Beekeeping For Beginners

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 14 February 2012

2012-02-01T05:09:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 14 February 2012

Central Beekeepers Meet 14 February 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 08:01 AM PST

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on February 14th, 2012, at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

New beekeepers and anyone interested in starting to keep bees are welcome to come out and join us, to learn more about beekeeping, chat with other local beekeepers, and find out more about how to keep honeybees here in New Brunswick.

Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

If you’re just getting started in beekeeping, this meeting will give you the opportunity to get together with some experienced beekeepers to ask questions. If you’re planning to start beekeeping this spring, come find out what you’ll need to do right now to get ready for your honey bees!

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 10 January 2012

2012-01-05T05:19:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 10 January 2012

Central Beekeepers Meet 10 January 2012

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:37 AM PST

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on January 10th, 2012, at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

If you’re just getting started in beekeeping, this meeting will give you the opportunity to get together with some experienced beekeepers to ask questions. And if you’re thinking about getting started in beekeeping, you can find out what you’ll need to do over the winter months, to get ready for your own honey bees in the spring!

Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : The Hidden Beauty of Pollination

2011-11-08T05:12:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : The Hidden Beauty of Pollination

The Hidden Beauty of Pollination

Posted: 07 Nov 2011 07:06 AM PST

Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg has spent 35 years watching the natural world through a camera. His film Wings of Life, inspired by the plight of the honeybee, is a remarkable celebration of pollination and the tiny pollinators who keep our world alive:

Rarely seen by the naked eye, this intersection between the animal world and the plant world is truly a magic moment. It’s the mystical moment where life regenerates itself, over and over again.

Here, from his presentation, recorded March 2011 at TED2011 in Long Beach, California, Schwartzberg presents some of the his film’s extraordinaryhigh-speed images of pollinators in action:

If you’d like to watch at full screen size — highly recommended! — just click on the icon in the upper-right of the embedded video player.

(Note: If you’re reading this in an email and can’t see the video player, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com/2011/11/schwartzberg-pollination-film on the Central Beekeepers Alliance website.)

From the filmmaker’s introduction:

Beauty and seduction, I believe, is nature’s tool for survival, because we will protect what we fall in love with. Their relationship is a love story that feeds the Earth. It reminds us that we are a part of nature, and we’re not separate from it.

When I heard about the vanishing bees, Colony Collapse Disorder, it motivated me to take action. We depend on pollinators for over a third of the fruits and vegetables we eat. And many scientists believe it’s the most serious issue facing mankind. It’s like the canary in the coalmine. If they disappear, so do we. It reminds us that we are a part of nature and we need to take care of it.

You can learn more about Louie Schwartzberg and the film Wings of Life at www.MovingArt.tv.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Mobile Phones in Honeybee Hives Cause “Worker Piping”: Research Study

2011-11-06T04:23:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Mobile Phones in Honeybee Hives Cause “Worker Piping”: Research Study

Mobile Phones in Honeybee Hives Cause “Worker Piping”: Research Study

Posted: 06 Nov 2011 03:43 AM PST

Over the past few years, a number of researchers have looked at the possible impact on honeybees of electromagnetic waves produced by human-made devices. One such study, published in Apidologie, Volume 42, Number 3 (May 2011), observes that active cellphones placed in bee hives cause the workers to pipe — to make the same sounds that normally signal either that the colony has been disturbed or it is about to swarm.

The study, conducted by Daniel Favre of the Laboratory of Cellular Biotechnology (LBTC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and the Apiary School of the City of Lausanne, Switzerland, “electromagnetic waves originating from mobile phones were tested for potential effects on honeybee behavior.”

Abstract:

The worldwide maintenance of the honeybee has major ecological, economic, and political implications. In the present study, electromagnetic waves originating from mobile phones were tested for potential effects on honeybee behavior. Mobile phone handsets were placed in the close vicinity of honeybees. The sound made by the bees was recorded and analyzed. The audiograms and spectrograms revealed that active mobile phone handsets have a dramatic impact on the behavior of the bees, namely by inducing the worker piping signal. In natural conditions, worker piping either announces the swarming process of the bee colony or is a signal of a disturbed bee colony.

Interestingly, although the workers piped, the colonies did not produce a swarm as they would normally be expected to so shortly after that signal, and no queen piping was observed. The author suggests that perhaps worker piping is only one of a number of a signals that the bees rely on to trigger a swarm.

Favre further notes that the experiment placed cellphones right inside the hive itself — putting the bees in much closer proximity to the source of electromagnetic waves than they would be in normal circumstances. The question is raised, however, whether long-term exposure to low levels of these waves might have a similar “dramatic impact” on bee behavior. More research will be required, however, before scientists can draw any conclusions about the implications for the beekeeping industry and our honeybee populations.

Mobile phone-induced honeybee worker piping by Daniel Favre may be read in full online at Springerlink: DOI 10.1007/s13592-011-0016-x. Apidologie, an official publication of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) and Deutscher Imkerbund E.V. (D.I.B.), is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the biology of insects belonging to the superfamily Apoidea.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : US Farmers Plant to Feed Bees

2011-11-05T05:22:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : US Farmers Plant to Feed Bees

US Farmers Plant to Feed Bees

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 05:38 AM PDT

Farmers in California and other states are turning over a percentage of crop land to wildflowers and shrubs that are attractive to bees. Improving bee habitat and nutrition, they hope, will boost the dwindling populations of native bees and help cut the costs of commercial pollination.

The bee habitat enhancement effort was organized by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a nonprofit group out of Portland, Oregon.

Getting farmers to plant bee habitat is key, [Mace] Vaughan [the group's pollinator program director] said, because bees with nutritionally sound diets are better able to fend off diseases and other problems.

Bee habitat can also reduce a farmer’s costs and alleviate the stress on honeybees. Through research on California’s watermelons, University of California, Berkeley, professor Claire Kremen found that if a farmer sets aside between 20 percent and 30 percent of a field for bee habitat, the farm can get all or most of its pollination from native bees.

That’s unrealistic for most farms, but Kremen said adding hedgerows and other plantings can help sustain a beneficial combination of native and commercial bees. Research has found that native bees make commercial honeybees more efficient pollinators by getting in their way and making them take a more circuitous route from plant to plant.

“What it means is you don’t have to have a huge number of native bees, but if you have some then the combination of honeybees and native bees has a huge effect,” Kremen said.

Other researchers have found that setting aside bee habitat leads to better crop production on the remaining land, compensating the farmer.

Read the full story, Farmers Add Plants to Attract, Nourish Bees at the National Public Radio website, NPR.org.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : New Commercial Beekeeping Course Unique in Canada

2011-11-02T05:15:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : New Commercial Beekeeping Course Unique in Canada

New Commercial Beekeeping Course Unique in Canada

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 08:42 PM PDT

The first beekeeping vocational program in Canada for the education and training of commercial beekeepers will be offered at the Fairview campus of Grand Prairie Regional College (GPRC), Alberta, Canada. The college is now accepting applications for the program’s January 2012 launch.

Certificate in Commercial Beekeeping

This 45-week course of vocational training will provide its graduates with the substantive knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to work in commercial beekeeping.

Graduates will be prepared for employment in Canada, the US, and other parts of the world as:

Apiary assistants and field supervisors with commercial beekeepers;
Technicians with government agriculture departments;
Self-employed beekeepers; and/ or
Project coordinators for beekeeping/honey production projects
in the developing world.

The program strikes a balance between theoretical and practical learning, combining classroom study with industry work experience and practicum visits to large commercial beekeeping operations.

One unique feature is the 26-week paid work experience in which students are placed with commercial beekeepers, where they will earn a salary as they gain hands-on experience in beekeeping and honey production.

Curriculum

Theory of Apiculture
January & February (8 weeks)

BK101 (2) Basic Apiary and Field Skills
BK110 (3) Technical Woodworking
BK122 (1.5) Introductory Botany
BK132 (4) Honey Bee Biology
BK133 (1.5) Introduction to Bee Diseases and Management
BK134 (5) Hive Management for Honey Production

Program break (1 week)

March to September

BK135 (5) Queen Rearing (3 weeks; May/June)
BK200 (5) Beekeeping Work Experience

Program break (1 week)

Business of Beekeeping
October & November

BK310 (1.5) Food Safety and Regulations for Beekeepers
BK320 (5) Business of Bees
BK331 (3) Advance Management Options for Beekeepers
BK332 (4) Product Processing, Packaging and Marketing
BK333 (1) Processing and Packaging Field Trip
BK361 (2.5) Integrated Pest Management
BK365 (1) Bees and the Environment

“The launch of the Commercial Beekeeping Certificate Program by GPRC is a significant step forward in the development of a successful and sustainable bee, honey and pollination industry in Canada. Canadian beekeepers will be the recipients of a more knowledgeable workforce to address the many concerns the industry is now facing,” according to Corey Bacon, Chair of the Canadian Honey Council.

For more information about the Commercial Beekeeping Certificate program at GPRC, contact Chris Laue, Dean of Trades, Agriculture and Environment, or visit gprc.ab.ca/programs.

Photo: Hives of north Alberta by l’insouciant1, on Flickr

Central Beekeepers Alliance : 2012 Canadian Beekeeping Convention slated for Winnipeg, Manitoba

2011-10-25T05:24:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : 2012 Canadian Beekeeping Convention slated for Winnipeg, Manitoba

2012 Canadian Beekeeping Convention slated for Winnipeg, Manitoba

Posted: 24 Oct 2011 07:32 AM PDT

Held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the Canadian Honey Council and Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, the 2012 CANADIAN BEEKEEPING ANNUAL CONVENTION will take place on January 26-28, 2012. The convention and symposium will be hosted by the Manitoba Beekeepers Association at the historic Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Convention Theme:
“Healthy Environment – Healthy Bees – Healthy Honey”

Keynote Speakers

Marion Ellis – Professor and Extension Apiculture Specialist, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Jerry Hayes – Apiary Inspection Assistant Chief, Florida Department of Agriculture Services, Gainesville, Florida, USA
Danielle Downey – Apiculture Specialist, Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Hilo, Hawaii, USA

All interested beekeepers and related industry people are invited to come out to hear what is happening in the Beekeeping Industry across Canada and USA. The 2012 Canadian Beekeeping Convention is held in conjunction with the Canadian Honey Council (CHC) and Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) Annual Meetings, and thus should provide an action packed week for all attendees. In addition, CHC will be hosting special meetings earlier in the week for their members and guests.

