This month we take a look at a good mix of items
ranging from hornets to moths, through medical honey, a French
invasion and disappearing bees with of course a good range of other
items as well. There are so many interesting things to read about
bees and bee science in the news these days that it is difficult to
know what to put in and what to exclude but one item that we
certainly can’t ignore is the World report on “Beekeeping situation
worldwide 2006 – 2007” by Harald Singer, which is full of excellent
information about beekeeper numbers, hive numbers, honey prices,
imports and exports and much more. I’ve abstracted some of the
information in the text of Apis UK this month for information
pertinent to the UK and Europe but there is a link to the full
report which is well worth reading. Despite the fact that beekeepers
have to work harder to get the same amount of money from their
occupation than before, it doesn’t paint a gloomy picture for hobby
beekeeping which seems to have healthy numbers in most countries.
The disappearing bee syndrome which I suffered from in Spain in 2004
is featuring prominently in the bee news and appears to be causing
trouble in the USA on a large scale. The research establishment has
swung its eye in the direction of this problem in the USA and many
other countries and increasingly the problem appears to be linked to
Nosema ceranae. We take a look at this in the article section below.
What I know personally about it is that this little microsporidia
was one of the causes of my departure for New Zealand in 2004/5 from
Spain. There were many other reasons, mainly bee related but
beekeepers I knew put my disappearing bees down to bad beekeeping on
my part, and for a while I believed them. The problem really is
astonishing. A full hive of well organized bees with good stores and
a laying queen can literally disappear within a week to ten days,
leaving a hive resembling the bee equivalent of the Marie Celeste;
uneaten stores, no dead bees, no live bees, no wax moth or damage
and everything neat and tidy. I hadn’t treated for Nosema because it
really was not a problem in our area and I didn’t at the time
ascribe the losses to Nosema because of the rapidity of it all. We
learn all the time. The whole business seemed to spring up from
nowhere and in many ways reminds me of the Isle of Wight affair (not
that I was anywhere near to being around then I might add). Let’s
hope that if it hits the UK, beekeepers are prepared for it because
believe me, it takes no prisoners. You all might end up in New
Zealand as well!
The whole problem might have been identified by a reader who has
sent in a very interesting and very topical letter on the subject.
(Again, see below).
Our recipe is Honey beer steamed clams which I received from an
American friend. It is truly delicious, healthy and not fattening if
you don’t use the essential accompaniment of Bercy butter. If you
do, then as usual our recipe will probably add a few ounces.
We receive in this issue expert 19th century advice on uniting
colonies and our look at moths tells us that scientsist have found
an very bee like structure that enables them to fly in a straight
line in the dark.
Another problem often in the news and facing farmers at the moment
is the lack of natural pollinators. This lack is due to a variety of
causes including loss of habitat and other associated causes. So how
to attract more pollinators? Scientists looking into this and other
pollination related subjects have found that some plants in order to
attract more pollinators have devised a strategy to actively repel
those foragers! See below for illumination and marvel at the ways of
nature.
In our last editorial I showed the photo of a hive bursting with
bees with two nonchalant beekeepers looking on. Seconds earlier,
that pallet of hives had just been dropped from a height, had just
about survived and had scared the beekeepers witless. They soon
recovered however and seconds later stood there for the photo as if
to say ‘a perfect landing. What more do you want’.
See what you think about this photo. What’s happening here?
In the meantime, as you gird your loins for another
beekeeping season full of new dangers on the horizons, I really hope
that you enjoy this edition of Apis UK. Stay in touch.
BEEKEEPING NEWS Back to top
MRSA KILLER
A new method could be used to tackle MRSA: the honey of Australian
bees. The honey is being used by the James Cook University Hospital
in Middlesbrough, a centre of excellence for heart surgery. It uses
honey from a colony of bees only found in Queensland to clean
infected wounds, along with dressings containing a gum extracted
from seaweed. The honey seals the injury and the seaweed extract
draws and absorbs the harmful bacteria.
(I’m just investigating whether this is honey from tropical
stingless bees or Apis mellifera jelly bush honey which has similar
properties to manuka honey. It will be very interesting if it is and
perhaps start a revival of stingless beekeeping in the Americas. Ed.
From the USDA. The Honey Situation In the USA
United States Honey Production Down 11 Percent
Honey production in 2006 from producers with five or more colonies
totalled 155 million pounds, down 11 percent from 2005. There were
2.39 million colonies producing honey in 2006, down 1 percent
from2005. Yield per colony averaged 64.7 pounds, down 11 percent
from the 72.4 pounds in 2005. Colonies which produced honey in more
than one State were counted in each State where the honey was
reduced; therefore yields per colony may be understated. Colonies
were not included if honey was not harvested. Producer honey stocks
were 60.5 million pounds on December 15, 2006, down3 percent from a
year earlier. Stocks held by producers exclude stocks held under the
commodity loan program.
