I realized while constructing this newsletter that Patreon.com had changed their menu and so you lucky patrons were not charged for the last three newsletters, saving three dollars each. I am rectifying that situation this month. I hope to get it right. Patreon is also embarking on charging sales tax. I’ve already posted something about this. This may or may not apply to subscribers. This site has 32 patreons who are charged $1 a posting. If you’re charged too much let me know. Because of my mistake, you have a $3 credit on this post already. Hopefully that will make whatever tax you are charged less cumbersome. Let me know how it works out for you.
COVID-19 is still in the news. There’s no telling at the moment where this is going. We’ve just received news that Florida and Texas are resuming some form of lock down. Folks are getting bored and complacent; many won’t wear a mask or social distance. If one gets caught out overseas it could be a nightmare, and no doubt has been for some. Melanie Kirby out of Arizona on a Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship to study bees in Spain just barely escaped, but it wasn’t easy. Read about what she went through here
Enough already about the “Murder Hornet.” Not since Jaws has one organism had so much attention by the popular press. A release by the National Wildlife Federation gives the most recent information. They are mostly a risk for honey bees, not humans. However, if they munch a bunch of honey bees, humans might suffer due to lack of pollination of crops, but that is a long way off at the moment. Contributor Rusty Burlew says she wishes to have come up with the moniker Vespid-19 , for this critter /situation, but gives that contribution to another. As she says, though “The phrase and the events bear a certain familiarity, no?” . If you are put off wearing a mask due to the virus, think of what a honey bee has to go through without any protection on the hornet. Bee sting “immunity” has recently been hashed over on the Bee-L Discussion list. What this means and what it portends for beekeepers is really unknown. BEE-L Digest – 22 May 2020 to 23 May 2020 (#2020-148). Read more on reactions to stings here.
Bee venom and SARS-CoV-2 is the title of a recent paper in the Journal Toxicon Volume 181, 15 July 2020, Pages 69-70
“There is one discovery we would like to report here. It reminds us the story of the discovery of cowpox and the eventual victory of humans over this disease (Bennett and Baxby, 1996) . In Hubei province, the epicentre of COVID-19 in China, the local beekeepers association conducted a survey of beekeepers. A total of 5115 beekeepers were surveyed from February 23 to March 8, including 723 in Wuhan, the outbreak epicentre of Hubei. None of these beekeepers developed symptoms associated with COVID-19, and their health was totally normal. After that, we interviewed five apitherapists in Wuhan and followed 121 patients of their apitherapy clinic. These patients had received apitherapy from October 2019 to December 2019, and all the five bee apitherapists have the habit of self-apitherapy for their own health care (apitherapy means making use of bee venom from the honeybee’s sting to treat or prevent certain diseases). Without any protective measures, two of the five apitherapists were exposed to suspected COVID-19 cases and others were exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases, but none of them were infected eventually. None of the 121 patients were infected by SARS-CoV-2, and three of them had close contact with immediate family members who were confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection cases. It might be supposed that beekeepers are less likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 because they live in less densely populated rural areas. But the five apitherapists and their patients are from densely populated areas in Wuhan. These people have one thing in common: they develop a tolerance to bee sting. This discussion may have contributed to Contributor Ron Miksha taking up his pen (keyboard) after the Montreal Apimondia meeting to ask readers to fill out a small poll on the subject and send him their observations.
There’s a new smartphone application out there allowing folks to follow the bees in terms of pollination. The Wild Bee App is developed and maintained by the Gratton Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “We are a lab in the Department of Entomology within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Our mission is to learn through innovative science, creating fundamental knowledge that links insects, landscapes, and their conservation in support of healthy ecosystems and human well being. A major focus of our research revolves around the conservation of and services provided by wild and managed pollinators.” The latest newsletter offers $50 for collecting data with the app this year:
“At the end of the growing season, if you have completed at least 9 bee surveys, you can submit a W-9 form to us to receive a $50 honorarium for participating in the WiBee project. We’ll send out an email reminder in early Fall to app users who qualify for the award. We appreciate your help and can’t do this project without you.”