Agenda details, hotel information, registration form, convention costs, and other important information can be found on the Manitoba Beekeepers Association website (http://manitobabee.org).

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Christmas Dinner 2011

2011-10-16T05:29:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Christmas Dinner 2011

Central Beekeepers Christmas Dinner 2011

Posted: 15 Oct 2011 10:40 AM PDT

Put it on your calendar — the Central Beekeepers Alliance members and guests will gather to enjoy a festive turkey dinner on the evening of Saturday, 17 December, 2011.

Central Beekeepers Alliance – Christmas Dinner
Saturday, 17 December 2010
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Frank’s Finer Diner, Two Nations Crossing, Fredericton, NB

Turkey dinner buffet, with dessert and coffee/tea included. Cost per person: $16.95 (plus tax & gratuity). Payments can be made the November meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance, or you can pay on the night.

A private room (the downstairs conference room) has been reserved for our event. And if last year’s dinner is anything to go by, you can expect that our President will have rounded up a lot of fun door prizes to add a little more festive cheer to the occasion!

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 8 November 2011

2011-10-14T05:04:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 8 November 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 8 November 2011

Posted: 13 Oct 2011 10:44 AM PDT

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on November 8th, 2011, at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

If you’re just getting started in beekeeping, this meeting will give you the opportunity to get together with some experienced beekeepers to ask questions. And if you’re thinking about getting into beekeeping next spring, you can find out what you’ll need to do now and over the winter months, to prepare to keep your own honey bees!

Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : The Perfect Design of Honey Bees

2011-10-07T05:18:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : The Perfect Design of Honey Bees

The Perfect Design of Honey Bees

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:02 PM PDT

This video is a segment of “Silence of the Bees,” a remarkable documentary mini-series that premiered on PBS in October 2007, when the apiculture community was just beginning to suspect the devastating effects that Colony Collapse Disorder would have on honeybee populations.

As the video explains, and as beekeepers know by their own observations, bees are “just this magnificent little engineered thing, just perfect for all the things they can do”:

An architectural marvel, the honeybee’s design is an elegant fusion of form and function. A proboscis for ferreting out nectar stored deep in a flower’s folds. And powerful mandibles for eating, feeding young, and manipulating wax.

Photo: Bee on lavendar via Flickr

Two compound eyes are comprised of 6,900 lenses and covered with sensory hairs for detecting wind speed. Three additional eyes, called ocelli, receive light signals for orientation.

Four wings clasp together with tiny hooks and beat up to 230 times a second.

For defense, a double-edged, serrated sting, which she can use only once — at the cost of her own life.

Hind legs are broadened into special baskets for carrying heavy cargo of pollen to the hive. Feathery hairs coat the body and build up a static charge as the bee flies. When the bee lands on a flower, pollen literally jumps on to her body.

Nature’s award-winning Silence of the Bees was narrated by American actor F. Murray Abraham, winner of the 1985 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. It was produced by filmmaker Doug Schultz — and if you’re interested in what went on “behind the scenes” in making the documentary, you can read an interview with Doug Schultz at the PBS program website.

Silence of the Bees is available on DVD (packaged together with an equally interesting documentary, Parrots in the Land of Oz). You can get it direct from PBS online or from Amazon.com in the United States and from Amazon.ca in Canada.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 11 October 2011

2011-10-04T05:41:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 11 October 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 11 October 2011

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:48 PM PDT

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on October 11th, 2011, at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

If you’re just getting started in beekeeping, this meeting will give you the opportunity to get together with experienced beekeepers and ask your most pressing questions: how to get your hives ready to go into winter, what to feed and how much, and other seasonal beekeeping topics.

And if you’re thinking about getting into beekeeping next spring, you can learn what you’ll need to do now and over the winter months, to prepare to keep your own honey bees!

Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : So You Want an Observation Hive?

2011-09-24T05:06:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : So You Want an Observation Hive?

So You Want an Observation Hive?

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 08:07 PM PDT

Constructing an Observation Bee Hive is written by Malcom T. Sanford, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida. It includes simple plans for building an observation hive, and tips on maintaining a hive if you plan to keep bees in it for longer terms, rather than simply for a display.

(You may recognize Dr. Sanford’s name as the entomologist who updated a classic beekeeping book by Richard E. Bonney for the Storey Publishing company’s Down-to-Earth Guides series in Fall, 2010.)

Constructing an Observation Bee Hive

If for some reason the FullScreen and Download buttons at the top of the embedded document aren’t working for you — those darned computers! — you can download a printable PDF version of this document at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG32000.pdf directly. That way, you’ll be able to see the measurements and instructions on the observation hive plans included.

Build or Buy an Observation Hive

If you’re looking for an alternative style, plans for building a 3-Frame Observation Hive are available free at Bee Source. Also, a fellow on the Beemaster’s International beekeeping forums has posted step-by-step photographs and description of building an observation hive.

Long-time Central Beekeeepers’ Alliance member Earl Gilbey has a four-frame observation hive that may interest and inspire you, too — see Inside An Observation Hive to read about it.

If you’re not into woodworking, you can still enjoy bee-watching as a hobby. you’ll find a remarkably wide range of observation hives for sale at Draper Bee — some of which are quite showy, more like livingroom furniture! — or visit Dadant to see a nice simple 2-frame observation hive priced at just under $100 US (plus shipping, of course).

So You Want an Observation Hive? Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Beekeepers are Worried: Dan Rather Reports

2011-09-23T05:14:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Beekeepers are Worried: Dan Rather Reports

Beekeepers are Worried: Dan Rather Reports

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 11:59 AM PDT

Unexplained honey bee die-offs in recent years, filed under Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), have been the focus of considerable research but very few solid answers. Now, according to the folks at the investigative news program Dan Rather Reports, the situation is worse than at first thought: “the whole food chain is at risk.”

Where is the finger pointing this time?
Systemic pesticides, self-regulation by the chemical industry, and a flawed process for testing and registration of products by the EPA…

Bee Aware from Greg Stanley on Vimeo.

We were researching an update on how honey bees were faring after years of unexplained colony deaths. Beekeepers are now losing an average of 30-50% of their hives each year from all kinds of symptoms. But our investigations found evidence that has led all the way back to the people who regulate our country’s pesticide program at the Environmental Protection Agency…

So what’s going on? One of the suspects, according to beekeepers and scientists, is relatively new on the market. Remember these words: systemic pesticides.

Systemic pesticides or neonicotinoids (derived from nicotine) are different from other types of pesticides used in agriculture. Neonicotinoids are absorbed by the plants to which they’re applied, making the entire plant toxic to insects. So the honey bees and other pollinators no longer would need to be sprayed directly or come into direct contact with a pesticide, in order to suffer the effects. The nectar and pollen themselves become toxic to honey bees.

According to the American news report, US beekeepers are worried for two reasons in particular. For one, the testing for safety is being done by the chemical companies who produce the systemic pesticides being tested, not the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — “it’s like the fox designing the best chicken coop” — and because scientists no longer agree on what the “safe level” is when it comes to long-term impacts of agricultural chemicals on honey bees.

Currently there are more than 17,000 pesticide products on the market in the U.S., and scientists say there is much that remains unknown about their impact on the environment, including the effect of combinations of compounds. While many credit the EPA with doing a good job at making sure pesticides are safer and safer for humans, they have a lot to answer for when it comes to honey bees.

Read more:

Bee Aware. Dan Rather, Huffington Post. Posted: 9/22/11 12:00 PM ET
Bee Aware, September 20, 2011. Dan Rather Reports, HDNet.

Beekeepers are Worried: Dan Rather Reports Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Vernon R. Vickery, Canadian Entomologist & Beekeeper: Obituary

2011-09-13T05:25:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Vernon R. Vickery, Canadian Entomologist & Beekeeper: Obituary

Vernon R. Vickery, Canadian Entomologist & Beekeeper: Obituary

Posted: 12 Sep 2011 09:01 AM PDT

It is with sadness, respect and regret that the Central Beekeepers Alliance notes the recent passing of Vernon Randolph Vickery, entomologist, beekeeper, and author of The Honey Bee: A Guide For Beekeepers, the “beekeeping bible” that taught many of us how to keep honeybees in a cold damp climate like that of eastern Canada.

In 2004, Vernon R. Vickery was made an Honourary Member of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA), in recognition of his contributions to Apiculture.

Vernon Randolph Vickery
1921-2011

Prominent Entomologist Passes Away

Vernon Randolph Vickery – 90, of Kentville passed away on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 in the Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville. Born in South Ohio, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, he was a son of the late Leo and Maude (Moses) Vickery. He was a Veteran of the Second World War, serving with the RCAF/RAF in the United Kingdom, North Africa and Italy. He was a radar technician 1941-1945. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Kings Branch No. 6, Kentville. He was a retired Professor of Entomology from McGill University and also taught at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. He received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture an MSc and his PhD; FRES, FCES. He worked on pollenization projects on various kinds of crops and was a pioneer of industrial pollenization. Vernon was the founding President of the Orthopterist's Society and was Emeritus Curator of Lyman Entomological Museum at McGill University. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, the former Muriel Jewl McAloney; a daughter, Susan (Peter) Arntfield, Winnipeg, Manitoba; two sons, William (Judith Nowlan), Sainte Anne de Bellevue, Quebec; Edwin (Amy Creighton), Westmount, Quebec; grandchildren, Karen, Allison, Margot, Laura and Lexington; sister-in-law, Linda; brother-in-law, Victor Greene. He was predeceased by two sisters, Pearl and Leona; a brother, George. A celebration of life and reception will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 3, 2011 in St. James Anglican Church, Kentville, Reverend Pam Bishop officiating. Burial will take place in South Ohio at a later date. Family flowers only by request. Donations in memory may be made to the charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. On-line inquiries may be directed to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.

Vernon R. Vickery, Canadian Entomologist & Beekeeper: Obituary Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Random Posts

Thanks to FREX Volunteer Beekeepers

Posted: 12 Sep 2011 08:32 AM PDT

I would like to thank all of the CBA beekeepers for volunteering their time to educate the public on the importance of supporting our local beekeepers and the importance of the honey bee! The Fredericton Exhibition is always a great platform every year to interact with the public — especially the children, as they are our future beekeepers! Every year we have a booth at the FREX and this is always a great experience for new beekeepers and old alike.

Until next year, thank you!

