Dear Subscribers:
The midterm elections are here. I trust everyone is voting. This is a trying time for democracies in general and they can only be preserved through active participation of a responsible and educated public. As a response, I have created a free patreon post looking at the difference between human and honey bee governance models. Enjoy.
The end of last month (September) I ventured with two colleagues to the southern Missouri Ozarks. The purpose of our trip was to attend a two-day seminar given by Dr. Leo Sharashkin, who I originally saw speak a year ago at the Florida State Beekeepers meeting. Dr. Leo is a fan of horizontal beekeeping as his website shows , something not well-known on this continent, but a staple of many beekeepers in Europe. This style appeals to some for a variety of reasons, including being stationary (no moving of colonies), minimizing lifting of heavy equipment (no supers are used as the colony is managed horizontally rather than vertically), and employing especially-designed frames that are much deeper (longer) than the Langstroth (standard) variety, considered more like those found in nature (usually in hollowed-out trees), some times referred to as “apicentric.”
Dr. Leo is able to keep his audiences’ attention over two solid days of lectures via his worldwide knowledge of how honey bees are kept and his ability to weave a tale of apiculture adroitly interspersed with anecdotes. Beyond this, it is clear he has a mission to bring what he calls, “natural beekeeping” into the mainstream. He teaches a comprehensive course touching all the bases that beekeepers need to know and provides everyone with a good, solid basis on which to rest their decision-making.
Beyond lectures, there was time to visit Dr. Leo’s residence, where he patiently went over what is often not well covered in beekeeping seminars, in-depth discussions of hive design, frame construction, and marketing honey. On the premises one can see his operation in some detail and get a feel for another aspect of Dr. Leo’s apicultural craft, “treatment-free” beekeeping. Another term for this is “Darwinian beekeeping,” as described in some detail by Dr. Tom Seeley of Honeybee Democracy fame in the March 2017 issue of American Bee Journal, that was passed out at the seminar, along with a raft of other printed information.
The one caveat any potential student must consider when attending Dr. Leo’s, or for that manner any other instructor’s curriculum, is that similar to real estate, beekeeping is all about location, location, location. The southern Missouri Ozarks is not North Central Florida, for example, and so beekeeping is a completely different activity here in Gainesville than in Dr. Leo’s territory. That must continually be kept in mind by the student while being entertained by Dr. Leo as he discusses his brand of apiculture based on “Lessons From Wild Bees: Surviving Without Treatment,” an interview with Dr. Tom Seeley published, in American Bee Journal, February 2016, also distributed at the seminar.
An interesting situation is now occurring in Dr. Leo’s apiary. He appears to be overrun with small hive beetle, which has recently made its appearance. This brings into focus how beekeeping is becoming more and more nuanced and complex. One of Dr. Leo’s ideas to control Varroa, for example, is to limit the amount of brood a colony is producing. Varroa population is a direct result of brood production. Smaller colonies often do better because brood production is reduced. Small hive beetle, on the other hand, is better controlled by larger adult bee populations; the amount of brood is not so critical. One strategy thus must be balanced with another for maximum honey bee health.
The brand new Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab here at the University of Florida has concluded it’s first international event, a meeting of the Coloss.org small hive beetle task force. COLOSS (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes) is an international, non-profit association composed of scientific professionals, including researchers, veterinarians, agriculture extension specialists and students that believe in open dialogue as a key to understanding the reasons that honey bee populations are threatened worldwide. Born from a European Union initiative, COLOSS is now independent and relies on support from a number of partners. The organization is perhaps best known for what is simply called the BEEBOOK, three volumes dedicated to standardizing honey bee research practice.
Small hive beetle was first identified in the United States outside its native South African range, and has continued to infest European honey bees around the world. The COLOSS small hive beetle (SHB) task force consists of about 40 bee health professionals from roughly 20 countries. It met to identify the following priorities to work on in the next few years:
TASK A: Conduct a ring test for molecular diagnostic tool(s)
TASK B: Develop tools for small hive beetle management
TASK C: Determine in-hive trap efficacy for various devices now in use
TASK D Review articles on predictive markers for colony collapse due to SHBs (potential triggers/predictive markers)
Remarkably, almost anyone with an interest in honey bee health appears to be eligible to become a COLOSS member without charge. Membership must, however, be applied for.
On the heels of the COLOSS meeting, the Florida State Beekeepers Association met in annual convention alongside the lab’s popular Bee College. The latter is a beekeeper training event aimed at backyard to sideline beekeepers (beginners are welcome!) as well as anyone else interested in bees. It features lectures from honey bee experts, hands-on workshops, and includes a honey show. There was so much demand this time, that a two-day extension was scheduled.
The state association’s program was dominated by issues affecting commercial beekeeping and included a meeting of the Division of Plant Industry’s Honey Bee Technical Council, which seeks to develop communication between the state’s beekeeping population and its regulators. One thing on everyone’s mind was the topic of shipping honey bees to California for almond pollination. It was emphasized that Florida honey bees command a premium price in that market and anything preventing their arrival for the bloom is problematic for both beekeepers and growers alike. Some 500 semi-loads of honey bees were shipped from Florida in 2018.
Especially concerning is the situation that currently exists with reference to beekeepers being turned away at the California border for a laundry list of reasons, including red imported fire ants, small hive beetle and other beetle larvae, soil and other organic material. This appears to be the result of a combination of both biological and political issues. A resolution at the meeting was for regulators from both California and Florida to communicate better during the critical pollination period.