Some good news about wild pollinators: “As soon as the blue calamintha bee arrived on the scene, scientists worried it might be gone for good.” This conclusion to an article in Smithsonian Magazine has now been turned on its head: “The indigo insect was last spotted in central Florida in 2016, five years after it was first identified. But this spring, just as Americans began to hunker down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rare blue bees, known scientifically as Osmia calaminthae, were rediscovered in the same region foraging on Ashe’s calamint, a dainty violet flower that blooms in certain scrub habitats. See the rest of the story here.
News from Australia’s AgriFutures Program looks at research on Australian manuka honey products. AgriFutures Australia is the trading name for Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC). AgriFutures Australia invests in research, leadership, innovation and learning to support industries that do not have their own research and development function, new and emerging industries, and the issues that affect the whole of agriculture. Read more
A Beekeeper’s Guide to Australian Leptospermum is available on the AgriFutures website for 75 $AU. ttps://www.agrifutures.com.au/product/a-beekeepers-guide-to-australian-leptospermum trees-and-honehy/
“The project sponsored by CRC for HoneyBee Products on Australian Leptospermum Bioactives ends in June this year. So, the funding that supported Beekeepers receiving free testing also ends June 2020. Get your five FREE tests in soon. The Honey Lab will continue testing but at a fee for service rate.
‘Thanks to all our supporting Beekeepers that have helped with honey donations and information on floral resources. Other Australian Manuka projects sponsored through the is also attached.
‘To assist Beekeepers and Processors to better understand Australian Manuka honeys, two resources from our lab are: Australian Manuka Honeys 2020.pdf and CRCHBP Australian Manuka Activity Estimator 2020.excel. The information in “Australian Manuka Honeys” covers species; storage; maturing; sampling; blending and interpreting analysis reports. The “Australian Manuka Activity Estimator” is a live spreadsheet that allows you estimate the changes in your honey at 22o, 37o or 65oC.
Not mentioned is the fact that manuka honey really is a development of New Zealand, which first used the brand. See more on manuka honey here
‘Dr Trong Tran has begun a pilot study on diversity, composition and antioxidant activity of Australian HoneyBee Propolis which finishes in June 2020. Early results show large differences in propolis from different regions. If you would to be involved in this research, use the attached form to send samples before June. Just like honeyBees unpredictable. If the University goes into quarantine, or staff become ill, our operations will close for a period. Bee Safe.
The New York Bee Wellness program recently featured David Wick of BVS, Inc. presenting a webinar on Virus & Nosema Testing for Honey Bees: “The varroa mite is endemic to the honey bee population and serves as a vector for numerous viruses. Join Dave Wick, President of BVS, Inc., as he covers what BVS tests for, and the common viruses of concern. Dave will also go through reports and what they mean and answer questions regarding the reports.
Some examples and data from the 2019 NY Bee Wellness projects will be used. Hopefully this will give grounding and reasoning for everyone to test your bees on a regular basis. BVS is currently is testing for: Virus – Nosema spores – Gut Bacteria – Bee Weight – Mite Counts – Pesticides – Herbicides and Fungicides
This webinar will be beneficial for experienced beekeepers, including past participants of the NY Bee Wellness virus program, as well as curious beginning beekeepers. BVS, Inc., a microbiology laboratory in Florence, MT, has been providing testing services to beekeepers since 2007, initially funded by grants from MT, WY, CA Beekeepers, Project Apis M, MT Department of AG and others. BVS, Inc. is located in Stevensville, Montana . We are using IVDS – rapid virus detection and an LC MS/MS Proteomics system with the ABOid softwear to test bees and honey for beekeepers nationwide. The work is built around these technologies, licensed from the US Army’s Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center. Both of these rapid and inexpensive technologies are made available to the public through BVS, Inc. and their Army license agreement, and have worked with the USDA, NIAID, the CDC, the Montana Department of Agriculture, Florida State Department of Agriculture, UC Davis, and the University of Montana. (one hour and 26 minutes).
I call attention to a rather new podcast from the University of Florida Honey Bee Research Laboratory. Two Bees in a Podcast began January 7, 2020 and so far 24 sessions have been recorded. Two recent ones are perhaps most significant. June 4 featured Dr. Marla Spivak at the University of Minnesota and on June 14, Dr. Jay Evans head of the USDA-ARS Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, MD.. It’s worth some time looking at rest of these programs hosted by Dr. Jamie Ellis and colleagues.