Christine Dembenski
President of Central Beekeepers Alliance

Thanks to FREX Volunteer Beekeepers Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Beekeepers at the Fredericton Exhibition

2011-09-08T05:18:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Beekeepers at the Fredericton Exhibition

Beekeepers at the Fredericton Exhibition

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 07:50 AM PDT

There will be no regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance in September, as we’ll be manning a booth at the Fredericton Exhibition as is traditional.

“We have live bees and products made with honey and bees wax,” says CBA President Christine Dembenski. “Also there are hats, t-shirts with our logo,honey, cookbooks, and more. But the best reason to come and see us is to meet your local beekeepers and they will tell you all you need to know about bees!”

Come on down to the FREX and say “hello”! You’ll find the beekeepers’ display in our usual location at the Capital Exhibit Centre, in the walkway area under the bleachers.

Beekeepers at the Fredericton Exhibition Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Maritimers Learn About Backyard Beekeeping at Sackville Workshop

2011-09-04T05:04:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Maritimers Learn About Backyard Beekeeping at Sackville Workshop

Maritimers Learn About Backyard Beekeeping at Sackville Workshop

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 06:14 PM PDT

On the weekend of the 23rd and 24th of July, participants from all around the Maritimes came to Sackville, New Brunswick, to take part in Community Forests International beekeeping workshop. Emphasizing natural management techniques and hands-on learning, this weekend learning event was led by Peter and Kathleen Hardie.

[Backyard Beekeeping 2011 photographs by Canadian Forests International on Flickr.com]

The beekeeping workshop was written up in a recent CanadaEast article by Molly Cormier, which emphasized the growing appeal of hobby or backyard beekeeping by Maritimers with an interest in a sustainable lifestyle:

Sackville-based Community Forests International hosted its second apiculture course last month and welcomed prospective beekeepers for a weekend of learning the ins and outs of the beekeeping world. You might say it was a hive of activity.

All bee jokes aside, CFI’s Nick Belanger organized the workshop with an emphasis on all-natural techniques and hands-on learning.

“Backyard beekeeping is a loose term for a small operation,” he says. The honey and wax produced by the bees doesn’t have to be used for profit, but it can be a nice way to supplement an income, he noted.

Read more:
Busy as a Backyard Beekeeper by Molly Cormier, 18 August 2011, CanadaEast.com.

Community Forests International (http://forestsinternational.org/):
“Community Forests International connects people to the forest, fostering sustainable environmental relationships while strengthening communities against climate change. Driven by farmers, foresters, and their rural communities, CFI's programming spans the globe: planting trees with rural villages in Pemba, connecting environmentally-minded youth in India, Tanzania and Canada, and promoting ecological forestry in Atlantic Canada.”

Maritimers Learn About Backyard Beekeeping at Sackville Workshop Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Project RoboBee: Can a Robot Learn the Bees’ Waggle Dance?

2011-08-23T05:25:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Project RoboBee: Can a Robot Learn the Bees’ Waggle Dance?

Project RoboBee: Can a Robot Learn the Bees’ Waggle Dance?

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 10:45 AM PDT

Can a robot bee learn to do the “waggle dance” well enough to fool honeybees into following its directions?

At the Free University of Berlin, researchers are working on a mechanical bee they hope will be able to communicate with real bees about the location and quality of a food source. The implications for pollination services are enormous — if the robot bee can master the complex “waggle dance” language of bees, could it encourage a colony to work a field of canola rather than, say, more attractive wildflower forage in another direction?

What an idea! But it’s a steep learning curve for the scientists and their robot bee, according to Rebecca J. Rosen’s article in The Atlantic online:

So far, the dancing robotic bee has not been able to successfully communicate the location of a new food source, according to a new paper in PLoS ONE. The scientists list a couple of possible reasons: For starters, the robot can’t seem to get enough other bees to pay attention to its dance for long enough, perhaps because of a lack of buzzing wings (whose role in the waggle dance is unknown), sufficient body heat, or legs for creating vibrations in the honey comb. It’s also possible that chemicals on robot are off-putting to the other bees.

Robotic Bee Presentation

Robot Bee Communicates with Real Bees

Read more:
The Atlantic, 20 August 2011: Attack of the Robobees! A Mechanical Bee Tests Its Wings.

Photo credit:
Chittka L: Dances as Windows into Insect Perception. PLoS Biol 2/7/2004: e216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0020216

Project RoboBee: Can a Robot Learn the Bees’ Waggle Dance? Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Random Posts

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Will Your Bees Have Food for Winter?

2011-08-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Will Your Bees Have Food for Winter?

Will Your Bees Have Food for Winter?

Posted: 19 Aug 2011 07:55 AM PDT

August is a tricky month for beginning beekeepers. With many fall flowers in bloom, the field bees are still out collecting nectar and pollen and winter seems a long way off. But the last few weeks of true summer are deceptive. The nights are starting to chill down here in New Brunswick. In a healthy colony with a good queen, drone brood production will be noticeably down. You may even start to see a few drones kicked out of the hive, as the season starts to wind down.

Starvation is a major cause of winter bee losses.

The past few years here in New Brunswick we’ve been seeing an unusual thaw in mid-December, even getting heavy rain and spring-like flooding in much of the province in December 2010. When the weather acts up like that, it fools the bees. That’s when many colonies break their cluster and the bees become more active, moving about the hive and consuming more of the stored honey than they normally would.

The result is too often that the colony runs out of easily accessible food before spring, when snow melts and temperatures rise enough for beekeepers to get in to start spring feeding.

The answer is to make sure your bees go into winter with plenty of food — both honey and stored pollen — to see them through to spring.

How much food do bees need for winter?

Unless you are in the semi-tropical or tropical regions of the country your bees should have somewhere between 50 and 100 pounds of honey safely stored away when the first signs of autumn show. The colder and longer your winter and spring, the more they will need.

Kim Flottum, the editor of Bee Culture magazine who lives near Cleveland, Ohio, says that his bees typically use about 60 – 70 pounds of honey and 5 – 7 frames of pollen between the end of October and the beginning of April. Here in New Brunswick, beekeepers often prefer to have more like 85 to 100 pounds on a colony when it gets wrapped for wintering. Obviously, the further south you go, the sooner spring comes, and bees in don’t need as much in the way of winter food stores as they do here in Atlantic Canada.

New beekeepers: do not expect to take much if any honey off your newly established colonies in the first year. That honey belongs to the bees, to help build them up for next season.

If you figure about eight pounds of honey for a deep frame mostly filled on both sides you can estimate how much honey your bees really have. A medium frame like I use holds 4+ pounds if it's filled completely on both sides. Either way, that's a bunch of frames of honey that the bees need. And don't forget the pollen.

There is some controversy in warmer climates, with a longer growing season, about whether or not to feed bees. Up north here, especially if the fall honey flow is weak or we get a dry spell during the late summer and early fall, beekeepers often have no choice about whether to feed. After all, if it’s a choice between bees starving and bees surviving…

One good reason to start feeding as soon as possible after the honey harvest is because bees need time and warm temperatures to convert the sugar syrup to “honey” — this is not the real honey bees make from flower nectar and you would never harvest it for human consumption, of course, but simply the bees converting the sugar-and-water syrup into a form they can use for food.

Pollen is needed for feeding brood in the spring, so it is just as essential as honey stores for the bees. If you don’t see lots of pollen stored in the frames, consider feeding a good quality pollen substitute. And unless you are absolutely sure your bees have enough stores to get them through the winter (and then some extra, in case of a late spring), you’ll want to feed 2:1 sugar syrup as well. This is a good time to medicate against nosema as well, as you can put the medication right into the syrup.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/honeybees-beekeeping/getting-your-bees-ready-for-winter-already.aspx#ixzz1VNztAAap

Read more:
Mother Earth News: Getting Your Bees Ready For Winter…Already by Kim Flottum

Will Your Bees Have Food for Winter? Article by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

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Central Beekeepers Alliance : Honey Laundering: Toxic Chinese Honey is Sold in US Stores

2011-08-18T05:19:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Honey Laundering: Toxic Chinese Honey is Sold in US Stores

Honey Laundering: Toxic Chinese Honey is Sold in US Stores

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 07:01 AM PDT

Honey Laundering: Toxic Chinese Honey is Sold in US Stores by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

As if fans of honey needed yet another reason to buy straight from local beekeepers — or, better yet, to keep their own honey bees — a new investigative report from Food Safety News warns that tainted honey from China is ending up on American store shelves and on the tables of consumers.

Asian honey, tainted with illegal antibiotics, heavy metals, and in some cases agriicultural chemicals that are banned from use in many countries including Canada, has for some time been smuggled into Europe and North America. Alarmingly, Food Safety News, this practice continues, “despite assurances from the Food and Drug Administration and other federal officials that the hundreds of millions of pounds reaching store shelves were authentic and safe following the widespread arrests and convictions of major smugglers over the last two years.”

Experts interviewed by Food Safety News say some of the largest and most long-established U.S. honey packers are knowingly buying mislabeled, transshipped or possibly altered honey so they can sell it cheaper than those companies who demand safety, quality and rigorously inspected honey.

“It’s no secret that the honey smuggling is being driven by money, the desire to save a couple of pennies a pound,” said Richard Adee, who is the Washington Legislative Chairman of the American Honey Producers Association.

“These big packers are still using imported honey of uncertain safety that they know is illegal because they know their chances of getting caught are slim,” Adee said.

Read the full report by Andrew Schneider at Food Safety News: Asian Honey, Banned in Europe, Is Flooding U.S. Grocery Shelves

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Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Potluck Corn Boil 2011

2011-08-06T05:26:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Potluck Corn Boil 2011

Central Beekeepers Potluck Corn Boil 2011

Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:11 AM PDT

Central Beekeepers Potluck Corn Boil 2011 by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

Central Beekeepers Alliance will hold our annual Summer Corn Boil and potluck supper on Saturday, 27 August 2011. This year there’s a change of location — the corn boil will be held at the Picnic Grounds of the Agricultural Research Station, Fredericton, NB. As always, visitors and new beekeepers are welcome.

Time: 6:30 p.m.
Date: Saturday, 27 August 2011
Location: Agricultural Research Station, Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick

As well as enjoying good food and company, and lots of beekeeping talk, we’ll be accepting volunteers to take a shift or two at the beekeepers’ booth at the Fredericton Exhibition, the first week of September.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Glass is Half Empty to Shaken Honey Bees

2011-07-15T05:19:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Glass is Half Empty to Shaken Honey Bees

Glass is Half Empty to Shaken Honey Bees

Posted: 15 Jul 2011 02:06 AM PDT

Glass is Half Empty to Shaken Honey Bees by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. Copyright © 2011 MindsEye Productions and Central Beekeepers Alliance. All rights reserved.

