Editor - Eugene Makovec

Advertising Manager - Marta Menn

Publishing Department -
Dianne Behnke & Susan Nichols
info@americanbeejournal.com
www.americanbeejournal.com
subscriptions@americanbeejournal.com
CONTENTS
Volume 159 No. 5 May 2019
DEPARTMENTS
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487 ARTICLES
Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
• What’s Eating My Bees? Arthropod Enemies of Bees in
News and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 Greece - Part 4 - Spiders
John Phipps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
U .S . Honey Crops and Markets . . . 507
• Nosema and Dysentery: Are They Really Related?
Classified Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . 599 Randy Oliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547

Advertising Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602 • Bee Club Activity: Making Oxalic Acid Vaporizers for About $30
Steve Winchell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551

COLUMNS • The Pesticide Situation: Part 5 — Reinventing Nature

Randy Oliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
The Classroom
Jerry Hayes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
• Equipment Downsizing: Advantages and Disadvantages
Beekeeping Basics: Foolproof Splitting Raymond A. Nabors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
Tina Sebestyen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517
The Scientific Trenches: Honey, Let Me Tell
• If Bees Could Talk: The Latest in Hive Monitoring Technology
You About This City Malcom T. Sanford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
Alison McAfee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
• The African Way: Healthy Bee Colonies and Sustainable
The Curious Beekeeper: The Price Trap-Out: Income Maintenance
No Bee Left Behind Dr. Wolfgang Ritter, Ute Schneider Ritter, Martin Ritter
Rusty Burlew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531
and Gozde Okcu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577
A Close Look @ the Hive: Ethical Beekeeping
Peter L Borst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535 • Honey: Older Than History Itself
Greta Burroughs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Beekeeping, Past and Present: Usurpation
Wyatt A. Mangum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
• Pollen Sources in Appalachia, July Through October
Notes from the Lab: Almond Pesticide Michael Staddon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Progress
Scott McArt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563 • Can We Eliminate Small Hive Beetle? Seven Years of Study
John Nenninger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
The American Bee Journal
ISSN 0002-7626 • The Impacts of Honey Bees and Agriculture on the
THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL (ISSN 002-7626) is
published monthly at American Bee Journal, 51 S. 2nd Surrounding Ecology
Street, Hamilton, IL 62341. Periodicals Postage Paid at Donna Ashley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
Hamilton, IL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMAS-
TER: Send address changes to American Bee Journal, 51
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a year; two years $99.00. Subscriptions stop at expira- ON THE COVER
tion date printed on label. Available in microfilm form
at moderate prices by writing to National Archive Pub- Catching a swarm is about the most fun you will have as a beekeeper.
lishing Co., 300 N. Zeeb Road, P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor,
Michigan 48106. ©Copyright Dadant & Sons, Inc., 2019. You occupy a front-row seat to one of nature’s most fascinating shows.
All rights reserved, printed in USA. The Publishers cannot You’re held in awe ― even celebrated as a hero ― by those who called
guarantee advertisements in this magazine, but we ask
that any advertising complaints be made known to us, so you in. And, with any luck, you come away with free bees!
we can further check the company’s reliability. Opinions
expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the pub- Photo by Eugene Makovec
lisher. American Bee Journal, 51 S. 2nd St., Hamilton, IL
62341. (888) 922-1293. Fax (217) 847-3660.

May 2019 483

484 American Bee Journal
March 2018 485
 From the Editor
Eugene Makovec
editor@americanbeejournal.com

One of the things I love about this but I made a glaring one of my own worse: Her editor could have found
job is the eclectic assortment of jour- in a last-minute photo caption in our and fixed both typos before going to
nals and newsletters that come across March issue. The photo ran as part press, and I’d have gone bonkers try-
my desk. We have reciprocal subscrip- of a report on this year’s American ing to find her intended mistake.
tions with a variety of periodicals, Beekeeping Federation meeting, and All of which is to say, I know bet-
most notably from Canada, Western I identified the new American Honey ter than to challenge anyone to find
Europe and Australia. Some are writ- Queen Hannah Sjostrom and Princess my errors. And if you send me your
ten in languages that I am unable to Nicole Medina as both hailing from newsletters, I promise not to point
read, but I still enjoy flipping through Wisconsin, when Nicole actually lives out yours.
them and looking at the pictures! in New Jersey. Fortunately the truth By the way, I do read these newslet-
We also occasionally trade articles was right there in the article, just an ters. It’s always interesting to know
back and forth — with permission of inch from the photo. what’s going on around the country.
course, and with proper credit to the This reminds me of a story, one that And when my attention is drawn to
publication and the author. Just last perhaps does not put me in the best something fascinating or particu-
month I ran a story from An Beau- light: Several years ago I read a maga- larly well-written, I set it aside. ABJ
chaire (The Irish Beekeeper), and we’ve zine article about how to produce a is a magazine by and for beekeepers,
had several ABJ stories published newsletter for a club or organization. and as such is always in the market
elsewhere in the past few months. After devoting several paragraphs to for good writing and photography.
But it’s not just magazines. I get a the importance of editing, the author is- We have been known to borrow such
variety of state newsletters (and even sued this challenge to readers: Find the things from newsletters like yours —
some local ones) from around the typo in this article and email it to me. with the proper permission of course.
USA. These range from very high- I couldn’t help myself; I wrote her As a matter of fact, that’s how I got
end, magazine-quality publications, and asked, “Which one?” Because I’d my start writing for the Journal a few
to the much more basic black-and- run across two in the course of read- years ago.
whites run on a laser printer or office ing her article. She was a little embar- But if I do pick up and reprint your
copy machine. rassed, and we had a good-natured article in these pages, you’ll forgive
Not that there’s anything wrong exchange, but I felt a little bad af- me for finding and fixing any typos.
with the latter; sometimes a shoestring terward. I guess it could have been That just makes both of us look better.
budget can’t be helped, and that money
may be better spent on programming.
And while bright colors and fancy
graphics can attract attention, what’s
more important is what’s inside. Good
information, and good writing, can
trump poor paper quality. It’s okay if
your publication doesn’t sport the ap-
pearance of being created by a graphic
designer. But you also don’t want the
content to look as though it was writ-
ten by … a beekeeper.
Again, not that there’s anything
wrong with that. But you get my
meaning.
As both a reader and an editor, I’m
distracted by the little things — the
typos, the misspelled words, even
misspelled names of people to whom
you’re trying to give honor or credit.
And I’ll be the first to say, we’re not
perfect here by any stretch; I may take
pride in fixing other people’s errors,

May 2019 487


OVERACHIEVER
I keep a hive in my backyard as a
hobby. I discovered this little lady last
spring about 3 feet from the hive …
she was so loaded down she couldn’t
make it back in! I let her rest then
gave her a lift back into the box. Over-
achiever!
Michelle Mettert
Fort Wayne, Indiana
BACK COPIES
Hi Eugene,
My name is Stan Taylor and I live in
Western Australia and have been re-
ceiving the American Bee Journal since
early 1976 when Vern Sisson, a former
editor, talked me into supplying crop
reports for our state.
Recently, I decided that I had
reached an age when I should be dis-
posing of some of my “assets” out
in the shed, and “important” paper-
work going back over 60 years.
Unfortunately, I decided to make a
start by gathering all my copies of the
ABJ into one, large, pile and sort them
annually. Big mistake. I am now read-
ing through the whole lot and finding
May 2019
Send your letters to the editor,
Attn: Eugene Makovec,
Dadant, 51 S. 2nd Street,
Hamilton, IL 62341,
Fax: 1-217-847-3660,
or email: editor@americanbeejournal.com
Due to size and content, we may be unable to publish all information received.
We may also edit your letter to avoid offensive language. Thank You!
so much valuable information that I HONEYDEW RAIN
can pass on to the huge number of
beginners … And my clean up pro- We have a lot of very large tulip
gramme has come to a grinding halt. poplars. Last year for probably the
I was so busy back in the 60s first time we had a rain of honey-
through the 2010s with running a one dew for months in the summer. The
man commercial outfit involving 5 cars felt like they were sprayed with
or 6 shifts a year; selling bee gear as sugar water. And you could taste the
state agent for Guilfoyle’s equipment; sweetness. It was some type of scale.
refining and exporting beeswax etc. The bees were all over it. I’ve never
that I didn’t always have time to read washed cars so many times. Those
magazines. So, now I am catching up. dark spot are the honeydew rain. I
The reason that I am telling you can’t say I noticed a color change but
this is because I have just realised this continued after the nectar flow
that, back in those days, whoever and I did get more from it.
was responsible for compiling the
magazine each month was guilty of Vic Seested
what I would consider to be one of Ashton, MD
the worst criminal acts in publishing.
Many times I would get to the end of
a page to be told to “turn to page 594.”
In social magazines where the ads are
just a nuisance, that is unimportant
but in trade journals, the advertise-
ments are part of the information of
the industry. So I beg of you, please
do not let that page turning system be
re-introduced.
On a more pleasant subject, my
brother lives in a small town about
180 km upstate. He doesn’t have any
bees but has helped me at times and
knows which is the sharp end of the
bee … He doesn’t have, or use, com-
puters so asked me to order the ABJ
for him.
Thank you and best wishes. BEEKEEPING TERMINOLOGY
Stan
Some common use of beekeeping
Hi Stan, terminology needs clarification. The
Having been involved in a couple use of the terms, queen rearing and
of “cleanup programmes” like you bee breeding, are commonly used in-
describe, I certainly understand the terchangeably. By definition, queen
difficult choices you face in what to rearing is the propagation of queens.
keep and what to donate or throw Bee breeding is the evaluation and se-
away. It’s good to know you made the lection of colonies and/or bee popu-
right choice regarding ABJ. lations for valued traits. These two
Thanks for reading, and I hope your aspects are very different and require
brother enjoys the magazine as much a different skill set. The title on your
as you have! March cover — Advanced Queen
Rearing — I assume would be related
Eugene to the augmenting of queen nutrition
491
and factors affecting physiological
changes in queen development. This
is in reference to my article on bee-
keeping in Poland, in which the em-
phasis is breeding.
Another common misuse in
beekeeping terminology is the use
of hatch and emerge. Eggs hatch,
bees and queens emerge. And, which
is correct, honeybee or honey bee?
Honey bee is commonly written as
one word, technically it is two words.
Autocorrect in spell check and in
some scientific journals get it wrong.
Technically in insect naming, a true
order of insect, such a fly (Order
Diptera ) or bee ( Order Hymenoptera)
is two words. For example, horse fly,
indicates a true fly. However, butterfly
(Order Lepidoptera) is not a true fly,
so is written as one word. See: https://
entomologytoday.org/2014/05/06/is-
it-honey-bee-or-honeybee-bed-bug-
or-bedbug-house-fly-or-housefly/
Susan Cobey
Editor’s note: Charles Linder’s “Modern
Farm Myths” series (January to March
2019) continues to generate a spirited re-
sponse, ranging from “Bout time some-
body said it!” to “What world does he live
in?” This commentary has come in the
form of emails, snail-mail letters, calls
and verbal asides at meetings, and has
been more positive than negative but al-
most all polite and well-said. Another
sampling is printed below, and I wish we
could run them all.
MODERN FARMING IS NOT
GOOD FOR BEES OR HUMANS
This is concerning Modern Farming
Myths #2. This was my first magazine
of American Bee Journal and I was
dismayed by such an article in your
bee Journal. Disagreeing with the ar-
ticle is not my pleasure but must I not
expose the truth, if I well know it?
The truth is modern farming is
not good for soil, animal, human or
bee health. In about 1999, I started a
dairy and I was gonna do it right. The
chemical co. would do soil tests and
I would apply the recommendations.
I was soon to encounter many health
issues, vet bills etc. I had to put on my
thinking hat and figure out what is
causing all the sickness and death to
my dairy animals. I knew my dad’s
cows would last a long time before he
had used many chemicals.
I finally decided that the earth (soil)
was created to feed the animal and
492
the animal in turn would feed the soil.
There is a big difference in organic
versus chemical farming. In chemi-
cal farming the soil microbes, earth-
worms etc. may be completely dead
and you can still raise a good looking
crop by applying the right amount of
chemicals. I would however recom-
mend you don’t eat such crops unless
you are old and tired of life. Organic
farming is a totally different story. You
cannot raise a nice crop on dead soils.
As plants cannot feed directly off of
organic fertilizers but the organic
fertilizer such as manure, seaweed
extracts feeds the soil and builds a
healthy soil and the healthy soils feed
healthy plants and healthy plants feed
healthy humans, animals and bees.
Once I quit using chemicals the
health of my dairy animals improved
dramatically. I have read and heard
of many dairies who raised all their
young heifers to adult cows and they
still couldn’t keep cow numbers up.
Where years ago farmers would only
need to raise a small percent of the
heifers as cows used to live much
longer. Conventional dairy farmers
usually don’t realize why their cows
don’t live longer. The chemical age
came slowly as cow age slowly de-
creased. Usually when dairy men
feed crops that were fertilized only
with chemicals instead of manure, the
cows that live longer than their third
lactation are rare cows. But on the
organic farm where no chemicals are
used, but manure and natural miner-
als and seaweed products are used, it
is not uncommon for cows to see their
eighth lactation. I realize manure may
be toxic for humans or especially city
people, but it is good to build healthy
soils as that is how it was created.
As for the weeds, they can grow in
dead soils because for each soil ail-
ment we create, there was a certain
weed created to correct the soil ail-
ment. A farm we bought had poor
quality soils from heavy chemical
applications and lots of nasty weeds
and thistles would grow till several
years of no chemicals and the weeds
just disappeared and a lovely carpet
of clover and grass started to grow.
We didn’t spray chemicals to kill the
weeds, they just quit growing once
the soil improved.
I’ll repeat this. In conventional
farming, good looking crops can be
grown on dead soils with chemicals
and some rain as the chemical feeds
the plant. But in organics, the soil has
to feed the plant so you cannot grow
a good organic crop on dead soil. Or-
ganic crops are raised on healthy soils
for healthy humans, animals and bees.
Sam Kanagy
Hi Eugene,
I have been a beekeeper for about
10 years and worked in greenhouses
and the horticultural industry for
over 25 years.
This is my first letter to you and it is
because I got a little riled up about the
article on farm myths. His article is
basically an opinion piece with some
specious arguments based on some
articles cherry picked from the USDA.
I too grew up in an agricultural area
and have dealt with many farms and
farmers. The opinions represented in
the farm myths column are not indica-
tive of all, much less the majority of
contemporary studies and thinking.
I too can direct you to articles from
scientists that have studied soils, cli-
mate, pesticides, herbicides and uses
as they affect our environment. Espe-
cially as they pertain to use of synthet-
ic fertilizers. As these petrochemicals
are largely salt based, they destroy
flora and fauna in the soil which then
increases the need for more fertiliz-
ers. Use of herbicides have also been
proven to destroy the all important
soil bacteria which make a soil pro-
ductive. These chemical inputs don’t
stay put, they travel in our water air
and food and ultimately lodge in all
living creatures. The author writes an
effective opinion piece, that is true.
However, his motivations seem to be
in manufacturing and possibly sales.
As for educating me, I do still go
back to colleges to learn more. Soil sci-
ence curriculums of today would re-
fute much of what I read. Let’s not get
into saturation levels of pesticides and
herbicides in our blood or the fact that
our government used to hire experts
that used to work at Monsanto to tell
us Monsanto products were safe.
Whew. I feel better and hope to be
educated further.
Rita Gorra
Beekeeper, gardener and
landscaping manager
Hello Eugene,
There are many statements in
Charles Linder’s series Modern Farm
Myths that need to be challenged, but
I do agree completely with two of his
points:
First; that farmers of all stripes are
the most hardworking, capable, de-
cent and helpful people you’ll find
American Bee Journal
anywhere. It always amazes me that
someone who personally takes care
of hundreds of acres and cattle, still
finds time to serve in the fire depart-
ment or rescue squad, and perform
superhuman tasks at all hours of the
day or night — saving peoples’ hous-
es or cutting drunken teenagers out of
their cars when they hit the guardrail
and flip over ... and
Second; I agree that it’s counterpro-
ductive to focus on banning a certain
insecticide or class of insecticides. Even
if you succeed, the companies will im-
mediately replace them with other
products that could be even worse ...
It’s far more important for us to
challenge the necessity of using pes-
ticides in the first place. As Gabe
Brown says in his book, Dirt to Soil,
“If you want to make small changes,
change the way you do things; if you
want to make big changes, change the
way you think about things.” Organic
Farming has evolved and improved
since 1945 just as the conventional, in-
dustrial model has. Industrial ag has
done a great job of producing abun-
dant food at low cost, and with the
smallest possible number of farmers.
In fact, they are well on their way to a
robotic agriculture that doesn’t need
people at all. But this system is only
possible as long as energy prices are
low and people are willing to tolerate
polluted water and a largely aban-
doned, degraded countryside. Even
organic farming advocates admit that
over 90% of food crops in N. America
are produced this way.
But within that remaining 10%, the
best organic farmers are producing
the same commodities, with the same
high yields, using less energy, no pes-
ticides and with far higher profits.
There are organic no-till systems now
that require no herbicides, and have
created permanent increases in soil
organic matter and rainfall infiltra-
tion rates. The most dramatic gains
have been made by farmers who
brought cattle and/or other livestock
back onto their acreage. When farms
start functioning as ecosystems again,
with their own soil-plant-animal food
chains, many of Mr. Linder’s asser-
tions start to fall apart. These farms
become more efficient rather than
less, because now they are saving en-
ergy while producing their own fertil-
ity and pest control ...
In hopes of keeping this short
enough to get into print, I’ll stop here
and just mention three good places to
get more information: 1) Organic No-
Till Farming, by Jeff Moyer; 2) Farm-
May 2019
ing Systems Trial; a 37 year side-by-
side, farm scale comparison of three
different farming systems. Access
from: info@rodaleinstitute.org
Mr. Linder and others may not be
convinced by me or my first two sug-
gestions, since they all came from the
organic corner. But my third choice
is a recent, first-hand account from
someone who knew how to calibrate
drills, combines and spray rigs before
he decided to change his thinking and
make a regenerative plan to save his
2000 acre North Dakota farm from
bankruptcy: 3) Dirt to Soil, by Gabe
Brown, also has connection to several
scientists and extension people who
helped him realize his plan, and docu-
ment the results.
For honeybees, the difference be-
tween conventional farming and or-
ganic/regenerative farming is like
night and day. As beekeepers we
should encourage and support organ-
ic farming any way we possibly can.
The obstacles to the growth of organic
farming are not biological, economic
or mechanical — they are social. If
global warming or some kind of en-
lightenment causes us to re-inhabit
our rural countryside once again, I’m
sure we would appreciate the clean
water, diverse landscape and soil fer-
tility as much as our bees do.
Kirk Webster,
Middlebury, VT
kirkwebster.com
Next month’s issue will feature an arti-
cle by Kirk on the benefits of organic dairy
farms to honey bees.
FARM MYTHS MADE SOME
EXCELLENT POINTS
Really enjoyed the article — “Mod-
ern Farm Myths”. I’ve been an Ento-
mologist since — well actually since I
was 7, but “fully educated” since 1980.
Yet, I am a first-year rookie beekeeper
Hey, better late than never. In my re-
tirement I am looking at threats to hon-
ey bees. My career has been in produc-
tion agriculture and I was on the teams
that developed and launched Round-
up Ready and Bt corn hybrids. Had
10 years on faculty at the University
of Georgia, leaving there as a tenured
Associate Professor. I have worked in
the ag industry - primarily seeds and
traits (GMO’s) starting in 1991. Moved
into a consulting role in 2016 and now
winding down to “retirement.”
You made some excellent points
regarding U.S. Ag or another way
of saying it — our food production.
I continue to be amazed, and con-
cerned, how little the majority of
Americans actually know regarding
their food. Even though I’m a rook-
ie at beekeeping I have given some
talks to local bee clubs concerning
GMOs and pesticides. Non-GMO
corn in the Midwest is often sprayed
at least once with an insecticide. It is
informative to review the listing of
Approved Organic insecticides and
show the high toxicity of several of
them to honey bees.
You might consider a follow-up ar-
ticle on specifics of traits/GMO and
organic insecticides.
One concern I have now with Ag is
the excessive use of foliar fungicides
on both corn and soy. Most of those
planes you see flying over central IL
are applying fungicides and not insec-
ticides. What are the concerns regard-
ing fungicide toxicity to honey bees?
David Isenhour
Greenfield, IN
South Florida
Bees-N-Honey
18299 Clearbrook Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33498
Queens and Nucs
available for sale
For information and pricing please
call, text or fax.
Credit cards accepted.
Phone: (561) 715-5715
Fax: (561) 423-0304
493

FIELDWATCH® ANNOUNCES
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS,
NEW MEMBER STATES
Innovative row crop mapping system benefits
FieldWatch usersin Arkansas and three
additional states as California and Maryland
join the national registry
ST. LOUIS (March 5, 2019) – FieldWatch, Inc®, a non-
profit company that enhances communication and stew-
ardship among diverse agriculture stakeholders, expands
its online mapping system technology and welcomes Cal-
ifornia and Maryland as new member states.
FieldWatch will be launching two technological ad-
vances in early 2019 to supplement its existing tools that
help applicators, growers and beekeepers communicate
about the locations of crops and hives.
“After a very successful 2018 when we celebrated our
10-year anniversary, we’re excited for more innovations
and further growth this year,” said Stephanie Regagnon,
CEO, FieldWatch. “Our goal is to continue to evolve our
online mapping system, so it can address the needs of
more agriculture stakeholders in a more user-friendly
way. We will also be expanding our geographic footprint
with new states coming on board.”
CropCheck® is a new platform operated as a pilot pro-
gram by FieldWatch that enables voluntary communica-
tion between row crop producers and pesticide applica-
tors to increase collaboration and stewardship. Originally
launched in 2018, CropCheck was available only in Ar-
kansas as part of a pilot program funded by the Arkansas
Cooperative Extension Service and developed in coordi-
nation with FieldWatch. In 2019, CropCheck is expand-
ing to three additional states: Illinois, Indiana and North
Carolina. With CropCheck, row crop producers may sub-
mit crop site information to the registry. Pesticide applica-
tors can access the site to help determine the scope and
location of organic crops or crops that are not tolerant to
herbicides (conventional crops) to help prevent damage
from spraying.
CropCheck joins FieldWatch’s other voluntary mapping
tools DriftWatch® Specialty Crop Site and BeeCheck®
Apiary Registry. The voluntary mapping sites are free for
FieldWatch users and feature an easy-to-use Google Maps
interface.
May 2019
Another new feature launching this year will bring ad-
ditional benefits to applicators. A new data annotation
layer is now available that allows registered applicators
to customize their experience by adding their own anno-
tations with site information that until now has not been
part of FieldWatch’s scope. This add-on feature can refer-
ence ‘out-of-scope’ data, such as locations of beehives or
crops not tolerant to herbicides, or private gardens. The
data on this new layer will be wholly owned and man-
aged by the applicator and will not go through the ap-
proval process that is typical of sites submitted by indi-
vidual growers and apiaries. Applicators will also have
the ability to share their private annotation layer with
others.
FieldWatch continues to grow its geographic footprint
with California and Maryland joining the FieldWatch reg-
istry this year. California’s addition is especially benefi-
cial for beekeepers who travel to the state every spring
for almond tree pollination, giving them confidence their
bees will be safer throughout the state. California will
also be part of a statewide pollinator protection program
called “BeeWhere, powered by FieldWatch,” which aims
to bring beekeepers and pesticide applicators together to
share best practices by tracking and safeguarding hive lo-
cations across the state using innovative mapping tools.
With Maryland’s diverse mix of agriculture and many ur-
ban areas, FieldWatch will be a valuable tool for facilitat-
ing communication among stakeholders across the state.
About FieldWatch:
FieldWatch is a non-profit company whose mission is
to develop and provide easy-to-use, reliable, accurate and
secure online mapping tools intended to enhance com-
munications that promote awareness and stewardship
activities between producers, beekeepers and pesticide
applicators.
For more information about FieldWatch or its online
registries, DriftWatch, BeeCheck and CropCheck, go to
www.FieldWatch.com.
HONEY BEE HEALTH COALITION
MEMBERS RELEASE CORN, CANOLA
GUIDES FOR BEE PROTECTION
National Corn Growers Association, U.S. Canola
Association partner with Coalition to develop best
practices growers can use to reduce risk to honey
bees, other pollinators
Two Honey Bee Health Coalition member organizations
— the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S.
Canola Association — recently unveiled best management
practices for growers to help protect bees in and around
corn and canola fields.
At roughly 80 million acres, field corn covers more land
than any other crop in the country, and in the Midwest Corn
Belt it often makes up 40 percent of the landscape or more.
The corn best management practices (BMPs), facilitated
by the Coalition, identify potential impacts of agricultural
practices on bees at each stage of production and recom-
mend ways to mitigate those impacts, such as specific strat-
egies for reducing dust and drift while planting pesticide-
treated seed.
“While corn does not rely on honey bees for pollination,
bees depend on neighboring plants for forage,” said Nathan
Fields, National Corn Growers Association vice president
495
 of market development. Each set of best practices, available online for free down-
“As good stewards of load, was developed by an expert team of agronomists,
the land, corn growers entomologists, beekeepers, and extension and regulatory
can follow these BMPs agents and reviewed by growers, crop consultants, agri-
to help protect honey business representatives, retail suppliers, conservation
bee health, ensuring NGOs, and other stakeholders.
productive agricultural Both crop associations announced the new BMPs at the
systems for all.” 2019 Commodity Classic tradeshow in Orlando, Florida,
Canola is another im- on Friday, March 1. This made corn and canola the latest
portant crop for pollina- crops to develop BMPs for pollinator protection with the
tor protection because help of the Coalition. The United Soybean Board released
canola flowers are very its soybean BMPs in 2018, and the Coalition is now pur-
attractive to bees. And suing opportunities with other crop and landscape asso-
for growers, the stew- ciations.
ardship recommenda-
tions in the Coalition- About the Honey Bee Health Coalition
facilitated canola BMPs The Honey Bee Health Coalition brings together bee-
are even more of a win- keepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agri-
win. businesses, conservation groups, manufacturers, brands
“Canola is an excel- and other key partners to improve the health of honey bees
lent source of nutrition for bees, which are essential for and other pollinators. Its mission is to collaboratively im-
hybrid canola production,” said Rob Rynning, U.S. Canola plement solutions that help achieve a healthy population
Association president. “These beneficial pollinators also of honey bees while also supporting populations of native
increase seed germination and encourage higher canola and managed pollinators in the context of productive ag-
yields with better ripening.” ricultural systems and thriving ecosystems. The Coalition
Corn growers who rotate with soybeans could also see focuses on accelerating the collective impact of efforts in
added benefits from their pollinator stewardship because four key areas: forage and nutrition; hive management;
bees can increase soybean yields by up to 18 percent, ac- crop pest management; and communications, outreach and
cording to a 2005 study. education.
Both the corn and canola guides feature season-long The Honey Bee Health Coalition is a project of the Key-
BMPs for growers and beekeepers and a summary of key stone Policy Center, a nationally recognized nonprofit that
practices. These include: brings together diverse stakeholders to find collaborative,
actionable solutions to public policy challenges.
• communicating about hive locations, crop manage-
ment practices, and any related concerns and coordi-
nating with beekeepers BAYER’S FEED A BEE PROGRAM
• checking extension recommendations, considering
multiple strategies for pest control, and verifying in- REACHES 50-STATE MILESTONE
field needs before applying pesticides
• planting and preserving flowering plants in non-crop
areas ST. LOUIS – Feed a Bee, the national pollinator forage
initiative by Bayer, has reached its goal of awarding grants
“Many growers don’t realize that how they spray, and supporting diverse forage for honey bees and other polli-
what time of day especially, can hurt bees,” said Chris Hi- nators in all 50 states. The 50th recipient awarded recently
att, vice president of the American Honey Producers As- was Gateway to the Arctic Camp in Talkeetna, Alaska.
sociation and a member of the Coalition’s Steering Com- Dedicated to service and agriculture, the nonprofit
mittee. “These BMPs will promote better communication camp teaches the significance of serving those in need
between beekeepers and growers, reduce pesticide expo- and the value of hard work through fun activities in-
sure, and improve bee health in the spring and summer, volving sustainability, farming and environmental stew-
a crucial time for beekeepers recovering from significant ardship. This summer it will dedicate an entire field as
winter colony losses.” forage for bees and other pollinators where campers of
all abilities, including those with special needs, will dis-
cover the connection between honey bees and the crops
they pollinate.
“We’re proud to have awarded more than $650,000 for
pollinator-focused planting projects over the last three
years,” said Dr. Becky Langer, project manager, Bayer
North American Bee Care Program. “We’re now connect-
ed to 163 organizations all over the country who are think-
ing critically about how to diversify forage for pollinators,
have put that plan to action and, equally important, have
integrated educational components encouraging their lo-
cal community to get involved.”
“The Feed a Bee grant is a welcomed and powerful re-
source to continue our forage efforts at the farm,” said
Raymond Nadon, executive director, Gateway to the Arc-
tic Camp. “We’re committed to teaching Alaskans of all
ages about the important role of honey bees and other