Due to the Pandemic: virtual and in person events are bound to be more popular and common: Becoming 21st Century Leaders: Women in Beekeeping and Agriculture Oct. 24-25, 2020: This is an opportunity to reach 300+ current and future leaders in beekeeping and agriculture.
“We are committed to ensuring the presentation of this unique educational and business opportunity. In these uncertain times we have expanded the attendance option to include “virtual on-line attendance” for registered attendees. Our conference will be produced by professional conference videographers and IT specialists experienced in virtual events.
“Becoming 21st Century Leaders: Women in Beekeeping & Agriculture is bringing together a hive of experienced, diverse, purposeful individuals to expand the opportunities for women (and men) as keepers of the ecosystem to support the health and sustainability of honey bees, native pollinators, beekeeping, and agriculture. (Learn about the Speakers here.) We hope you can be a part of this event through your Sponsorship.
“As a Scholarship Sponsor you will be supporting new entrepreneurs and leaders who are integral to diverse and sustainable communities, organizations, and agriculture. Deadline to be a Sponsor of this inaugural event is July 20, 2020.
“Please see the Sponsorship information online for details of how you can support leadership & business education for women, and men, in beekeeping and agriculture. For more information please call or email 330-803-3449 info@leadforpollinators.org.
The National Honey Board reports sales are up. The June report from the Board states, “For the honey industry, business is buzzing with an increase in customers buying in bulk, despite complications from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. According to Nielsen , between April 11th and May 4th, significantly higher numbers of units and sales of honey were reported sold at retail as compared to the same time period last year. There has been a 62% increase in sales and a 53% increase in units in the month of April alone. And over the last 52 weeks, sales trends show an 11% increase in sales and 8% increase in units – a positive sign for honey as we progress further into 2020.”
The report looks at several issues, including research: “More than $386,000 has been committed to fund honey production research in 2020. Project Apis m. manages and administers the NHB research grants, and a total of seven projects are in process. Some highlights include a study by Washington State University’s Dr. Brandon Hopkins that investigates the viability of increasing the queen supply through improved commercial queen banking practices.
“Purdue’s Dr. Brock Harpur’s research will use genomics to discover why there are so many ‘dud’ male honey bees. In another study, the risk factors for colonies developing European Foulbrood Disease during blueberry bloom is being conducted by Dr. Meghan Millbrath from Michigan State University. See other projects here. Unfortunately, the Board reports the loss of its leader Christi Heintz, who also was a principal founder of Project Apis m.”
June it turns out is PTSD month for veterans. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health issue that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of PTSD in yourself or others could help save a life.
According to the National Center for PTSD, Veterans experience PTSD at nearly twice the rate of the general adult population, but PTSD can affect men, women, and children after any type of trauma. Take a moment during PTSD Month to learn more about symptoms and treatment and find resources for coping with disasters and trauma. Beekeeping is one of those resources.
Beeswax food wrap is becoming a thing. Haven’t heard of it? Check out contributor Rusty Berlew’s step-by-step way to create this unique, environmentally friendly way to store food.
Soap bubbles as a pollinator device could replace honey bees and robots? Probably not yet, but a Bee Culture Catch the Buzz has an intriguing post on this technology:
Soap bubbles facilitated the pollination of a pear orchard by delivering pollen grains to targeted flowers, demonstrating that this whimsical technique can successfully pollinate fruit-bearing plants. The study, from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Nomi, Japan, and published June 17 in the journal iScience, suggests that soap bubbles may present a low-tech complement to robotic pollination technology designed to supplement the work of vanishing bees.
“It sounds somewhat like fantasy, but the functional soap bubble allows effective pollination and assures that the quality of fruits is the same as with conventional hand pollination,” says senior author Eijiro Miyako, an associate professor in the School of Materials Science at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. “In comparison with other types of remote pollination, functional soap bubbles have innovative potentiality and unique properties, such as effective and convenient delivery of pollen grains to targeted flowers and high flexibility to avoid damaging them.”