When people are depressed or anxious, they tend to see their glass as half empty, not half full — but who would expect the same to hold true of honey bees? New research out of Newcastle University has shown for the first time that bees, when agitated as they would be when disturbed by a predator, show similar signs of pessimism.

To find out something about how honeybees view the world, the researchers “set them up to make a decision about whether an unfamiliar scent portended good or bad things.”

First, the bees were trained to connect one odour with a sweet reward and another with the bitter taste of quinine. The bees learned the difference between the odours and became more likely to extend their mouthparts to the odour predicting sugar than the one predicting quinine.

Next, the Institute of Neuroscience researchers divided the bees into two groups. One group was shaken violently for one minute to simulate an assault on the hive by a predator such as a honey badger. The other group was left undisturbed. Those bees were then presented with the familiar odours and some new ones created from mixes of the two.

Agitated bees were less likely than the controls to extend their mouthparts to the odour predicting quinine and similar novel odours, they found. In other words, the agitated bees behaved as if they had an increased expectation of a bitter taste, the researchers said, demonstrating a type of pessimistic judgement of the world known as a 'cognitive bias.'

While it may be too soon to claim that honeybees experience “emotions” the way that we humans do, this seems not to be as big a stretch as once we might have imagined!

"What we have shown is that when a honeybee is subjected to a manipulation of its state that in humans would induce a feeling of anxiety, the bees show a similar suite of changes in physiology, cognition and behaviour to those we would measure in an anxious human," said Dr Geraldine Wright, one of the study’s authors. "In terms of what we are able to measure, a shaken honeybees is no less 'anxious' than a lonely dog or a rat in a barren cage."

For more information, see also:

Agitated Honeybees Exhibit Pessimistic Cognitive Biases
Melissa Bateson, Suzanne Desire, Sarah E. Gartside, Geraldine A. Wright
Current Biology – 2 June 2011 (Vol. 21, Issue 12, pp. 1070-1073)

For stressed bees, the glass is half empty
Newcastle University: Biomedicine: News – 3 June 2011

Photo: Baukette aus Bienen by Maja Dumat on Flickr

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Central Beekeepers Alliance : Agriculture Canada Funds Project to Help Beekeepers

2011-07-14T05:13:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Agriculture Canada Funds Project to Help Beekeepers

Agriculture Canada Funds Project to Help Beekeepers

Posted: 13 Jul 2011 11:37 AM PDT

The Government of Canada is investing more than $244,000 in the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association with the aim of helping the beekeeping industry find new ways to respond to a decline in honey bee colony populations, Agriculture Canada has announced 29 June 2011. Funding for this project is being provided by the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Ontario, CAAP is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC).

The project aims to help beekeepers secure sustainable honey harvests and provide essential pollination services to the fruit and vegetable industry.

Approximately 7,000 beekeepers in Canada operate a total of 600,000 colonies of honeybees, according to the Honey Council’s statistics on the Canadian apiculture industry, with approximately 475,000 colonies in the prairie provinces that produce 80% of Canada’s honey crop. Funding of this new project reflects Agriculture Canada’s recognition of the ecological and economic impacst of declining bee populations “due to disease, pest resistance to treatment methods, and increased demand on honey bee colonies to provide pollination services.” The estimated value of honey bees to crop pollination in Canada is over $2 billion.

“The partnership formed between the AAC, and Ontario Beekeepers Association will ensure beekeepers are able to manage genetics, pests and nutrition according to their business objectives,” said Les Eccles, OBA Tech Transfer Program Lead Specialist. “Providing management strategies specific to the beekeepers goals will give more sustainable and consistent results.”

Led by the universities of Guelph and Manitoba, the program will develop a breeding program that will result in honey bees that have the ability to resist pests and diseases. It will also screen new products for pest and disease control and develop best management practices relating to pollination colonies. Ultimately, the project will provide beekeepers — not only in Ontario, but, through knowledge transfer, all across Canada — with the ability to have better control of colony genetics and health in order to have consistent honey production and pollination services.

Photo: Bee with Apple Blossom by Flickr user sociotard

Agriculture Canada Funds Project to Help Beekeepers was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 12 July 2011

2011-07-13T05:22:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 12 July 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 12 July 2011

Posted: 11 Jul 2011 04:11 PM PDT

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on July 12th, 2011, at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Fletcher Colpitts, the Chief Apiary Inspector for the province, and Apiary Inspector Mary Colpitts are in the Fredericton area for a couple of days, and they will be attending this beekeepers’ meeting.

Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

New beekeepers and anyone interested in starting to keep bees are welcome to come out and join us, to learn more about beekeeping, chat with other beekeepers, and find out more about how to keep honeybees.

Central Beekeepers Meet 12 July 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : 2011 Maritime Bee Tour Agenda

2011-06-30T05:34:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : 2011 Maritime Bee Tour Agenda

2011 Maritime Bee Tour Agenda

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 05:57 PM PDT

This year’s Maritime Bee Tour will be hosted by the Nova Scotia Beekeepers' Association, held in the Truro are on the weekend of 22-23 July 2011.

You’ll find information on registration, accomodation and meals in our previous Bee Tour announcement ; and now here is the agenda. Check out the program of events for this exciting weekend — and especially, check out those great Guest Speakers!

2011 Maritime Bee Tour Agenda

Friday, July 22, 2011
6:30 pm Registration at Jenkins Hall, NSAC

7:00 pm Guest Speakers:

Dr. Chris Cutler "Blueberry research and implications for honeybees"
Dr. Ernesto Guzman "An update on current research activities"

8:00 pm Participant Reception with finger food and cash bar
Saturday, July 23, 2011
6:30 – 8:30 am Buffet Breakfast at Jenkins Hall, NSAC

8:30 am Bus will depart to visit points of interest in the Maitland area:

Lawrence House Museum
River View Herb Farm

12:30 pm Lunch at Paul and Lori Kittilsen's in Debert

1:30 pm Tour of the Kittilsen's cranberry bog and beekeeping facilities

2:00 pm Optional tour of the Masstown Market for those not who are not bee inclined

3:30 pm Bus will depart for return to NSAC

5:00 pm Pre-banquet social at Jenkins Hall, NSAC

6:00 – 7:30 pm Banquet at Jenkins Hall

7:30 – 9:30 pm Presentation by Dr. Ernesto Guzman "Stemming honeybee loss"

For more information or to register for the 2011 Maritime Bee Tour, please contact Shelly MacKenzie at the Agri-Commodity Management Association 902-893-7455 or smackenzie@nsfa-fane.ca.

2011 Maritime Bee Tour Agenda was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

2011 Maritime Bee Tour – You’re Invited!

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 09:40 AM PDT

Every summer after the main honey flow eases up, beekeepers in the Maritimes Provinces of Canada get together for a social and educational weekend known as the “Bee Tour” of the Maritimes Beekeepers Association. Well, it's that time again – and you're invited!

2011 Maritime Bee Tour

View Larger Map

Hosted by: Nova Scotia Beekeepers' Association
Where: Truro, Nova Scotia
When: 22-23 July 2011

Cost to register is $65 and will include all receptions, meals and tours. Participants will be responsible for their own accommodations.

Registration forms may be downloaded here (DOC or PDF), or contact Shelly MacKenzie at the Agri-Commodity Management Association 902-893-7455 or smackenzie@nsfa-fane.ca to register or for more information.

Accomodations

A block of 20 rooms has been reserved at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College's Fraser Hall. Single rooms are available for $37.32 (inc. HST) and double rooms for $49.00. To reserve a room at the NSAC, please call Caitlyn Dixon at 902-893-4122. Deadline for booking is 9 July 2011 and can be paid for with cash, debit or credit card upon arrival.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Best Western Glengarry (Willow Street, Truro) at a reduced rate of $116. To receive the tour rate, these rooms must be booked by 2 July 2011 by calling 1-800-567-4276; a credit card will be required and you must state you are with the "Maritime Beekeepers."

Agenda

The full Agenda for the 2011 Maritime Bee Tour will be posted on the CBA website very shortly.

Banquet Menu

When registering, please make sure to indicate your meal choice. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let the Tour organizers know in advance so they can make appropriate arrangements.

Starter

Fresh Mixed Mesculin Salad with Garden Herb Vinaigette

Main Course

Option #1

Chicken Cordon Bleu stuffed with Black Forrest Ham and Cheese served on a Bed of White Wine Mushroom Sauce with wild rice and Steamed Fresh Broccoli.
Served with Fresh Baked White and Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls and Butter.

Option #2

Top Sirloin Atlantic Roast Beef with Jost Red wine au Jus served with Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Sour Cream and Fresh Vegetable Medley.
Served with Fresh Baked White and Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls and Butter.

Dessert

New York Style Cheesecake with Oxford Blueberry Topping with Whipped Cream.
Freshly Brewed Columbian Coffee and Orange Pekoe Tea

For more information or to register for the 2011 Maritime Bee Tour, please contact Shelly MacKenzie at the Agri-Commodity Management Association 902-893-7455 or smackenzie@nsfa-fane.ca.

2011 Maritime Bee Tour – You’re Invited! was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : SENB Beekeepers’ Field Day 18 June 2011

2011-06-16T05:12:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : SENB Beekeepers’ Field Day 18 June 2011

SENB Beekeepers’ Field Day 18 June 2011

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 10:43 AM PDT

Southeast New Brunswick Beekeeper’s Association will be holding a field day on Saturday, 18 June 2011 — rain or shine. Registration and coffee will be at 9:30 a.m. at the Salisbury Baptist Church, Main Street, Salisbury, New Brunswick. If weather permits, the afternoon session will take place at the Country Fields/ Dore Honey apiary in Upper Coverdale, hosted by George and Ruth Wheatley.

Here’s the event notice from organizer Ann Vautour, President of SENB, below:

Southeast New Brunswick Beekeeper’s Association will be holding a Field day, Saturday, June 18th. Registration and coffee will be at 9:30 a.m. at the Salisbury Baptist Church, Main Street, Salisbury, N.B.

All beekeeper’s are welcome and we will have a very interesting and fun program for the day. This day will mainly be directed to helping new beekeepers or those who have been in beekeeping a short time. We will also have events for the more seasoned beekeepers. Everyone is welcome to attend!