Honey Prices Up 14 Percent
Honey 2006 prices increased to 104.2 cents, up 14 percent from 91.8
cents in 2005. Prices are based on retail sales by producers and
sales to private processors and cooperatives. State level honey
prices reflect the portions of honey sold through retail, co-op, and
private channels. Honey prices for each colour class are derived by
weighting quantities sold for each marketing channel. Honey prices
for 2006 were up from the previous year for all colour class totals.
Vanishing bees threaten US crops
It seems to be getting really serious now in the USA. Bees are
literally disappearing. If you recall, we looked a t piece in Apis
UK two years ago which chronicled the spread of what researchers
called ‘disappearing bee syndrome’. It happened to my bees in Spain
and the Spanish authorities initiated research into its causes. My
apiaries there suffered from this mystery. It also occurred in the
UK and Europe and now evidently is causing great concern in the USA.
There, it is officially called Colony Collapse Disorder, but a more
pithy way of describing it would be Vanishing Bee Syndrome.
 |
| Something Rotten in the State of America and no
one knows why. |
|
All over America, beekeepers are opening up their hives in
preparation for the spring pollination season, only to find that
their bees are dead or have disappeared and nobody, so far, knows
why.
The sad mystery surrounding the humble honeybee - which is a vital
component in $14bn-worth of US agriculture - is beginning to worry
even the highest strata of the political class in Washington, nd
even Hillary Clinton’s got interested in this in the last week or
so. (Obviously an election coming up! Ed). And she’s not alone
amongst US politicians.
Obviously it’s not just affecting the beekeepers, it’s affecting the
farmers that produce the food, and in the end it’s going to affect
the consumer.
In one report, a Mr Hackenberg, a Florida beekeeper is suffering
along with his bees. In a matter of weeks, he lost just over 2,000
of his 3,000 hives. The yard of his honey farm near Tampa Bay, is
littered with empty boxes, which normally would be full of worker
bees. It has been reported that some beekeepers across the US are
reporting losses of up to 95% and federal scientists, the National
Beekeepers Association and state researchers have come together to
form an emergency working group to try and halt the disastrous
trend.
There are as many theories but some beekeepers strongly suspects
that new breeds of nicotine-based pesticides are to blame. Others
blame new mite infestations and others new chemicals, but many are
adamant that it is too early to pin the blame on insecticides.
Strangely, Colony Collapse Disorder is inconsistent even within
localised regions. Some beekeepers have managed to retain completely
healthy hives which makes it even more difficult to find the cause.
RESEARCH NEWS Back to top
Colony Collapse Disorder
It has a name!
I mentioned previously that my bees in Spain were seriously affected
by the so called ‘disappearing syndrome’ in that they disappeared.
The Spanish authorities investigated and it seems that this was due
to Nosema ceranae, a spore-forming protozoan parasite that invades
the digestive tracts of bees.. The NBU in the UK describe the
symptoms perfectly as “Signs of CCD appear to be the total collapse
of bee colonies, with a complete absence of bees or only a few
remaining in the hive. These are not unlike the signs of colony
demise associated with heavy varroa infestation sometimes seen in
the UK.” This was just how it was and at the time no one could
explain it and many put it down to neglect and basic bad beekeeping.
In the UK the NBU website informs us that they are “monitoring the
situation closely and is keeping in contact with scientists in the
USA. Although it is very early in the year, with most colonies just
becoming active and the inspection season just beginning, some
beekeepers have reported colony losses to the NBU. These are not
thought to be above the normal winter mortality expected. Any cases
of significantly high losses will be investigated in depth by the
NBU/CSL scientists and the bee inspectors.
Beekeepers who have concerns about unusually high colony losses in
their apiaries should contact their local inspector. Scientists and
inspectors at the National Bee Unit are monitoring the situation and
are in contact with experts in the USA and in Europe to learn about
the latest results of the research into the possible causes of the
Disorder and how it might be prevented here. The NBU is a member of
various working groups in Europe investigating colony losses.”
For more details of the disorder and the results of the
investigations as and when they are produced please see the direct
link from BeeBase to the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture
ResearchandExtensionConsortium(MAAREC)website
http://www.ento.psu.edu/MAAREC/pressReleases/ColonyCollapseDisorderWG.html
NEW FRENCH INVADERS
The French honey industry is under threat from hordes of
bee-massacring oriental hornets, the Daily Telegraph reports.
A new foe has successfully invaded France and taken over part of the
South West of the country reports suggest. The forests of Aquitaine,
in south-west France, now play host to swarms of the Asian hornet,
Vespa velutina, which is believed to have arrived
there “from the Far East in a consignment of Chinese pottery in late
2004”.
 |
A French entomologist who first discovered the invaders, says
that their spread across French territory has been like lightning.
