://www.bee-craft.com/
Editorial
Beginners' Bazaar - Matthew Allan, NDB.
Matthew Allan - moving on Matthew talks to Claire Waring
BIBBA 2002 at Sheffield (part 2) - Don Hannon
Southport Junior Beekeepers - Barbara Roderick
The 'B' Kids
A thick skin - Celia Davis, NDB
The Beecraft Beekeepers' Christmas menu - Michael Young
Winning with mead - Tony Eayrs
Social bees, stingless bees and more - Tim Kidman
Beekeeping in Ireland - Eddie O'Sullivan
Book reviews: The Little Book of Bees (K Eeiss and
C Vergara) The Beekeeper's Pupil (Sara George)
Letters to the Editor
Around the colony
Christmas fun
Classified advertisements and Calendar
Index 2002
AMERICAN
BEE JOURNAL DEC 2003
American Honey Producers Convention.
Apis APHIS-A New Species of Exotic, Highly Undesirable Bee.
Finding Queens-part II.
Bee Biting Mites.
The Bee Police-Chapter Three.
Endangered Spanish Bear Population Treated to Free Bee Brood and
Honey Meals.
How We Produce Great Honey Crops-part 5.
Killing the Queen.
Odours that Attract Bees.
The Classroom.
Honeybee Biology.
Annual Index of Subjects and Contributers 2002.
BEEKEEPERS
QUARTERLY
November 2002 No 71
The latest edition of the Beekeepers Quarterly is out and apart
from the editor's illuminating editorial, it is as usual packed
with information, articles of interest and letters of controversy.
The contents list is as follows:
 |
EDITORIAL
WHY KEEP THE BRITISH BEE? An
introduction to understanding honeybees, their origins,evolution
and diversity, Ashleigh Mimer
NEWSROUND
Rare bees found on remote islands; Brazilian bees keep their own
‘insect ranch’; “Smelly” bees prevent inbreeding;
Honey found in plane’s fuel pinned on bees; Political rally
stopped by bees; ‘GM seed spread’ warning; Phil Chandler’s
speech at the BBKA GMO Meeting; new items from Thorne’s.
ENVIRONMENT
Geoff Hopkinson reports on the BBKA GM workshop, September 2002.
FOR THE WORKSHOP
Make an observation hive this winter
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Maiti Childrens’ Fund and Bees Abroad - Beekeeping benefits
survivors of traf ficking, Naomi Saville; BBKA - British beekeepers
stand firm on 6 mile limit; Exeter BKA - new bee house for Exeter
branch; Bees for Development - bee- keepers’ safari 2003, HelenJackson;
NDB -Advanced Husbandry Course 2002, Bridget Beattie; London BKA
- association revived October, 2002,Julian Lush; Scottish Beekeepers
Association - GM statement, Autumn Convention, Perth, Nigel Hurst;
Apimondia - 2003 Congress, Slovenia.
THREE CENTURIES OF BEEKEEPING IN THE MANI, GREECE John Phipps
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS
England - GM crops, fields of clover, Dr Nigel Payne’, Scotland
- the season’s work, Nigel Hurst America - marketing honey,
Ann Harman; Canada - introducing vir gin queens, David Dawson; Australia
- GMOs and beekeeping, Geoff Manning, Brittany - the season’s
work, Job Pichon; Ukraine - managing micronucs in a com mercial
apiary, Dr Alexander Komissar, Czech Republic - solitary bees, queen
rear ing, OSR and honeydew, Dr Vitezslav Vydra; Lithuania - the
season’s work, Rimantas Zugur, Portugal - hive thefts and forest
fires, Antonio Pouseiro; Cyprus - small cell foundation, Part 2,
Roger White.
LABORATORY OF APICULTURE AND SOCIAL INSECTS
University of Sheffield: The story so far Francis. L. W Ratnieks
BACK TO BASICS
Sadly, R Raffcomes to the end of his series with this, his valedictory
piece.
SCIENCE REVIEW
ARTICLES
BAD TEMPERED BEES in the United Kingdom
Written
by John Yates. W.Herrod-Hempsall FES published his 'Beekeeping
New and Old - described with pen and camera' in two volumes. The
first volume was published in 1930 and the second in 1936. Both
volumes are collector items, the first being scarce and the second
being rare. I understand that a pair in reasonable condition will
fetch about £400 to £500 and may prove to be a better
investment than the world stock markets.
There are many
photographs of beekeepers, both ladies and gentlemen, manipulating
their colonies with bare hands and arms and occasionally protected
with a simple veil. Contrast this with beekeeping publications today
which invariably show the beekeeper covered from head to toe in
a very expensive bee suit, wellies and gloves. Why should such a
change have taken place over approximately 70 years?