I have invited two beekeepers from Nova Scotia, Tony Phillipps and Jerry Draheim to share their beekeeping knowledge with us and our Chief Apiary Inspector, Fletcher Colpitts and Mary Colpitts will also be there to answer any bee health questions you may have. We will have a indoor session early morning at the church and then we will move to George and Ruth Wheatley’s apiary where hives will be opened and analyzed. The ability to open a hive with experienced beekeepers is such a valuable opportunity to learn.

Please bring your lunch with you! Beverages and sweets will be supplied. If you don’t want to bring lunch, there is a Pizza place close to the church in Salisbury. Please bring your lawn chairs, bee jackets etc. There will be a $10 registration fee for non members.

If you think you want to become a beekeeper, come out and enjoy the experience. If you wish additional information, email me (evangelinemiel@hotmail.com) or phone me at (506) 388-5127.

The full field day Agenda (PDF format) is available via Country Fields Beekeeping Supplies website.

SENB Beekeepers’ Field Day 18 June 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Four New Viruses Found in US Honey Bees

2011-06-10T05:23:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Four New Viruses Found in US Honey Bees

Four New Viruses Found in US Honey Bees

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:22 AM PDT

A new study of health honey bees by researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) has found four new viruses in bees, six species each of bacteria and fungi, four types of mites, and a parasitic fly called a phorid, which had not been seen in honey bees outside California.

The 10-month study followed 20 colonies in a commercial beekeeping operation of more than 70,000 hives as they were transported across United States for crop pollination. The goal was to answer one basic question: what viruses and bacteria exist in a normal colony throughout the year? — establishing a baseline for further research into Colony Collapse Disorder.

Colony Collapse Disorder, unlike other traditional causes of honeybee losses, is characterized by colonies with capped brood and queen which have been abandoned by the workers. Food stores (honey and pollen) in the affected hives are not immediately robbed out by other bees, and hive pests such as wax moth and small hive beetle are slow to move in.

The causes are still unknown, although recent research has pointed to a combination of stressors such as long-distance transportation, varroa mite infestations, and fungi or viruses, as most likely culprits.

While this study did not identify the cause of CCD, it did offer a measurement of the normal levels of pathogens.

"We brought a quantitative view of what real migrating populations look like in terms of disease," said senior author Dr. Joseph DeRisi. "You can't begin to understand colony die-off without understanding what normal is."

For more information, see:

UCSF Finds New Bee Viruses, Offers Baseline to Study Colony Collapse by Jennifer O’Brien, University of California San Francisco / www.ucsf.edu 7 June 2011

UCSF Finds NEW Bee Viruses in PAm Funded Study. Project Apis m.

Runckel C, Flenniken ML, Engel JC, Ruby JG, Ganem D, et al. (2011) Temporal Analysis of the Honey Bee Microbiome Reveals Four Novel Viruses and Seasonal Prevalence of Known Viruses, Nosema, and Crithidia. PLoS ONE 6(6): e20656. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020656

Four New Viruses Found in US Honey Bees was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

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Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 14 June 2011

2011-06-07T05:20:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 14 June 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 14 June 2011

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 10:01 AM PDT

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on June 14th, 2011, at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick. If you’re just getting started in beekeeping, this is a great chance to connect with experienced beekeepers and ask your most pressing questions: how to build frames, when to add a second brood chamber or a honey super, how to prevent your bees from swarming, and other seasonal beekeeping topics.

Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

Central Beekeepers Meet 14 June 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Honey Fights Bacteria in Wounds, Scientists Say

2011-05-11T05:25:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Honey Fights Bacteria in Wounds, Scientists Say

Honey Fights Bacteria in Wounds, Scientists Say

Posted: 09 May 2011 08:46 PM PDT

Some 2000 years before the discovery of the existence of bacteria, honey was used to treat infected wounds. With the advent of modern medicine, such "folk remedies" as honey for wound treatment have gone out of favour, but in recent years honey has started to get more attention. Now, another study lends further credence to the ancient practice of using honey to treat infected wounds and gained a lot of attention in mainstream media.

"A team led by Professor Rose Cooper, from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC), found that manuka honey prevents the attachment of bacteria to tissues – an essential step in the infection process," reports The Daily Mail (UK) online.

But this certainly isn't the first study to suggest honey may be used to fight infections.

"There are now many published reports describing the effectiveness of honey in rapidly clearing infection from wounds, with no adverse effects to slow the healing process," reported Dr. P.C. Molan of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, in Honey as a topical antibacterial agent for treatment of infected wounds (2001).

Dr. Molan notes, "there is also some evidence to suggest that honey may actively promote healing. In laboratory studies, it has been shown to have an antimicrobial action against a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi." Key points in his paper:

Honey is a traditional topical treatment for infected wounds. It can be effective on antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

Honey is produced from many different floral sources and its antibacterial activity varies with origin and processing. Honey selected for clinical use should be evaluated on the basis of antibacterial activity levels determined by laboratory testing.

The antibacterial properties of honey include the release of low levels of hydrogen peroxide. Some honeys have an additional phytochemical antibacterial component.

Many authors support the use of honey in infected wounds and some suggest its prophylactic use on the wounds of patients susceptible to MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Indeed, with the rise of antibiotic-resistant "super bugs" in recent years, the public and professional interest in natural antimicrobials – and specifically in the medical use of honey – has grown, and continues to grow.

The most thorough, yet easy for the non-medical layman to read, summary of the current status of medical use of honey that we've found so far appears in the Nursing Times' Can honey fight superbugs like MRSA?:

The laboratory research behind these claims is of particular interest as it also highlights the growing concern about the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, which was last week highlighted by a new report from the World Health Organization. However, the effectiveness of honey in combination with antibiotics has yet to be tested in clinical trials and further research is still needed to assess whether it could be used to treat drug-resistant infections.

It is important to note that the honey used in the trials was filtered, medical-grade honey with all impurities removed. People should not try using honey bought from supermarkets to treat wounds at home.

For more information, see also:

Daily Mail (UK): Traditional honey remedy ‘could fight MRSA in hospitals’
Waikato Honey Research Unit
Klaus Kirketerp-Møller, Karen Zulkowski and Garth James: Chronic Wound Colonization, Infection, and Biofilms

Honey Fights Bacteria in Wounds, Scientists Say was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

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Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 10 May 2011

2011-05-08T05:15:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 10 May 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 10 May 2011

Posted: 07 May 2011 07:16 PM PDT

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on May10th at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick. This is a great opportunity for anyone just getting started in beekeeping to ask more experienced beekeepers about how to install nucleus colonies, what to do about spring feeding, and other seasonal beekeeping topics.

Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

New beekeepers and anyone interested in starting to keep bees are welcome to join us, to learn more about beekeeping, chat with other beekeepers, and find out more about how to keep honeybees.

Central Beekeepers Meet 10 May 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 12 April 2011

2011-04-08T05:39:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 12 April 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 12 April 2011

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 06:04 PM PDT

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on April 12th at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick. No doubt the over-wintering success or loss, Spring feeding, and other seasonal management of bee hives will be the main topics of discussion at this meeting!

Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

New beekeepers and anyone interested in starting to keep bees are welcome to join us, to learn more about beekeeping, chat with other beekeepers, and find out more about how to keep honeybees.

Central Beekeepers Meet 12 April 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Beekeeper Responds to Health Canada “Anti-Honey Campaign”

2011-03-18T05:20:00.001-07:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Beekeeper Responds to Health Canada “Anti-Honey Campaign”

Beekeeper Responds to Health Canada “Anti-Honey Campaign”

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 10:11 AM PDT

In this submitted article, New Brunswick beekeeper Richard Duplain responds to recent warnings from Health Canada about infant botulism as an effect of toxins in honey, as well as an implied connection between honey and allergies due to pollen.

Health Canada advises against using Honey

Letter to the Editor or Commentary

Recently Health Canada embarked on a campaign it feels could protect infant children from clostridium botulinum in honey. Clostridium or C botulinum is a nerve toxin that in certain circumstances can cause severe paralytic illness. Beekeepers across Canada believe the campaign will only hurt their diminutive yet flourishing industry.

Beekeepers across Canada feel Health Canada has stung them where bee veils don't extend.

First we had colony collapse to deal with and now we have common sense collapse in Ottawa. Beekeepers across Canada feel Health Canada has stung them where bee veils don't extend.

Imagery and text in the campaign suggests honey is not a suitable product for consumers of all ages. It creates a sense of alarm in the consumer's mind and goes on to inflame the until proven otherwise concocted notion by mentioning recalls and allergy alerts. Beekeepers are worried this will result in a drop in demand for nature's perfect food and irreparable harm to the Canadian honey industry.

The Canadian Honey Council, the umbrella organization representing thousands of beekeepers across the country took the issue to both the department and minister but to no avail. As a result, the CHC initiated a letter writing campaign in a bid to put an end to Health Canada's anti-honey campaign.

Most recent statistics put the number of honey producing beekeepers in Canada in 2009 at 6,728. There were 575,676 honey producing bee hives and they produced 64 million pounds or 29,000 tonnes of honey worth more than $100 million.

In New Brunswick the same year there were 180 beekeepers with 2,700 colonies that produced 189,000 pounds or 86 tonnes of honey worth $378,000.

Together Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick contributed 874,000 lbs or 397 tonnes of honey worth $1,748,000 to the Canadian economy.

Displaying a honey bear bottle with a circle and slash through it with no valid explanation portrays Canadian honey consumers as naive and producers as uneducated incompetent members of society, few in number and an easy target as scapegoats for a department's capricious nature.

According to the government department less than five per cent of Canadian honey contains small amounts of C botulinum spores. However, even small amounts can cause infant botulism in a baby, which is why health professionals advise against giving honey to children under one year old.

Neither the Minister of Health nor Health Canada provides any supporting evidence to buttress the false contentions asserted or suggested in the campaign.

Health Canada says infant botulism is caused by a food-poisoning bacterium called C botulinum. When swallowed, spores of this bacterium grow and produce poison in an infant's intestines. C botulinum spores can be found in soil and dust. Honey is the only food linked to infant botulism in Canada.

Neither the Minister of Health nor Health Canada provides any supporting evidence to buttress the false contentions asserted or suggested in the campaign.

There are two primary types of honey on the Canadian market. The first and best is raw unpasteurized honey and the second is low-quality pasteurized honey. To understand the pasteurizing process is to understand how C botulinum spores can survive in some honey.