496 American Bee Journal

pollinators in our ecosystem, and their connection to our
food supply.”
Experts agree that one of the major health challenges
facing honey bees is a lack of forage and habitat. Launched
by the Bayer North American Bee Care Program in 2015,
Feed a Bee has provided funds and sponsored educational
activities encouraging people to get involved in meeting
this need. To date, those efforts have led to the distribu-
tion of more than 3 billion pollinator-attractant wildflower
seeds across the country.
In addition to Gateway’s efforts in Alaska, other groups
awarded funding for their pollinator efforts include the
Living Coast Discovery Center in San Diego, which is es-
tablishing a native pollinator garden, and the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department, which is planting pollinator-
attractant wildflowers on former cropland and oil fields.
Other recipients include additional nonprofits, growers
and grower organizations, beekeepers and beekeeper
groups, businesses, schools, clubs, gardening groups, gov-
ernment agencies, and more.
Feed a Bee proposals and grant submissions are selected
by a steering committee comprised of independent educa-
tors, researchers and scientists. Members include:
• Billy Synk – Project Apis m.
• Dan Price – Sweet Virginia Foundation
• Diane Wilson – Applewood Seed
• Doris Mold – American Agri-Women
• Keith Norris – The Wildlife Society
• Barry Neveras – Massey Services
• Nicole Hindle – Ernst Seed
• Vince Restucci – R. D. Offutt Company
• Richard Johnstone – IVM Partners
• Scott Longing – Texas Tech University
• Scott Witte – Cantigny
• Zac Browning – American Beekeeping Federation;
Project Apis m.; Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund
For more information on Bayer bee health initiatives,
please visit: http://beehealth.bayer.us.
BAYER COMMITS ADDITIONAL $325,000
TO HEALTHY HIVES 2020 INITIATIVE
WITH PROJECT APIS M., BRINGING
PROGRAM TO $1.3 MILLION
Since 2016, Healthy Hives 2020 has funded 10 bee
health research projects; new digital booklet details each
project’s ongoing work and success
Research Triangle Park, N.C. (TBD) – Bayer and
Project Apis m. today announced additional funding for
Healthy Hives 2020, an initiative dedicated to improving
honey bee health, raising Bayer’s total investment
in the program to $1.3 million. Additionally, the two
organizations are releasing an educational booklet,
Research for Tangible Bee-Health Solutions, to coincide
with the three-year anniversary of the program’s first
request for proposals.
The digital booklet features profiles of all current
Healthy Hives 2020 research projects, which include:
• Getting to the Root of a Deadly Bee Virus: Establishing
the diversity of the Deformed Wing Virus strains across
May 2019
the USA – Stephen J. Martin, Ph.D., University of Sal-
ford, Manchester, England; Randy Oliver, commercial
beekeeper, Grass Valley, Calif.
• Giving Honey Bees a Nutritional Boost: Phytochemicals
as a management tool for sustainable honey bee colony
health – Arathi Seshadri, Ph.D., Colorado State Univer-
sity, Ft. Collins, Colo.
• Keeping Track of Hive Health, Smartly: Electronic data
collection and sensor integration for data aggregation,
best management practices, data mining and smart
hive development – Joseph Cazier, Ph.D., James Wilkes,
Ph.D., and Ed Hassler, Ph.D., Appalachian State Univer-
sity, Boone, N.C.
• Can Old-World Bees Improve New-World Bee Perfor-
mance: Comparison of U.S. honey bee genetic lines for
queen production and pollination efficiency under field
conditions – Steve Sheppard Ph.D., Washington State
University, Pullman, Wash.
• Data-Driven Beekeeping: Evaluation and comparison of
management strategies and economics of agricultural
practices in commercial beekeeping operations – Bran-
don Hopkins, Ph.D. Washington State University, Pull-
man, Wash.
• Understanding the Bugs within the Bees: Determining
how Nosema ceranae infection alters the honey bee mid-
gut microbiome – Quinn McFrederick, Ph.D., University
of California, Riverside, Calif.; James Nieh, Ph.D., Uni-
versity of California, San Diego, Calif.
• New Ways to Fight an Old Foe: Pesticide toxicity analy-
sis of Varroa mites – Jody Johnson, Ph.D., Cullaborate
LLC, Baltimore, Md.
• Slow and Steady Could Win the Race to Control Varroa:
Optimization and scale-up of timed-release organic ac-
ids for Varroa control – Edmund Stark, Ph.D., Michigan
State University St. Andrews, Midland, Mich.
• Good Genes May Help Bees Fight Disease: Compara-
tive characterization of virus content and resistance in
genetic lines of U.S. honey bees – Olav Rueppell, Ph.D.,
University of North Carolina, Greensboro, N.C.
• A Diversified Portfolio is Good for Business – and Bees:
Bee integrated demonstration project – pragmatic bee-
keeping, forage and farming practices – Julie Shapiro,
Keystone Policy Institute, Keystone, Colo.; Mike Smith,
Conservation Technology Information Center, West La-
fayette, Ind.
All grants are reviewed by a steering committee
comprised of representatives from across the academic,
regulatory and commercial sectors of the bee industry.
The steering committee is chaired by Steve Sheppard,
Ph.D., of Washington State University. Other members
include:
• Gloria Degrandi-Hoffman, Ph.D., research leader, Carl
Hayden Bee Research Center, U. S. Department of Ag-
riculture
• Don Parker, Ph.D., manager, integrated pest manage-
ment, National Cotton Council
• Dick Rogers, principal scientist and entomologist, Bay-
er Bee Care Program
• Dave Westerveldt, assistant chief, Bureau of Plant and
Apiary Inspection, Florida Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services
• Randy Verhook, commercial beekeeper, Harvest Hon-
ey Inc., Honey Bee Health Coalition, The Bee and But-
terfly Habitat Fund
497
 Healthy Hives 2020 is one of several Project Apis m. ini-
tiatives. For more information on these programs, please
visit https://www.projectapism.org/.
About Project Apis m.
Project Apis m. (PAm) is the go-to organization at the
interface of honey bees and pollinated crops. Since 2006,
we’ve infused nearly $7 million into honey bee research
which aims to provide healthier bees, resulting in better
pollination and increased crop yields for the grower, and
lower losses and better honey production for the beekeep-
er. We work closely with commercial beekeepers, grow-
ers, and top bee scientists in the USA and Canada to di-
rect strategic efforts focused on practical solutions. PAm
funds research studies, purchases equipment for research
labs, supports graduate students through scholarships to
encourage careers in pursuit of science-based solutions
to honey bee challenges, and has expanding efforts to en-
hance honey bee health and nutrition by putting forage on
the landscape where it counts most for bees. We are a non-
profit 501 (c) (5) organization governed by a nine-member
board. Our board members are beekeepers, pollinators
and honey producers representing major national and
state industry organizations. PAm also has five scientific
advisors who review project proposals with the board.
BEEKEEPERS – DOCUMENTARIANS ON
THE FRONTLINES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
By Jessamine Finch, William Pilipauskas, Jennifer
Schwarz Ballard, Kay Havens
Phenology is the study of plant and animal life cycle
498
events and how these events are influenced by seasonal
and interannual changes in climate. Shifting, and diverg-
ing, plant and animal phenology has become a key indica-
tor of the impacts of climate change on the environment,
and beekeepers are uniquely positioned to document
these changes. In one form or another, all beekeepers
keep records of the nectar and pollen sources available in
their region in order to effectively manage their hives. If
aggregated, these datasets could also be used to improve
our understanding of how plant phenology is responding
to environmental change, and the implications for honey
bees, other pollinators, and the wider ecosystem.
To this end, Budburst, a project of the Chicago Botanic
Garden, seeks to partner with beekeepers to incorporate
this rich data source with our database of >110,000 plant
phenology observations. Data can be entered directly via
the Budburst online portal (budburst.org) or accessibil-
ity accommodations can be arranged with Budburst staff,
e.g., data transcription and bulk data uploads (contact
info@budburst.org). All Budburst data is free and open
to the public and will be linked to contributors via user
accounts.
This initiative was inspired by the work of William Pili-
pauskas, a beekeeper in northern Illinois, who has been
recording first pollen on bees and plant bloom times since
2012. These data include 40 plants observed in McHenry
and Lake Counties in Illinois, and show some evidence of
earlier spring bloom times in recent years (Figure 1). While
drawing conclusions from this data alone would not be
appropriate, by incorporating data from other beekeepers
throughout Illinois, the greater Midwest, and the entire
country, we would be able to answers critical questions
about global change, plant phenology, and honey bees.
Join Budburst today to share your bloom time data and
help beekeepers, scientists, and the planet
American Bee Journal
 OBITUARY
GABE TSCHIDA
Gabe Tschida, owner of Tschida Apiaries in Lake
Wales, Florida, passed away on January 27, 2019 at the
age of 78. He was born in Mandan, North Dakota and
served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959. After Gabe’s
army service, he returned to Mandan and was hired to
work for Powers Apiaries, Inc., the largest beekeeper and
honey producers in the United States at that time. Pow-
ers Apiaries Inc. had branch offices in Bismarck, North
Dakota, Parker, Arizona, Parma, Idaho (the headquarters
office) and Babson Park, Florida.
In 1962, Gabe married his wife of 55 years, Carlene
(Sterna) Tschida. Together they had 2 children — their
son David Tschida and their daughter Carol Tschida.
Gabe moved his family to Babson Park, Florida in De-
cember 1965 to become manager of the Powers Api-
aries office there. In 1968 he formed his own business,
Tschida Apiaries, and his family worked and promoted
the beekeeping and honey production and pollination
business for over 30 years. Gabe and Carlene’s daugh-
ter Carol competed and became Polk County Florida’s
Honey Queen in 1983-84. Carol promoted the benefits of
the Honey Bees to our food sources, the values to agricul-
ture, and the values of eating honey and pollination for
crops such as fruits, vegetables & alfalfa for food crops,
for dairy and other animals.
David Tschida runs the beekeeping business today and
sends his bees by semi loads to the Dakotas and through-
out Florida, for the pollination of the citrus trees and veg-
etables and melons in Florida and in North Dakota for
the alfalfa and clover pollination and honey production.
The Tschida family was always thankful to Frank and
Charlotte Randall of Randall’s Wax Works in Umatilla,
Florida, for rendering out the wax to make new combs
for the honey bees. Charlotte and Frank Randall worked
with the Tschidas as Queen Chairperson on State and na-
tional levels.
Gabe will be truly missed by his family, friends and all
who knew him and worked with him in the beekeeping
profession and his contributions toward an occupation
he really loved.
Gabe was a lifetime member of the Florida Beekeeping
Federation for over 42 consecutive years. He was a kind and
humble person and helped many along his life’s journey.
Gabe and Carlene Tschida
May 2019
OBITUARY
DEAN LEWIS SANDERS
Dean Lewis Sanders,
of Oak Grove, Missouri,
passed away on March
26, 2019 at the age of 61.
Dean was born on
March 28, 1957 in Kansas
City, MO, son of Wal-
ter and Sylvia (Coffelt)
Sanders. He was a steel
worker for over 15 years
before transitioning into
beekeeping, which was
his true passion. He was
an officer in the Missouri
State Beekeepers Associ-
ation and organized the
MSBA booth for many
years at the Missouri State Fair. He loved the outdoors
and spending time with his grandkids. He also enjoyed
hunting, fishing and being in nature.
Dean was named Missouri Beekeeper of the Year in
2007, and just last year was given the MSBA Lifetime
Achievement Award for his many years of dedication.
He is preceded in death by his father. Survivors
include his mother, Sylvia Sanders of Oak Grove;
brother, Paul Sanders (Jamie) of Blue Springs; daughter,
Heather (David) Orleman of Olathe, KS; son, Dustin
(Crystal) Sanders of Oak Grove; 4 grandchildren,
Caroline Neitch, Carter Orleman, Preston Sanders and
Hunter Sanders; and 2 nephews, Derick and Brian
Sanders.
WORLDWIDE
APIMONDIA
ON THE ROAD TO APIMONDIA MONTRÉAL 2019!
Register now!
To register for Apimondia Montreal 2019, simply go to
http://www.apimondia2019.com/ and follow the instruc-
tions. The cost to attend the scientific program and Api-
Expo from 8 to 12 September 2019 is $ 375 CDN. We have
negotiated competitive prices for accommodations near
the Palais des Congrès de Montréal with 3 to 5-star ho-
tels available. Montreal is a popular tourist city and we
anticipate several thousand delegates, so do not hesitate
to make your hotel reservations to ensure your desired
choices will be available (go to the “Accommodation” tab).
Our scientific program is fascinating with numerous
symposia, round tables and training workshops on hot
bee topics.
499
 Excellent sponsorship options and several ApiExpo
spaces / kiosks are still available; we invite all beekeeping
stakeholders to take advantage of this unique opportunity
to promote your business or sell your products. Interest-
ed? Go to the website http://www.apimondia2019.com/
and look under the “Sponsor” tab for more information,
or write directly to Marguglio Marienza (m.marguglio@
aimgroup.eu).
Follow Apimondia Montreal 2019 on our facebook page
https://fr-ca.facebook.com/apimondia2019/.
Rod Scarlett, Steve Pernal and Pierre Giovenazzo
Apimondia Montréal 2019 executive committee
10TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF
YOUNG BEEKEEPERS - IMYB
BANSKÁ BYSTRICA, SLOVAKIA,
3rd July - 7th July 2019
Dear beekeeping friends,
We are pleased to invite you to the International meet-
ing of young beekeepers IMYB 2019. After previous suc-
cessful years of IMYB held in Czech Republic, Austria,
Germany, Poland as well as equally successful events held
more recently in United Kingdom and France, it is now
possible to relive the experience in 2019 at the 10th meet-
ing held in Slovakia, in the region’s capital Banská Bys-
trica, which will host IMYB for the second time. The event
will take place at Secondary Vocational School, which is
also the Centre for professional education and training of
beekeepers.
The aim of the event is to raise a generation of young
beekeepers who can follow in the footsteps of their more
experienced colleagues, and to help these young people
grow fond of this independent profession so beneficial
for the whole society. To achieve this, it is essential to gain
the necessary knowledge and skills of keeping and under-
standing bees.
The event combines a competition for young partici-
pants with a rich cultural and social program, which en-
ables them to meet other young people who share the
same interests. We believe the meeting in Banská Bystrica
will continue in the good traditions of previous years.
More information is available at http://icyb.cz/.
REGIONAL
EASTERN APICULTURAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL SHORT COURSE
& CONFERENCE
South Carolina EAS 2019
July 15 - 19th
Greenville Convention Center
www.easternapiculture.org
First EAS in South Carolina
500
STATES
CALIFORNIA
FOCUSING ON THREATS TO POLLINATOR HEALTH
DAVIS--Current and future threats to pollinator health
and how they can be resolved will set the topic for the
seventh annual International Pollinator Conference, to
take place Wednesday, July 17 through Saturday, July 20
in the UC Davis Conference Center. Registration is now
underway.
The event, the first time at UC Davis, is chaired by pol-
lination ecologist/professor Neal M. Williams and Exten-
sion apiculturist Elina Lastro Niño, both of the UC Davis
Department of Entomology and Nematology.
The conference, themed “Multidimensional Solutions
to Current and Future Threats to Pollinator Health,” will
cover a wide range of topics in pollinator research: from
genomics to ecology and their application to land use and
management; to breeding of managed bees; and to moni-
toring of global pollinator populations. Topics discussed
will include recent research advances in the biology and
health of pollinators, and their policy implications.
Keynote speakers are Christina Grozinger, distinguished
professor of entomology and director of the Center for Pol-
linator Research, Pennsylvania State University, (the re-
search center launched the annual pollinator conferences
in 2012) and Lynn Dicks, Natural Environment Research
Council (NERC) Research Fellow, School of Biological Sci-
ences, University of East Anglia, England.
Other speakers include:
• Claudio Gratton, professor, Department of Entomol-
ogy, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Quinn McFrederick, assistant professor, Department
of Entomology, UC Riverside
• Scott McArt, assistant professor, Department of En-
tomology, Cornell University
• Maj Rundlöf, International Career Grant Fellow, De-
partment of Biology, Lund University, Sweden
• Juliette Osborne, professor and chair, Applied Ecol-
ogy, University of Exeter, England
• Maggie Douglas, assistant professor, Environmental
Studies, Dickinson College
The UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center, directed
by Amina Harris, is playing a major role in the interna-
tional conference. Events manager Elizabeth Luu is the
conference coordinator.
Early-bee registration: $350 (general) and $175 (student
discount). After May 15, 2019, registration is $450 (general),
$250 (student). For more information, check the website,
https://honey.ucdavis.edu/events/2019-international-
pollinator-conference.
CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA STATE BEEKEEPERS
ANNUAL CONVENTION
Save the date for the 2019 Annual CSBA Convention.
Taking place November 12th -14th, 2019 at Pechanga Resort
American Bee Journal
and Casino in beautiful Temecula, California! Learn about
the latest bee research, trade ideas with fellow beekeepers,
and explore innovative products at the Tradeshow.
We are excited to announce that attendees will get to
hear key messages from Katie Lee and Brandon Hopkins
on their 2018 research proposals. Both proposals are a part
of the $158,399 the CSBA has funded for research.
Californiastatebeekeepers.com/events
CONNECTICUT
CONTACT: Bobbie Meyzen bobbiemey@aol.com
WEBSITE: www.backyardbeekeepers.com
WHO: Jamie Ellis
WHAT: “The Indispensible Nuc”
WHERE: Norfield Church Community Room,
64 Norfield Road,
Weston, Connecticut
WHEN: Tuesday October 29, 2019 at 7:30pm
Jamie Ellis: The Indispensible Nuc
“Nucs” are small honey bee colonies housed in small
hives. Consequently, their importance in beekeeping is
often overlooked. Despite this, nucs can become an indis-
pensable tool in one’s beekeeping operation. In this lec-
ture, the benefits of using nucs will be discussed and their
importance emphasized.
The purpose of the BYBA is to provide its member-
ship with interesting and practical information about the
“how-to’s” of beekeeping. The club also provides the gen-
eral public with educational programs about honey bees
and the benefits of beekeeping in our communities. The
BYBA is a not for profit, 501C-3 charitable organization.
For more information check our website for the latest
updates www.backyardbeekeepers.com.
GEORGIA
YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE /
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
BEEKEEPING INSTITUTE MAXWELL CENTER,
ROLLINS CAMPUS CENTER YOUNG
HARRIS, GEORGIA
22-25 May 2019
This marks the 28th year of the Young Harris College /
University of Georgia Beekeeping Institute. It is our goal
once a year to bring the best beekeeping educators and
scientists in the English-speaking world to the mountains
of north Georgia and offer our clients the best beekeeping
educational event in North America.
It’s also our goal to create an educational event that
meets the needs of everyone, whether you’re an experi-
enced beekeeper or complete beginner. The Institute spon-
May 2019
sors two additional and optional training opportunities
– the Georgia Master Beekeeper Program and the Welsh
Honey Judge Certification Program. Information about
these optional programs is included in this booklet.
The Institute proper, which takes place Thursday
through Saturday, consists of lectures and workshops cov-
ering a vast range of beekeeping topics. Wednesday, May
22 is dedicated to training and examinations for the Welsh
Honey Judge program as well as the three highest grades
of the Master Beekeeper Program – Journeyman, Master,
and Master Craftsman. Training and exams for the Cer-
tified level are incorporated into the normal activities on
Thursday and Friday, and classes recommended for Certi-
fied candidates are highlighted in blue. Classes are held
in the Maxwell Science Center and state-of-the-art 121,000
square ft. Rollins Campus Center.
One of the most rewarding opportunities at the Institute
is the annual Honey Show. Along with honey, the Honey
Show accepts entries in photography, art, candles, sec-
tion comb honey, mead, and beekeeping gadgets. We urge
students to participate in the Honey Show, even if you’ve
never competed before. It costs nothing extra, and it’s a
fun way to see how your honey compares to others’. You
can find the Honey Show rules on our website, www.ent.
uga.edu/bees.
Instructors include Dr. Lewis Bartlett, Dr. Wyatt
Mangum, Dr. Francis Ratnieks, Dr. David Tarpy and
many others.
ILLINOIS
Illinois Queen Initiative & S. I. All-A-Buzz will hold a
QUEEN REaRING CLaSS
May 18 & 19, 2019
University of Illinois Extension Office
402 Ava RD., Murphysboro, IL 62966
Join the IQI & SIBA for a 2-day queen rearing class. This
class is geared towards anyone who wants to learn about
queens and how to make backyard beekeeping sustain-
able. Instructors are The Egyptian Queen Breeders & IQI
President, Scott Martin. Registration is required and avail-
able through https://www.illinoisqueeninitiative.com
ILLINOIS
ILLINOIS QUEEN INITIATIVE
QUEEN REARING WORKSHOP
SatURday, JUNE 1St, 2019.
9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Registration at 8:30am.
New Horizons Church,
502 W. Tower Rd. St. Elmo IL
This is a one-day queen-rearing workshop designed to
provide information and hands on instruction for rearing
quality queens. Included is instruction on selecting queen
genetics as well identifying desired traits in bees and how
to breed for them. Grafting, and non-grafting methods of
queen rearing will be covered as well as the use of a Cloake
Boards, as well as creating starter and finisher hives for
raising queen cells.
501
 Each participant will take home a grafting tool, cell bar,
queen cups, class handouts, and a copy of “Queen Rear-
ing Essentials” Second Edition by Larry Connor. Partici-
pants should have a minimum of two years of beekeeping
experience and should be conversant with queen rearing
concepts and terms such as found in Laidlaw and Paige’s
“Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding”
Instructors are: David Dhom, Lonnie Langley, and Tim
Lindley.
Cost: $60.00 for IQI members, $80.00 for non-members.
Annual dues are $25 and are optional. Registration fee
includes lunch. Online registration taken at: www.
illinoisqueeninitiative.com where you can use a credit
card or PayPal.
Questions regarding the class should be directed to
David Dhom at, davidandlisadhom@gmail.com or Tim
Lindley at bigtshoneybeefarm@gmail.com
*** This is an IQI approved workshop for qualifying as
an IQI Producer. ***
QUEEN REARING OPEN HOUSE –
The Illinois Queen Initiative will be having an open
house at Big T’s Honeybee Farm, at 1:00pm on Saturday,
June 29, 2019. Your hosts are Tim and Anna Lindley, and
the farm is located at 1222 Airport Avenue Greenville, IL
62246. (2 miles west of IL Rt. 127 on Airport Ave.)
During the open house there will be live demonstra-
tions on how to set up a starter and finisher colonies, using
the Nicot system, grafting, setting up mating nucs, using
an incubator, introducing queen cells, virgin and mated
queens, marking and caging queens, and a walk through
of queen mating and drone yards.
Fee: IQI members: $10.00
Non-members: $15.00
Online registration taken at: www.illinoisqueeninitia-
tive.com where you can use a credit card or PayPal or by
calling 815-262-0592.
For any additional questions or for directions call Tim
Lindley at 618-780-3772.
QUEEN REARING CLASS
Lincolnland Community College, Springfield, IL.
Date - Sat, 6/8/19. Time - 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Room Location: Millennium Center, room 1104
Fee - $59,
Course Code - CEW 301-07
Age requirement - 19 and over.
The college is handling registration. Call the LLCC Ad-
mission & Registration at 217-786-2292 or outside Spring-
field toll-free at 800-727-4161
The following is the class description: Rearing Honey
Bee Queens
Utilizing the Illinois Queen Initiative Practices, experi-
enced beekeepers will provide hands-on instruction for
rearing quality queens. Learn to select queen genetics and
identify desired traits for breeding, as well as the following
methods of queen rearing: grafting, Cloake board, cell punch
method, Jenter/Nicot system and Miller method. Minimum
of two years of experience and conversational knowledge
502
of queen rearing concepts and terms required. Supply fee of
$25 payable to instructor. Please bring a sack lunch.
Instructors, Stu Jacobson and Fred Gerberding
ILLINOIS
ILLINOIS QUEEN INITIATIVE FIELD DAY
June 22, 2019 9am
University of Illinois Extension Office
402 Ava RD, Murphysboro, IL 62966
The IQI is hosting our annual field day in Murphysboro
on June 22nd. We will cover several topics including hands
on mite checks, how to verify VSH and chewing behavior,
drone health and importance and a live demonstration of
Instrumental Insemination by The Egyptian Queen Breed-
ers. More information and registration available at https://
www.illinoisqueeninitiative.com.
ILLINOIS
QUEEN REARING OPEN HOUSE
JULy 20, 2019 - 10 aM to 2 PM
1721 East Water Rd, Byron, IL 61010
This event is FREE. This year’s event to be held at Jeff
Ludwig’s queen mating yard at 1721 Water Road in Byron,
Illinois. Hot dog, chips and a drink provided by Stateline
Beekeeping Association. If you are planning to attend,
please leave an email message at ludwigjt@comcast.net
indicating the number in your party for our food count.
Queen rearing questions and answers, and hands-on dem-
onstrations will be offered. Please bring a guest.
QUEEN REARING SHORT COURSE
May 20, 2019 – NooN to 4 PM
Byron Forest Preserve
7993 North River Road, Byron, IL 61010
The short course will demonstrate how to raise a few
queens through natural manipulation of a bee colony. If
you are planning to attend, please email Jeff Ludwig at
ludwigjt@comcast.net to register for the class.
The program is free but the Byron Forest Preserve will
collect $2.00 per person for facility use.
ILLINOIS
ISBA SUMMER MEETING
Come one, come all. June 7 and 8, 2019 will be the
first two day ISBA summer meeting. You are promised a
worthwhile two days with experts in different aspects of
the challenge of beekeeping.
The Friday meeting will begin at noon and feature four
group meetings with four experts, Dr. Keith Delaplane,
Jerry Hayes, Jim (and Karen) Belli, and Eleanor Schum-
acher. Each gathering will be limited in size and meet for
American Bee Journal
three hours. These short courses are for ISBA members
only and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
These courses will run simultaneously. Sign up early to get
the course of your choice. Watch for registration informa-
tion on ILSBA.com and in upcoming issues of the Bulletin.
Registration will begin in early April.
The Saturday meeting, that is open to members and
nonmembers, will begin with an 8:00 registration followed
by a day of presentations as has been the tradition at ISBA
meetings. The day focuses on keeping healthy, successful
honeybee colonies. The first 100 to register for Saturday
will receive a complimentary (and collectable) ISBA hat. A
catered lunch will be available for preorder.
Registration fees
Friday Short Courses $10.00
Mead meeting no charge, come join the talk
Saturday members - $25.00
($30.00 at the door)
non-members - $35.00
($40.00 at the door)
Pre-ordered Saturday lunch $10.00
The meeting will be held in the beautiful conference
center of McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Directions, information on lodging discounts, and local res-
taurants will be available.
KANSAS
NORTHEASTERN KANSAS BEEKEEPERS FUNDAY
Join on Saturday, June 1st 2019 in Lawrence KS at the
Douglas County Fairgrounds for our annual beekeeping
Funday! This year we will have several fantastic guest
speakers, including:
• Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, Extension and Research Ento-
mologist, from the University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Dr. Matthew Smart, Assistant Professor of
Entomology at the University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Randy Oliver of Scientific Beekeeping
• Katie Lee, PhD student from the University of
Minnesota-Spivak Bee Lab
• Dr. Marion Ellis, retired University of Nebraska
Extension and Research Entomologist
Join us at the largest meeting in the Midwest! We will
have live bees with demonstrations at the hives and a
swarm demonstration. Fee includes lunch and homemade
honey ice cream. Details can be found at our website www.
NEKBA.org or call Jo Patrick at 913-645-8947.
NEBRASKA
UNIvERSIty of NEbRaSka-LINCoLN
advaNCEd PESt & PathoGEN dIaGNoStICS
SatURday, May 18th, 2019
Please register by May 10th, 2019 at UNL’s ENREC,
Eastern Nebraska Research and Education Center
(Formerly ARDC), Mead, NE
May 2019
Taught by:
Judy Wu-Smart, Assistant Professor, UNL-Dept.
Entomology
Dustin Scholl Apiary Manager, UNL Bee Lab
Learn about...
Diseases and their transmission vectors
Treatment for honey bee diseases
Trait selection for varroa mite & disease resistance
Cost: $60 per person. Includes handbook, lecture slides,
refreshments, & lunch.
For additional information, contact UNL Bee Lab at
unlbeelab@unl.edu
PENNSYLVANIA
thE CaPItaL aREa bEEkEEPERS’ aSSoCIatIoN
IS offERING ItS
32ND ANNUAL SHORT COURSE
on Saturday, May 4 & 11, 2019
Part I: Will start at 8:00 AM at the Dauphin County Agri-
culture & Natural Resources Center,
1451 Peters Mt. Road, Dauphin, PA 17018.
Part II: Will start at noon at Strites Orchard,
1000 Strites Rd., Harrisburg, PA 17111.
The cost of the Short Course is $50 which includes a
CABA membership and the Penn State Book, “Fundamen-
tals of Beekeeping”
For additional information visit cabapa.org, or email
deb.bee.caba@gmail.com.
TEXAS
thE tExaS bEEkEEPER aSSoCIatIoN PRESENtS
2019 SUMMER CLINIC
Saturday June 22nd, Conroe, TX
Featuring Keynote speaker: Dr. Keith Delaplane
The Texas Beekeeper Association invites you to join us
for an exciting day jam-packed with educational sessions
for all level beekeepers. Whether you are thinking about
starting beekeeping or wanting to take your 2 hives to
200, there is a topic to interest everyone at summer clinic.
Multiple breakout sessions allow you to choose the top-
ics that interest you the most and apply to your beekeep-
ing practices. Author and University of Georgia Professor
Dr. Keith Delaplane will be joining us and discussing the
decline in honey bee populations, bee breeding, and the
honey bee as a superorganism. Other expert-led session
topics include:
• Beginner Beekeeping Topics
• Pest & disease management
• Scientific updates from TAMU
• Bee business topics focused on growth,
marketing, & logistics
• Bee removals
• Live demonstrations & honey tastings
• Interactive expert panels
• Plus many more!
503
 Register online at www.texasbeekeepers.org
Now Through 6/20/19
TBA Members, $70*, Non-members $80
Kids age 4-12, $25
BBQ buffet lunch included
*member discounts offered online only.
No discounts given on day of event.
VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA STATE BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
SUMMER MEETING
Fri., May 31st (noon)– June 1, 2019
Fredericksburg Hospitality House,
Fredericksburg, VA
Featuring Kim Flottum, Dr. Jennifer Tsurdua, honey and
hive product workshop, and more.
See: https://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/
VIRGINIA
vIRGINIa StatE bEEkEEPERS aSSoCIatIoN
The Fall VSBA meeting will be Saturday Nov. 2, 2019 at the
Blue Ridge Community College in Weyer’s Cave, VA and
feature Dr. Heather Matilla, Dr. Alison McAfee and Jerry
Hayes. For more information see: https://www.virginiabee
keepers.org/.
504
WASHINGTON
WaShINGtoN StatE UNIvERSIty bEE Lab PRESENt:
QUEEN REARING aNd BEE BREEDING WORKSHOP
June 14 & 15, 2019
Ready to take beekeeping to the next level? For those of
you who already have a working foundation in beekeep-
ing, the WSU bee team is offering an event to introduce
you to fundamental tools for stock improvement. This
workshop is designed to improve your understanding of
queen rearing, bee breeding systems and selection meth-
ods though a combination of presentations and hands-on
demonstrations. We will also introduce you to the more
advanced techniques of instrumental insemination and
cryopreservation.
Instructors: Susan Cobey, Brandon Hopkins, Tim Law-
rence, Steve Sheppard, Nick Naeger, Jennifer Han, and
Melanie Kirby. We will also have outstanding guest
speakers.
Location: Washington State University, Pullman campus
Plan on two all day meetings. The time of day and
schedule of activities will be sent with your registration
confirmation.
For questions, please call Department of Entomology at
509-335-5422.
For registration information, visit: http://bees.wsu.edu/
queen-rearing-and-bee-breeding-workshop/.
American Bee Journal