He said he’s now counted 85 “football-shaped” nests across the 40
miles which separate the towns of Marmande and Podensac in the Lot
et Garonne department where the hornets were first spotted. The
Asian Hornet can cause some serious damage to a human, “inflicting a
sting which has been compared to a hot nail entering the body”. But
that’s not the principal threat they pose. They can decimate a nest
of 30,000 bees “in a couple of hours” in search of larvae on which
to feed their young. This, unsurprisingly, gives local beekeepers
serious cause for alarm.
The hornets are just the latest blow to the French beekeeping
industry. As we reported in Apis UK recently, pesticides and hot
summers have taken their toll on bee populations, and a spokesman
for the French National Bee Surveillance Unit said the winter
mortality rate among bees had risen to six in ten. Accordingly,
honey production has been hit hard - down 60 per cent in
south-western France in the last 10 years. The country’s 1.3 million
hives, managed by 80,000 beekeepers, are unable to supply demand and
France now imports 25,000 tonnes of honey annually. Sources say that
the arrival of these hornets has made the situation considerably
worse and that the future of the entire industry is at stake.
 |
| Vespa velutina. Is this a new
threat to UK beekeepers? See below. |
|
But don’t think that UK beekeepers will be safe. Our Island
status which has kept us secure for centuries may not be able to
prevent the arrival of these hornets. Stuart Hine, manager of the
Insect Information Service at London’s Natural History Museum,
warned that there is no doubt that these hornets are heading north
and will probably find their way to Britain at some point. However,
whilst climate change means that the hornets would find UK summers
very much to their liking, they would still have difficulty coping
with winter frosts.
Hornets can cause chaos.
I remember being attacked by a colony of hornets in Cyprus as a 7
year old. We were on a ‘nature ramble’ from our primary school when
our teacher hit a nest with his stick. We fled in all directions and
a section of RAF Regiment guard soldiers who were tracking us,
probably thinking that we had been attacked by EOKA terrorists
swooped down on us to gather us up and return us to base, but we,
thinking the soldiers were the very terrorists we had been warned
about then fled in other directions not knowing which threat was
worse, the hornets or the soldiers. Eventually we were all rounded
up kicking and screaming and taken to the base guard room by a bunch
of bad tempered soldiers many of whom had been stung, and our
parents sent for. None of us kids had been stung! Ed.
Honeydew Honeys Are Better Antioxidants Than Nectar Honeys
In a study of 36 Spanish honeys from different floral origins
researchers have revealed that honey from bees feeding on honeydew
have greater antioxidant properties than those produced by bees
feeding on nectar. The study is published in this month’s edition of
the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Naturally occurring antioxidants are important ingredients of many
foods, and keenly sought in many ‘health foods’. They are believed
to help protect people from diseases like cancer, cardiovascular
disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and aging. They operate by
mopping up potentially damaging free radicals that are released in
the body. Honey is one source of antioxidants.
The composition of honey depends greatly on where honeybees collect
their raw materials. The two principal sources are nectar and the
exudation of aphids and other sap sucking insects, the latter
resulting in honeydew. Honeydew will contain not only bee derived
enzymes and properties but also insect derived enzymes. “Although
honey is a natural source of antioxidants, and among honeys,
honeydew honey is the best,” says researcher Rosa Ana Pérez, who
works at the Instituto Madrileño de Investigación y Desarrollo
Rural, Agrario y Alimentario, in Madrid, Spain.
Each of the 36 honeys was exposed to a range of physical and
chemical tests. Honeys with high antioxidant properties (measured by
the DPPH test) also had high total polyphenol content, net
absorbance (as colour parameter), pH and electrical conductivity.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by John
Wiley & Sons Ltd
 |
| The raw material of honeydew. Aphid exudates.
Honeydew honey is a better natural antioxidant than
honey. |
|
Honeydew is a classification of honey that refers to honey
produced by honeybees collecting nectar that is exuded from another
insect such as an aphid or scale insect. It is quite common in a
number of countries and the best known is honeydew from the Black
Forest in Germany. World wide it is referred to variously as "forest
honey", "Pine honey", "Fir honey" etc. and may be referred to by the
specific species of tree producing the honeydew.
 |
| New Zealand Beech Forests are a prime source of
Honeydew, forming a major export. |
|
 |
|
A honey bee collecting ‘honeydew’. |
|
Honeydews are normally high in Fructose, low in
glucose and have higher levels of higher sugars such as maltose .
Their tendency to crystallise is also low. Beech honeydew is
likewise very slow crystallizing and in fact some beech honeydews
never crystallize.
Normally honeydew is below 17% moisture. In the main production
area, fermentation is not generally a concern, but the environment
is such that large populations of yeast can occur in the honeydew
forests. This is due to the presence of large quantities of a food
resource (honeydew nectar) and, particularly after rain, wet
conditions.