The commercial focus was a first for this kind of meeting. One reason for that was the hiring of Dr. Humberto Boncristiani, who is charged with developing a faculty research program generally oriented toward larger-scale commercial beekeepers. This position is novel and unique for a researcher and so Dr. Boncristiani is reaching out to beekeepers in Florida and elsewhere. To begin, you can visit with him virtually at his website.
Finally, the meeting took place just as Hurricane Micheal came ashore as almost a category five storm, the most powerful ever to hit the panhandle. The aftermath was unknown at that time, but the University of Florida (IFAS) has now published several news releases concerning the situation:
“GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Hurricane Michael significantly impacted the beekeeping industry in the Florida Panhandle. This area is home to about 500 registered beekeepers and nearly 50,000 colonies, which amounts to more than 1.2 billion bees. These colonies are vital to Florida agriculture because the bees provide pollination services to many of the state’s crops.
“Beekeepers in the Florida Panhandle are racing to save their colonies as many forage resources — blooming trees and flowers — were destroyed in the hurricane. Furthermore, many of the colonies have been destroyed, damaged or otherwise cannot be accessed due to the hurricane. How can you help?
“The Florida State Beekeepers Association (FSBA) established a GoFundMe page at . All monetary donations are tax-deductible and will be used to purchase supplies needed by the affected beekeepers.
“Beekeepers may need help working their colonies once they are able to access their apiaries. Thus, beekeepers, and beekeepers only, are encouraged to contact the FSBA hotline (985-664-9606) to be added to a volunteer list. Volunteer beekeepers are encouraged to bring all relevant beekeeping equipment, such as personal protective equipment, heavy equipment and chainsaws, when or if invited to assist.
“It is important to know that there is limited or no access to some areas impacted by the hurricane. Secondary and lower roads will retain debris for an extended time. Travel priority must be given to first responders, the power companies and associated emergency personnel. Furthermore, various curfews may be in place in certain areas. Thus, you should contact the FSBA hotline BEFORE making any trip to or offering any assistance in the affected area.”
Glyphosate (Roundup®) continues to be in the news. There’s more and more reason it seems to wonder if this chemical should be used. It looks like that concern has taken a back seat, however, as the material now may be the “most used agricultural chemical ever.” A study in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe reveals that Americans have applied 1.8 million tons of glyphosate since its introduction in 1974. Worldwide, 9.4 million tons of the chemical have been sprayed onto fields.
The newest risk appears to be that glyphosate might damage the microbiota that honey bees need to grow and to fight off pathogens. The findings show “…that the abundances of dominant gut microbiota species are decreased in bees exposed to glyphosate at concentrations documented in the environment,” said Erick Motta and colleagues from University of Texas at Austin in their new paper. They found that young worker bees exposed to glyphosate exposure died more often when later exposed to a common bacterium. And then there’s the continuing conversation that much of the world’s honey contains some levels of the stuff. See last month’s newsletter, which went into significant detail about this material.
October’s Bee-L discussion was dominated by a report that extracts of polypore mushroom mycelia reduce viruses in honey bees. Eighteen posts were generated on the subject.
Check out Project Apis m’s latest newsletter. It contains a report about scientific advisor Dr. Michelle Flenniken, who recently released a 3-part video series for learners and beekeepers of all ages on her research. She made these videos as part of outreach/education efforts associated with her NSF CAREER grant, collaborating with Montana State’s University Communications Visual Media Staff to make two additional videos for a three-part video series about (1) Honey Bee Research at MSU, (2) Honey Bee Pathogens, and (3) Honey Bee Pathogen Detection.
Thanks to Rosanna Mattingly (rosannamattingly@gmail.com) for continuing the efforts that Fran Bach put in over the years to bring the Western Apicultural Society’s News From the World of Bees to the wider beekeeping community.
Weed Killer and Bees
Honey Bees Blowing in the Wind
Sick Honey Bee Brood
Fall Cleanup and Protecting Pollinators
Mind of an Anthill
Moth Drinking
American Foulbrood Study
Smithsonian Bee Playground
UC Webinar
Oregon Varroa Alert
UBC Bee Symposium
Mexico’s Science Minister
Tybee Island Bee Deaths
Oshawa Pollinators
Native Bees and Buzz Pollination
Witte Museum Exhibit
October 16, 2018
OSBA Fall Conference Deadline: Today!
Oregon Varroa Alert
Gonzaga University Colony Health Event
Norwegian Ministries National Pollinator Strategy
Pathogenicity of Serratia marcescens
The Bees and the 2017 Eclipse
Climate Change and Tropical Forest Insects
Bee’s Eye View of Seattle
As customary, visit the Honey Bee Health Extension page and check out the section on queen rearing and queen breeding. Couple that with the discussion on evaluating the queen quality.
Eighty four units of Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees (second edition) were sold on Amazon. Com September 17 to October 14, 2018. Salt Lake City led the way. Eight units of the first edition were also sold.
From the editorial remarks, “An excellent introduction to both honey bees and beekeeping. It’s well-written, practical, and exceptionally well-illustrated, making it the perfect book to jump-start the adventure of beekeeping or use as a reference for established beekeepers.” — Dr. Mark L. Winston, author of Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive.