T
United States
he overall feeling across the
land is, “Thank goodness
spring is here!” Winter in gen-
eral was very cold and mostly wet,
and that’s affected our reports from
all regions of the country.
Northeast—New York expects
continued growth in the industry, as
evidenced by high demand for nu-
cleus colonies. Our New Hampshire
reporter says conditions are average,
and some feeding is necessary going
into spring.
Mideast—There’s plenty of moisture
in Kentucky; pollen has been coming
in strong from maple, willow, henbit
and other sources, and prospects are
good for a strong nectar flow. Colo-
nies looked good going into winter,
due in no small part to local clubs
stressing mite control. Autumn also
saw a strong goldenrod flow. One re-
porter says, “35 years of beekeeping,
this is the most brood I have ever had
by March 15th. First started raising
queens I had drones May 5th, last
couple of years drones by April 15th,
this year maybe April 1st.”
Tennessee reports lots of rain and
cold, and “too much” moisture, re-
sulting in a late spring. But demand
for local honey remains strong for
those who have it.
Southeast—There’s good moisture
in the ground in Florida, and spring
is early. Some cite good prospects
for the orange blossom, while one
reporter laments a reduction in or-
ange trees resulting in area beekeep-
ers chasing California crops instead.
High prices persist for specialty
honeys, while amber is depressed
by imports. Honey demand remains
generally high, but in some areas the
good prices for “local honey” are
being hurt by “cheaters.”
Louisiana reports good retail honey
demand, and good soil moisture
should bode well for producing it.
Alabama saw a milder winter than
most, and an early spring. Stores
want local honey, and there continue
December 2018
to be more new beekeepers to try and
supply it.
Southwest—Demand for local
honey remains very strong.
A New Mexico correspondent ex-
pects high winter losses due to the
“polar vortex.”
East Central—It’s been a “long
winter in the North.” Demand for
packages in Wisconsin is expected
to rebound, as hobby beekeepers
felt good about their numbers com-
ing into the new year, but were ham-
mered by the “coldest January temps
ever in Wisconsin — 35 to 53 below
zero windchill.” Many area clubs are
now hosting package bee dealers so
members can deal with them directly.
The Ag Deptartment is again remind-
ing suppliers of the need for those
packages to be inspected coming into
the state.
A Michigan reporter says of his
hives, “All are in the snow banks.”
An Illinois beekeeper tells us that
state’s weather has been either “warm
or very cold,” with “many days of
quickly falling temps” making life
challenging for the bees. “We had 25%
loss on March first. Had a very bad
polar vortex and we lost another 15-
20%.” A flood of “Ukrainian” honey
has depressed wholesale prices.
Indiana reports increased demand
for “pure, unadulterated honey.” It’s
been a long winter here too, but the
lack of fly days did help to conserve
honey stores.
West Central—Nebraska also re-
ports a cold winter, but the worst
Intermountain
Northeast
West West Central East Central
Mideast
Southeast
Southwest
temps came when colonies were
broodless, so bees are generally in
good shape. Demand for honey has
been strong, though Canadian im-
ports have pushed prices down. Re-
tail prices are highly variable: “One
store in Omaha carries 12 oz bears
ranging from $3.50 - $7.00.
In Kansas, competition among all
the new beekeepers is beginning to
saturate the market, with honey for
sale in “gas stations, flower shops,
novelty stores, hair salons.” One of
our reporters worries about some
of the “far-fetched claims” made by
some hobbyists to try and differen-
tiate their honey. Meanwhile, some
small beekeepers are offering “free”
workshops and making money sell-
ing high-priced packages and sup-
plies to affluent attendees.
It’s been a cold winter in Iowa, but
abundant ground moisture should
make for a good spring when it fi-
nally arrives. Our correspondent
talks about “record breaking cold” in
January. “We had one day of school
last week ... the wind has been un-
nerving.” Oh, and the snow: It’d be
nice to check the hives for stores,
but, “Don’t quite know how to get to
them.”
South Dakota has seen good rains,
so there’s plenty of moisture in the
ground for the coming crops. Unfor-
tunately honey prices are depressed
by suspected “man-made” honey
from India.
North Dakota is seeing above-nor-
mal demand for queens due to high
losses, but expecting supplies to be a
week or two behind schedule.
In Missouri, demand for “local
pure honey” continues unabated.
Winter was brutal, the wind contin-
ues, and spring is arriving late — but
things catch up quickly in this part of
the country.
Intermountain—Nevada’s weather
has been a little wet, but the added
moisture should be helpful this spring
and summer.
West—California reports a very
wet winter (about twice the normal
Do you wholesale and/or
retail your honey?
Would you like a free subscription to
American Bee Journal?
We are looking for U.S. Crop & Mar-
ket Reporters — in all areas, but espe-
cially in the West (WA specifically),
Southwest (AZ, OK, TX), Northeast
and Intermountain regions. We send
out monthly short questionnaires and
in return offer reporters a free subscrip-
tion to the magazine. First come, first
serve basis! Send an email to editor@
americanbeejournal.com or write us at
51 S. 2nd St. Hamilton, IL 62341.
507
 U.S. HONEY PRICES FROM OUR REPORTERS
North- Mid- South- South- East West- Inter- HONEY MARKET FOR THE
east east east west Central Central Mountain West MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2019
Wholesale In volumes of 10,000 pounds or greater
White lb. Blk.$2.00-$3.00 $1.95-$4.25 $2.00-$6.00 $1.95-$2.30 $2.05-$2.70 $1.80-$2.89 $1.60-$2.60 $1.75-$2.50 unless otherwise stated
(Courtesy March 2019
Amber lb. Blk $1.80-$2.25 $1.95-$4.25 $1.00-$2.50 $1.90-$2.25 $2.00-$2.70 $1.70-$2.50 $1.50-$2.50 $2.00-$2.35 USDA National Honey Report)
1 lb. CS 24 $ 60.00- $ 75.00- $ 80.00- $ 80.00- $ 84.00- $ 84.00- $ 120.00- $ 144.00- Prices paid to beekeepers for extracted, unprocessed
$119.76 $102.00 $132.00 $120.00 $168.00 $104.40 $180.00 $264.00 honey in major producing states by packers, handlers
2 lb. CS 12 $ 60.00- $ 80.00- $ 80.00- $ 90.00- $84.00- $ 84.00- $ 57.00- $ 84.00- & other large users, cents per pound, f.o.b. or delivered
$ 112.20 $ 90.00 $ 120.00 $ 120.00 $115.00 $ 96.00 $ 110.00 $ 132.00 nearby, containers exchanged or returned, prompt de-
livery & payment unless otherwise stated.
5 lb. CS 6 $ 72.00- $ 60.00- $ 60.00- $ 58.00- $ 90.00- $ 84.00 $ 60.00- $ 60.00-
$128.10 $127.50 $ 150.00 $ 98.00 $120.00 $112.50 $103.00 $104.00 -Report includes both new and old crop honey-
Retail
Jars 8 oz. $ 1.45- $ 4.95- $ 3.09- $ 2.50- $ 5.00- $ 3.25- $ 4.00- $ 5.00- Arkansas
$ 3.50 $7.69 $ 5.00 $ 4.50 $ 7.00 $ 4.50 $ 6.00 $ 10.00 Soybean White $1.68
California
Squeeze $ 3.10- $ 5.95- $ 3.69- $ 2.80- $ 3.00- $ 3.50- $ 3.50- $ 4.00-
Buckwheat Extra Light Amber $1.80
Bear 12 oz.$ 6.00 $ 12.49 $ 6.00 $ 4.75 $6.00 $ 7.00 $ 4.85 $ 12.00
Mixed Flower Light Amber $1.80
Jars 1 lb. $ 4.85- $ 6.00- $ 5.69- $ 6.00- $ 4.00- $ 4.60- $ 6.75- $ 7.00- Valley Extra Light Amber $1.80
$ 7.00 $ 12.49 $10.00 $ 12.00 $ 8.00 $ 7.00 $ 10.00 $ 20.00 Valley Light Amber $1.80
Jars 11/2lb.$ 5.50- $ 8.50- $ 7.29- $ 5.45- $ 6.00- $ 6.65- $ 4.75- $ 8.40- Dakotas
(Pint) $ 13.00 $ 12.00 $ 8.75 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.25 Clover White $1.83 - $1.98
Jars 2 lb. $ 11.00- $ 12.00- $ 9.79 $ 7.00- $ 7.00- $ 9.15- $ 6.25- $ 13.00- Florida
$ 16.00 $ 21.49 $ 13.00 $ 18.00 $ 12.00 $ 12.00 $ 11.25 $ 24.00 Brazilian Pepper Light Amber $1.65
Jars 3 lb. $ 9.50- $ 15.00- $ 12.99- $ 8.25- $ 10.00- $ 11.50- $ 18.00- $ 14.30- Clover Extra Light Amber $1.97
(Quart) $ 20.00 $ 23.00 $ 16.00 $ 21.00 $ 25.00 $ 17.00 $ 22.00 $ 27.00 Mixed Flower Extra Light Amber $1.70
Jars 4 lb. $ 10.00- $ 10.00- $ 16.00- $ 18.00- $ 13.50- $ 14.00- $ 11.00- $ 10.00-
$ 35.00 $ 30.00 $ 22.00 $ 30.00 $ 20.00 $ 16.25 $ 28.50 $ 32.00 Prices paid to Canadian Beekeepers for unpro-
Jars 5 lb. $ 23.00- $ 15.00- $ 15.50- $ 16.25- $ 16.00- $ 19.00- $ 16.00- $ 10.99- cessed, bulk honey by packers and importers in
$ 40.00 $ 39.50 $ 35.50 $ 32.00 $ 25.00 $ 30.00 $ 33.25 $ 40.00 U. S. currency, f.o.b. shipping point, containers in-
Creamed $ 5.50- $ 5.50- $ 5.49- $ 5.25- $ 6.00- $ 6.50- $ 4.75- $ 5.69- cluded unless otherwise stated. Duty and crossing
12 oz. $ 7.50 $ 8.00 $ 6.95 $ 6.99 $ 9.00 $ 8.75 $ 7.00 $ 16.00 charges extra. Cents per pound.
Mixed Flower White $1.37 - $1.39
Comb $ 6.00- $ 5.50- $ 5.25- $ 5.50- $ 8.00- $ 7.00- $ 8.50- $ 12.50-
12 oz. $14.00 $13.00 $13.25 $13.50 $12.00 $12.00 $12.00 $ 15.00 Prices paid to importers for bulk honey, duty paid,
Round $ 5.00- $ 4.50- $ 4.50- $ 8.25- $ 5.00- $ 10.00- $ 4.25- $ 8.50- containers included, cents per pound, ex-dock or
Plas. Comb$ 8.50 $13.00 $ 7.50 $ 11.00 $ 10.00 $ 12.00 $ 7.00 $ 12.49 point of entry unless otherwise stated.

1 Gallon $ 78.00- $ 49.95- $ 36.00- $ 36.00- $ 36.00- $ 33.95- $ 24.00- $ 45.20- Argentina
$116.00 $ 70.00 $ 60.00 $ 60.00 $ 120.00 $ 50.00 $ 50.00 $ 50.00 Clover White $1.30
60 lb. $180.00- $210.00- $150.00- $140.00- $180.00- $144.00- $140.00- $205.00 Mixed Flower White $1.10 - 1.26
$225.00 $260.00 $225.00 $200.00 $420.00 $200.00 $225.00 $220.00 Mixed Flower Extra Light $1.10 - 1.26
Mixed Flower Light Amber $0.99 - $1.09
The above prices are not meant to provide a realistic picture of prices in all states of the Brazil
particular area. They are intended merely to show what a few beekeepers are receiving Mixed Flower Light Amber $1.47
for their honey and we realize prices may vary tremendously, even within individual Orange Extra Light $1.99
states. The bulk prices for honey are stated per pound, delivered buyer’s warehouse, ORGANIC White $1.30
containers exchanged or furnished by buyer, unless otherwise noted. Where prices are ORGANIC Light Amber $1.25 - $1.37
not shown, insufficient data were available. ORGANIC Amber $1.25
India
Mixed Flower White $0.92 - $0.96
rainfall), which “set the bees back Oregon has seen a cold, wet winter. Mixed Flower Extra Light $0.92 - $0.96
a few weeks,” pushing nuc sales to Some beekeepers, especially hobby- Mixed Flower Light Amber $0.87 - $0.92
mid-to-late April. Willow and oak ists, have struggled with increasing Mustard White $0.94
were mostly rained out, and the eu- prices of equipment and supplies. But Mustard Light Amber $0.90
Uruguay
calyptus flow was low, but sage and honey sales have been mostly good Mixed Flower Light Amber $0.93
wildflower honey are expected to — led in part by the tourist trade, Vietnam
help make up the difference. and also by a growing trend in mead- Mixed Flower Light Amber $0.81 - $0.89
Washington saw record snowfall making by local breweries.
in the month of February, but an oth-
erwise normal winter. Our reporter
cites “great success w/the practice
of sequestering queens in August
to force a brood break” to deal with
mites, a method credited in part to
advice from Washington State Uni-
versity.