Pictures courtesy of Airborne Honey Ltd, Canterbury New Zealand. If
you want to know more about honeydew honey go to their website
http://www.airborne.co.nz/hnydew.htm which gives a very
comprehensive picture of the subject
The moth has a gyroscope-like sensor
Most insects such as honey bees fly in daylight and have to have
sensory information to tell it what it has done and what it needs to
do For example if a person unintentionally turns around, the inner
ear system or eyes will provide that information and allow for a
course correction. But what if you need to fly in the dark? How
about if you are a moth? When the light is low, and the visual cues
are hard to see, they have to depend more on the mechanosensory
system but up until now, the insects’ wobble-free flight remained a
mystery .
Now, researchers have uncovered the secrets of hawk moth (Manduca
sexta) flight control by looking at what happened when the insects’
antennae were removed and they have found that just like the bee,
the researchers found that a structure called Johnston’s organ,
which is found at the base of the moths’ antennae, was the key.
Using vibrations from the antennae, which remain in fixed positions
during flight, the organ can detect when and where the moth’s body
moves in relation to its antennae.
 |
| Manduca sexta has been found to have a
Johnston’s Organ to help it maintain stability when
flying in low light conditions. |
|
In essence, it is behaving much like a gyroscope on a ship or
plane that gives the vehicle a frame of reference to move within.
Further investigation revealed the Johnston’s organ then sends this
information to the brain so the moth can shift its body back to the
correct position.
Monitoring antennae-less moths in a dimly lit flying chamber, the
team discovered the moths’ flight was extremely unsteady: they
collided with the walls, flew backwards or crashed to the floor.
However, when the antennae were glued back on, the moths regained
their agile grace.
In the honey bee the Johnston’s Organ is located within the pedicel
of the antenna as shown below:
 |
| The Organ is within the pedicel (P) which
consists of many sensory cells known as scolopale
cells (sc). |
|
The above picture features in the marvellous
book by Lesley Goodman called ‘Form and Function in the Honey Bee’ (IBRA
2003, ISBN: 0 86098 243 2). (Very well worth purchasing if you have
not already done so).
Want More Pollinators?
Then threaten them with a bit of poison. The
sugar-containing nectar secreted by plants and consumed by
pollinators shares a number of similarities to fitness drinks,
including ingredients such as amino acids and vitamins. In addition
to these components of nectar can also contain secondary metabolites
such as the alkaloid nicotine and other toxic compounds.
 |
| New evidence shows that plant pollination
strategy seems to involve repelling pollinators to a
certain extent. Why? |
|
In a fascinating piece of research scientists Danny Kessler and
Ian Baldwin from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in
Jena, Germany, recently looked at this question. Just why would
plants risk poisoning the insects and birds that provide them with
pollination services? Their findings have been published in The
Plant Journal. Kessler and Baldwin examined the nectar of a wild
tobacco species, Nicotiana attenuata, and discovered that it is
flavoured with 35 secondary compounds. The researchers then tested
16 of these in cafeteria-style bioassays with three groups of native
visitors - hawkmoths, hummingbirds (both pollinators) and ants
(‘nectar thieves’). Some compounds were attractive and others were
not. Certain nectar blends seem to increase a flower’s chances of
being visited by useful pollinators while discouraging nectar
thieves.
Nicotine, the most abundant repellent found, affected both
pollinators and nectar thieves in the same way. The visitors removed
less nectar per visit when nicotine was present. To determine if
nicotine was repellent in the real world, the researchers
genetically transformed N. attenuata plants to create nicotine-free
plants, which were planted into a natural population and nectar
removal rates were measured. Native floral visitors removed much
more nectar from the plants that had no nicotine than from the
normal nicotine-containing plants.
So why would a plant produce nectar that repels pollinators? Data
from the bioassays provided the following hypothesis:
When nectar contains nicotine, the amount of nectar consumed per
visit decreases but the number of visitations increases. Increasing
the number of visitors might increase the genetic diversity of the
offspring produced.
The researchers are planning to test this hypothesis in the upcoming
field season. Dissecting the function of this secret formula of
nectar, thought to be nature’s soft drink, has instead shown it to
be quite ‘hard’.
Note. This story has been adapted from a news release issued by
Blackwell Publishing Ltd..
A SINLE GENE CONTROLS TRAITS RELATED TO HONEY BEE SOCIABILITY
The honeybee (Apis mellifera) belongs to the rarified cadre of
insects that pool resources, divide tasks, and communicate with each
other in highly structured colonies. Understanding how this advanced
state of organization evolved from a solitary lifestyle has been an
enduring question in biology.