Normally honey destroys bacteria by drawing fluids from them by osmotic force and through its acidity. Strained or unstrained raw honey contains an enzyme – glucose oxidase which catalyses a reaction that produces hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria. Doctors and hospitals around the world are using honey dilutions as an effective antimicrobial and antibacterial agent. However, this enzyme is destroyed by heat like that used in the pasteurizing process. The very destruction of this enzyme may allow bacterial like C botulinum to flourish. Also killed in the pasteurizing process is up to 50 per cent of the honey's original vitamin content.

A cursory reading of modern and historical texts shows us that for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years raw honey was fed to infants. Honey helped the child digest calcium and retain magnesium.

More than 30 years ago the Scientific Board of the California Medical Association said the safety of honey for older persons with normal intestinal physiology remains unquestioned.

Health Canada implies a connection between honey and allergies. Honey is made by honeybees after gathering nectar. The nectar undergoes certain changes in the bee's hypopharyngeal glands. There enzymes convert the sucrose in the nectar to the simple easily assimilated sugars glucose and fructose. A fermentation period follows and what we know as honey with more than 80 vitamins and minerals and trace amounts of bee pollen is the result.

There are two types of pollen, anemophile or wind carried and the heavier entomophile. Anemophile pollens are the ones directly related to pollen allergies. Honey bees collect the heavier entomophile pollens. They do not cause allergic reactions and in fact are used to treat a number of allergy conditions.

Canadian beekeepers want to see the research studies… Until such time as this evidence is produced, we respectfully request the current anti-honey campaign be discontinued.

Canadian beekeepers want to see the research studies that Health Canada says less than five per cent of Canadian honey contains small amounts of C botulinum spores. We want to see the research evidence that honey is not a healthy food for seniors and babies and we want to see the research evidence that honey is the only food linked to infant botulism in Canada. Until such time as this evidence is produced, we respectfully request the current anti-honey campaign be discontinued.

Richard Duplain
70 Mary Ellen Drive, Hanwell, N.B. E3E 2G4
1-506-450-2129

If you’d like to weigh in on this discussion, we’ve opened a thread in “The Buzz” section of the Bee Talk Forum for the topic – or you’re welcome to respond in the comments section on this post, below.

Beekeeper Responds to Health Canada “Anti-Honey Campaign” was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : From Chemicals to Air Pollution, New Report Points to Multiple Threats to Bees

2011-03-11T05:23:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : From Chemicals to Air Pollution, New Report Points to Multiple Threats to Bees

From Chemicals to Air Pollution, New Report Points to Multiple Threats to Bees

Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:49 AM PST

More than a dozen factors, ranging from declines in flowering plants and the use of memory-damaging insecticides to the world-wide spread of pests and air pollution, may be behind the emerging decline of bee colonies across many parts of the globe.

In North America, losses of honey bee colonies since 2004 have left the continent with fewer managed pollinators than at any time in the past 50 years.

Scientists are warning that without profound changes to the way human-beings manage the planet, declines in pollinators needed to feed a growing global population are likely to continue.

New kinds of virulent fungal pathogens—which can be deadly to bees and other key pollinating insects—are now being detected world-wide, migrating from one region to another as a result of shipments linked to globalization and rapidly growing international trade
Meanwhile an estimated 20,000 flowering plant species, upon which many bee species depend for food, could be lost over the coming decades unless conservation efforts are stepped up
Increasing use of chemicals in agriculture, including ‘systemic insecticides’ and those used to coat seeds, is being found to be damaging or toxic to bees. Some can, in combination, be even more potent to pollinators, a phenomenon known as the ‘cocktail effect’
Climate change, left unaddressed, may aggravate the situation, in various ways including by changing the flowering times of plants and shifting rainfall patterns. This may in turn affect the quality and quantity of nectar supplies.

Bees are early warning indicators of wider impacts on animal and plant life…

These are among the findings of a new report published March 10, 2011, by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which has brought together and analyzed the latest science on collapsing bee colonies.

The study, entitled Global Bee Colony Disorders and other Threats to Insect Pollinators, underlines that multiple factors are at work linked with the way humans are rapidly changing the conditions and the ground rules that support life on Earth. It shows humans’ large dependency on ecosystem services even for such vital sectors as food production.

It indicates that bees are early warning indicators of wider impacts on animal and plant life and that measures to boost pollinators could not only improve food security but the fate of many other economically and environmentally-important plants and animals.

The authors of the report call for farmers and landowners to be offered incentives to restore pollinator-friendly habitats, including key flowering plants including next to crop-producing fields.

More care needs to be taken in the choice, timing and application of insecticides and other chemicals. While managed hives can be moved out of harm’s way, “wild populations (of pollinators) are completely vulnerable”, says the report.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, said: “The way humanity manages or mismanages its nature-based assets, including pollinators, will in part define our collective future in the 21st century. The fact is that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of the world’s food, over 70 are pollinated by bees”.

“Human beings have fabricated the illusion that in the 21st century they have the technological prowess to be independent of nature. Bees underline the reality that we are more, not less dependent on nature’s services in a world of close to seven billion people.”

Bees and the Green Economy

Next year nations gather again in Rio de Janeiro, 20 years after the Rio Earth Summit, to evolve international efforts to achieve sustainable development including through accelerating and scaling-up a transition to a low carbon, resource-efficient Green Economy.

Part of that transition should include investing and re-investing in the world’s nature-based services generated by forests and freshwaters to flower meadows and coral reefs.

“Rio+20 is an opportunity to move beyond narrow definitions of wealth and to bring the often invisible, multi-trillion dollar services of nature—including pollination from insects such as bees— into national and global accounts,” said Mr Steiner.

“Some countries, such as Brazil and India, have already embarked on that transformation as part of a partnership between UNEP and the World Bank. It is time to widen and embed this work across the global economy in order to tip the scales in favour of management rather than mining of the natural world and that includes the services of pollinators,” he added.

We need to get smarter about how we manage these hives, but perhaps more importantly, we need to better manage the landscape beyond…

The new report on bee colony disorders has been led by researchers Dr Peter Neumann of the Swiss Bee Research Centre and Dr Marie-Pierre Chauzat of the French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety. The team also included Dr Jeffrey Pettis of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.

Dr Neumann said: “The transformation of the countryside and rural areas in the past half century or so has triggered a decline in wild-living bees and other pollinators. Society is increasingly investing in ‘industrial-scale’ hives and managed colonies to make up the shortfall and going so far as to truck bees around to farms and fields in order to maintain our food supplies”.

“This report underlines that a variety of factors are making these man-made colonies increasingly vulnerable to decline and collapse. We need to get smarter about how we manage these hives, but perhaps more importantly, we need to better manage the landscape beyond, in order to cost-effectively recover wild bee populations to far healthier and more sustainable levels,” he added.

Highlights from the Report

Regional Losses

Declines in managed bee colonies date back to the mid 1960s in Europe but have accelerated since 1998, especially in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

In North America, losses of honey bee colonies since 2004 have left the continent with fewer managed pollinators than at any time in the past 50 years.

Chinese bee keepers, who manage both western and eastern species of honey bees, have recently “faced several inexplicable and complex symptoms of colony losses in both species”.

A quarter of beekeepers in Japan “have recently been confronted with sudden losses of their bee colonies”.

In Africa, beekeepers along the Egyptian Nile have been reporting signs of ‘colony collapse disorder’ although to date there are no other confirmed reports from the rest of the continent.

Multiple Factors

Habitat degradation, including the loss of flowering plant species that provide food for bees, is among the key factors behind the decline of wild-living pollinators.

An Anglo-Dutch study has found that since the 1980s, there has been a 70 per cent drop in key wild flowers among, for example, the mint, pea and perennial herb families.

Parasites and Pests, such as the well known Varroa mite which feeds on bee fluids, are also a factor.

Other parasites include the small hive beetle, which damages honeycombs, stored honey and pollen. Endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, it has spread to North America and Australia and “is now anticipated to arrive in Europe”.

Bees may also be suffering from competition by ‘alien species’ such as the Africanised bee in the United States and the Asian hornet which feed on European honey bees. The hornet has now colonized nearly half of France since 2004.

Air pollution may be interfering with the ability of bees to find flowering plants and thus food.

Scents that could travel over 800 metres in the 1800s now reach less than 200 metres from a plant

Electromagnetic fields from sources such as power lines might also be changing bee behaviour. Bees are sensitive as they have small abdominal crystals that contain lead.

Herbicides and pesticides may be reducing the availability of wild flowers and plants needed for food and for the larval stages of some pollinators.

Other impacts include poisoning of pollinators and the weakening of honey bees’ immune systems
Laboratory studies have found that some insecticides and fungicides can act together to be 1,000 times more toxic to bees

Some insecticides, including those applied to seeds and which can migrate to the entire plant as it grows, and others used to treat cats, fish, birds and rabbits, may also be taking their toll.

Studies have shown that such chemicals can affect the sense of direction, memory and brain metabolism in bees

The management of hives may also be adding to the problem.

Some of the treatments against pests may actually be harmful to bees and a growing habit of re-using equipment and food from dead colonies might be spreading disease and chemicals to new hives.

Transporting bees from one farm to another in order to provide pollination services increasingly unavailable from nature could be an additional factor. In the United States, trucks carrying up to 20 million bees are common and each year over two million colonies travel across the continent.

Mortality rates, following transportation, can be as much as 10 per cent of a colony

The full report, Global Bee Colony Disorders and other Threats to Insect Pollinators, can be downloaded at: http://www.unep.org/dewa/Portals/67/pdf/Global_Bee_Colony_Disorder_and_Threats_insect_pollinators.pdf

From Chemicals to Air Pollution, New Report Points to Multiple Threats to Bees was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Random Posts

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 8 March 2011

2011-02-09T05:31:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 8 March 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 8 March 2011

Posted: 08 Feb 2011 09:04 AM PST

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on March 8th at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

New beekeepers and anyone interested in starting to keep bees are welcome to join us, to learn more about beekeeping, chat with other beekeepers, and find out more about how to keep honeybees.

Central Beekeepers Meet 8 March 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 8 February 2011

2011-02-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : Central Beekeepers Meet 8 February 2011

Central Beekeepers Meet 8 February 2011

Posted: 04 Feb 2011 05:45 PM PST

The next regular monthly meeting of the Central Beekeepers Alliance will be held on February 8th at the Agricultural Research Centre on the Lincoln Road.

Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Central Beekeepers Alliance Meeting
Agricultural Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
7:30 p.m.