High Quality Beekeeping

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... for better honey

508 American Bee Journal


Q A SAUNA FOR
THE BEES
Hi Jerry!
Thanks for all your help and humor-
ous advice through the years, I always
enjoy your column and read it first!
I have been talking with a fellow
apiary inspector about the various
gizmos that heat a frame or hive to
“kill mites.” The one below says that
one heats the hive for 1-2 hours at
40-47C (104-116F) which kills all the
mites. Various ones use temperatures
around that range.
http://www.talkingwithbees.com/
t h e r m o s o l a r- h i v e - k i l l s - 1 0 0 - o f -
varroa-mites
Beekeepers who have kept and
transported bees for their livelihood
have stated that bees will die at 104F.
Research has shown that a queen’s
sperm viability can drop to 20% if
she’s exposed to 104F.
What’s the deal? I can see taking
the queen out before treating but
what about the bees? What if the ther-
mostat isn’t calibrated correctly or
does it even matter at 104-116F? See
study below.
h t t p s : / / e n t o m o l o g y t o d a y.
org/2016/02/11/extreme-
temperatures-during-shipping-
affect-the-health-of-honey-bee-
queens/
Thank you for your Advice and
Wisdom!
County Bee Inspector
Somewhere in Ohio …
May 2019
A Q
Hello County Bee inspector some-
where in Ohio. I worked for State
Gov. in the past and understand nec-
essary anonymity. :)
Honey bees maintain the tempera-
ture of the brood nest between 32°C
(89.6F) and optimally 35°C (95F) so
that the brood develops normally.
This is the goal of a honey bee colo-
ny in order to be as productive and
healthy as possible. “Research has
shown that even small deviations
(more than 0.5°C) from the optimal
brood temperatures have significant
influence on the development of the
brood and health of the resulting
adult bees. Bees raised at sub-opti-
mal temperatures are more suscep-
tible to certain pesticides as adults
(Medrzycki, 2009). Interestingly,
pupal developmental temperature
affects the probability of the task al-
location in the resulting adult bees
(Matthias 2009).”
Everything, or most everything
in this life is a tradeoff. We have this
huge significant introduced parasite of
Honey Bees, the Varroa destructor mite.
We beekeepers have been given pes-
ticides to keep it under control. They
work but as you know there is collat-
eral damage to our bees. Not as much
as letting Varroa populations go crazy
and the Varroa/Virus legacy being let
loose. Killing a little bug (Varroa) on
a big bug (Honey Bee) with pesticides
is not perfect. But, we don’t have too
many alternative choices if we are to
keep our colonies alive and not turn
into Varroa Bombs to “infect” other
colonies of ours or our neighbors’.
Temperatures of 104F to 116.6F kills
most all varroa mites. Beeswax comb
starts to soften at those temperatures.
Honey bees die at 114.8F. Honey bee
larvae as you read above are biologi-
cally designed to develop optimally
at about 93F. Queens and the sperm
that is stored in them are negatively
affected at higher than 93F.
I think we as beekeepers have a
suite of tools to control varroa; while
not perfect, some have less impact on
the “bees” of all castes in a honey bee
colony than others. Instead of simply
and one dimensionally looking at the
“Ads” online or in the magazines, I
think going to the Honey Bee Health
Coalition, Tools for Varroa Manage-
ment Guide is a solid place to start.
HORIZONTAL
HIVE
I would like to thank you for all of
the good information you have given
to everyone who reads “The Class-
room,” it has inspired me to try a lot
of different things in the past years. I
live around 30 miles south of Dallas,
Texas, and looking to trying a Hori-
zontal Hive that will hold 30+ frames.
I would like your feedback on this
subject.
Thanks,
Allen Solomon
A
Thank you for the compliment and
glad honey bees have inspired you as
they have inspired me.
Honey bees will live in just about
anything that has the minimal right
cavity volume/size. African Honey
Bees that you have in Texas, will
live in all of the familiar and others.
They will live in mailboxes, animal
burrows underground, outside on tree
branches, old gas tanks, under tree
roots’ voids, Langstroth size bee hives,
top bar hives, hollow trees, wood piles,
the trunk of an old Buick in a salvage
yard and on and on and on.
My concern for you Allen is not
what you want to use as a movable
frame hive in the subtropical climate
of central Texas. My concern is where
you get your bees from, where you
get your Queens from, and what you
do if your bees exhibit early, or in the
future acquire and exhibit, overly de-
509
fensive characteristics. I saw several
human deaths and many pet, live-
stock and wild animal deaths from
fatal stinging incidents while Chief
of the Apiary Section in Florida, and
hundreds of nonfatal stinging inci-
dents. I just googled up African Bee
stinging deaths in Texas. I don’t want
you, a family member, a neighbor, or
the mailman to have a bad experience.
All that to say, you can do this and
do this safely and have fun but as you
probably have already experienced as
a beekeeper 30 miles south of Dallas,
you have to be on your game with
these grumpy bees.
No question too scary: Professor Hayes
worked with Africanized bees in Florida!
Q
MYSTERY??
Hi Jerry,
I’ve watched our industry struggle
with the mite problem since it started
in the mid 80s. There have been many
theories and research into how to deal
with the effects of the mites. There is
still a lot of mystery of why hives or
even entire apiaries empty out and
leave behind hives without hardly a
bee, dead or alive, full of honey, that
often times are never robbed at a time
of the year when robbing was histori-
cally the worst.
The working theory today seems to
be that the brood gets mostly dead and
it’s every bee for herself exploding in all
directions to find a live hive out there
to join; in the process carrying mites
and disease with them. The problem is
I’ve never seen a hive gain bees, even
if 30 empty out and only one remains.
I know what drifting looks like and I
don’t see it. Your thoughts.
Dale
510
A
Good morning Dale,
There are several questions here.
Let me see how deep in the mud I can
get, hang on. There is no mystery 30
years past Varroa introduction.
Just as a starting point, anytime a
new disease or parasite is quickly
introduced into a human, livestock,
wild animal, insect population that
has not been challenged in a Darwin-
ian way they always die. The strong
survive if their genetics allow re-
sponse to this new health challenge.
If not there is widespread die off and
lost species. Just ask the Dinosaurs.
Same thing with introduction of
varroa mites and their direct impact
in feeding on honey bees, and the vi-
ruses they vector, and those viruses
that were benign and latent that now
‘bloom’ and cause wide spread health
issues in a honey bee colony. In or-
der to save the beekeeping industry,
not because of honey production, but
because of agricultural pollination
needs, varroacides (pesticides) were
introduced to control varroa and sta-
bilize the industry. It saved the indus-
try but it didn’t get Darwin involved
in selecting for honey bees that could
still produce huge colonies for polli-
nation and deal with varroa at a sub-
lethal, sub-negative health level. Here
we are on the treadmill. Honey bees
have not disappeared but we are on
the fence teetering.
During the active season when
honey bees can fly regularly and
brood is being produced to grow, the
colony acts as a varroa nursery and
the Varroa/Virus Legacy grows. Vi-
ruses make the bees “sick.” And have
patience with me here with a bit of
anthropomorphizing (giving human
traits to honey bees). When honey
bees feel sick they simply leave the
colony to sacrifice themselves so they
are not a reservoir of whatever this
sickness is to their sisters in the colo-
ny. They fly out and die. When large
numbers of the colony are “sick” like
this, they each make a decision indi-
vidually to leave the colony to protect
the overall health of the colony. When
this happens over several weeks to
a majority of the colony the colony
population can drop precipitously
… quickly. This is what we didn’t
understand when we named it Col-
ony Collapse Disorder or CCD. Now
we know why the colonies “disap-
peared,” the majority of the workers
were sick from Varroa/Virus Legacy
and the secondary diseases. They left
their colony, not to another colony,
but sacrificed themselves by leaving
their colony and we beekeepers were
left scratching our heads.
This is why controlling varroa and
the virus load they impose, along
with those secondary infections like
Parasitic Mite Syndrome (PMS) and
maybe AFB and EFB that are taking
advantage of this colony’s basic im-
mune system collapse, is paramount
to having a successful honey bee col-
ony and being a successful beekeeper.
Q
STINKY COMB
Hey Jerry,
I had 30 frames of various states (all
drawn out — some with sugar water
honey, some without anything) in my
(3-month-old!) freezer last summer
when it died. Of course it happened
when we were on vacation, and when
we first opened the door we were
greeted with the smell of rotting meat.
Naturally, the frames smelled horri-
ble, too. I took them out, spaced them
across a 2x4 frame, and ran a fan over
them for a few weeks. I thought that
they were better, and put them back
in the (temporarily repaired) freezer.
Once back in the freezer it became
evident that the smell hadn’t com-
pletely gone away, so I took them
out and put the fan over them again.
They’ve been airing for months now,
and there is still an “off” scent to
them, but it’s nowhere near as strong
as it was. I had planned on using
them with two new nucs this spring,
but I’m concerned about the possibil-
ity of the bees absconding due to the
smell. Do you think that’s a possibil-
ity and, if so, do you think that spray-
ing the frames with Honey B Healthy
would be enough to keep that from
happening?
DW from AR
A Interesting Dan. Isn’t beekeeping
interesting? That is why there aren’t
too many of us. :)
Great time for an experiment.
I don’t think this experiment should
be done with nucs.
What if you took 1-3 frames/comb
in the current condition and 1-3
frames/comb sprayed with HBH and
swapped them with some empties in
American Bee Journal
two similar larger colonies as soon
as you can and simply see which get
cleaned up and used the quickest, if
at all.
I think this might be a good experi-
ment. And if one works better than
the other then you have some idea if a
nuc can handle it.
What do you think?
Q
Hi Jerry,
SHB OVERWINTER
For the first time since they arrived
I had no small hive beetle larvae
in the honey house this year. I got late
pulling supers … which came off in
November and it was cold.
Do the beetles really cluster with
the bees in the winter? There are no
cracks to hide in, in the middle of the
hive away from the walls. Is it pos-
sible that late in the year beetle pupae
overwinter in the soil below the frost
line? Frost can’t get too deep under
the hive and under the snow.
Dale Lesser
Dexter, MI
A
SHB adults have been consistently
found in and around honey bee clus-
ters when formed in managed bee-
hives.
SHB adults over time acquire ac-
ceptance from the colony and can
even solicit feeding from honey bee
individuals in the colony.
You don’t survive if you can’t adapt
to different environments. SHB are
adaptable survivors.
I am not aware of any research data
showing SHB larvae that might have
been produced late in the year can
or do overwinter below ground in
northern areas of the U.S. Especially
Michigan this past winter.
Q
TOBACCO
We’ve been in this industry for
many years. Still learning. It happens
I was at a honey festival in NC and
someone brought up something that
stumped me. (I was a little surprised.)
He was asking me if our farm is near
tobacco fields. It is. He was suggest-
ing that if the bees visited the flow-
ering tobacco it would contaminate
May 2019
the honey and that you could smell
it in the honey. I’ve never heard this.
Our honey is delicious and I’ve never
noticed any “smell” other than what
should be. Can you comment on this?
Your Friend,
Susan Bennett
A
Great question and brought back
some memories as a youth for a few
years in Elizabeth City, NC. First,
I had never heard that either. To-
bacco is a self-pollinating plant. It
doesn’t need cross-pollination but
it has some mechanisms to encour-
age some potential pollinators like
bumble bees, hawk moths, hum-
mingbirds to visit multiple flow-
ers to move pollen around. But not
generally honey bees. If you take a
close look at a tobacco flower it is the
wrong shape. The individual floret
is way too long and thin for honey
bees to crawl into or their tongue to
reach any normal nectar secretion.
Bumble bees, moths, hummingbirds
have long tongues designed to ac-
cess nectar from flowers that are
very long. Most tobacco growers
also don’t want the tobacco plant
to flower because it takes resources
away from the plant developing
larger healthier leaves which is the
money maker for the grower. Most
growers ‘top’ the plant which means
they go through and cut the tops
of the plants off where they might
flower and eliminate this negative
nutrition issue for the plant which
increases yield for the grower.
Tobacco produces its own pesticide
... nicotine. In the event that it does
flower and if there is enough nectar
build up in the flower that a honey
bee’s tongue can reach the flower, the
nectar has the poison in it — nico-
tine — which is a deterrent to most
insects.
All this to say your new friend at
the honey festival is probably wrong.
Let me know what you think.
Q
TOP BAR HIVE
Hope you’re doing well.Two ques-
tions when you have time please.
In our horizontal hives several
frames have capped honey on one
side but uncapped honey on the oth-
er side (the same side on each frame).
What can we do to get them to cap the
other sides?
2. And if we don’t have time to
harvest those frames after they have
capped them (if there is something
we can do), can we use the ApiGuard
when there is honey in the hive that
we will leave them ?
Mary McCord
A
Bees haven’t capped them because
water content is too high or nectar
shut off so the bees can’t produce wax
to cap them. It is what it is.
2) Sure can. No contamination is-
sues as with some other miticides.
Q
INCREASE HONEY
PRODUCTION
What percentage of incoming nec-
tar do bees consume to get the energy
they need to convert the remaining
nectar into honey?
How does current hive design sup-
port or impede an efficient conver-
sion process?
I’m fantasizing, without any data
to support me, that an optimal hive/
super design could double honey
production.
Frank
A
Hey Frank,
Lots of variables here;
1) How many foragers are available?
2) How much larval brood has to be
fed?
3) Are there enough nurse bees to
take incoming nectar from forag-
ers to feed brood?
4) What is the sugar % of nectar? It
can be in single digits and high
double digits.
5) Colony calculates volume of hive.
Is it enough to raise brood, sustain
worker population, drone popu-
lation and then consider storing
nectar for later?
6) Our managed hive design is huge
in relation to what these temper-
ate honey bees actually need in
the wild vertical cavities before
varroa.
7) Factor in varroa and varroa/virus
now.
511
8) How much nectar is available vol-
ume wise? Is it all day or part of
the day?
9) How much water has to be evapo-
rated from nectar?
10) What is relative humidity outside
and temperature so transfer of
evaporated nectar water to out-
side happens at X rate?
11) Probably other nuances as well.
If you could get all the things above
at optimal levels and double honey
production with hive design you
would have your own chapter in the
next Hive and the Honey Bee. :)
Q
SPRAYING PUMPKINS
Thank you for all your work you do
for our industry.
I keep a summer yard at a pumpkin
farm. It’s not a pollination contract, it’s
a great honey producing yard with the
basswood trees and the bees always
leave there in the fall in great shape.
The farmer informed me that he
wants to spray fungicide this year, he
never did before.
How much danger are my bees in?
Do you have any advice for me and
the farmer?
Thanks in advance,
A
Phil
Let me tell you all the confusing
things I think I know. The worst time
for honey bees to be exposed to pesti-
cides or fungicides or foliar fertilizers
etc. is when they are applied when the
plant being treated is in bloom, and
honey bees are attracted to that bloom
for nectar and pollen collection. Direct
exposure can happen or secondarily
as chemicals are incorporated into
the nectar or pollen being collected if
sprayed during daylight hours.
Are the pumpkins still blooming?
Are there any other plants bloom-
ing away from the pumpkin farm
that would be more attractive than
the pumpkin blossoms to lure the
foragers away from the area? I hope
the colonies are not right on the field
edge, so they miss overspray or wind
drift, and the farmer will be consid-
erate and spray at dusk or early eve-
ning when bees are mostly home.
Because if the bees are visiting the
treated plants/blossoms, depending
512
on fungicide used and the solvents/
adjuvants in it, they may affect bees’
health. And there are other fungi-
cides and solvents/adjuvants that do
nothing to bees even if directly ap-
plied to bees.
Then you have the potential is-
sue of fungicides many times increas-
ing the toxicity of pesticides that may
be brought in by bees as they forage
in that 2-2.5-mile radius of the colony
or if you are treating for varroa using
one of the varroacides/pesticides and
these and other chemicals are mixed
in the colony environment.
Since I am on a roll here I might as
well mention that if the bees might be
collecting pumpkin pollen exposed to
the fungicide and bringing it back to
try to ferment and store as beebread,
the fungicide can change the fungus
component of the pollen fermentation
organisms to beebread and it will not
be nutritionally available to the bees.
I think that is enough scary stuff. I
would ask the farmer what fungicide
brand he will be using and then you
can google up the label online and look
at cautionary statements about honey
bees on the label and then google up
the active fungicide itself and the sol-
vents (sometimes called inerts) to see
if they individually have honey bee
health cautions. See what you can find
and if it looks like a problem I am sure
the farmer would want to know.
I hope it all goes OK.
Q
DO I HAVE A QUEEN?
One of my hives swarmed on the
2nd. The queen cells were all either
emerged or ripped open within a few
days. After doing the math on a queen
calendar I downloaded, I checked for
eggs but the hive was honey bound.
I added a couple of empty frames,
but those were filled with nectar in
about a day. Yesterday was maybe 6
days since, and the bees had cleared
out honey on a few frames and I saw
evidence of laying workers (egg on
pollen, 2 eggs in a queen cup, 2 eggs
in cells). But I also saw normal eggs
in a pretty consistent brood pattern. I
read about queens maybe laying dou-
ble eggs when they are hindered from
laying. I don’t recall if I saw more
than 2 eggs in any cell but maybe I
saw 3 in a few. Looked for a queen,
but couldn’t find her. What do you
think I have here?
Ernesto
A If I was a betting man I’d say there
is a ‘real’ queen in there. For a newly
emerged and mated queen that has
never done this thing before about
laying up to 2 thousand eggs a day it
takes some practice. And sometimes
an extra egg or two might slip out at
first until she gets the hang of it. One
way to tell if it is a laying worker or a
real queen is where that egg in a cell is
placed. With laying workers they are
many times stuck on the middle side
of a cell. The worker’s abdomen is not
long enough to reach to the bottom.
A queen’s eggs will be at the bottom.
Q WHERE’S THE
PROFIT IN
BEEKEEPING?
Hello Sir,
My name is Steven, from Texas.
And I am writing to you in a bit of a
shock as to the low average amounts
of honey produced per hive in the
United States. Fifty to sixty pound
averages …? I’ve seen the reports
and done the math but even though
the numbers seem correct something
doesn’t add up.
Picture this. A healthy colony will
need at least forty to fifty pounds of
honey to survive a normal winter in a
warm climate area. If those numbers
are correct, then there is not a single
drop of surplus honey produced do-
mestically in the United States. Win-
ter survival aside, as a commercial
beekeeper selling bulk, wholesale
honey at a premium of let’s say $3.00
a pound (Wow! Awesome!!), that
would still only be $150.00 per hive,
barely enough to cover fuel costs and
a few other minor expenses. I’ve been
away from beekeeping for a number
of years but in the mid-2000s we were
stacking three Deep Boxes on as hon-
ey supers. One of those alone is more
than the average per hive now!
I had every intention to return to
beekeeping as my sole source of in-
come in the near future but these num-
bers are daunting. Why invest if there
is no profit to be had? How are we as
an industry going to entice new, young
beekeepers into our field if there is
no money to be made? Something is
wrong with these numbers. Please tell
me I’m missing something big!
Question 2:
In a past issue of ABJ you answered
American Bee Journal
a question and said it would make it
onto your top 20 Best Question List.
Can you publish this list with your
answers, please?
Steven LaRue
Pampa, Texas
see why it is so hard to be a commer-
cial beekeeper. And like many other
parts of agriculture the size of com-
mercial beekeeping businesses has
and is growing, just like corn is now
at 80+ million acres. Volume is the
current model.

A
There are many local and regional
beekeepers who can make more than
they spend but it is specialty honey,
product diversity (comb, chunk), pol-
len, beeswax and packaging that is
Hi Steven, unique for a regional audience/cus-
If I understand your question it is tomer base. Entrepreneurship!!
broadly about revenue from honey
bee colonies. And not to get into Per your 20 Best Questions, the one
the weeds this morning but to give you sent is #1. I still have 19 to go.
a broad overview here we go. If I
read correctly then take a look at this
USDA report on 2017 honey produc-
tion and value of honey: https://www.
nass.usda.gov/Publications/Todays_
Reports/reports/hony0318.pdf. Then
take a look at https://www.ers.usda.
gov/amber-waves/2018/july/driven-
by-almonds-pollination-services-
now-exceed-honey-as-a-source-of-
beekeeper-revenue/ which is about
pollination revenue exceeding honey
revenue.
U.S. consumption of honey is
about 450 million pounds (2013).
U.S. production is about 150 million
pounds. The gap is filled by incredibly
cheap ersatz honey from China and
other parts of third party Asia.
So, if you put all the numbers to-
gether in both attachments you can

May 2019 513

514 American Bee Journal
March 2018 515
 Beekeeping Basics

FOOLPROOF
SPLITTING
by TINA SEBESTYEN
Find the Queen. Practice makes perfect, but you don't have to find
her for this splitting technique to succeed. Photo by Tina Sebestyen

T
he biggest challenge I faced mite bomb to grow somewhere near ing is.1 This makes successfully split-
as a new beekeeper, and well your apiary, and it will come back ting colonies as vitally important for
into my beekeeping career, and cause the collapse of the colonies them as it is for us.
was splitting my colonies success- in which you have been working hard
fully. Some methods resulted in too to keep the mites under control. The three Clues FOr YOu
few bees staying with the split. Some third negative aspect of swarming is Our first challenge is to learn to rec-
were not effective in preventing the that when the bees go, they take with ognize the clues that tell us that the
bees from swarming. Even after I fig- them excess honey production for bees are preparing to swarm, so that
ured out how to make the split suc- the season. The bees may manage we get our timing right. Splitting too
cessful for both the parent colony to make enough for themselves, but early risks chilled brood, according to
and the split, often my timing was off there won’t be any for you. Dr. Meghan Milbrath.2 Splitting too
and they swarmed anyway. Reading Not only is swarming important late ensures that the swarm will still
about all the types of splits and all for maintaining numbers of colonies proceed. Every colony builds queen
those historic names can be confus- in the world, it is an important action cups at all times of the year, and es-
ing, hard to understand, and hard that helps keep varroa mite numbers pecially in the spring. The presence of
to remember. It is intimidating, but lower, and improves colony survival. one or two queen cups doesn’t mean
shouldn’t be. This method is easy to According to Dr. Tom Seeley, splitting anything. The secret clue that the bees
understand and to succeed with. colonies is as effective at improving are serious about swarming is the
mite control and survival as swarm- presence of many, many queen cups.
Our GOals, the Bees’ GOals
Keeping colonies from swarming
is one of the most important jobs bee-
keepers have. One reason it is so diffi-
cult is because we are working against
one of the most basic instincts of the
honey bee. The goal of every creature
is to reproduce itself, and the honey
bee colony as a super-organism is no
exception. The honey bee colony’s
goal is to make more colonies of bees.
It is not, actually, to make extra honey
for humans.
Our goal as beekeepers is to help
the bees do what they want to do, in
a positive way. There are some very
negative aspects of swarming. One
is that when bees swarm, they often
choose to move into your neighbor’s
attic, costing the neighbor good mon-
ey to have them removed, and making
you and your bees an enemy. Another
negative aspect of swarming is the
fact that unmanaged colonies eventu-
ally collapse due to Varroa destructor. Swarm cells occur along the edge of comb, and on the edge of the brood area; not
When you allow a swarm to proceed necessarily only on the bottom of the comb. Along the left edge we see an empty
from your hives, you are allowing a queen cup; at right, a capped queen cell. Photo by Tina Sebestyen

May 2019 517


This swarm cell has a well-fed larval queen swimming in a bed of royal jelly. This cell
would be hard to find without blowing the bees off of the comb to allow better viewing.
Never shake combs that have occupied queen cells. Photo by Tina Sebestyen
Queen cups are just the empty start
of a cell. Queen cells have eggs and
larvae in them. Our goal is to split the
hive before queen cups become queen
cells. Also remember that not only do
swarm cells occur on the bottoms of
frames, but everywhere that the bees
consider an edge. This means that
in the center of the frame where the
comb is not fully drawn, the bees may
place swarm cells, since to them, it is
an edge.
Step two in the bees’ progress to-
ward swarming is the production of
lots of drones. I mean lots of drones.
When we inspect our colonies, we
normally see drones here and there,
but when we begin seeing what looks
like a million drones, that is our clue.
The bees seem to know that during
swarm season, neighboring queens
need drones to mate with that are al-
most three weeks older than they are,3
and so this is part of their preparation.
Drone cells can be in the ladders be-
tween frames, along edges of comb,
and in drone comb or honey comb
at the edge of the brood nest. Adult
drones can often be found on the first
and last few frames of a colony where
they are preparing for flights and
staying out of the way of nurse bees.
Step three in their preparations to
swarm is to slim down the queen. A
good, productive queen has a huge ab-
domen, and she usually can’t fly very
well. The queen’s attendants reduce
the amount of food they give her, and
518
thus reduce the amount of eggs she
can lay.4 When she lays fewer eggs, her
abdomen slims down, and she loses
weight, enabling her to fly. They also
chase and harass her, in essence, forc-
ing her to exercise to get in shape.
I always begin seeing nectar in the
brood chamber right before the colony
swarms, even when plenty of space is
available in honey supers. Whether
this is done purposely by the bees in
order to further reduce the queen’s
laying capacity, or whether it is done
in response to the already reduced egg
laying of the dieting queen, we do not
know. Dr. Larry Connor told me he
believes that it is preparation for the
resumption of brood rearing. At any
rate, the final clue to spur you to action
is seeing nectar in the brood chamber.
NOt tOO earlY aNd NOt tOO late
When the bees have completed
steps one and two, there is usually
a large population of bees, so that
you can proceed with a split without
worrying about chilled brood. When
there is also a nice nectar and pol-
len flow coming in, they are ready to
produce some well-fed baby queens.
Now is the time to do your splits.
Splitting early, after it is warm —
but before the strongest part of the
spring flow, allows both colonies to
build up again so that they can take
advantage of the best honey produc-
tion of the year. If you wait until you
see eggs or larvae in queen cells, it
will be difficult to stop the swarm.
If you wait until queen cells are
capped, it is almost impossible to
stop the swarm.
Now that we have our timing fig-
ured out, here is the procedure I have
found to be the easiest and most
fool-proof. You don’t have to find the
queen, and both the parent colony
and the split will stay strong enough
to recover well, produce honey, and
survive the winter. We can even use
this time for oxalic acid treatments
if we do it right. Remember that our
goal is to help the bees do what they
want to do. They want to send the
old queen away with enough bees to
make a new home.
MOviNG the queeN withOut
FiNdiNG her
Set up an empty hive body across
the yard from the parent colony. Open
the parent colony and remove the
outermost frame. This frame should
be a good, full honey frame. Take it
to the new box and place it in the hive
against the wall along with the bees
that are on it. The second frame should
contain bee bread and honey. Place it
in the new hive in position two, also
with the bees that are on it. We are
going to move all of the adult bees
out of the parent colony and into the
new one. This will be accomplished
by moving frames that have eggs or
open brood, along with the bees that
are on them, and placing them in the
new hive body. Frames that contain
mostly capped brood will be returned
to the original colony after we shake
most of the bees off of them and into
the new colony. You don’t have to
shake every bee off of the frames that
are returning to the original colony.
One good shake should remove most
of the bees, enough for you to be able
to see if the queen is still there. A good
once-over helps you be sure that you
are not moving the queen back to the
parent colony. Leaving a few nurse
bees on the frame ensures that some-
one can feed the larva that will be-
come the new queen. The queen and
nurse bees (who don’t fly) will remain
in the new colony, while the foraging
bees will return to the original colony.
The open brood goes in the new colo-
ny with the nurse bees who can feed
them. The capped brood that stays in
the parent colony will soon emerge,
so that there will be plenty of nurse
bees to feed our new baby queen.
Most frames include a mix of capped
and open brood, and eggs. Just try to
get frames with mostly one stage of
American Bee Journal