In a new study published in PLoS Biology, scientists have revealed
one possible path to community by showing that a single gene
controls multiple traits related to honeybee sociability. First
characterized for its role in reproduction, the gene, vitellogenin,
is widely found in egg-laying insects, which depend on it for egg
cell development.
 |
| Multiple traits related to the amazing
phenomenon of honey bee Sociality is controlled by a
single gene! |
|
As every beekeeper knows, a honeybee’s role depends on its age,
gender, and caste. Reproduction falls to the queen and drones, while
essentially infertile females, the workers, perform all the other
duties required to support the colony. As young adults, workers tend
larvae and perform assorted tasks in the hive. After about three
weeks, they switch from domestic chores to foraging, and eventually
specialize in pollen or nectar collection. Scientists began to
suspect that the protein synthesized from the vitellogenin gene—vitellogenin—might
affect these social life history traits in honeybees as it became
clear that the protein supported an array of functions not directly
linked to egg-laying. For example, sterile workers synthesize
vitellogenin to make the royal jelly they feed larvae. It can also
prolong the lifespan of both workers and the queen by reducing
oxidative stress.
As bees undergo the complex behavioural shift demanded by the change
in job description, their physiology changes too: they have higher
levels of juvenile hormone and lower levels of vitellogenin. It was
speculated that these two physiological factors repress each other
to affect the bees’ behaviour, with vitellogenin repressing juvenile
hormone in younger bees to inhibit the shift from nest to field, and
juvenile hormone repressing vitellogenin in bees that have switched
to foraging to ensure that they stay true to their task and do not
revert to nest jobs. In a previous study, the researchers also
proposed that changes in vitellogenin gene expression early in life
could foster the selective behaviour that creates the division of
labour between pollen and nectar specialists. To test these proposed
roles of vitellogenin in coordinating the social life of the
honeybee, Nelson et al. inhibited the expression of the vitellogenin
gene with RNA interference (RNAi). This gene-silencing tool
introduces a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) product whose sequence is
complementary to a target gene, thereby setting off a series of
events that ultimately “knocks down” the target gene. The
researchers injected a vitellogenin dsRNA preparation into the
abdomen of a subset of bees and compared their behaviour and
lifespan to a control group. (The control group also received a
dsRNA treatment designed to mimic the stress of experimental
handling without affecting gene expression.) The bees’ vitellogenin
levels were monitored at 10 days, 15 days, and 20 days old to make
sure the RNAi effects persisted.
Compared to controls, dsRNA-treated bees had consistently lower
levels of vitellogenin protein. These vitellogenin “knockdowns”
started foraging at a younger age than controls—confirming that
vitellogenin affects workers’ occupational fate by repressing the
shift from domestic to foraging tasks. The foragers also showed a
preference for nectar, in keeping with evidence that workers
genetically predisposed toward nectar have lower vitellogenin levels
before leaving the nest, while those predisposed toward pollen have
higher levels. But more directly, the researchers argue, these
results show that vitellogenin controls social foraging
specialization. What’s more, the vitellogenin-deficient bees died
earlier than the controls, demonstrating the protein’s influence on
honeybee longevity. Altogether, these results demonstrate that
vitellogenin regulates the organizational structure of honeybee
society by influencing workers’ division of labor and foraging
preference. Vitellogenin, the researchers conclude, controls not
only when bees start foraging and how long they live, but what they
forage. Higher levels early in life favour pollen; lower levels
favour nectar. Since current methods cannot yet distinguish the
effects of vitellogenin from those of juvenile hormone, the
researchers argue that the two physiological factors should be
considered as partners in mediating task assignment and
specialization. Since this partnership is uncommon in insects, it
suggests that social behaviour in honeybees emerged from a makeover
of relations between vitellogenin and juvenile hormone. It also
bolsters the notion that factors normally in control of female
reproduction can lay the foundation for the transition from solitary
life to complex social behaviour.
Citation: Nelson CM, Ihle KE, Fondrk MK, Page RE Jr, Amdam GV (2007)
The gene vitellogenin has multiple coordinating effects on social
organization. PLoS Biol 5(3): e62. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050062.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by The
Public Library of Science. (USA).
ARTICLES Back to top
NOSEMA CERANAE
Because the ‘Colony collapse Syndrome ‘ seems to be featuring in the
news more prominently, and because a possible cause could be Nosema
ceranae, it may be worth reminding readers of the relatively new
phenomenon which was identified in Apis melifera in Europe by
Spanish scientists in research that was a response to increasing bee
losses.
Symptoms of the problem are seen when strong colonies lose their
workforce in a matter of weeks even though the hive has food stores,
capped brood, and no outward appearance of a serious disease or
parasitic condition. No build-up of dead bees occurs in front or
inside the hive. Food stores are not immediately robbed by hives in
the vicinity and attacks from wax moths and small hive beetles are
noticeably delayed. The adult bees remaining in the small cluster
are newly emerged and are reluctant to consume feed.
Effects, Treatment and Control
N. ceranae and N. apis have similar life cycles, but they differ in
spore morphology with N. ceranae having smaller spores. Without
doubt, the most significant between the two types is just how
quickly N. ceranae can cause a colony to collapse. Bees die within 8
days after exposure to N. ceranae which is faster than bees exposed
to N. apis. The foraging force seems to be affected the most. They
leave the colony and are too weak to return, therefore die in the
field. This leaves behind a small cluster and a weak colony. There
is little advice on treatment but it has been suggested that he most
effective control of Nosema ceranae is the antibiotic fumagillin as
recommended for Nosema apis
Nosema ceranae The Spanish Research.