New beekeepers and "interested others" are welcome to join us, to learn more about beekeeping, chat with other beekeepers, and find out more about how to keep honeybees.

Note: The local weather forecast is calling for 15 to 25 cm snow on that evening, at the moment, so don’t venture out if the roads are really bad! If in doubt, call Christine Dembenski (506 260 7462) to check that the meeting’s still on.

Central Beekeepers Meet 8 February 2011 was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

CATCH THE BUZZ - Both Bayer and EPA Have it wrong

2010-12-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

CATCH THE BUZZ

Flawed Study Must Be Redone

In the opinion of some members of The National Honey Bee Advisory Board and the other groups invested in the registration issues surrounding clothiandin, both EPA and Bayer are avoiding or misstating the facts to avoid responsibility for the registration issues with clothianidin.

It is felt by some that posting Bayer's response in the BUZZ gives voice to their agenda.

Of course it does.

How else does information become known? Below is additional information on the chronology of this event. We urge you to read it fully, and if still not satisfied on the culpability of both EPA and Bayer CropScience in this registration process event, again read the original request.

Too, you may contact Heather Pilatic, Pesticide Action Network

cell: 415.694.8596

Jay Feldman, Beyond Pesticides

202.543.5450, ext 15

For additional information.

And recall the Penn State position of Dr. Frazier…

According to James Frazier, PhD., professor of entomology at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, "Among the neonicotinoids, clothianidin is among those most toxic for honey bees; and this combined with its systemic movement in plants has produced a troubling mix of scientific results pointing to its potential risk for honey bees through current agricultural practices. Our own research indicates that systemic pesticides occur in pollen and nectar in much greater quantities than has been previously thought, and that interactions among pesticides occurs often and should be of

wide concern." Dr. Frazier said that the most prudent course of action would be to take the pesticide off the market while the flawed study is being redone.

Chronology of a core required study for clothianidin 2003-2010

Beyond Pesticides and Pesticide Action Network North America

Response to EPA’s initial media statement on 12.9.10

It is clear the EPA, when issuing a conditional registration for clotlhianidin in 2003 established a requirement for a field study that it considered core and essential to the issuance of the continued registration of the chemical. EPA develops requirements such as these in accordance with guidance when determined necessary. In this case, as EPA stated in 2003, “The possibility of toxic chronic exposure to nontarget pollinators through the translocation of clothiandin residues in nectar and pollen has prompted EFED to require field testing (141-5) that can help in evaluating this uncertainty. In order to fully evaluate the possibility of this long term toxic effect, a complete worker bee life cycle study must be conducted. . .” At this point, the study requirement became “core” to the registration.

Bayer conducted these studies. EPA accepted Bayer’s study in November 2007. In November 2010, however, EPA changed its position on this “core” study in a memorandum “Clothianidin Registration of Prosper T400 Seed Treatment on Mustard Seed and Poncho/Votivo Seed Treatment on Cotton,” November 2, 2010 (see pp. 2, 4). In that memo, it is stated that, “A previous field study (MRID 46907801/46907802) investigated the effects of clothianidin on whole hive parameters and was classified as acceptable. However, after another review of this field study in light of additional information, deficiencies were identified that render the study supplemental.

It does not satisfy the guideline 850.3040, and another field study is needed to evaluate the effects of clothianidin on bees through contaminated pollen and nectar.”

It is clear in that document that the “required” study for “Honey Bee Field Testing for Pollinators” is not acceptable to support the registration of clothianidin, and as a result “more data is needed” (see p27). While the study may contain “some” useful information, as stated by EPA, it does not contain “required” information necessary to registration.

The issue here is not whether one can attribute one pesticide as the cause of colony collapse disorder (CCD). That claim has not been made by anyone. The critical issue is that we know that this is a highly toxic pesticide to bees and, given the EPA’s inability to identify the cause(s) of CCD, it must not and does not have the legal authority to allow a pesticide to be used without “required” data that enables the agency to answer this critical question relating to the health of honeybees.

Supporting Documentation

EPA Addendum to February 2003 Risk Assessment...PAGE 2

“Since this compound is persistent (field dissipation ½ life = 277 – 1,386 days), toxic to honeybees, and has the potential for expression in pollen and nectar of flowering crops, EFED also concluded that there was a potential for long term toxicity to these pollinators.

The possibility of toxic chronic exposure to nontarget pollinators through the translocation of clothiandin residues in nectar and pollen has prompted EFED to require field testing (141-5) that can help in evaluating this uncertainty. In order to fully evaluate the possibility of this long term toxic effect, a complete worker bee life cycle study must be conducted, as well as an evaluation of exposure to the queen. Because of this concern, EFED suggested that the following honeybee label statement be included:

This compound is toxic to honey bees. The persistence of residues and the expression of clothianidin in nectar and pollen suggests the possibility of chronic toxic risk to honey bee larvae and the eventual stability of the hive.

However, after further consideration, EFED would like to suggest that the registrant be given conditional registration that is contingent on their conducting the chronic honey bee study that evaluates the sublethal effects of clothianidin to the hive over time. EFED will therefore defer the requirement for this bee labeling statement until after the chronic study has been reviewed.”

November, 2007 EPA memo…PAGE 5

In its memo entitled “Review of Data Package DP336888 for Clothianidin,” EPA accepted the following study: Cutler, C. 2006. An Investigation of the Potential Long Term Impact of Clothianidin Seed Treated Canola on Honey Bees, Apis mellfeva L. Laboratory Report JD: 2005-CSD-EBTIX064. MRID 46907801 (with addendum 46907802). According to the memo,

“This study was submitted to provide data on the toxicity of clothianidin to honeybees in a field test for the purpose of chemical registration (new use). Specifically, the test was conducted in response to a request by the Canadian PMRA and the U.S. EPA; as a condition for Poncho@ registration in these countries, Bayer Cropscience was asked to investigate the long-term toxicity of clothianidin-treated canola to foraging honey bees.”

November, 2010 EPA memo...PAGE 2

“A previous field study (MRID 46907801/46907802) investigated the effects of clothianidin on whole hive parameters and was classified as acceptable. However, after another review of this field study in light of additional information, deficiencies were identified that render the study supplemental.

It does not satisfy the guideline 850.3040, and another field study is needed to evaluate the effects of clothianidin on bees through contaminated pollen and nectar. Exposure through contaminated pollen and nectar and potential toxic effects therefore remain an uncertainty for pollinators.“

November, 2010 EPA memo...PAGE 4 “Field Test for Pollinators (850.3040): The possibility of toxic exposure to nontarget pollinators through the translocation of clothianidin residues that result from seed treatments has prompted EFED to require field testing (850.3040) that can evaluate the possible chronic exposure to honey bee larvae and queen. In order to fully evaluate the possibility of this toxic effect, a field study should be conducted and the protocol submitted for review by the Agency prior to initiation. Another study had been submitted to satisfy this guideline requirement. While it had originally been classified as acceptable, after recent reevaluation it is classified as supplemental, and a field study is still being needed for a more refined risk assessment.”

Central Beekeepers Alliance : NB Agriculture Website is Updated, Better for Beekeepers

2010-12-18T05:19:00.001-08:00

Central Beekeepers Alliance : NB Agriculture Website is Updated, Better for Beekeepers

NB Agriculture Website is Updated, Better for Beekeepers

Posted: 17 Dec 2010 10:10 AM PST

The New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries has launched a major update to its website. Beyond a clean new look, the revised website makes it easier to find information published by the department, including forms and regulations. For beekeepers, there is a separate page all about bees, which serves as a “one-stop shop” for beekeeping information.

So far, in addition to information about alfalfa leafcutter bees and the native bumblebees that pollinate blueberries, and sidebar links to NBDAAF programs, agricultural research, events and maps, the Bees page on the government website contains:

a link to the beekeeper registration form that all New Brunswick beekeepers are required by law to complete each year;
information on evaluating, managing and protecting honeybee hives; and
under the Integrated Pest Management heading , information on the control of varroa mites.

Visitors can enter the main NBDAAF website at http://www.gnb.ca/0027/index-e.asp, the Agriculture division at http://www.gnb.ca/0027/Agr/index-e.asp, or the dedicated section on bees at http://www.gnb.ca/0027/Agr/0013/index-e.asp.

NB Agriculture Website is Updated, Better for Beekeepers was written and published by the Central Beekeepers Alliance - Honey Bees & Beekeeping in New Brunswick, Canada. For more information, please visit http://cba.stonehavenlife.com.

CATCH THE BUZZ - 2010 USDA CCD Report

2010-12-17T13:20:00.000-08:00

CATCH THE BUZZ

USDA Releases 2010 Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder Progress Report

By Kim Kaplan
December 17, 2010

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the 2010 Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Progress Report highlighting current research on this still mysterious disease affecting the nation's honey bees.

The report, which was mandated by Congress in 2008, summarizes research by federal agencies, state departments of agriculture, universities and private organizations to find the cause of CCD and how to stop or mitigate its impact. The report was produced by USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

"Honey bees are critical to U.S. agriculture, with about 130 crops depending on pollination to add more than $15 billion in crop value annually. It is vital that we find a way to deal with CCD," said ARS Administrator Edward B. Knipling. "This report is an important measure of what we are learning about this serious problem."

CCD, a syndrome characterized by the sudden disappearance of all adult honey bees in a colony, was first recognized in 2006. Since then, surveys of beekeepers indicate that the industry is suffering losses of more than 30 percent annually. Before the appearance of CCD, losses averaged 15-20 percent annually from a variety of factors such as varroa mites and other pests and pathogens.

During the past three years, numerous causes for CCD have been proposed and investigated. Although the cause or causes of CCD are still unknown, research summarized in the report supports the hypothesis that CCD may be a syndrome caused by many different factors, that work individually or in combination. The sequence and combination may not even be the same in every case, explained Kevin Hackett, ARS national program leader for pollination and co-chair of the USDA CCD Steering Committee.

The 2010 CCD Progress Report is available online at:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/ccd/ccdprogressreport2010.pdf .

More information about CCD can be found at http://www.ars.usda.gov/CCD .

Read an EXCLUSIVE CHAPTER from Tom Seeley’s new book Honey Bee Democracy, only on Bee Culture’s web page Here!

Build an entire bee hive with just a table saw.

Go to Garreson Publishing. Books by Peter Sieling. Find out What Is New At Mann Lake right Here

Protein feeding pays off with better health, better survival, better production, and better wintering. Learn More.