Miyako and colleagues previously published a study in the journal Chem, in which they used a tiny toy drone to pollinate blossoming flowers (doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2017.01.008). But although the drone was only two centimeters long, the researchers struggled to prevent it from destroying the flowers as it bumped into them. While searching for a more flower-friendly artificial pollination technique, Miyako spent a day at the park blowing bubbles with his son. When one of the bubbles collided against his son’s face–a predictably injury-free accident–Miyako found his inspiration.
2020 Trip to Cuba is a Go: Benita Lubic of Transeair Travel is announcing the 4th annual Cuba Beekeeper Tour November 7th to 15th, 2020. She reports that “…as of June 23, 2020, Cuban airports remain closed to international arrivals. However, the Cuban government has announced a phased plan to allow tourists back to the island. We expect the Cuban Airports to open in August, 2020.
“Cuba, has implemented many of the same precautionary measures implemented around the world to minimize the spread of COVID-19 including the use of face masks and social distancing measures, restricting travel to the island until further notice, and closing schools. Additionally, Cuba has deployed it’s national health services to local communities around the country with reports of medical volunteers going door to door to check temperatures and provide guidelines for residents to stay healthy. By all accounts, they have minimized the impact of COVID-19 on the population due to intelligent management of the crisis. The infections have been relatively small, and the deaths minimal.
“We’ve been in constant contact with our partners and friends in Cuba. Like us, they too are sheltering at home with their loved ones, their livelihoods temporarily on hold. We’ve shared the many good wishes of our past and future travelers, and true to the Cuban spirit, and despite many hardships there, they are sincerely concerned with their friends in the U.S. and wish to convey their thoughts of wellbeing and safety, with you.” Benita Lubic, Transeair Travel LLC, 2813 McKinley Place NW, Washington, DC 20015, ph: 202 362 6100, fax: 202: 362 7411 website: See the facebook page commemorating previous trips 2018 and 2019:. Also consult my report on the 2017 trip.
Happy Pollinator week was June 22 through 28 according to the Pollinator Partnership, and there was a lot going on. Although some reading this newsletter may have missed the event in real time, there still look to be activities one can support and look forward to next year.
The preliminary results have been published for honey bee losses in 2019/2020 by the Bee Informed Partnership and the experiences of our honey bee colonies, and their keepers, across the country this past year. From 1 April 2019 to 1 April 2020, nearly 44% of colonies were lost. Losses during Summer 2019 marked the highest ever recorded by BIP during that season, whereas losses during Winter 2019/2020 were the second lowest on record. To see the most up-to-date information of colony loss in the United States, please visit BIP’s Loss & Management Survey page.
Meanwhile a series of reports comes from Nature’s Notebook of the National Phenology Network, also heavily involved in pollinator week.
“We have been humbled by the dedication of phenology observers like you who continue to track phenology despite new challenges from all directions. Despite a drop in our Nature’s Notebook participants this spring, we’ve seen a spike in new monitoring sites and an increase in activity per observer. That means that those of you who are able to continue tracking phenology are more devoted than ever before.
“The start of spring this year was the earliest in four decades in some locations. But how did spring play out? According to USA-NPN Director Theresa Crimmins, spring was much shorter than average in some locations (including parts of the high-mountain West and mid-Atlantic coastal plain) and longer than average in much of the Northeast, northern Ohio and Indiana and central Montana. See how these patterns are reflected in your data submitted to Nature’s Notebook in Theresa’s Ecology & Evolution blog piece.
“Phenology also helps looking at invasive species. In order to better target the timing of control of invasive Vebesina enceliodes, a team of staff and volunteers at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge began collecting phenology data to identify how much time they had in between when the plant starts to grow and when it drops its seeds. After a year of data collection with Nature’s Notebook, the team determined the number of days they could allow between treatments and adjusted their schedules accordingly. This study demonstrates the potential for data collected by volunteer scientists to inform ecological restoration.
“Nature’s Notebook mobile app course provides instructions to help you get started using Nature’s Notebook, or provide a refresher if you need one! We’ve just released the second module which provides step-by-step instructions on how to use the Nature’s Notebook mobile app.”
Ninety-one units of Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees, second edition, were sold on Amazon.com May 25, 2020 – June 21, 2020. Atlanta led the way in sales.
From the editorial endorsements:
“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.
Malcolm T. Sanford
https://beekeep.info
https://patreon.com/beeactor