I don't think
that we are wimps compared with are predecessors neither do I think
that it is our more affluent society with a much larger disposable
income to spend on protective clothing; beekeepers have always had
short arms and very deep pockets. I believe that our bees have deteriorated
and good strains of bees are not readily available to the average
beekeeper. When I started beekeeping, when sugar was rationed in
the 1940s, all beekeepers purchased their queens, queen rearing
was unheard of in the beekeeping associations; at that time, a tested
queen cost 1 shilling and 6 pence, an untested queen cost one shilling
and a virgin cost 6 pence delivered by post the next morning. Even
the post was better in those days! A semi-detached house in an outer
suburb of London cost £500 whereas the same house would cost
£100,000 plus today, a factor of 200. Apply this to our 1
shilling queen and the cost of a queen today is £10 so this
ball-park figure is about right.
The time that
I am talking about is from the early 30 to the late 50s when beekeeping
in the UK was in it's hey day. Any strain of queen was readily available
including Italians, Caucasians, Greek, Carniolans, etc. in addition
to locally reared queens from the many big honey farmers who reared
them as a side line for extra income. The honey farmers were operating
very large numbers of colonies, giving them a very good gene pool
for selection for queen rearing. The hobbyist beekeeper seldom reared
a queen. This all took place after the IOW disease, when the Government
of the day encouraged the importation of any type of bee to replace
the massive losses, since shown by Dr.L.Bailey to have been caused
by an over population of bees competing for a limited amount of
forage. We know now that many bee diseases seem to disappear when
the weather is good and the nectar flows in.
Apis mellifera
intermissa or the Tellian bee from NW Africa is considered to be
a major race from which the bees in western Europe developed such
as the Iberian bee, the French blacks, the old English bee, etc.
All these bees have the aggressive instinct of the Tellian bee and
these aggressive genes are to be found throughout the UK. It is
common knowledge that the temperaments of our bees vary from the
very docile which can be manipulated by almost anyone to the very
aggressive which can defy the most experienced beekeeper.
Years ago I
came across a quote by Lord Kelvin (1824 to 1907) whereby he said
"I often say that when you can measure what you are talking
about and express it in numbers you know something about it; but
when you cannot measure it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre
and unsatisfactory kind". Since that time I have always endeavoured
to quantify a problem by numbers and here we have a typical problem.
We may well ask how we can measure the defensive qualities of the
bees that we keep.
At first sight
this seems to be an impossible task but a little thought and the
matter is fairly simple. We are all aware that it is possible to
open up some colonies of bees without a veil or other protection
and it is unlikely that a sting will be suffered by the operator,
assuming that he knows what he is doing and handles his bees well.
We are also aware that other colonies are virtually impossible to
handle. In between these two extremes is the wide variation of temperament.
The best measurement to assess the defensive nature of the bees,
that we have managed to devise, is to take note of the followers.
If, after manipulating a colony, there are no followers 2 metres
from the back or sides of the hive then it is a suitable bee for
keeping in a suburban garden. At 2 metres one should be able to
remove one's veil and not get pestered by a guard bee or follower,
always providing one is not in their flight path. If bees follow
up to 5 metres then, in our opinion, they are unsuitable for a suburban
garden. Such bees will need careful handling during a manipulation
and would only be suitable in an isolated out apiary. If bees follow
beyond 5 metres then we would consider re-queening them in favour
of a more favourable strain as soon as possible.
It is to be
noted that the BBKA, in the new husbandry examination, have adopted
our definition for aggressiveness and ask Candidates to provide
3 colonies for the examination that do not produce followers to
a distance greater than 5 metres. In our opinion, this precludes
the examination being held in a garden apiary with adjacent neighbours.
I now ask myself
whether there is a better numerical form of measuring the aggressiveness
of a colony? The weather is another variable which may require consideration.
Does anybody out there have any other ideas?
LETTERS
Dear Editor,
I have the pleasure to announce that my new book has been placed on-line
at the world wide web site - http://www.swarmingbook.com
It is entitled : ESSENCE END MECHANISM OF NEST ABANDONMENT BY HONEY
BEE SWARMS It was awarded the gold medal at the Apimondia 2001 scientific
competition With best regards Dr Zbigniew Lipinski. More info. Am
Bee J. Vol. 142.No.5., page 317. At the end of this book, the author
presents conclusions which break from the traditional Aristotelian
understanding of swarming behaviours. One of the most startling conclusions
drawn is - "Thus, natural swarming is not reproduction or reproduction
of honeybee colonies by division" (page198)."
Editor:
David Cramp Submissions
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