Observations of the bees shaking the queen in preparation for swarming, along with
queen cup production, and drone egg laying.
Allen, M.D. 1958, Nature (provided by Dr. Thomas Seeley)
brood or the other in the appropriate
colonies. There will be a lot of bees in
the air as you shake frames into the
new colony and foragers return to the
original colony. By the next day, the
new colony will contain the queen,
nurse bees, and open brood. The par-
ent colony will contain a few nurses,
capped and emerging brood, and the
foragers. We have helped the bees do
what they wanted to do, in a way that
kept enough bees with the queen to
keep her and the brood warm and
well-fed. Remember that there will
be almost no foragers who stay with
the queen, so this new colony needs a
good supply of honey and bee bread
while some of the nurses become for-
agers. Feeding the colony helps with
this, and also helps keep too many of
the nurses from becoming precocious
foragers. Feeding the original colony
helps ensure that the new queen is
well fed as she develops.
what tO dO iF there are Capped
queeN Cells
If time got away from you, and you
find capped queen cells, don’t cut
them out. Those are high quality, well
fed baby queens. Remember what the
bees were trying to do. They were try-
ing to send the queen away with some
of the bees, and raise a new queen for
May 2019
their colony. In order to help them do
that, we still need to move the queen
to the new colony, but now we need
to be sure we leave every one of the
queen cells in the old colony. It is
sometimes hard to see queen cells if
they are covered by nurse bees. It is
important not to shake frames that
have capped queen cells. The pupal
queen might fall out of her bed of
royal jelly and starve. Blowing on the
bees will move them on the frame so
that you can see any hidden queen
cells. Frames with queen cells need to
have the bees brushed into the new
colony, rather than shaken, so that we
still make sure to move the queen into
the new colony. It is best not to brush
the queen, since doing so might break
her legs. Inspect the frames that have
queen cells for the queen’s presence,
so that you can move her gently.
CheCk ON YOur wOrk aNd the twO
COlONies’ prOGress
After four to five days, check both
colonies. The new colony should have
new eggs, telling you that the queen
is present and active. The old colony
should have started a few queen cells,
unless they already had them, or you
gave them one. (A good option: You
may be able to buy a queen cell from a
more experienced bee club member.)
This is the perfect time for an oxalic
acid dribble in the new colony, since
there is very little capped brood. And
the perfect time for an oxalic acid
dribble in the parent colony is after
the new queen begins laying, but be-
fore any of the new larvae get capped.
This will be in about one month if the
bees are raising their own queen from
scratch. We have given both colonies
an amazing gift, very low mite counts
at the beginning of the season, and a
better chance at long-term survival.
1
Seeley, Dr. Thomas; Darwinian Beekeep-
ing, Four Corners Beekeepers’ spring sem-
inar, Durango, CO. April 7, 2018
2
Milbrath, Dr. Meghan; Sustainable Bee-
keeping using Late Season Nucs, Four
Corners Beekeepers’ spring seminar, Du-
rango, CO, March 2, 2019
3
https://ucanr.edu/sites/sandiegobees/
files/254411.pdf 19 days minimum from
egg to mating flight for queen, 38 days
from egg to sexual maturity for drone. Dif-
ference of 19 days = almost 3 weeks
4
Bee Sex Essentials; Connor, Lawrence
John; Wicwas Press, Kalamazoo, MI, 2008
Tina Sebestyen
has been keeping
bees since 2007 in
top bar, Langstroth,
and more recently
the long Langstroth
hive. She is founder
of the Four Corners
Beekeepers Assoc, and is Vice President of
the Colorado State Beekeepers Association.
She is currently working to produce the Mas-
ter Beekeeper Program for the state of Colo-
rado. She helps with large scale queen pro-
duction for commercial operations, raises
locally adapted queens for NW New Mex-
ico and SW Colorado, helps produce nucs,
does structural removals of bee colonies, and
writes and speaks about bees everywhere
she gets the chance. She can be reached at
bee.seeking@gmail.com
519
520 American Bee Journal
 Honey bees don’t just bring home nectar — they also bring home pollution, making
honey an excellent indicator of environmental contamination

A
s I stir a teaspoon of honey more about urban pollution, includ- guish real honey from ‘fake’ honey).
into my coffee, I humbly ing what pollutants exist in our cities, But Smith and Weis are taking a dif-
dwell on the effort that went where it’s all coming from, and if it’s ferent angle: They want to see what
into creating that sweet spoonful. building up over time. honey can tell us about pollution,
How many bees touched that nec- Vancouver, which is also where I not necessarily for the sake of honey
tar? How many flowers? Across have lived for the last ten years, is a bee health, but for our own, and for
what distance? Some estimates say bustling city and a major Canadian keeping tabs on our environmental
it takes the equivalent of one worker port. Ships arrive in Vancouver to footprint. They focus on metals be-
bee’s whole life to collect that tea- offload cargo from all over the world, cause these substances are very stable
spoon, and around 30,000 floral vis- and there is a major train station over time and are indicative of many
its to sites several kilometers away. downtown (the western end of the types of urban pollution. For exam-
It turns out there’s even more than Trans-Canadian Railway). There are ple, vanadium (chemical symbol V)
just honey in that jar, too. There are also nearby agricultural operations is released from oils burned by cargo
also trace amounts of lead, copper, and isolated, pristine islands, making ships. Antimony (Sb) comes from
cadmium, and other metals, which it a great place to compare pollution wear and tear on vehicle brakes. Cad-
can all tell us a story of environmen- from different industrial sectors with- mium (Cd) is emitted from metal re-
tal pollution and where it’s coming in a relatively small region. fineries. Copper (Cu) and manganese
from. And with the rising popularity Most chemical analyses of honey (Mn) leach from agricultural pesti-
of urban beekeeping, urban gardens, interrogate it for agrochemicals and cides. The list goes on. All of these
and citizen science initiatives, met- hive treatments — pesticides, fungi- metals, and many more, make up the
ropolitan hives are becoming ideal cides, and miticides, for example — urban chemosphere that we live and
environmental monitoring stations. or markers for authenticity (to distin- breathe every day.
Kate Smith (a PhD candidate at
the University of British Columbia,
Vancouver), her advisor (Dr. Domi-
nique Weis), and their colleagues
have analyzed four years’ worth of
honey from hives throughout Metro
Vancouver for this very reason. Smith
is in the geological sciences program
and has a background in analytical
chemistry, studying rocks and other
non-living environmental samples,
so honey bees are quite a diversion
for her. But she and Weis realized
early on that they could capitalize on
honey bees’ incessant foraging. They
recently published the results of their
city honey study in Nature Sustain-
ability,1 where they describe how their Downtown Vancouver lies right by the ocean, adjacent to a shipping port (the Port of
honey analyses are letting them learn Vancouver). Photo credit: Kate Smith

May 2019 521

The Port of Vancouver, with Washington’s majestic Mt. Baker in the background. Pollutants from ships that come in and out of this
port make their way into beehives, leaving a unique signature in the honey. Photo credit: Dominique Weis
Honey bees, as they flit from flow-
er to flower, collect tiny environ-
mental samples which collectively
contain the pollution fingerprint of
the region. “Honey bees fly through
the air, drink water, land on soil and
surfaces, and of course, interact with
vegetation when they forage,” Smith
explains. “As a result, the honey they
produce can provide a geochemical
snapshot of each hive’s immediate
surroundings.”
Smith and Weis teamed up with
a non-profit organization, Hives
for Humanity, to sample colonies
throughout Metro Vancouver, and an-
alyzed the honey for metallic traces.
Their union with the non-profit group
grew organically from an initial col-
laboration initiated by Julia Common,
the co-founder of Hives for Human-
Kate Smith samples honey from a field site in Delta, in the agricultural sector. She uses
a wooden spatula to transfer the honey and avoid trace metal contamination.
Photo credit: Julia Common
522
ity, who wanted to test their honey
for contaminants. People started wor-
rying that honey from Hives for Hu-
manity, whose colonies are worked
by homeless people in Vancouver’s
Downtown Eastside as part of a social
empowerment program,2 might not
be safe for consumption. Weis used
her analytical techniques to demon-
strate that this was a false accusation,
but when this project ended, the part-
nership stuck. Since Hives for Hu-
manity has apiaries all over the city, it
was a great opportunity to begin their
pollution mapping project.
Since 2014, Common sampled
hives at the different locations, near
different industrial sectors, banking
the honey samples until Smith ar-
rived from Wisconsin to begin her
studies. Common would systemati-
cally examine frames of comb, find-
ing patches of freshly capped honey,
then sample it with what looks like
a wooden popsicle stick and a small
vial. The laboratory analytical meth-
ods are so sensitive, she can’t even
scoop the honey with metal uten-
sils for fear of contaminating it with
metal traces. Smith joined the team in
2017 and they continued sampling in
this way throughout that year, so they
could see if their measurements were
remaining stable over time.
Smith and Weis focused most of
their analyses on lead (Pb), mainly
because of public health concerns
and an abundance of anthropogenic
sources (that is, pollution originating
from human activity). Lead is a toxic
metal and gets into the environment
from old paint, roadway construc-
tion, cosmetics, and plumbing. The
word ‘plumbing’ is even derived
from plumbum, which is the Latin
name for lead (not the tradesman’s
droopy drawers). But perhaps most
importantly, lead that spewed into
the air during the days of leaded gas-
oline has lingered in the environment
to this day.
Lead exists in four stable iso-
topes, or different varieties of the
same element with slightly different
mass numbers (the total number of
protons and neutrons in an atom’s
nucleus). “Everything on earth that
contains any lead at all will possess
a characteristic combination of these
isotopes,” says Smith. “It can give
us information on the source of the
lead.” The abundance of potential
lead sources begs the question: Does
location matter? Do different regions
in the city have different lead levels?
And where does it come from?
Smith and Weis found that yes, lo-
cation definitely matters. The hives
in downtown Vancouver, which are
adjacent to the major shipping port
American Bee Journal
(the Port of Vancouver), have lead
signatures that are very different
from the less polluted, island honey
samples. The island honey is simi-
lar to the signature in natural river
sediment, but the downtown honey
doesn’t match BC’s natural lead iso-
tope signatures from local volcanic
rocks, river sediments, or other bio-
monitors from outside of the city
(like oysters and lichen). In fact, the
only other environmental samples
that came close are trees from Stan-
ley Park, which are also in the city’s
downtown region. So why would
the honey samples deviate so much
from the background lead signa-
ture? Well, the downtown honey does
match the lead signatures in aerosol
samples from major Asian cities.
And the kicker is that more than 70%
of the ships entering the Port of Van-
couver are from South Korea, China,
and Japan, offering a tantalizing
explanation for these international The researchers sampled only freshly capped honey, such as what’s found in the top
isotope fingerprints. The researchers corners of this frame. Photo credit: Kate Smith
speculate that these ships may burn
fuels with different trace lead com- and manganese, which are compo- with the known industrial activities
positions than fuels sourced in North nents of some pesticides. Honey from in the hive’s vicinity, thus validating
America, and when they arrive in hives on Galiano Island, a distant, honey as an indicator of regional pol-
Vancouver, the emissions are making relatively isolated Southern Gulf Is- lution. Finding trace amounts of lead
their way into the downtown hives. land, unsurprisingly, had the cleanest in honeys does not mean that the hon-
The lead signature wasn’t the only honey of all. ey itself is toxic.
thing that set the downtown hives But to be clear, the ‘cleanliness’ of “We have to be very clear that
apart, though. The majority of the the honey isn’t exactly what they are these are incredibly low concentra-
metals the researchers analyzed were measuring: The lead concentrations tions of lead,” says Smith, who as-
predictably more abundant in honey that Smith and Weis found in even serts that Vancouver honeys are well
from hives downtown and near in- the most polluted colonies was far be- below the worldwide average. The
dustrial areas compared to rural and low the limits for human toxicity. This lead levels are so low (about 1 to 120
suburban locations. For example, was an environmental monitoring parts-per-billion) that sample prepa-
hives in the Downtown Eastside are project, not an interrogation of honey ration must be performed in spe-
in a region with heavy stop-and-go quality. They already confirmed in cialized metal-free “cleanrooms” to
traffic, which is reflected by elevated their previous project that this honey avoid even the slightest contamina-
levels of antimony from breaking is safe for the consumer. The purpose tion, which would skew their results.
down brake pads. The exception is of analyzing lead and other metals As Smith and her colleagues describe
that hives near agricultural opera- was to see if the abundances and iso- in their paper, “An adult would have
tions had elevated levels of copper tope signatures in the honey matched to consume more than 600 g of the

One of the cleanrooms at the Pacific Center for Isotopic and Geochemical Research, which is where honey samples were prepared
prior to trace metal and lead isotopic analysis. Photo credit: Dominique Weis

May 2019 523

 tic foragers, because they passively
bring home pollution via dust par-
ticles in the air, or both. Whatever the
reason, their partial aversion to lead-
laced syrup doesn’t undermine their
power as free-labor, environmental
samplers.
Smith, Weis and their colleagues ul-
timately show that beehives are great
tools for monitoring pollution. The
metal signatures that they found are
remarkably indicative of the environ-
ment in which the hives are located,
adding bees as biomonitors to our
toolkit for environmental risk assess-
ments. Smith says that they plan to
sample topsoil and air particulates in
order to establish guidelines for rou-
A view inside one of the analytical laboratories at the Pacific Centre for Isotopic and
Geochemical Research. This laboratory hosts instruments that can measure trace tine use of honey (and other bee prod-
metal concentrations and their isotopic compositions. Lead isotopes in honey were ucts) as urban biomonitors with a
analysed using a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (or citizen science spin. Vancouver is the
HR-ICP-MS for short). Photo credit: Dominique Weis first North American city where this
kind of proof-of-principle experiment
highest-[Pb] honey sample ([Pb]=123 concentrations between 1 and 10,000 has been done, so the researchers are
ng/g) per day to exceed the U.S. parts-per-billion, but even at the low also planning to test the same method
Food and Drug Administration’s concentrations, the bees were less in other cities around the world.
provisional tolerable intake of Pb.” likely to consume the whole sugar That teaspoon of honey is much
But humans aren’t the only ones who water droplet than controls with no more than just a sweetener, and it’s
are eating it. lead. This means there’s a chance that time we started treating it that way.
Christina Burden et al. recently pub- honey bees might not the unbiased
lished research in Scientific Reports in- environmental sampling minions reFereNCes:
vestigating how honey bees’ feeding that we imagined. However, even Smith KE et al. (2019). Honey as a biomoni-
preference may be affected by heavy if they do have a preference for un- tor for a changing world. Nature Sustain-
metal contaminants.3 They added contaminated floral sources, the data ability. 2: 223-32.
McAfee A. (2017). Hives for Humanity:
different concentrations of metals Smith et al. gathered clearly shows Using bees to create social change in the
(including lead) to sugar syrup and that they still collect a geographically Downtown Eastside. American Bee Journal.
recorded how much of the droplet representative sample. This might be 157(9): 1051-53.
the bees consumed. They tested lead because honey bees are opportunis- Burden CM et al. (2019). Acute sublethal ex-
posure to toxic heavy metals alters honey
bee (Apis mellifera) feeding behavior. Scien-
tific Reports. 9:4253.

Title Credit:
“Honey, let me tell you about this city”
— Kate Smith

Alison McAfee has a

PhD in genome science
and technology from
the University of British
Columbia, where she
studied mechanisms of
hygienic behaviour in
honey bees. She is now
a post-doc at North
Carolina State University in David Tarpy’s
lab, and studies what keeps honey bee
sperm alive. Email her at alison.n.mcafee@
gmail.com.

524 American Bee Journal

 What’s Eating My Bees?
Arthropod Enemies of
Bees in Greece
Part Four
Spiders
by John Phipps, Greece
I
have never intentionally killed a
spider, and normally do not even
eject them from our house unless
we have in our presence someone
who suffers from arachnophobia.
Fortunately, as far as I know, we do
not have in our region of Greece spe-
cies that can be a threat to human life.
I have always understood that with-
out spiders the earth would be waist
high in pestilential insects that could
do a great deal of harm. Recently,
Martin Nyffler and Klaus Birkhofer*
estimated that “the world’s 25 million
tons of spiders kill 400-800 million
tons of prey per year.”
Unfortunately, honeybees can ac-
count for a significant amount of their
prey considering the number that
I have found in or around my api-
ary, entangled or cocooned in their
webs, or stored in a spider’s parlour.
However, not all spiders are spinners
of webs of various forms; some are
hunters with specialised vibration
skills which enable them to chase and
capture their prey. I have these, too, in
my garden.
Whilst in previous articles I have
mentioned that it is usually the legs
(Araneus ceropegius?) spider making its
web between two hives
May 2019
of a predator that grasp the honey-
bee, in the case of the hunter spiders
it is their jaws, the chelicerae, which
hold on to their prey. The fangs on the
tips of the jaws inject a venom which
paralyses its victim and which also
liquefies and tenderises the contents
of the bees’ bodies, thus enabling
the food in a manageable state to be
directed by the spiders ‘lips,’ the la-
bium and labrum, into the spiders’
mouths.
Most of my shrubs, but more espe-
cially the rosemary which surrounds
my apiary, are covered with huge fun-
nel or orb webs which have trapped
many bees. Other webs are stretched
across from one hive to another. I am
not very good at identifying spiders,
so I cannot with any certainty name
the species.
It is difficult to eradicate the spi-
ders, for if the webs are destroyed
they are spun again with amazing
rapidity. So far, I have found that the
best way to get rid of them for a while
is to use a strong jet of water from a
hose pipe.
Spider encasing a bee in a silk cocoon
prior to storage. The spider usually waits
until its prey has finished struggling be-
fore feasting upon it.
Fortunately, I have two important
types of helpers with my spider prob-
lem, two species of parasitic wasps,
the thread-waisted wasp, Sceliphron
spirifex and Scolia flavifrons. The for-
mer spider-hunting wasp, Sceliphron
spiriflex, is more common in my gar-
den and whilst I have not yet seen it
catching a spider, I have seen it feed-
ing on flowers, collecting mud from
the edges of puddles, and making its
nests in an old, empty bee hive. The
mud sets in a solid mass to protect
the chamber in which the parasitised
spiders have been entombed. The
spiders are paralysed and not killed,
thus ensuring that the larvae of the
wasp have fresh food to consume.
The more one delves into the habits
of insects the more fascinating it be-
comes, despite being quite grisly, and
only by studying species can one learn
which insects are our friends or foes.
*Nyffeler, Martin; Birkhofer, Klaus (14 March
2017). “An estimated 400–800 million tons
of prey are annually killed by the global
spider community”. The Science of Nature.
104 (30): 30. Bibcode:2017SciNa.104...30N.
d o i : 1 0 . 1 0 0 7 / s 0 0 11 4 - 0 1 7 - 1 4 4 0 - 1 .
PMC 5348567. PMID 28289774.
A honeybee in a spider’s larder
525
 Micrommata
virescens, the
green huntsman
spider, the only
European species
of the Sparassidae
family. Absent from
the USA. A hunting
spider with its hon-
eybee prey. Ants
take the opportu-
nity to take nectar
secreted from the
honeybee’s mouth.
(Almost every
honeybee that I
Scolia flavifrons on a flower. This is one
have seen captured
of the largest species of solitary wasps.
by a predator has
its tongue fully
extended.).

Sceliphron spirifex,
a common spider
predator

Funnel spider and trapped honeybee

Scolia flavifrons with its spider prey

John Phipps has been

a beekeeper for 46
years, 28 in the UK and
18 years in Greece. As
well as producing his
own honey he used
Mud nest made by Sceliphron spirifex. They are often found in sheltered places on to import many vari-
walls, both in and outside of buildings, as well as in empty bee hives. eties of mono-floral
ones from different
countries and sell them to prestigious Lon-
don stores. In 1983 he started The Beekeep-
ers Annual, in 1984 The Beekeepers Quarterly
and in 2016 Natural Bee Husbandry maga-
zine, all of which are published by North-
ern Bee Books, Halifax, UK. In 2013 his book
“A Beekeeper's Progress” was published, in
which he describes the ways in which his
beekeeping has developed and his experi-
ences with beekeepers particularly in East-
ern Europe. Apart from beekeeping, his main
Nest opened to show ‘preserved’ food hobby is photography and as well as con-
for the wasp’s larvae to feed on ventional digital photography he has now
reverted to using film once more.

526 American Bee Journal

I
once described trapping out as
a not-so-satisfactory way of re-
moving a colony of bees from an
enclosed structure or tree. Trapping
requires much beekeeper input dur-
ing a multi-step process. Even when
things go well, a trap-out can leave
a dead queen and her brood to de-
cay, and may allow untended honey
stores to ferment and drip inside
walls, attracting vermin and making
a horrendous mess. So why bother?
No matter how cumbersome it may
be, sometimes a trap-out is the best
answer to an otherwise sticky situ-
ation. If the colony is disturbing the
public, frightening passersby, or in-
timidating children and service pro-
viders, the colony may need to be re-
moved. But simply killing the colony
may be unacceptable to the property
owners, and leaving a nest inside a
building or tree may attract another
swarm.
a Better Bee trap
Several years ago, Naomi and Lar-
ry Price of Prineville, Oregon began
doing trap-outs as a public service.
Before beginning, they studied many
different methods, outlining the pros
and cons of each system. After much
conjecture, they decided to use the
Hogan Bee Trap as a model, but made
various modifications in order to
make the process more bee friendly.
When all goes according to plan,
the entire colony — including the
May 2019
queen — will move into a new “sec-
tion” of their nesting space, the one
the beekeeper provides. The brood
will all emerge and most, if not all,
of the honey stores will be depleted
from the old combs. In addition, the
beekeeper will have a new queen-
right colony, ready to move to a new
location.
Does it always work? Unfortunate-
ly, no. After trapping for a number of
years, Naomi is convinced that not
all colonies can be saved. She says
it’s important to remember that no
two colonies and no two locations are
exactly alike. You need to be ready to
alter any piece of equipment and any
part of the procedure each time you
set up a new trap.
reMOviNG iNstead OF harvestiNG
Naomi stresses that the original
trap-out was designed for harvesting
bees rather than removing the entire
colony from its home. In a standard
trap-out, the workers and drones are
captured as they leave the hive, and
little effort is made to recover the
queen. In the end, bees frequently
starve because no food or water is
coming in. In response, young nurse
bees are forced to leave the nest to be-
gin premature foraging.
Since the standard system allows
no returning foragers to access the
nest, the job of removal is only par-
tially completed, even after several
weeks. Often, dead or dying bees
and brood remain in the space after
the beekeeper is finished, leaving an
unpleasant mess for the homeowner.
With their revised system, Naomi
and Larry are able to achieve the dual
goals of removing the entire colony
from its cavity, while keeping the
bees healthy and the colony intact,
queen and all. Success requires an
understanding of honey bee biology
and behavior. Using that knowledge,
the beekeeper can minimize removal
stress by selecting the best time to be-
gin the trap-out, and can incorporate
processes that use the bees’ instinc-
tive behavior rather than brute force.
By timing the trap-out to coincide
with swarm season, the beekeeper
can take advantage of the colony’s
biological imperative to reproduce,
nest, and raise brood. Instead of
working against the bees’ instinct,
you work with it, making the process
less damaging to the bees.
The removal of the colony can be
divided into four phases. The amount
of time required for each phase will
depend on the individual situation.
Phase I: Seal All Extra Entrances
Wild colonies often have more than
one nest entrance, but those open-
ings may not be obvious, especially at
first. It pays to spend time watching
the bees come and go to see if you can
detect any alternate routes into the
nesting cavity. Once you find the en-
trances, select one that is easy to reach
529

The first step in trapping a colony is looking for multiple entrances and sealing all but
one. All photos © Naomi Price
to be the main entrance. If it is a long
narrow entrance, reduce it to about 1
or 2 inches.
The next step is crucial: all addition-
al access points must be sealed and
darkened. Construction grade plastic
garbage bags can be layered around
the tree or structure, then stapled in
place. In addition, seams should be
covered in duct tape to block light
from filtering in.
If the bees detect light, they will
perceive it as a potential access point
and begin to dig. Persistent forag-
ers have chewed through layers of
cloth, plastic bags, and duct tape. If
this happens, you can staple wire
mesh over the existing layers so the
bees cannot break through. To fur-
ther encourage the bees to use your
An extension is attached to the bees’
main entrance to move it away from the
tree or structure. It can be made of wood
or flexible tubing.
530
preferred entrance, you can spritz
a repellant like Fischer’s Bee Quick
over the sealed access points, and
use a pheromone lure such as Swarm
Commander spray near the preferred
entrance.
Older trees can have fissures in the
surface that open into narrow spaces
beneath the bark. These openings can
provide alternate exits for enterpris-
ing bees, often at unlikely heights or
locations. For this reason, it’s a good
idea to wait a day or two before pro-
ceeding with the trap-out. This gives
the bees an opportunity to adjust to
a single entrance, and it gives you a
chance to survey the tree for surprise
openings.
Phase II: Extend the Main Entrance
Once you are confident the bees
have only one entrance, and they’ve
had a couple days to adjust to its lo-
cation, the second phase can begin.
Since you are trying to get the colony
to move into a different cavity (your
brood box), you need to extend their
main entrance away from the tree or
structure to a point where you will
eventually place your brood box.
The distance to the brood box will
be different in each trap-out, and the
setup requires careful planning. Al-
though the entrance extension must
be able to reach the new location, you
want to keep it as short as possible. If
the extension is too long, the bees will
resist using it and attempt to build a
new entrance elsewhere.
The extension itself can take many
forms, but it’s usually a wooden box
or a length of flexible tubing. In either
case, you need to place the extension
over the entrance hole and connect it
to the tree or structure. The type of
connection will depend on circum-
stances, but in every case you need to
make sure the bees can’t escape at the
connection point.
If the bees are in a tree, you can
connect the extension with screws
or ratchet straps. If the surface is ir-
regular, as in the case of tree bark,
you can staple wire mesh around the
edges and seal it with duct tape. Once
again, a spritz of Fischer’s Bee-Quick
at the connection point, and a spray
of Swarm Commander at the new en-
trance, can help speed the transition.
Naomi has noticed the bees are
more likely to accept the extended
entrance when it is parallel with the
ground and dark on the inside. If nec-
essary, wrap flexible tubing with duct
tape to keep out the light. If you are
using a wooden box, make sure no
light seeps through the joints. Once
the extension is secured in place, wait
another day or two for the bees to
adjust, and stay alert for signs of an
alternate entrance. When guard bees
begin patrolling their new extended
entrance, you are well on your way to
acceptance by the rest of the colony.
Every setup and every colony is
different. Sometimes the bees easily
accept the changes and you can start
Phase II several hours after complet-
ing Phase I. But don’t push it. If the
bees are resisting the change, give
them plenty of time to adjust. Other-
Wrapping the trunk in construction-grade
trash bags can help to discourage the use
of other entrances.
American Bee Journal
wise, they may begin working over-
time to construct a new and inconve-
nient entrance.