A pointer to research workers looking into the ‘disappearing bee
syndrome’ or ‘colony collapse disorder’, was a huge increase in the
detection of microsporidian spores in Spanish honey bees in recent
years. To help look in this direction, molecular tools were
developed to improve accurate diagnosis of nosemosis in the
laboratory. Most samples studied were sent from colonies suffering
unexpected decreases in bee population per hive or lower honey
production as reported by the beekeepers during the last two/three
years.
The research included honey bees samples from apiaries located in
the Centre and North of Spain, sent to the Laboratory of Bee
Pathology (Centro Apícola Regional) and collected from October 2004
to May 2005. Once the presence of microsporidian spores following
OIE recommendations (Office International des Epizooties, 2004) was
confirmed, 12 samples were selected from all the positives ones.
They all came from different Spanish regions and
Nosema ceranae was first reported as a new parasite of A. cerana.
There are reports showing differences in ultrastructural and
molecular characteristics when compared to N. apis, the other
described honey bee Microsporidia. Spores of N. ceranae seem to be
slightly smaller under the light microscope and the number of polar
filament coils is between 20 and 23, rather than the more than 30
often seen in N. apis.. Based on molecular data, studies confirm
that the Microsporidia isolated from Spanish samples of honey bees
are indeed N. ceranae.
In the research, twelve samples of adult honey bees from different
regions of Spain from colonies with clear signs of population
depletion, positive to microsporidian spores using light microscopy
(1% of total positive samples analysed), were selected for molecular
diagnosis. PCR specfic primers for a region of the 16S rRNA gene of
Microsporidia were developed and the PCR products were sequenced and
compared to GenBank entries. The sequenced products of 11 out of the
12 samples were identical to the corresponding Nosema ceranae
sequence. This was the first report of N. ceranae in colonies of
Apis mellifera in Europe. The suggested link of the infections to
clinical disease symptoms makes imperative a study of the virulence
of N. ceranae in European races of honey bees.
The research wisely concluded that due to the increasing bee losses
(Spain as well as some other Mediterranean countries have been
suffering increased winter losses of colonies of up to 40% in some
regions of Spain) and due to the resulting significant reduction in
honey production in recent years further detailed research must be
carried out. However, a clear, without doubt, explanation for this
problem has not been found and the pathological consequences of N.
ceranae in A. mellifera are not known, but it is important to
discover if there is a causative relationship between the findings
reported in the research and the documented population depletion and
colony losses of honey bee colonies in southern Europe.
The full Spanish research can be found (in English) as follows:
Nosema ceranae, a new microsporidian parasite in honeybees in Europe
Mariano Higes (a), Raquel Martín (a), Aránzazu Meana (b)
a.Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de
Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, 19180 Guadalajara,
Spain
b Dpto. Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad
Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid,
Spain
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Since the Spanish research French and Spanish scientists have
detected the disease and carried out a genetic sequence of Nosema
ceranae in their respective territories and US research can be found
in a report entitled “Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)” from the
CCDWorking Group. To read the entire report go to:
http://www.ento.psu.edu/MAAREC/pressreleases/FallDwindleUpdate0107.pdf.
Despite the possible links to Apis cerana, most research
institutions do not confine themselves to studying only this
microsporidia. They also look at other possible causes such as
pesticides, varroa/viral complications, immune system problems and
so on and it is worth remembering the Isle of Wight disease saga
where Acarapis woodii being the first mite to be discovered in the
research into the problem was immediately identified as the cause.
In fact it may or may not have been only a part of the problem.
Nosema ceranae (for our Spanish readers) from Wikepedia en Español
Es un microsporidia parásito unicelular, originario de Apis cerana
pero que a partir del 2004 se detectó en España que afecta a las
abejas melíferas Apis mellifera. Es causante de la enfermedad
denominada Nosemosis que ataca las abejas adultas. En el año 2004
analizaron más de 3000 muestras en España, arojando resultados
positivos en el 90 % de los análisis. En el 2005 sobre 800 muestras,
el 97 % arrojo valores positivos. La enfermedad causa pérdida de
abejas (despoblación) con la consecuente pérdidas en producción de
miel. No se detecta síntomas de diarrea como en Nosema apis, pero
hay un evidente Síndrome de despoblamiento en mayor o menor grado o
medida. Las esporas de Nosema tienen gran resistencia a las
temperatura extremas y a la deshidratación. Durante el año 2006
Francia y Alemania han detectado la enfermedad y reconocido la
secuencia genética de Nosema ceranae en sus respectivos territorios.
HONEY AND THE EU
The following has been taken from an FAO report which can be seen by
clicking on the
link. But in this article I have extracted
information on:
a. The amount of honey each country produces and how much it
imports.
b. The amount of bee hives in each country.
c. The number of beekeepers in each country.
d. The number of professional beekeepers in each country.