FREE - Kelley Bees Modern Beekeeping Monthly Newsletter

Quality Top Bar Hives by Gold Star Honeybees - good for you, good for your bees, good for the planet. Check us out at www.goldstarhoneybees.com.

Subscribe to Malcolm Sanford’s Apis Newsletter right here for a comprehensive listing of beekeeping events around the country and around the globe, check out Bee Culture’s Global Beekeeping Calendar

This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.

CATCH THE BUZZ - Bayer CropScience Responds

2010-12-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

Importance of Honey Bee Health
CATCH THE BUZZ

Bayer Responds To Critical Study Claims

Bayer CropScience was recently made aware of an unauthorized release from within the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) of a document regarding the seed treatment product, clothianidin, which we sell in the United States corn market. In response to this document, some environmental groups made claims against clothianidin with regard to the honey bee population. We believe these claims are incorrect and unwarranted.

Clothianidin is the leading seed treatment on corn in the United States and has been used extensively for more than six years without incident to honey bees. In fact, the long-term field study referenced in the EPA document was conducted with clothianidin-treated seed and showed that there were no effects on bee mortality, weight gain, worker longevity, brood development, honey yield and over-winter survival.

Bayer CropScience stands behind the science and safety of our products and the benefit of seed treatments as a technology for growers to providing healthy and affordable food. And we are working with EPA to address this situation and ensure accurate information is shared with the public.

We published a statement on our website today in response to this issue (see attached). We've also developed the below fact sheet about clothianidin and honey bees that we encourage you to read at your convenience.

Thank you for your support.

WEB PAGE STATEMENT

Bayer CropScience Responds to Honey Bee Concerns

12/14/2010 Bayer CropScience LP announced that the claims by

some environmental groups against one of its products are incorrect

and unwarranted with regard to honey bee concerns.

Bayer CropScience was recently made aware of an unauthorized

release from within the Environmental Protection Association (EPA)

of a document regarding the seed treatment product, clothianidin,

which is sold in the United States corn market. Bayer CropScience

disagrees with the claims by some environmental groups against this

product and we believe these are incorrect and unwarranted with

regard to honey bee concerns.

The study referenced in the document is important research,

conducted by independent experts and published in a major peer reviewed

scientific journal. The long-term field study conducted in

accordance with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) by independent

experts using clothianidin-treated seed showed that there were no

effects on bee mortality, weight gain, worker longevity, brood

development, honey yield and over-winter survival. The EPA

reviewed and approved the study protocol prior to its initiation and it

was peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Economic

Entomology*. Upon reviewing the results of the long-term trial, the

Agency noted the study as “scientifically sound and satisfies the

guideline requirements for a field toxicity test with honey bees.

Clothianidin is the leading seed treatment on corn in the United

States and has been used extensively for over six years without

incident to honey bees. Innovative seed treatment technology represents an environmentally sound approach to crop protection. Treating the seed provides a targeted and effective means of application that helps increase yields, safeguard our environment and ensure a sustainable means of crop

production.

NOTE: More information on Bayer CropScience and honey bees can

be found at:

http://www.bayercropscience.com/bcsweb/cropprotection.nsf/id/EN_Bee_Health_Crop_Protection_2010

*Clothianidin Honey Bee Field Study: Journal of Economic

Entomology, 100(3): pages 765-772

BAYER FACT SHEET

Bayer CropScience has an inherent interest in helping to ensure the existence of robust agricultural systems around the world. Pollinators are an essential component of these systems. We understand the importance of thoroughly researching the causes of bee health problems and support efforts in finding remedies.

Honey Bee Hazards
Honey bees are subjected to many sources of health hazards. These come from naturally-occurring factors, such as predators, parasites and diseases, but can come from other causes, such as inadequate food supplies, habitat disruption, colony manipulation, exposure to environmental toxicants and lack of genetic diversity.

Colony Collapse Disorder
Unlike many well-known honey bee maladies, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a more recent term used to describe the sudden disappearance of worker honey bees from a colony, with an apparently healthy queen and brood left behind. Although recent reports have highlighted fears about CCD, reports of similar colony collapses, or die-offs have been documented many times in previous years, as early as 1896.

The Cause of CCD
CCD has been linked to a combination of parasitic mites and honey bee pathogens. Despite some claims in the media, there is no evidence linking pesticides, including neonicotinoids, to CCD. Current research on bee health indicates that honey bees are facing significant stress from multiple factors, including parasites, diseases, lack of genetic diversity, climate change, pesticides, and stress-induced impacts (such as colony transport).

Neonicotinoid Insecticides
Neonicotinoids are one of the more modern classes of pesticides and are noted for their effectiveness in controlling harmful pests and relatively favorable environmental impact. Some neonicotinoids, such as clothianidin, the leading seed treatment on corn, are highly toxic to honey bees. Despite its acute toxicity, clothianidin may be used without causing harm to honey bee colonies by following the label directions.

Field Studies on Clothianidin and Honey Bees
A long-term field study conducted by independent researchers using clothianidin-treated seed showed that there was no effect on bee mortality, weight gain, worker longevity, brood development, honey yield and over-winter survival when compared to bees observed in untreated controls. This study was peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, 100(3): pages 765-772 (2007).

Commercial Use of Clothianidin
Actual commercial use of clothianidin supports the conclusions of controlled field studies. Clothianidin is the leading corn seed treatment insecticide and has been used extensively for over 6 years without incident to honey bees in the United States.

Need for Seed Treatments
Innovative seed treatment technology represents an environmentally compatible approach toward crop protection. Treating the seed provides a targeted and effective means of application that helps increase yields, safeguard our environment and ensure a sustainable means of crop prod

This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.

Read an EXCLUSIVE CHAPTER from Tom Seeley’s new book Honey Bee Democracy, only on Bee Culture’s web page Here!

Build an entire bee hive with just a table saw. Go to Garreson Publishing. Books by Peter Sieling.

Find out What Is New At Mann Lake right Here

Protein feeding pays off with better health, better survival, better production, and better wintering. Learn More.

FREE - Kelley Bees Modern Beekeeping Monthly Newsletter

Quality Top Bar Hives by Gold Star Honeybees - good for you, good for your bees, good for the planet. Check us out at www.goldstarhoneybees.com.

uction

CATCH THE BUZZ - Honey Locator Better Than Ever

2010-12-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

CATCH THE BUZZ

The National Honey Board’s ‘HoneyLocator.com’ Offers

Honey Varietal Information, Inspiration to Foodservice Professionals

FIRESTONE, Colo. – Dec. 10, 2010 – Bearing a new look and enhanced features, the National Honey Board’s Honey Locator website (www.honeylocator.com) is the top honey varietal information resource and “one-stop shop” for foodservice professionals. Easy one-click searches allow use rs to find honey varietals and their suppliers by state or region, or source honey varietals of their choosing from anywhere in the United States.

Pure, one-ingredient honey comes in more than 300 varietals in the U.S. alone. Each varietal has a distinct flavor profile, aroma and color, based on the floral source visited by the producing honey bees. Varietals range from the ubiquitous Clover honey to regional specialties like Lehua honey from Hawaii and Tupelo honey from northern Florida. Popular varietals for foodservice applications (largely based on availability) include: Buckwheat, Eucalyptus, Orange Blossom, Sage, Sourwood and Wildflower.

“Honey varietals can add depth and interest to foodservice recipes across the menu – from beverages and appetizers to main courses and desserts,” explains Emily Manelius, communications specialist at the National Honey Board. “In addition, the use of honey varietals to add a regional flavor and flair to recipes is of growing interest.”

“We are pleased to offer the Honey Locator as a unique and comprehensive resource to foodservice professionals,” adds Ms. Manelius. “We believe the newly updated website will inspire innovative, new honey varietal recipes on menus nationwide.”

The National Honey Board’s 2010 “Honey Trends Survey” confirms that honey usage is on the rise among foodservice operators, with survey respondents attributing the growth primarily to “new menu items” (34%) and “greater demand” (22%). Interestingly, only 31% of respondents to the survey were aware of the scope of honey varietals available. Additional survey results will be released later this month.

The National Honey Board is a federal research and promotion board under USDA oversight that conducts research, marketing and promotion programs to help maintain and expand markets for honey and honey products. These programs are funded by an assessment of one cent per pound on domestic and imported honey.

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CATCH THE BUZZ - Being in a hurry

2010-12-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

CATCH THE BUZZ

Of course, we were not implying that Georgia has two more cases of American Foulbrood (AFB) but two more hives of African Honey Bees...AHB. It's late, we goofed. Sorry, Georgia.

Kim Flottum, Editor.

CATCH THE BUZZ - More AFB Found in Georgia

2010-12-13T18:56:00.000-08:00

CATCH THE BUZZ

More African Honey Bees Found In Georgia

ALBANY, GA -- Two more colonies of Africanized “killer” honeybees have been found in Dougherty County near the area where a man died from an attack in October.

Since 73-year-old Curtis Davis’ death, the Georgia Department of Agriculture has monitored swarms and tested suspect bees. 90 samples were tested, confirming two more colonies in Southwest Georgia.

The Department of Agriculture is still unsure of how the Africanized honeybees arrived in Dougherty County.

Both newly discovered colonies have been destroyed.

Africanized honeybees are occasionally found on cargo ships that come from South or Central America.

Beekeepers are the best defense Georgians have against Africanized honeybees, according to the Department of Agriculture and the University of Georgia.

State agriculture officials say budget cuts have affected the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s ability to offer services but that they are evaluating how to best monitor for Africanized honeybees in 2011. The department plans to resume trapping in middle to late February when the bees become more active.

Quality Top Bar Hives by Gold Star Honeybees - good for you, good for your bees, good for the planet. Check us out at www.goldstarhoneybees.com.

This message brought to you by Bee Culture, The Magazine Of American Beekeeping, published by the A.I. Root Company.

Read an EXCLUSIVE CHAPTER from Tom Seeley’s new book Honey Bee Democracy, only on Bee Culture’s web page Here!

Build an entire bee hive with just a table saw. Go to Garreson Publishing. Books by Peter Sieling.

Find out What Is New At Mann Lake right Here

Protein feeding pays off with better health, better survival, better production, and better wintering. Learn More.

FREE - Kelley Bees Modern Beekeeping Monthly Newsletter

Quality Top Bar Hives by Gold Star Honeybees - good for you, good for your bees, good for the planet. Check us out at www.goldstarhoneybees.com.

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