Phase III: Add a Brood Box

When the bees are happily using
their new entrance, you can begin the
third phase — adding a brood box.
Think of it as an architectural addi-
tion. You added a corridor leading
to their front door and now you will
add a new room. It’s an upgrade, of
sorts. You just need to convince the
bees of that.
Before going further, you must
build scaffolding or a shelf that will
support the new brood box. The bee-
keeper needs easy access to the box,
and the box must be secure enough
that it won’t be toppled by wind or
animals. Once the scaffolding is safe
and secure, you can begin work on Once the bees are accustomed to using a single entrance, the extension can be at-
the brood box. tached. It is important to seal the area around the attachment point.
Step One: First, build a small box
that will fit inside the brood box. This coming through the funnel, remove old queen will leave the original hive
small box needs to have an opening it for a day or two to let the bees ad- to investigate. The theory here is that
on each end so it acts like a vestibule just. Also check the inside of the fun- when the queen detects the scent of
— a small room leading to a much nel and vestibule for any obstruction, brood that is not her own, she will
larger room. The back of the vesti- such as a pile of dead bees, before seek to discover who is laying brood
bule will fit over a hole in the back dropping it back in place. in her nest. Once she goes through the
of the brood box where one-inch tub- funnel, she can’t go back. Instead, she
ing from the original cavity will lead Phase IV: Waiting for the Queen will join the newly-formed nest.
bees into the vestibule. The front of Leave the colony alone until you Sometimes it will take a few days
the vestibule will lead to a removable have at least two frames with bees or a week before you have enough
funnel. covering both sides. At that point, bees to care for a frame of brood. At
Step Two: Drill a one-inch hole in you can introduce a frame of open other times, no brood will be neces-
the back of the brood box and securely brood (without adult bees) into the sary because the queen will have al-
fasten the vestibule over the hole. At- box. Once the brood is introduced, ready joined the rest of her colony.
tach the plastic funnel over the front nurse bees will begin caring for the Remember, the queen is not leaving
opening of the vestibule, making sure young. her hive, she is merely checking out
the funnel can be easily removed. Next, one of two things will hap- the new addition and behaving like a
Step Three: With the vestibule and pen. If all goes according to plan the normal queen.
funnel in place, mount the brood box
on the scaffolding and connect the
extended tree entrance to the brood
box with the one-inch flexible tubing.
The tubing should extend into the
vestibule for about an inch to ensure
it stays in place. If the tubing is clear,
wrap it in duct tape to keep out light.
Step Four: You must also provide a
front opening in the brood box, which
can be the regular opening above a
bottom board or a drilled hole. This
will be the bees’ new entrance. The
funnel becomes a one-way trap that
allows the bees to leave the original
cavity but does not allow them back
in. Add several frames of drawn
comb to the brood box so the bees
have a convenient place to build their
new home.
Step Five: Check the box after 24
hours. You should have workers ac-
tively storing pollen and nectar in A scaffolding is often necessary to hold the brood box at the same height as the en-
their new quarters. If bees are not trance hole and to provide a place for the beekeeper to stand.

May 2019 531

 perform better when the passage-
ways are kept horizontal with the
ground and as short as possible.

All Done but the CleAn-up

A vestibule with a removable entrance
cone can be constructed from wood or
heavy duty cardboard. If bees are reluc-
tant to pass through the cone, the vesti-
bule can be opened for a few days.
In the meantime, nurse bees contin-
ue to care for the brood in the original
nest until it all emerges and joins the
queen in the new addition. At that
point the trap-out is complete.
A WArning About SWArmS
Since trap-outs are attempted dur-
ing swarm season, a swarm can hap-
pen at any time. We all know what
that looks like: A tsunami of bees sud-
denly pours from the hive entrance in
an unstoppable wave. But in a trap-
out, the entrance is long and the pas-
sage narrow. If obstructions impede
their way, bees can get trampled in-
stead of going with the flow.
For this reason, Naomi stresses that
connections should be kept uniform-
ly narrow without abrupt changes in
diameter where bees could become
trapped. Remember, too, that bees
As part of the trap-out process,
don’t forget to remove your mess,
including plastic, tape, staples, and
scaffolding. If the bees were in a tree,
the cavity can be treated with Fisch-
er’s Bee-Quick and then screened
with wire mesh. Holes in structures
should be sealed temporarily until
the homeowner can make arrange-
ments for repair.
Naomi and Larry do trap-outs free
of charge, but they enlist the help of
master beekeeping students or other
local beekeepers during the process.
For their efforts, the helpers get to see
the system in action and are given the
newly extracted colony. On the oc-
casions when homeowners insist on
paying for the service, they are direct-
ed to a honey bee non-profit of their
choice.
moving DAy
Last summer, I was able to see a
Price trap-out in action. A swarm had
taken up residence in a beautiful old
tree in the patio of a residential home
in Bend, Oregon. The tree was within
several feet of the back door, and al-
though the homeowners wanted the
colony removed, they didn’t want it
harmed.
When I first saw it, the trunk was
wrapped in plastic, the entrance ex-
tended, and the bees were calmly
going about their business. In the
evening, when the bees were inside,
The vestibule is installed inside the
brood box before the brood box is at-
tached to the bees’ main entrance. The
funnel can be made from wire mesh or
plastic, but plastic is less likely to snag
antennae and legs.
we went back and added the brood
box. The next morning, moving day
would begin and the bees would get a
first look at their new living quarters.
With any luck, there would be no bee
left behind.
Rusty Burlew has stud-
ied agriculture, honey
bees, and environmen-
tal science for over 30
years. She is a passion-
ate advocate of native
bee conservation and
founded the Native Bee
Conservancy in Wash-
ington State. https://honeybeesuite.com or
email her at rusty@honeybeesuite.com.
TABER’S on the web...

Queens & Packages

New USDA Russian
ARS Yugoslavians
Free Brochure Call

Phone 707-449-0440
Fax 707-449-8127
P.O. Box 1672
Vacaville, CA 95696
Since the bees cannot go back through the funnel, they begin nesting in the brood box. www.honeybeegenetics.com
The addition of open brood will usually cause the queen to investigate.

532 American Bee Journal

A CLOSE LOOK @ THE HIVE
Ethical Beekeeping
by PETER L BORST
M
ost of the prominent people who
were involved in improving
beekeeping between 1609 and
1809 fall outside the ranks of the social
elite. [They] were usually sideline bee-
keepers who occupied a middling social
position. It was their rhetoric, publica-
tions, and behaviors that defined and pop-
ularized scientific beekeeping in England.
Almost none of them depended on income
from their hives. (Ebert 2011)
Then, as now, beekeeping through-
out the world is mostly carried on
by non-professional beekeepers; that
is to say, it’s not their sole source of
income. They used to be called ama-
teurs but that word has lost its origi-
nal sense of loving something, and
has come to equate ineptitude. And
yet, many of the innovators of apicul-
ture were not commercial men, but
Shaking package bees in Palo Cedro, CA in the 1980s. Photo by Mike Johnston
May 2019
people like myself who has an apiary
in the woods by my house.
One such amateur was William
Charles Cotton, born in England in
1813. He became interested in honey
bees at an early age and in 1833 helped
found the Oxford Apiarian Society.
His first work was titled “A Short and
Simple Letter to Cottagers from a Bee
Preserver,” which he claimed sold
24,000 copies. His writing culminated
in 1840 with the publication of his no-
table “My Bee Book.” The term “bee
preserver” refers to his promotion of
humane treatment of bees and the
abandonment of the traditional mode
of harvesting honey. This involved
holding the open hive over a pit of
burning sulfur, killing the whole col-
ony and leaving the honey cleared of
bees. His new plan was to stupefy the
bees with the fumes of burning puff-
balls from which they soon recovered.
Cotton relates this story:
An honest Oxfordshire thatcher,
who had all his life long kept Bees,
and made a good profit of them too,
was asked by a brother Bee-master
why he had got rid of his stock. “Oh,”
said he, “I am an old man, and like
to die soon, and I know I shall then
have to give account of the least thing
I now do; and so I cannot bear to
murder my poor Bees by thousands!”
(Cotton 1837)
W.C. Cotton decided on a career in
the church. He had much in common
with our own Reverend L.L. Lang-
stroth: a calling to preach, a love for
bees, a poor business sense, and a ten-
dency to chronic depression. Despite
this, he was able to travel widely, go-
ing to New Zealand and helping to
initiate beekeeping there. Evidently,
he carefully planned and carried out
the transporting of several hives on
his first voyage but they did not ar-
rive alive. It was reported that the
sailors thought the hives brought the
ship bad luck in the form of storms,
and tossed them overboard. It fell
upon others to successfully transport
honey bees to New Zealand. Cotton
eventually returned to England and
contributed to the formation of the
British Beekeepers’ Association in
1874, which was established for:
The Encouragement, Improve-
ment and Advancement of Bee Cul-
ture in the United Kingdom, par-
ticularly as a means of bettering the
Condition of Cottagers and the Ag-
ricultural Labouring Classes, as well
as the advocacy of humanity to the
industrious labourer ― the Honey
Bee. (Smith 2006)
533
 Here we see the aim of ethical bee-
keeping clearly advanced. How did
the honey bee with her temperamen-
tal ways and ready stingers come to
be viewed so reverently? Most bee-
keepers have heard of the custom
of “telling the bees.” In Europe, bee
colonies were considered intelligent
and practically members of the fam-
ily. When someone died, they were
supposed to be told of it immediately.
Some included the practice of placing
a band of black crepe around the hive.
There was the belief that bees should
not be bought and sold like cattle but
should be given away or at least bar-
534
tered for. Of course, these sentiments
were not universal, hives were in
fact bought and sold in markets and
slaughtered like common livestock.
Gradually the practice of killing the
bees at harvest time began to fade,
primarily as better management tech-
niques were developed. Once these
were learned, taking honey became
much easier, more humane, and in the
long run beekeeping was more profit-
able because the bees were cared for,
rather than exploited. Still, in some
parts of North America, many colo-
nies would die every winter, causing
great distress to their keepers.
The package bee industry began to
expand in the early 1900s to replace
these winter losses. Some beekeepers
found it profitable to kill their bees in
the fall, take all of the honey, and buy
fresh bees in the spring, rather than
have them die in the hives from the
harsh climate. Later, it became com-
mon for beekeepers to move their
entire holdings south for the winter.
They could avoid winter altogether
and return in the spring with their
bees in tip top shape.
Small holders tend to view their
bees fondly and try to avoid doing
anything to harm them. Most don’t
regard ants nor wasps with this same
feeling of sympathy, and are willing
to kill them if they become a nui-
sance. Many homeowners feel simi-
larly, they would gladly have termites
or hornets exterminated but feel very
uneasy about killing the honey bees,
especially since they have heard so
often in the news that bees are endan-
gered, and on the verge of extinction.
This is not true, of course. Honey bees
are not protected by law per se; there
are regulations regarding pesticide
application and damaging honey bee
colonies that are owned by beekeep-
ers, but honey bees can be catego-
rized as pests if not under a beekeep-
er’s care.
dO iNseCts Feel paiN?
As recently as 1980, V.B. Wiggles-
worth wrote: “This question came
up in discussion at a recent meeting
of the Entomological Club at Ash-
ton and led to no agreement.” How
would we know if they felt pain, and
should we be concerned, as beekeep-
ers? It would be a lot easier to simply
dismiss the idea of insect pain as un-
knowable, or not important, but some
of us have given this topic consider-
able thought.
With people, of course, we can get
a sense of their experience of pain be-
cause it mirrors our own. They com-
plain, grimace, scream if it’s really
bad. Most mammals exhibit the same
sorts of reactions — they appear to
feel pain the way we do and for the
same reason, to learn how to avoid
danger and harm. A person or animal
that is insensitive to pain is very much
at risk of getting hurt or killed. Even
animals such as reptiles, amphibians,
and fish show aversive behavior if
grabbed, pinched or injured. But do
they experience this as pain?
Think for a minute about the pos-
sibility that a robot could be pro-
grammed to react to harm in the same
American Bee Journal
way that we do: pulling its arm away,
shouting, or performing some de-
fensive maneuver. But this certainly
doesn’t prove it experiences anything
at all, any more than a self driving car
worries about getting caught in traffic.
Since animals and insects are
commonly used in laboratory ex-
periments, this question has been ex-
plored to a great extent. Regulations
are in place regarding the humane
treatment of animals. Basically, they
are entitled to the same protection
from pain as we are; anesthetics and
pain relievers are administered before
and after procedures that are obvi-
ously painful, such as surgery. If the
animals become ill, they are cared for;
if suffering cannot be alleviated, they
are killed.
However, insects are in a separate
class: the invertebrates. This class
includes any creature that does not
have a spine. The brain and spine are
the main features of the central ner-
vous system that vertebrate animals
have and give us the most obvious
clue that they feel the same way we
do. Plants have no nerve cells, al-
though there are examples of plants
that respond to touch, such as the
Venus fly trap. Between the realm of
plants and vertebrates is a huge class
which really has little in common ex-
cept — no spine. Recently, the protec-
tion afforded other lab animals has
been extended to cephalopods; that
is, octopus, squid, etc. But not to in-
vertebrates in general, including bees
(European Union 2010).
studYiNG iNseCt respONses
There have been plenty of studies
looking into the question of insect re-
sponses, and perception of pain. Wig-
glesworth outlined what was thought
in 1980. Pain sense is not essential
for life; single celled organisms get
by without nervous systems at all.
Many parts of our own bodies are in-
sensitive to pain, like the fingernails.
Insects have an exoskeleton which is
made of a similar material, so it’s rea-
sonable to assume that it doesn’t have
pain sensors, though pressure on it
could be felt in the underlying tissue.
Wigglesworth dropped aphids and
sawfly larvae into a preservative and
saw no evidence of a response at all.
A few years later, C.H. Eisemann
points out that even if the bugs had
writhed in the fluid, that could be a
physical aversive response and not
an indication that the experience was
painful. He describes nervous sys-
tems in mammals as fairly well de-
May 2019
lineated, but that the lack of such sys-
tems cannot be used to infer that bugs
don’t feel pain. Some other system
might do just as well. He concluded
that it is not possible to know if they
feel pain using these types of tests.
More recently, S.A. Adamo outlines
the questions in this manner:
Four areas of research touch on
the question of whether insects
feel pain: (1) philosophy, (2) insect
neurobiology and behaviour, (3)
artificial intelligence and robotics
and (4) evolution (Adamo 2016).
Many modern philosophers look at
consciousness and conclude that it is
not a requirement for survival at all.
Human beings do a great many so-
phisticated things without being con-
scious of them, like driving and typ-
ing. In fact, a good driver is too busy
being aware of the external surround-
ings to be conscious of what their feet
or hands are doing. Consciousness
may just be us watching what we are
already doing. On the other hand,
without consciousness when under
anesthetic, we don’t respond to ac-
tions which would normally be quite
painful, like dental surgery. So con-
sciousness seems to be linked to pain.
But that gets us nowhere because we
can’t know if insects are conscious.
The questions of behavior and evo-
lution are closely linked. We associate
complex nervous systems and be-
haviors with animals, not plants, and
many insects seem to have extremely
limited endowment of either of these.
Many insects’ lives consist of being
born, mating and dying in a very
short span. Some adult flies don’t
even have mouth parts since they
don’t live long enough to get hun-
gry. Adamo points out that the sense
of pain is not necessary for survival.
But she counters that since we don’t
even understand what consciousness
is in ourselves, how will we answer
the question “Are insects more like
little people or are they sophisticated
robots?”
I looked at the work of a number of
scientists, and they tend to agree. We
don’t know whether insects experi-
ence pain they way we do; maybe we
never will. But there are many good
reasons for treating them as if they
do. If they are subjected to stress, this
could affect or invalidate any studies
involving them. Stress can cause a va-
riety of negative effects from failure
to thrive to even death. But beyond
that, treating insects with care and
consideration is a way of expressing
our respect for all living things, and
sets a good example for others.
hOw this pertaiNs tO BeekeepiNG
Most of my readers are not re-
searchers, but professional or ama-
teur beekeepers. Many of us have
learned our skills from others with
decades of experience and some, like
me, have many decades of our own
to look back upon. I think it’s safe
to say we have learned to avoid the
things that honey bees don’t like, be-
cause they have a definite way of let-
ting us know it. I tend to cringe when
I see beekeepers dressed head to toe
in protective garb, including heavy
leather gloves with canvas gauntlets.
They look like firefighters prepared
for the worst. They are expecting the
bees to get riled up as a result of what
it is they are about to do.
Loading thousands of colonies
onto trucks with forklifts to move
them out of state is a huge chore and
535
sometimes there isn’t time to do it in
a way that avoids riling the bees up.
Even loading bees by hand, of which
I have had plenty of experience, can
go badly if the weather is hot or the
truck gets stuck or the sun goes down
(or all of these at once). At times like
those I am glad I own heavy gloves.
But it is surprising how well people
and honey bees can get along if care
and planning is attended to.
I remember visiting a self taught
beekeeper at his hives. He seemed
to know how to put the equipment
together and collect swarms, ev-
erything looked in order. But he was
dressed like he was expecting trouble.
I opened up the hives bare handed
like I usually do, pulling the frames
up carefully but not necessarily slow-
ly. He remarked he had never seen
anything like that, the fluid way the
frames were handled.
On the other hand, I can’t tell you
how many times people have asked
me if there isn’t some way of getting
the bees out of a package cage besides
shaking them out. To which I usually
reply, how do you suppose they got
the bees in there? They shook them
out of the hives, they shook them
through funnels, they weighed them
like bulk peanuts. Honey bees can
handle a surprising amount of rough
handling. I am sure it’s confusing to
them but I don’t think it hurts.
Probably the strongest incentive
to treating honey bees with care and
consideration is that they are not
generally bothersome unless they
are being molested. This can be in
the form of skunks, yellow jackets,
kids with rocks, or careless beekeep-
ers. If the bees are mistreated they
can stay in a state of general agita-
tion for weeks. On the other hand, I
have seen large apiaries placed very
close to human habitation where
they seem to cause no trouble at all,
so long as honey isn’t spilled around.
Spilled honey on the ground brings
out the worst in bees; they start fan-
ning out and poking their noses into
every corner, causing a ruckus in the
apiary, and generally trying the pa-
tience of everyone.
the Bad News
The bad news is: Sometimes bees
have to be killed. I worked with labo-
ratory animals for a decade and there
were strict rules on how they were
to be handled, treated, and how they
were to be euthanized. The chief ob-
jective was to minimize suffering. As
I have said, we have no way of know-
536
ing whether animals suffer, so we as-
sume they do and go from there. We
used pain killers, anesthetics, and ul-
timately carbon dioxide for the end-
ing of life. This has not always been
the case:
When in 1821 a UK politician, Col-
onel Richard Martin, first proposed a
statute to protect horses, he was met
with derision and even laughter in
Parliament. In 1824, the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
was founded in London, the first such
organisation of its kind. In 1840, it re-
ceived a Royal Charter from Queen
Victoria (Turner 2019).
No such rules are in place for hon-
ey bees. Personally, I believe the ef-
fect of ordinary smoke on bees and
other insects such as wasps, is anal-
ogous to a sedative or anesthetic.
What I see is that their awareness
is dimmed, their responses are sub-
dued, and so on. Light smoking ren-
ders them manageable; heavy smoke
can stupefy them.
But if the time comes that they
have to be euthanized, I want it to
be fast. In the past a small amount of
cyanide was used; this is no longer
approved and not readily available.
If the bees and equipment are to be
destroyed as in the case of American
Foulbrood disease, a volatile solvent
such as acetone does the job quickly
and humanely. If the bees are vicious,
one plan is to shake them into a bar-
rel of hot soapy water. Some people
use dry ice or simply bag the whole
hive and suffocate them. These two
methods are slow, and sickening to
contemplate.
the GOOd News
The good news is that we have dis-
covered an amazing pastime or ca-
reer path which gives us plenty to do,
lots to learn about, and just enough to
ponder. Personally, I learned a lot just
looking into what other people have
thought about insects and whether
they can feel pain. There are those
who get pretty self-righteous about
it, but I try to be humble. We didn’t
plan the world to be a place where
we would have to eat other life forms
to live! I think it is fair to say we
should take other lives only as neces-
sary, with respect and the knowledge
that where they go, we too shall go
someday. And I leave you with this
bit I got from V.B. Wigglesworth, it
gave me a chuckle:
I once attended a lecture organ-
ised by the Vegetarian Society.
Professor Bose gave us a most viv-
id account of the sensitive plant
— so vivid that I came away with
the feeling that we carnivores do
at least kill our prey before eating
it, whereas the vegetarians think
nothing of plunging their teeth
into a living apple.
reCOMMeNded readiNG
Honeybee Neurobiology and Behav-
ior: A Tribute to Randolf Menzel
C. Giovanni Galizia, Dorothea Eisen-
hardt, Martin Giurfa; Editors ISBN
978-94-007-2099-2
wOrks Cited
Adamo, S. A. (2016). Do insects feel pain? A
question at the intersection of animal be-
haviour, philosophy and robotics. Animal
Behaviour, 118, 75-79.
Cotton, W. C. (1837). A Short and Simple Let-
ter to Cottagers from a Bee Preserver.
Ebert, A. (2011). Nectar for the taking: the
popularization of scientific bee culture in
England, 1609–1809. Agricultural history,
85(3), 322-343.
European Union. (2010). 63/EU of the Euro-
pean parliament and of the council of 22
September 2010 on the protection of ani-
mals used for scientific purposes. Official
Journal of the European Union, 276, 33-74.
Smith, A. R. (2006). William Charles Cotton
MA, 1813-1879: Priest, Missionary and Bee
Master. Countyvise Ltd, Birkenhead.
Turner, J. (2019). Rights for AI. In Robot
Rules (pp. 133-171). Palgrave Macmillan,
Cham.
Wigglesworth, V. B. (1980). Do insects feel
pain? Antenna, (1), 8-9.
Peter L Borst has
worked in the bee-
keeping industry
since his first job
working as bee-
keeper’s helper in
Wolcott NY, in 1974.
In the late 1970s
he helped run a
beekeeping sup-
ply store in the San
Diego area, where he served beekeepers of
all levels of expertise.
Peter managed 500 colonies of his own in
the 1980s. From 1999 to 2006, he was Senior
Apiarist at Cornell's Dyce Lab for Honey Bee
Studies. and worked as an apiary inspector
for New York State from 2006 to 2008. He is
retired from Cornell University, and is a past
President of the Finger Lakes Bee Club.
Peter has published over 40 articles on top-
ics as diverse as beekeeping technique, the
composition and value of pollen for bees, and
the history of bee breeding. He has done pre-
sentations on these topics for venues rang-
ing from local elementary schools to bee-
keeping organizations in many states.
American Bee Journal
A
fter the spring nectar flow and way I know a swarm is indeed a usur- Upon finding a small summer
swarming have passed, the pation swarm is when I observe the swarm that has landed near an api-
weather conditions become bees usurp a colony, or I see recent evi- ary, it is easy to assume the swarm
hotter and drier as summer arrives. dence of a takeover (see below). came from those hives. However not
During this time, I watch for usurpa- What follows are some of my expe- always, when considering usurpa-
tion swarms. A usurpation swarm is riences from the past 10 years of ob- tion behavior. The swarm could have
typically a small summer swarm that serving and photographing usurpa- come to the apiary from an unknown
invades even a numerically strong tion swarms. These situations should bee source. Swarms arriving at an
queen-right colony. The mother be similar to what a beekeeper would apiary are not the typical way we
queen of the colony is eliminated and encounter. (The context will begin think about them, but with usurpa-
replaced by the usurpation queen with a small summer swarm, sus- tion some old ways of thinking need
from the swarm. This bee behavior pected of being a usurpation swarm.) to change.
is relatively new to North American
beekeeping.
Understand the ramifications of
what occurrs with this takeover.
What appears like a small abscond-
ing swarm, destined to die, never to
survive the winter, by the out-dated
“old rules” of bee biology, can now
survive ― in “grand style” I might
add. By taking over a large colony, the
small usurpation swarm acquires its
vast honey stores and combs. It does
not matter if numerous bees of the
usurpation swarm are killed, fighting
with bees of the large (host) colony.
As long as the usurpation queen sur-
vives (and the mother queen dies),
the genotype (genetics) of the colony
changes to become the usurpation
colony.
From my study of honey bees,
the way I think about my bees has
changed too. I have come to regard
the summer as “usurpation season.”
Usurpation activity varies in different
summers, and apparently not all sum-
mer swarms are usurpation swarms (a
complication). Moreover, usurpation
bees do not differ in body color or tem- Fig. 1 A small summer swarm clustered on my bee house under an active entrance
perament from the gentle feral bees I hole just above (out of view). (Left) A thermal view of the swarm showing white, the
trap in my bait hives from the woods hottest, concentrated where the bees come and go from their “entrance” in the cluster
in Piedmont Virginia. Although I can as the bees forage. (Right) For reference, the swarm in visible light. Eventually the
be quite suspicious of a swarm as be- swarm departed. I could not tell if they took over any close-by colonies. The arrow-
ing a usurpation swarm, the only sure heads point to approximately the same cluster entrance.