It is interesting to see the various comparisons between beekeepers
and numbers of hives and production which have as much to do with
climate as they do with efficiency. At the end of the article I have
put the world price variations over the last few years courtesy of
Airborne Honey in NZ.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH Back to top
To follow on from the information on Honey beers I thought a
nice recipe using the stuff seemed appropriate. This one is a bit
odd and I had to use a honey beer of dubious origin, but it seemed
to work. I learned about it from a friend who got it from America.
Hence the US/UK serving measures. Try it. Another healthy recipe!
Honey Beer Steamed Clams
Makes 6 servings -
Ingredients
24oz. flat honey beer
9 lbs. Manilla clams
Bercy Butter
1. Bring 1/2 cup beer to a boil.
2. Add 1-1/2 pounds clams to beer; cover.
3. When clams open, swirl in 1/3 cup Bercy Butter; remove from heat.
Bercy Butter
Ingredients
1/2. unsalted butter, softened
Fresh, coarsely chopped parsley
1. freshly chopped shallot
1 clove freshly chopped garlic
1 pinchfresh, coarsely chopped thyme
1 Tablespoon honey
1 small glass white wine
1 squeeze of lemon juice
1 teaspoonorange zest
1 teaspoon orange juice
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1 pinch of crushed red pepper (pimenton or paprika)
HISTORICAL NOTE Back to top
Most beekeepers at some time or other have to unite colonies,
usually because one or both are weak or when you need to join two or
more casts. As we mentioned in last month’s Historical Note, one
large stock is better than two weak ones in terms of honey
production. Cotton in his ‘My Bee Book’ explained this to his 19th
century readers and went on to tell them how to best combine queen
right colonies/casts.
‘The best way to join two casts is to smoke them both and then
pour the bees from two dishes into a large milk pan, first some of
one and then some of the other, sprinkling them gently (not enough
to daub them) with a little honey and water. Take away one queen and
then put the united parcel into a hive with one comb fastened to the
crown of the hive. This will make them take readily to one another,
as an united and loving family to their new home.’
Nowadays of course a quick half second spray from a can of non toxic
air freshener does the same job. I think I prefer Cotton’s method!
POEM OF THE MONTH Back to top
I had to think about this one for a couple of seconds, but it
tells a powerful story. I am always amazed at the depth of thought
in Emily Dickinson’s poems. How did she think of such things?
Partake as doth the Bee,
Abstemiously.
The Rose is an Estate—
In Sicily.
Emily Dickinson
LETTERS Back to top
Webmaster,
I believe colony collapse dis-order to be due to pesticides. When a
bee goes to 1 place where there is 1 pesticide, then goes to another
place where there is another pesticide-the effects are potentiated-multiplied
many fold. We learned this in the 1st gulf war.
Robert Dean. Memphis, Tenn., 38127. USA
Well Robert. I think you’ve got it covered. This should save
millions on further research! Seriously though, pesticides are being
looked at as part of the research and this communication has a
serious and well thought point to it. Rd.
Dear David,
In your latest Apis-UK newsletter you asked for reader feedback.
Well, here is my attempt.
The article about bumblebee nest warming reminded me of similar
research with European Hornets. Check the following URL:
-
http://www.empa.ch/plugin/template/empa/732/30165/---/l=2/
Perhaps I am "carrying owls to Athens". The reasearch is two years
old, and perhaps known to you. If not it might be worth letting the
readers know about it. The downloadable movie is also interesting.
Best regards and thanks for your time and efforts you put into the
production of this newsletter.
Hans
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Back to top
BEES FOR DEVELOPMENT. EVENTS LISTING
Bees for Development Beekeepers' Safaris. For an amazing beekeeping
adventure, chose from one of our four award-winning Safaris -
friendly holidays run by BfD in partnership with our colleagues
overseas.
12-21 June 2007 -
BEES AND
FLOWERS IN SWEDEN
Organised by Bikonsult of Sweden in co-operation with BfD. A unique
opportunity to celebrate 300 years since the birth of Carl von
Linnaeus, 'Father of taxonomy'. Options include watching the
midnight sun north of the Polar Circle.
14-23 September 2007 -
AFTER
APIMONDIA - AUSTRALIAN LIFE AND BEEKEEPING
Organised by Bikonsult of Sweden in co-operation with BfD. See the
Australia that you will not find through tour operators, and meet
local beekeepers and their families.
14-28 November 2007 -
TANZANIA
With Njiro Wildlife Research Centre, Arusha. Experience African
bees, visit local beekeepers, apiaries and markets. See the
spectacular Serengeti and the animals that live there.
21-31 January 2008 -
TRINIDAD
& TOBAGO
With Gladstone Solomon, Presidentof Tobago Apicultural Society.
Enjoy sand, sea and Africanised bees. See European bees, stingless
bees, pan yards and humming birds.