May 2019 537


Fig. 2 A usurpation swarm landing by Hive 41, seen from the edge of the swarm cloud.
Note the lack of bees on the hive numbers and on the side corner. The arrow points to
the side of the hive clear of swarm bees.
When I find these swarms around
my hives, the bees are usually not en-
gorged with honey, certainly nothing
like the numerous bees with distend-
ed abdomens comprising a spring re-
productive swarm (where the swarm
fissions from its parent colony pro-
ducing another colony). These sum-
mer swarms may be on the wing for
several days, consuming the food
they carry. So how do they survive?
The bees do something I have never
observed from spring swarms.
The bees from a summer swarm
forage for nectar (at least some of
them) (see Figure 1). Beginning dur-
ing the cool summer morning and
continuing later in the day, some
bees on the cluster avidly unloaded
returning nectar foragers. Sometimes
three receiving bees unloaded one
forager. (During food transfer the
receiving bee extends the tip of her
tongue into the open mandibles of the
donor bee, who holds a drop of nec-
tar between them. So three receiving
bees had their tongues between the
mandibles of one forager bee.) Con-
currently, bees waggle danced on the
cluster of the swarm. I doubt these
dances indicated nest sites, as would
be expected with spring reproductive
swarms. Most likely, these dances in-
dicated profitable nectar resources,
since host colonies were nearby. (The
dances did not appear to be migratory
dances either.)
Any summer swarm that has land-
ed on a hive, particularly directly
under the entrance/alighting board,
is a cause of heightened concern that
usurpation is occurring or soon to
occur. (I am assuming here a solid
wooden bottom board.) With the
swarm under an entrance, I have seen
the usurpation occur or sometimes
the swarm just departs. The condi-
tions distinguishing the two outcomes
are unclear.
A beekeeper once reported a swarm
under the hive with a screen bottom
board that opened to the ground. From
the report, it appeared that most of the
bees did not enter the hive. With the
swarm bees in contact with the hive
bees through the screen, that might
have confused the usurpation pro-
cess. The swarm was also displaced
too far back under the hive, in the
shadows, which may have disrupted
the bees from moving into the hive.
(My advice here would be to look for
a queen(s) being balled in the cluster
or on the ground below the swarm
cluster. Once you have the queens you
have control over the swarm. See be-
low for more details.)
While a swarm can be clustered
under a hive entrance for days, some
colony invasions happen quickly, in
less than half an hour. It is easy for a
beekeeper to miss that event or misin-
terpret the evidence of a recent usur-
pation. So let’s look at the evidence.
A small swarm flying around in
the apiary –– not leaving –– alarms

(L) Fig. 3 The swarm queen was caged and placed with the bees. She’s in my homemade queen introduction cage. Note the virtual
absence of festoons, the fundamental structure of a typical swarm cluster. The arrow points to a small knot of swarm bees, right
where the hive sits on the front rail, near the same place indicated in Figure 2. Notice the lower right entrance hole of the hive has
no bees around it except on the alighting board. The time is 2 minutes 14 seconds since Figure 2. (R) Fig. 4 The usurpation swarm
invades the hive. Collectively, the bees “flow” from the rail (lower right) up on the side of the hive, turn in an arc and go around the
corner and pour down through the entrances. A stunning sight. The arrows try to capture the mass movement of the swarm, march-
ing as if with a single mind. The time is 9 minutes 36 seconds, or about 10 minutes since Figure 2. After about 20 minutes most signs
of the bees entering the hive had diminished.

538 American Bee Journal


Fig. 5 A queen being balled on a comb.
The bees of the ball, locked around the
queen, did not flee like the other bees.
Consequently, the ball began to appear
on the combs. Searching for queen balls
can be difficult when they are among the
festoons of bees. Nevertheless, the bees
of the ball appear as a knot in the linear
chains of bees. I’m looking for that knot
among the vertical “lines” of bees.
me greatly that a usurpation event
is about to occur. Once in flight the
small swarm may not be all that im-
pressive, certainly nothing like a
massive swarm cloud of a spring re-
productive swarm. The small flying
swarm can almost “blend” into the
normal forager traffic in the apiary,
depending on the number of hives
there. When watching which colony
the usurpation swarm will invade,
sometimes the bees choose a difficult
one, a strong queen-right colony.
Consider my best photographic
case from August 11, 2009 around
4:00 p.m. A small swarm (origin un-
known) took flight in the research
apiary behind my bee house. The
swarm had been about ten feet up in
a tree. Instead of leaving, the swarm
cloud hovered in front of a row of
hives. The hives, which were my top-
bar hives, were situated on a pair of
studs (like a pair of rails). The swarm
initially landed on this support un-
der and close to Hive 41, housing a
moderately strong queen-right colo-
ny (see Figure 2). The swarm did not
form a typical compact cluster with
festoons of calm bees. Rather the
agitated bees spread out, one layer
May 2019
Fig. 6 A queen
being balled on the
floor of the hive.
The ball appears as
a little knot of bees
that resist fleeing
when smoked.
thick, and remained restless while
I quickly found and caged the agile
queen (see Figure 3).
Within minutes, the swarm began
to invade Hive 41, mostly by mass-
crawling up from their initial land-
ing location and through the closest
entrance holes as shown in Figure 4.
Working quickly, I had found, caged,
and clipped the wings of the usurpa-
tion queen. I released her into the hive
since she would follow the swarm
bees. Clipping her wings made it easy
to distinguish her from the mother
queen of the colony (whose wings
were not clipped).
Near the end of the invasion, I
opened the hive for about ten min-
utes, and for this particular situation,
without any bee-disturbing smoke
even though bees were fighting in-
side the hive, and they were apt to
sting. Now that I have seen several
usurpations, even in my observation
hives that reveal the finer details, I
have a better understanding of the
event during the takeover process.
I found one queen ball on the hive
floor right next to the entrances. I
expected that and figured the bees
(origin unknown) immobilized the
usurpation queen, more to protect
her. Beekeepers usually encounter
queen balling in the context of queen
introduction, where the hive bees ball
and kill the new (foreign) queen. Here
with queen usurpation, balling is
more complicated because apparent-
ly we see both functions: usurpation
queen protection and hive (mother)
queen death.
Deep in the brood nest, away from
the entrances was another queen
ball, which held the colony’s mother
queen. So initially both queens were
held in balls. The identity of the bees
in these balls remains unknown. I
did not take photographs on this first
usurpation encounter, but see Figures
5 and 6 for later examples.
For beekeepers who happen to
come upon this situation and need
to capture the queens in the balls,
besides inspecting the combs, also
check the bottom board of the hive.
In my observation hives, when the
bees form a tight ball, the ball tends to
detach from the festoons and slowly
falls. If nothing big blocks its path in
a standard hive (burr comb, top bars
of a lower set of frames), I would ex-
pect the ball to eventually reside on
the hive floor.
As I looked through the brood
nest of Hive 41, numerous bees were
fighting, the dead falling to the hive
floor. I put on my top-bar hive ver-
sion of a dead bee trap. That was a
bucket hung from under the front of
the hive. The dead bees in the bucket
gave a rough estimate of the overall
worker mortality since I could not
distinguish swarm bees from colony
bees. More importantly, I wanted to
recover any dead queens.
The next day at noon I reexamined
Hive 41, again without smoke and
with a bare minimum of vibration
disturbance. The bees had released
the usurpation queen. She had a mul-
tilayer court of bees crowded around
her. The court consisted of two layers
of bees, their heads oriented to the
queen, growing to three layers as more
bees piled upon the others utilizing the
extra room from the parted combs as I
examined them. Figures 7 and 8 show
examples of these multilayer queen
courts from other usurpations.
Grasp fully what the bees did. In less
than a day the colony had accepted the
usurpation queen, which is much fast-
er than a typical queen introduction
during summer conditions. Further-
more, the mother queen was still held
in a ball of bees. I know at this point
she is doomed, but the usurpation can
become even more stunning.
In an observation hive, the colony
accepted a usurpation queen in 13.5
539
(L) Fig. 7 In my observation hive from the bee house, a multilayer bee court around a red-marked usurpation queen seen under
glass. The bees standing on the glass form an “upside-down” ring around the queen, an additional layer of bees in the court. Under
them are other bees in the court standing on the comb. (R) Fig. 8 A close-up of a multilayer queen court. See how the bees’ heads
seem to stack upon each other, a wall of faces built around the queen with only antennae projecting forward into a “repulsive”
clear space. Cracking the cover off a frame hive, jolting the hive to part the supers, and smoking the top of the frames, will probably
disturb this delicate configuration of bees around the newly accepted usurpation queen. At this time, the mother queen could still
be in the hive somewhere, being balled, and dying.

hours, as seen by her dense multilayer Figure 9 shows the dead bees found apparently, the bees do not sting her.
court of bees. Furthermore, the usur- in the bucket under Hive 41 after the She may perish from stress and slow
pation queen began laying her eggs in first and second nights following usur- starvation. (During these poorly un-
the brood nest of the host colony while pation. On the morning after the third derstood conditions, even though bees
the bees balled the mother queen night, only the mother queen was in ball a queen, often bees will feed her.)
off in the corner of the hive until she the bucket. She is on the white note Sometimes potential usurpation
eventually died. That’s incredible. card. Given her delayed mortality, swarms ball their queens before in-
vading established colonies. I suspect
this “premature balling” can occur
if the swarm encounters too many
foreign bees as they would upon in-
vading a hive (when they should ball
their queen for protection, although
that has not been experimentally con-
firmed). With the bees in a tight ball
around the queen, it can fall from
the swarm cluster, landing below the
cluster. Be careful where you step
near these swarms. You could step
on the queen. The swarm can even
move to the ball. So yes the swarm
can be found flat on the ground, al-
though it typically remains clustered
just above.
These swarms readily unite, and
multiple queen balls can fall from one
cluster. So finding one queen ball does
not necessarily finish the search under
the cluster. Keep looking until you
cover all the ground under the swarm.
I am still searching for definitive pho-
tographic evidence for how this usur-
pation queen balling outside the hive
Fig. 9 A visual estimate of the worker mortality after the first two nights following usur- affects the mechanics of a colony take-
pation and the queen after the third night. Assuming no ants or night foraging animals over. (I had one observation hive case
that would remove them or grass to hide them, dead bees from one hive would be
where some usurpation bees mistak-
a suspicious symptom of a possible usurpation. The dead bees might appear like a
enly entered a neighboring hive. They
minor pesticide kill, and it could be. But with other hives in the apiary, I would expect
them to show dead bees too. Of course, one colony could get into a minor pesticide “caused” (not sure exactly how) a ball
kill all alone, which leaves this situation at the suspicion level to hunt more evidence. If to form around the mother queen.
a queen is among the dead, that points to usurpation. If not and the dead bees appear The ball did not persist, and she was
like a fresh kill, try searching for the persistent queen ball (mother queen). For frame released unharmed, presumably be-
hives, I would begin by looking in the entrance slot with a flashlight and a “surgical” cause the usurpation queen was not
use of smoke, just enough to move the bees from view. being balled in that hive.)

540 American Bee Journal

 From emails and comments after
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conquer –– a colony.

aCkNOwledGMeNts
The author thanks Suzanne Sumner
for her comments on the manuscript.
Visit TBHSbyWAM.com and Bee
ChildTheBook.com.
Dr. Wyatt Mangum,
author of Top-Bar Hive
Beekeeping: Wisdom
and Pleasure Com-
bined, is an internation-
ally known top-bar hive
beekeeper, who started
keeping bees at age 10.
He switched all his colonies to top-bar hives
back in 1986, long before it became popular.
He is also an apicultural historian, who blends
his knowledge of beekeeping history with his
study of honey bee behavior. email: wmangum
@umw.edu. www.TBHSbyWAM.com

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544 American Bee Journal

 It’s “Common
Knowledge” that
Nosema Causes
Dysentery…But is it
actually true?
by RANDY OLIVER
ScientificBeekeeping.com

Yesterday I inspected a group of 40 hives returning from almond pollination. All were
strong and healthy, other than two unusual deadouts, which no longer had any bees on
the combs, and only a scattering of a few dead workers on the bottom boards. One hive
had clear signs of dysentery on the top bars; the other didn’t. Upon further inspection,
there were small arcs of apparently-healthy sealed brood remaining in both hives, and
surprisingly, fresh eggs in the cells below that brood. What could be the cause of these
unusual signs?

F
rom my experience, the field brood frame out of the deadout, and the cause? And why would only one
signs above point the finger at check for the signs above. hive exhibit dysentery? Again from
nosemosis — as described by OIE:
The World Organisation for Animal But I still occasionally see colo-
Health (OIE)1: nies collapsing from nosema in early In some acute cases [of nosemosis],
In a typical case of a colony being de- springtime. So how about my two brown faecal marks are seen on the comb
pleted because of a Nosema infection, the deadouts — could nosema have been and the front of the hive, with sick or dead
queen can be observed surrounded by a
few bees, confusedly attending to brood
that is already sealed.
Exactly as in the photo below,
which I took during the CCD epi-
demic in the early 2000s.

Practical application: Colonies

that exhibit healthy brood during
cool springtime weather, yet fail to
build up, or in which the adult pop-
ulation appears to be declining, may
well be suffering from nosemosis.

Nowadays, most of what is now

termed “Colony Collapse” is caused
by varroa and Deformed Wing Virus
(DWV), and can be easily differenti-
ated from collapse due to nosema by
the telltale signs of brood dying from
the virus, as well as the presence of Fig. 1 Ten years ago, many beekeepers reported unexplained Colony Collapse Dis-
mite fecal deposits on the ceilings of order, not associated with varroa. Colonies would quickly dwindle to a “silver dollar
the cells (Fig. 2). sized patch of bees and a queen,” as in this photo. Often times there would be patches
of healthy brood remaining after the bees disappeared. I strongly suspect that a large
Practical application: Before you part of the CCD epidemic was a result of the invasive wave of Nosema ceranae, as
blame the collapse of your hive on a part of a “perfect storm” that included evolving viruses, failure of varroacides, and
something else, first pull a central evolving strains of European Foulbrood.

May 2019 545


Fig. 2 A typical varroa/DWV deadout, which typically occurs late in the season. Some
cells contain dead pupae, or fully-developed adults that were unable to emerge. Note
the distinctive traces left by varroa — the white fecal deposits at the top of the cells.
bees in the vicinity of the hive. However,
the majority of colonies show no obvious
signs of infection, even when the disease is
sufficient to cause significant losses in hon-
ey production and pollination efficiency.
Practical application: So how
could I tell whether nosema was the
culprit? There’s only one way to tell
whether a colony is infected by no-
sema — I’ll put it in large type:
Fig. 3 Nosema spores — the numerous small glowing elongated ovals — from a dilut-
ed sample of crushed bees viewed at 400x. The sample from the hive with dysentery
looked identical to the one without.
546
The only way for a
beekeeper to diagnose
nosema infection is
by microscopy.
And sure enough, when I crushed
dead bee samples from each of the
bottom boards, Nosema ceranae spores
were clearly evident and in abun-
dance (Fig. 3).
Practical application: Get a micro-
scope, or encourage your local club
to purchase one. My favorite for
viewing nosema is the Omano 362,
but even a cheap secondhand ‘scope
will do.
So, yes to nosema, but no to having
a correlation with dysentery. In fact,
I’ve yet to find a single study that has
ever demonstrated that nosema —
whether N. apis or N. ceranae — is re-
sponsible for causing dysentery.
A request and challenge: If you can
find any study that has experimen-
tally confirmed that nosema causes
dysentery, please forward it to me.
What is dysentery?
We’ve all seen it — dysentery on
the front of a hive. Clearly those bees
“really had to go” and let loose the
moment they took off (Fig. 4).
Honey bee workers are remark-
ably fastidious about hygiene, and
do everything possible to avoid
defecating within the hive. Forag-
ers wait until they’re on the wing,
whereas non-foraging “house
bees” take “cleansing flights” when
necessary.
Many of us have had to apologize
to our neighbors about the orange
polka dots on their cars or clothes-
lines. Although those drops of bee
poo are normally a mere annoyance,
back during the Viet Nam War, it be-
came an international issue, when
accusations were leveled about pur-
ported chemical warfare — the evi-
dence being spots of “yellow rain”
dotting leaves.3 Such “rain” would
have been immediately recognized
by any beekeeper who’s enjoyed the
experience of walking in an apiary
when the sun comes out after the bees
had been confined by weather to their
hives for several days.
During periods of forced confine-
ment, honey bees have a remarkable
ability to “hold it” in order to avoid
soiling their nest (for months if neces-
sary). A bee’s rectum has the ability to
distend to the point that it nearly fills
the abdomen (Fig. 5).
Practical application: Dysentery
is an indication that a colony has a
serious problem — one that some-
times leads to the death of the hive,
but not necessarily from nosema. I
will later return to the subject of the
causes of dysentery.
American Bee Journal
 So why does everyone think that
nosema causes dysentery?
Here’s where we get into one of my
pet peeves about honey bee popular
books, as well as scientific papers
— people tend to repeat something
they’ve heard just because it seems to
make sense — but without first actu-
ally checking the facts.
I see it in scientific paper after pa-
per. The author says that dysentery
is a “sign of nosema” and throws
in a citation to support that claim.
I’ve checked dozens of those cita-
tions, and have yet to find a single
one that actually refers to any study
that actually demonstrated that no-
sema infection induced dysentery.
Keep in mind that nosema infects
the cells that line the bee’s midgut;
the “environmental spores” that are
found in the hindgut have never
been shown to infect or irritate the
lining of the rectum. And if nosema
did indeed cause lack of hygienic Fig. 4 The telltale signs of dysentery. Even worse is when it’s all over the top bars in-
control, you’d expect to see the fe- side the hive, since it could then quickly spread any gut pathogens or toxic substances
cal contents leaking out as little throughout the cluster. Photo credit: Monique Vescia
dribbles, not in the huge streaks
from a rectum able to be kept full
to bursting.
Unfortunately, many authors don’t
bother to check, and something that
someone once said gets repeated over
and over again until it becomes “com-
mon knowledge.”

Practical application: This is not

the only “common knowledge”
myth in the bee literature that pos-
sibly needs to be debunked — I’ll be
addressing others in the future.

the sad part

The really sad thing about this mis-
conception is that researchers and
textbook authors have no excuse for
repeating such an assumption, since
the lack of nosema-induced dysen-
tery was well established by 1922,
and the cause of dysentery by 1935.
But I’ve rarely seen any of the many
recent papers on nosema cite those
nicely-aged, but scientifically accu-
rate studies.

Practical application: Not every

author or researcher does their
homework. I’ve learned over the
years to double check the support-
ive citations in scientific papers
myself, a process that often leads
me down a string of misinterpre- Fig. 5 Honey bee abdomen showing a full crop (A) or a full rectum (B). The fully-dis-
tations (and sometimes to differ- tended rectum can fill most of the abdomen, and without being relieved by a cleans-
ent conclusions than reached by ing flight, can result in the poor bee not being able to “hold it” anymore. The purpose
the authors).5 I’m often appalled of the rectal pads appears to be for reabsorption of critical mineral ions from the rectal
by the amount of scientific slop- contents. Image © Company of Biologists Ltd., reprinted by permission4

May 2019 547

piness allowed to get by the peer
reviewers of papers.
NOseMa appareNtlY dOes NOt Cause
dYseNterY
I discovered this when I began deep
research into N. ceranae in 2006, and
found that most everything that we
needed to know about nosema had
been clearly explained in a forgotten
USDA bulletin published in 1919.6
I love to read these old studies, and
am often impressed by the scientific
diligence of the government-funded
authors — in this case a G.F. White
spent nine years experimenting with
Nosema apis in every way. White’s 58-
page summary, in my opinion, still
stands as perhaps the most informa-
tive study on the parasite, and the
disease it may cause, yet published in
the English language.
Practical application: One thing
that I found was that N. ceranae was
not all that different from N. apis.
Once the invasive wave of N. ceranae
passed through North America in
the 2000s, the main differences that I
now see between the two species are
that ceranae may crop up under cer-
tain conditions during warm weath-
er, its spores are far less cold tolerant,
and its spore counts may be much
higher (although they do not cause
a whitening of the hindgut, as with
N. apis). Both species are common
parasites of the midgut in springtime
(with ceranae now being far more
prevalent than apis), generally ap-
pear to be rather harmless; but may
cause disease in stressed colonies.
Allow me to quote Dr. White:
“Care should be observed that Nose-
ma-disease is not confused with dysen-
tery…In fact the two disorders are very
different and should be considered, for
the present at least, as having no direct
relation to each other. As both conditions
are widely distributed and occur most
frequently in the spring of the year. It is
to be expected that not infrequently both
of them may be encountered together in
the same colony.”
The start of the “association” be-
tween nosema and dysentery is per-
haps explained by famed bee pathol-
ogist Dr. Leslie Bailey7:
Infection by Nosema apis is com-
monly believed to make honeybees (Apis
mellifera) void faeces in and on the col-
ony instead of away in flight — a condi-
548
tion known as ‘dysentery’ by beekeepers.
Evidence that seemed to support this was
provided by Lotmar (1951), who found
more faeces accumulated in caged in-
fected bees than in healthy ones. No field
experiments have shown this effect…
Dysentery was not caused primarily
by N. apis, because it occurred whether
colonies were severely infected or not…
Most of the colonies that survived man-
aged to clear the faeces away; the few still
with combs contaminated with faeces were
among those with more than 25% of bees
infected... If infection is spread by dysen-
tery, this is not unexpected, since infection
would spread most in colonies that suffered
most dysentery; but if infection causes dys-
entery a more striking correlation between
dysentery and severe infection would be
expected than actually occurred.
Practical application: Let me make
clear that should a bee already in-
fected with nosema happen to defe-
cate within the hive due to some oth-
er gut issue, it will certainly transmit
nosema spores to the other bees that
clean up the mess. But the dysentery
was apparently the result of some-
thing other than nosema itself.
Part of the apparent confusion be-
tween nosema and dysentery may be
due to the fact that they both common-
ly occur in early spring. In my own
apiaries, dysentery comes and goes in
the springtime, but after checking nu-
merous dysentery samples (from my
own apiaries and numerous samples
from others) under the microscope, I
have yet to notice any correlation be-
tween nosema and dysentery.
Biological evaluation: One could
reasonably expect a gut parasite to
induce dysentery in its host, as a
means of transmission of its spores.
But if nosema did indeed induce
dysentery, every infected colony
would quickly be overwhelmed by
spore transmission, and die before
spring. This we do not see. Could
it be that both species of nosema
are actually rather benign parasites,
which under “normal” circumstanc-
es do not cause appreciable harm to
the colony? That is, unless the col-
ony suffers from dysentery due to
some other reason.
In France, the impact upon colonies
from N. ceranae has been referred to as
“dry nosemosis,” since it is clear that
the parasite doesn’t cause dysentery.
Perhaps we should now question
whether N. apis ever did either.
Next
In my next two articles I’ll discuss
our current state of knowledge about
Nosema ceranae — its seasonality (and
the causes for that seasonality), its
effects upon colony performance (or
lack thereof), and the best ways to
monitor for it.
And then I’ll follow with an article
about the potential causes of dysen-
tery in bees.
eNdNOtes
1 OIE Terrestrial Manual 2008. CHAPTER
2.2.4. Nosemosis of Honey Bees http://
www.nationalbeeunit.com/download-
Document.cfm?id=228
2 https://www.microscope.com/omano-
om36-lbk-beekeeper-special.html
3 Seeley, TD, et al (1985) Yellow Rain. Scien-
tific American 235(3): 128-137.
4 Image from Nicolson, SW (2009) Water
homeostasis in bees, with the emphasis on
sociality, © Company Of Biologists Ltd.,
reprinted by permission.
5 For instance, it bothered me that an often-
cited paper on almond pollination had
been misinterpreted by someone who
once read it, and then the misinterpreta-
tion was then repeated again and again for
nearly 50 years by “experts” advising the
almond industry; see http://scientificbee-
keeping.com/determining-the-relative-
value-of-hives-for-almond-pollination/
6 White, GF (1919) Nosema disease. U.S.
Dept Agric Bulletin 780, 59 pp. Available in
Google Books.
7 Bailey L (1967): Nosema apis and dysentery
of the honey bee. J Apicultural Res 6: 121-
125.
Randy sees beekeeping
through the eyes of a bi-
ologist. He’s kept bees for
over 50 years, and with
his sons runs around 1500
hives in the California foot-
hills. He closely follows bee
research, engages in some
himself, and enjoys sharing
what he’s learned with others.
erN Cal ifo r
o r th Ni a
N PaCkage
aCkage Bees
ees
QuAlity itAliAn And
CArniolAn Queens
All bees fed Fumagilin Fall & Spring
Powell APiAries
4140 Co. Rd. KK
Orland, CA 95963
Phone: 530-865-3346
Fax: 530-865-3043
Package Delivery Available
Member:
California Bee Breeders Assoc.
American Honey Producers Assoc.
American Bee Journal