For details visit our website at: www.beesfordevelopment.org
E-mail safari@beesfordevelopment.org ~
Phone +44 (0)16007 13648
Sat 14th April 2007 9:00am
Wisborough Green Division - West Sussex BKA
Beekeeping Course
Suitable for Beginners, Improvers, and Non - Beekeepers
At:- Village Hall, Lower Street, Pulborough, West Sussex. RH20 2BF.
Sat 14th April 2007 assemble from 9.00 for 9.30-5.00 p.m.
| How to learn about bees |
Different kinds of bees |
| How bees live naturally and how we can manage them |
What bees collect - nectar, pollen, propolis, water |
| How bees store the crop |
The 3 castes, queen, drones, and workers |
| What happens in a beehive and where |
How to start |
| The Wisborough Green Beginners Package |
Choosing the type of hive and why |
| Siting hives |
Essential equipment |
| Protective clothing |
Handling bees |
| Colony Management |
Swarming |
| Making increase |
Dealing with the crop |
| Feeding |
The colony in winter |
Course fee £25 (£15 under16’s) per head to include
lunch, refreshments, and a booklet “Basic Beekeeping”. One free
place for the organiser of a party of 10 or more as one booking.
Enquiries:- Roger Patterson
r.patterson@pattersonpressings.co.uk 01403 790 637
Booking:- Andrew Shelley, Oakfield, Cox Green, Rudgwick, Horsham.
RH12 3DD. 01403 822 314
Cheques payable to WSBKA .
Web Site Visit us on
www.wsbka.org.uk [“Divisions”] [“Wisborough Green”]
Prepare yourself for the coming season – now
Pulborough Village Hall is off Lower Street. Turn down next to the
Oddfellows Arms, right to the bottom and turn right into the car
park. If this is full then use the main car park immediately before
it.
Sunday 10th June 2007
YORKSHIRE BEEKEEPERS’ FIELD DAY.
Sunday 10th June 2007.
Location – 5 mins walk from York station
Themes – Bee Health and Bee Products
Speakers – Dr David Aston, Richard Ball - National Bee Inspector,
Norman Carreck, Paul Metcalf, Heather Robson
Subjects – Integrated Bee Health Management,
Bee Disease Research, Microscopy,
Resistance Testing,
Bee products.
Tickets - £12.
Book early to select options.
Contact:
Colin & Debbie Hattee
Email: hatteehouse@talktalk.net
Tel: 01430 860972
Saturday 3rd March 2007
- West Sussex Beekeepers Association Beekeeping
Convention. Venue: Lodge Hill Conference Centre, Watersfield,
Pulborough, West Sussex. Main Speakers, Rev Stephen Palmer, Michael
Badger and Richard Ball plus a choice of attending four from a total
of ten workshops. Further details from John Hunt on 01903 815655 or
email john_bateman_hunt@hotmail.com
Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th and Thursday
26th July 2007 - New Forest & Hampshire County
Show. The New Forest & Hampshire County Show is the
highlight of Hampshire’s social calendar featuring all the
attractions that have made it so popular for the best part of a
century, bringing traditional country pursuits, new exhibitions and
demonstrations to this unique event. Put the dates in your diary
now.
There is a full range of horse and livestock competitions plus a
rabbit section, cage birds, and honey bees. The Countryside area
features woodland activities and demonstrations of rural sports,
plus terrier and ferret racing. Other favourites include the
horticultural marquee featuring many nationally acclaimed flower
entries, and the Southern National Vegetable Association
Championships.
With over 600 trade stands there is a wide choice of stalls to
visit many offering goods never to be found in the shops, including
antiques, crafts, and the best of Hampshire food and produce.
We also have the Forest Fun Factory arena, a haven for children
with all day entertainment. These are just a few of the many
attractions you will find at this year’s show – you will be spoilt
for choice.
A pay as you go shuttle bus service runs from Brockenhurst
mainline station right into the showground, so let the train take
the strain.
Discounted tickets available on line at http://www.newforestshow.co.uk/
or on the credit card hotline 01590 622409 from June 1st 2007.
Additional information Show opens 08.15 to 1800 Web site full of
information – http://www.newforestshow.co.uk/
Full Title is New Forest & Hampshire County
Show.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH Back to top
The person who said the following is one of the greats of
European Apiculture. His approach to the subject generally is
different and interesting and in this quote he sums up apiculture
very neatly indeed. It is just how I see it.
“Observation, experimentation, improvement of one’s knowledge as
well as physical prowess, acceptance of practical realities – all
accomplished with precision, conscientiousness and rectitude – have
ensured that apiculture, like other branches in which science and
technology are combined, has provided material for multidisciplinary
instruction and intellectual and moral training.”
Editor: David Cramp
Submissions
contact the Editor
E-mail addresses are not hyper linked to
prevent harvesting for spamming purposes. We recommend you cut &
paste to your e-mail client if required.
Click here to print this page