Editor’s note: We at ABJ have nei-
ther built nor tested this unit. Any
questions regarding its construction
or use should be directed to the au-
thor, and any potential problems will
be at the risk of the reader.
First, I have to say that I am not try-
ing to sell anything, nor am I trying
to take business away from any ad-
vertisers in this publication or from
any “for profit” business. I just want
This photo was taken on October 11, 2018
after 9 treatments spaced 4 to 5 days
apart.
The lines of debris here are mostly the
cappings dropped from emerging brood,
but the dots scattered across my sam-
ple board are dead mites. The previous
treatment did not show this many dead
mites, so I am sure that there is a dying
colony nearby “sharing” their mites with
this colony.
May 2019
Bee Club Activity:
Making Oxalic Acid
Vaporizers
for About $30.00
by Steve Winchell
to make life better for honey bees
and maybe provide an activity for
the members of a beekeeping club. I
do have opinions about Varroa mites
and how to treat for them and I be-
lieve that Oxalic Acid vapor (OAV) is
the best and safest way – but that is
just my opinion.
I believe that every beekeeper
should have at least one Oxalic Acid
Vaporizer to quickly knock down the
phoretic varroa mite count in a bee
hive in an emergency situation. (Note
here that the term “phoretic” seems to
be an improper use of the word since the
hitchhiking mites are actually parasites
feeding on the bees’ fat bodies.)
One of the local clubs I belong to
has several vaporizers for members to
check out, but at some point you will
need to return the club’s vaporizer
so that another member can use it. It
would be better if every member owns
their own vaporizer so that you can
use it whenever you need to or want
to. This started my thinking, how
cheaply could I create a vaporizer that
everyone can afford? (The same kind
of idea created the Volkswagen.)
I had purchased my (Russian
made) vaporizer several years ago
from a local beekeeping supply store
for $120.00. It is not as nice as some I
see advertised in the magazines, but
it works just fine. The price was not
bad, but some others might be more
willing to purchase one if I could
make them at a much lower price.
The Russian model is a simple
block of aluminum with a Glow Plug
inserted into it, an aluminum shield
underneath to keep from burning
the bottom board, a metal rod to al-
low the block to be inserted into the
My $120 Russian made vaporizer I used
as a pattern for my cheap vaporizer
hive and a plastic handle to make it
easy to handle. There are a pair of
wires, one attached to the Glow Plug
and one grounded to the heat shield
and thus also to the Glow Plug with
battery clips attached to the other
end of these wires to attach to a
12-volt battery. Everything seemed
simple enough to me to reproduce
except for the cup that holds the OA
which has been drilled into the alu-
minum block — that required some
thought. The Russian model had a
nice square cup with a flat bottom
machined into the aluminum block,
but I knew that it would take a spe-
cial machine tool to cut a square hole
and also that a round hole would do
just fine; but the problem remained,
how to machine a flat bottom hole
in a block of aluminum. The simple
answer to that problem came to me
from the clerk at a hardware store
who told me that some softer grades
of aluminum are no harder than
some of the harder types of Maple.
Therefore, I could use a woodwork-
ing Forstner bit to drill the flat bot-
tom hole I needed in the aluminum
block to hold the OA while the Glow
Plug heated the aluminum block hot
enough to vaporize it.
549
 Now back to the Bee Club in the
title. One person can build a bunch of
these by themselves. I have done just
that, but it would be a good group
project for your local bee club and you
need to have someone who already
has the required tools in their garage
or shop to keep the price reasonable.
Besides, if a group of two or more
members share the work (and fun) it
will go faster. One person could do
what I have listed as steps 1 through
7 while another person did steps 8
through 10, another steps 11 and 12,
another could do all of the wire cut-
ting and soldering and still another
person could do the final assembly.
Just remember this is supposed to be
fun so there will be no labor charges
added to the price since you are hav-
ing fun working in the shop.
So, the first thing you need is to find
a club member who has a drill press
parts Needed tO Build 10 vapOrizers:
Item
AC Delco 60G Glow Plug **
Aluminum Bar 2.5” X .5” X 24”
Aluminum Sheet 6” X24“
Battery Clamps
Female Disconnect (100 per box) Flat
Female Disconnect (6 per bag) Round
Male Disconnect (6 per bag) Round
Wire Ring Terminals (16 per bag)
#10 24 Acorn Nuts (4 per bag)
#10 Flat Washers (100 per bag)
#10 Lock Washers (100 per bag)
#10 24 Nuts (100 per bag)
#10 24 X 12” All-Thread bolt
#6 X 3/8 “ Set Screws (bag of 24)
1” X 48” Dowel
10mm X 1.00 pitch Nuts (20)
14 Gauge Speaker Wire (100’)
14 Gauge solid core Wire (50’) Red
14 Gauge solid core Wire (50’) Black
4” Cable Ties (100 per bag)
Heat shrink tubing (Red and Black)
Boelube® stick 1.6 oz.
TOTAL Cost
** Because the Glow Plugs are the most expensive part of each vaporizer, I wait to
purchase them until I know how many vaporizers I will actually be getting out of the
aluminum bar.
* You will have extras of these items to save for the next batch you make, so the
total cost is not a true cost for 10 vaporizers!
550
and a few other tools and is willing Based on my conversation with the
to let other members of the bee club hardware store clerk I did a little on-
work with him or her in their shop. line research about aluminum grades
You may need to purchase a few tools and I found that “6061 aluminum”
such as a #6 tap ($4.98) or the Forstner has good machinability. I knew that
bit ($18.98) which you will modify so the finished vaporizer had to be a hair
that it will not be as useful for drilling less than ¾ inch tall so that it would
wood. But you may also reuse it to fit into the bottom entrance of a hive
make many more vaporizers so I do (I also had my Russian vaporizer as a
not count the price of that bit in the model), so I chose to purchase ½ inch
cost of the vaporizers. thick stock.
Next you will need to determine I chose to order my aluminum bar
how many vaporizers you will make from onlinemetals.com. They had a
in the first batch. I suggest that you good selection of lengths — from 1 to
start with a small batch to work out 8 feet.
the bugs in the process before you go I do not know what vehicle the AC
into production on a large batch. Re- Delco 60G Glow Plug fits, but I do
member I said that every beekeeper know that the threads on that Glow
should have a vaporizer, so you will Plug are 10mm 1 pitch which is an un-
want to build a few extras to sell to usual thread pitch; 1.25 pitch is more
new members and visitors to your common, so be careful when you pur-
meetings who see how cheap your chase the nuts you will use to lock the
club’s vaporizers are. Glow Plug to the heat shield. I did
find them at Lowe’s but I had to go
to three different stores to get enough
for my first batch of vaporizers, so
Count Cost Each Total Cost for the second batch I just ordered
10 $9.09 $90.90 them from BoltsDepot.com, and it
was less money. You should also be
1 $39.94 $39.94
aware that I use the AC Delco 60G be-
1 $15.61 $15.61* cause not all Glow Plugs are 12-volt.
10 $3.98 $39.80 The first one I purchased to test this
process was something less than 12-
1 $11.99 $11.99* volt, it got very hot very quickly but
8 $2.49 $19.92* only worked one time. I later found a
suggestion on the internet to use the
8 $2.49 $19.92*
AC Delco 60G. I have also discovered
1 $2.97 $2.97 that the local auto parts chain stores
3 $1.28 $3.84* only carry 8 of these Glow Plugs on
inventory at a time, so you will either
1 $1.44 $1.44* have to plan ahead or plan to shop at
1 $1.22 $1.22* several auto parts stores if you want
more than 8 at a time.
1 $4.69 $4.69* I have made a few improvements
10 $1.03 $10.30 from the lessons I learned from the
first two batches I built, most im-
1 $1.68 $1.68*
portantly is that I now purchased
1 $3.98 $3.98 2.5-inch-wide aluminum stock be-
1 $5.76 $5.76 cause I found that a 2x2-inch block
did not allow enough room for er-
1 $29.97 $29.97 ror when drilling a 1½” hole and the
1 $11.51 $11.51* price difference is not that significant.
1 $11.51 $11.51*
The most important lesson I learned
was to go slow when drilling and
1 $5.56 $5.56* tapping. I broke several 13/64” drill
2 $2.18 $4.36* bits drilling the holes for the Glow
Plugs and 7/64” bits drilling for the
1 $15.52 $15.52 Set Screws, and I also broke several
#6 taps tapping threads for those
$352.39*
set screws. That is why I only got 12
vaporizers out of a 48” bar of alumi-
num, I had to throw away way too
much material. Working with this
aluminum is just like working with
bees — go slowly! Working on the
10 I built to get the pictures for this
American Bee Journal
I did not break anything (I guess I
have learned something from my ex-
periences). I have since learned about
using Boelube® on the Forstner bit;
it makes the drilling go much faster
since the aluminum does not build
up on the outside of the bit and need
to be cleaned off several times for
each hole you are drilling.
tOOls Needed:
pOwer tOOls:
• Drill Press with a vice to hold the
aluminum stock – you cannot
hand hold it for this, the drill has
too much torque, it gets too hot to
hold, and you need the accuracy of
locking the stock in a vice.
drill Bits YOu will Need:
◆ 7/64“ – for #6 set screws
◆ 6” long 3/16” – to drill the
4-inch-long wooden handles
◆ 3/16” – for #10 all-thread in Heat
Shield (you could use the 6” bit
for this also)
◆ 13/64” – to drill the Glow Plug
hole in the Aluminum Block
◆ ½“ – for Glow Plug hole in the
Heat Shield
◆ 1½” Forstner Bit — with center
ground off (see below)
A Forstner Bit with the center point still
intact.
• Hand Held Grinder (Also called
an Angle Grinder)
Grinder Blades you will need:
◆ Grinding Blade — to alter the
Forstner bit (see photo below)
◆ Aluminum Oxide Abrasive
Blade — to cut the Aluminum
stock
• Solder Gun and solder – to attach
wire connectors to the wire
• Propane Torch — to attach battery
clips to the wire (also works for
connectors)
• Saw – I used a Table Saw but any
saw, even a hand saw, would work
• Belt Sander — Optional, to clean
up the aluminum block after all
the drilling.
May 2019
haNd tOOls:
• Ruler
• Square
• Flat file – to clean up the Alumi-
num after cutting and drilling and
tapping
• #6-32 Tap – for set screws to hold
Glow Plug in the Aluminum Block
• Sharp Punch or Scratch Awl and
Hammer – to mark holes to drill
• Dividers or Compass – to mark
hole for Forstner Bit (it no longer
has a center)
• Tin Snips – to cut sheet aluminum
for the heat shield
• Wire Cutters
• 1/16” Allen Wrench – for set
screws
• 2-17mm Open end Wrenches – to
lock the Glow Plugs to Heat Shield
• 2-3/8” Cutting to 2 ¼" lengths with the Alumi-
Wrenches
num Oxide Abrasive Blade
saFetY equipMeNt: Wear safety Glasses, a Dust Mask
• Safety Glasses – worn at all times and Gloves – the metal gets very hot
• Gloves – worn most of the time and the piece you cut off will land
• Particle Mask – worn when cutting on the floor. DO NOT PICK IT UP
with Grinder WITHOUT GLOVES!
• No Jewelry, loose hair or neck You can clean up the big mistakes
ties … with file now but it may be better
to wait until Step 7 after you have
BeFOre YOu BeGiN: drilled and tapped all of the holes in
Place the 1½” Forstner Bit in a vice the block.
and use the Grinder with a grinding
blade to remove the center point of Step 2: Mark the center of the hole you
the bit – otherwise there will be a hole will drill for the Oxalic Acid cup 1 1/8
in the bottom of the cup you will be inches from each edge of the 2¼” side
creating to vaporize the Oxalic Acid; of the aluminum block and 7/8” from
you want a flat bottom pan without a the Left edge of the 2½” side. Use a
hole in the bottom of it. sharp tool such as a Scratch Awl and
a hammer to make an indentation at
this spot, then with dividers or a com-
pass set to ¾” scratch or draw a circle
to mark where you will drill the hole
for the OA cup into the aluminum
block.
A Forstner Bit with the center point
ground out to make a flat bottom hole.
Note that this bit has already been used
to machine over a dozen vaporizers and
is still sharp.
the prOCess:
Step 1: Using the Grinder and an
Aluminum Oxide Abrasive Blade, cut
the Aluminum bar into 10 - 2¼ inch
pieces. These blades wear out quickly,
I only got 3 cuts out of each blade and
the last cut was difficult because the
body of the grinder was touching the
aluminum stock. I started by marking
my cut just to the right of the line I
had scratched in the bar then I went
back and forth cutting a little deeper Draw a line at 1 1/8” on the 2¼” side and
each time until I cut through. then punch a mark at 7/8” on this line
551

Use dividers to draw a ½” circle where
you will drill with the Forstner bit.
Step 3: Mount the aluminum block in
the vice on the Drill Press and using
the Forstner bit drill the cup for the
Oxalic Acid where you just marked
it in step 2. You will want the hole to
be 3/8” deep leaving only 1/8 inch
of material in the bottom – remember
you have already removed the center
of the Forstner bit so that it leaves a
flat bottom hole. Go slowly! I tried
adding oil but found it made no no-
ticeable difference; then I talked to a
friend who works for Boeing, and he
suggested that I try Boelube. It is bet-
ter than oil for drilling in aluminum
and it is not expensive from Amazon.
It made the drilling go faster without
having to stop to clean the bit.
Set up the block in the vice so that the
Forstner bit lines up with the circle you
drew on the block of aluminum.
Step 4: Mark a spot for the Glow Plug
hole along the 2½” side of the alumi-
num block to the right of the Oxalic
Acid pan and 7/16 inches from the
right edge of the block, then mount
the aluminum block in the vice on
the Drill Press and drill a 13/64” hole
for the Glow Plug 1¼ inches deep (I
marked the bit with a Sharpie). Again
go slowly and go in and out! It is easy
to break this bit and you will never
get it out of the hole if you break it
(my experience again). Note that
I have set up my drill press to the
552
slowest setting, this helps to prevent
breaking the drill bits.
Measure 7/16” from the right side
Mark 1¼” on the 16/32” drill bit
Step 5: Mark the spots for the two set
screws on the right side of the alumi-
num block at 3/8” and 1”. Then use
the 7/64” bit to drill these holes deep
enough to extend into the hole you
just drilled for the Glow Plug. You
will feel when you break through to
that hole. This is a tiny bit, go even
slower and in and out more often, it
is even easier to break this bit (and
again my experience).
Measure and mark 3/8” and 1” for the set
screws
Drilling 7/64” holes for the set screws
Step 6: Use the #6 tap to cut threads
into the holes you just drilled to hold
the Glow Plug into the block of alu-
minum; here a drop of oil will help,
this is a metal cutting tool. The tap is
very brittle, cut a quarter turn then
back out the tap a half turn, cut an-
other quarter turn or less and back
out the tap.… You will want to see the
tap bottom out in the Glow Plug hole.
Starting the tap
Step 7: The Glow Plug hole will have
debris from the thread cutting, so put
the 13/64” bit back on the drill press
and use it to clean out this debris. You
can hold the aluminum block with
your (gloved) hand this time, you
will not actually be drilling any deep-
er. You can use a file now to make
the aluminum block look nice but I
found that a belt sander mounted up-
side down in the vice will give all 6
sides of the block that brushed alumi-
American Bee Journal
num look. Be very careful if you do
this and wear gloves, the belt sander
takes off skin very fast. (I gained that
knowledge on a different project.)
The tap has to go all the way into the
hole for the Glow Plug so that the set
screws will be able to lock the Glow Plug
in place.
Step 8: Use your Tin Snips to cut the
Aluminum Sheet first into two 3”
strips, then into six 3¾” x 3” pieces.
Cut the aluminum sheet into two 3” wide
strips then cut each of those into six 3¾”
pieces for the heat shields.
Step 9: Orient the aluminum sheet so
that it is 3” wide and 3¾“ long. Draw
a line 3/8” from the near edge, then
mark a spot 11/16” from the right
edge and another spot centered at
1½”. Drill a 3/16” hole for the all-
Thread handle here in the center and
a second as a pilot hole at the 11/16”
mark then drill that hole out to ½” for
the Glow Plug.
Step 10: Bend the aluminum sheets
either using a metal break or by
mounting the aluminum in a vice and
using a piece of wood or a mallet, so
that it forms a flat bottomed “[ ]”
shape with the end you just drilled
May 2019
Along the line at 3/8” mark 11/16”
Along the same line mark 1½”
Scratch a line at 11/16”
extending up 11/16” or 17mm which
is the size of the nuts you will be us-
ing here to hold the Glow Plug in
place. (This will have to go into your
hives, so it cannot be any more than
¾” tall – the size of a standard bottom
entrance.) The diameter of the Glow
Plug is actually a lot less than ½”, but
the larger hole and the 17mm size of
the nuts allow it all to fit nicely in the
heat shield.
At the other end (the front) of the
heat shield bend up a ¼” lip so that
it will not hang up on anything as
you put it into the hive. You will want
this bend to only be about 45 degrees,
otherwise the aluminum block may
touch the heat shield which may
cause it to heat up also.
My father was a sheet metal worker, so I
have this handy tool for bending metal,
but mounting it in a vice would also work.
Step 11: Cut the 1” diameter dowel
into 4” pieces and, using the 6-inch
long 3/16” drill bit, drill a hole all the
way through each 4” piece. My Drill
Press will only drill 3½” deep, so I
just take the dowel out of the vice and
(with a gloved hand) lift it up to drill
the last ½”. If you do this just don’t
put a finger under the dowel to help
lift it!
I used my table saw to cut the dowel into
4” pieces.
553

The dowel mounted in the drill press vice
Lifting the dowel out of the vice to drill
the last ½”
Step 12: Assemble the handle starting
with a #10 nut on the #10 all-thread run
down to about 5 inches followed by a
#10 lock washer, a #10 flat washer, a
piece of the drilled dowel, another #10
flat washer and finally an Acorn Nut.
This can be tightened down so that it
does not spin. Put another #10 nut at
the other end of the all-thread so that
it is ready to connect the ground wire
and the heat shield later in step 15.
Step 13: Place a 10mm X 1 pitch nut
onto the Glow Plug and screw it all
the way down, then attach the Glow
Plug to the heat shield using the sec-
ond 10mm X 1 pitch nut.
554
The drill bit is through the dowel.
Nut, Lock Washer, Flat Washer, Wooden
Dowel handle
Wooden Dowel Handle, Flat Washer,
Acorn Nut
Because this second nut will be rest-
ing on the bottom of the heat shield, it
should not turn. But you will need to
hold it with a wrench to keep it from
turning and thus stretching out the
½ inch hole. I find it easier to use a
3/8” wrench to turn the entire Glow
Plug rather than a 17mm wrench to
just turn the outer nut. (Strange, the
threads are 10mm but proper wrench
for the Glow Plug itself is SAE 3/8”.)
Attaching the Glow Plug to the heat
shield
Step 14: I like to use solid core wire
here rather than the speaker wire
because it will hold up better to the
bumps it will get going in and out
of the hive – stranded wire tends to
break after a while. I also like to sol-
der every connection because it will
hold up longer than crimped connec-
tions. But all of the connectors come
with plastic insulators which will
have to be cut off before you can sol-
der them to the wires. You will need
to cover the soldered connections
with heat shrink tubing after you fin-
ish soldering.
Cut 13” lengths of BLACK 14 gauge
solid core wire and solder a ring ter-
minal to the each of them. Then cut
11½” lengths of RED 14 gauge solid
core wire and attach a flat female con-
nector that will fit onto the Glow Plug
to each of these.
On the other end of both wires,
solder a male wire splice connector.
(Note the gender of the connectors
here, the wires we will build below
will attach to the battery, so you do
not want hot wires, even just 12-volt,
to have exposed ends, so just like oth-
er plugs, the hot side will be female
and the item you are attaching will be
male — just a safety thing.)
Step 15: Attach the Handle assem-
bly to the BLACK ground wire and
then to the heat shield using a lock
American Bee Journal
Soldering the ends to the wires — Red
(+) for the Glow Plug and Black (-) for
ground
washer and a #10 nut. You will want
this last nut to be at the very end of
the threads, so you will tighten the
nut you installed on the all-thread
in step 12. This will take two 3/8”
wrenches. It is easier to tighten if you
wait to bend the wire to parallel the
all-thread until after you have tight-
ened the nut otherwise the wire will
be in your way.
Attach the handle to the heat shield. No-
tice how the ground wire is in the way
of the nut and the Glow Plug blocks the
other side from the wrench.
Step 16: Insert the Aluminum Block
onto the Glow Plug and lock it into
place using two #6 set screws.
Step 17: Plug the red wire with the
female connector into the Glow Plug
and use zip ties to neatly hold both
wires to the handle with the connec-
tors extending just beyond the end of
the wooden dowel.
Step 18: Cut the 14 gauge speaker
wire into 10-foot lengths and solder a
wire splice connector to each end of
each wire – male to one end, female
to the other end.
Step 19: Cut 14” lengths of 14 gauge
solid core wire and solder female wire
May 2019
Attaching the aluminum block to the
Glow Plug
The wires should extend just beyond the
end of the handle to make it easier to
plug and unplug from the speaker wire
that connects to the 12-volt battery
The finished vaporizer
splice connectors to one end then sol-
der Battery clips to the other end.
If you want to offer longer wires
for sale, you just need to make up
extra 10-foot or longer lengths to sell
for about $0.40 per foot; you could
also make a few 12-volt connectors
(also known as cigarette plug con-
nectors). Try to find the kind with-
out built in fuses otherwise you may
need to replace the fuse with a piece
of a ¼” bolt since you do not want
to have the user blow a fuse in the
Speaker wire ready for solder. Male con-
nectors on one end and female connec-
tors on the other end.
Here I found it easier to use a propane
torch to solder the battery clips to the
wires because of the heat loss from the
larger clips. But I removed the plastic
covers first so that they would not melt
then put them back on afterwards.
Speaker wires and battery clamp wires
ready to go with heat shrink tubing at-
tached. The heat shrink must totally cov-
er the female connectors.
middle of vaporizing a hive and you
really do not need a fuse for this ap-
plication.
I am not sure if it matters, but I like
to connect the + wire to the Glow
Plug and the ground wire to the heat
shield, so you will need to keep the
wire colors and heat shrink tubing
colors consistent throughout (Red +
for the “hot” wire and Black – for the
ground wire).
555
 vapOriziNG tO kill varrOa Mites
(Or at least how I do it)
tiMiNG:
I like to vaporize in the morning be-
fore the field bees leave the hive for
the day, that way I get more phoretic
mites and there will be no or at least
fewer bees returning to the hive while
you are working.
supplies:
• Vaporizer
• Car Battery
• Oxalic Acid (sold as wood bleach
at lumber stores)
• Masking tape for upper entrances
or other gaps
• Damp cloths to block the lower en-
trance
• Bottom board inserts if using
screened bottoms
• Mask rated for organic acid vapors
• Latex Gloves (I use 9 mil) to keep
the Oxalic Acid off your fingers
Oxalic Acid - Sold in lumber stores as
Wood Bleach. I have not found it at the
big box home improvement stores.
Use masking tape to seal any upper en-
ternaces, and place a damp cloth across
the bottom entrance.
Step 1: Seal up the Hives:
I place a damp cloth across the
bottom entrance of each hive, then I
use Masking Tape to close up the up-
per entrances and finally I insert the
wooden boards under the screened
bottom.
556
Connect the vaporizer to the battery
Step 2: Prepare the Vaporizer:
I set the battery close enough to
reach several hives, then attach the
cables to the battery to allow the va-
porizer to pre-heat. I also place a small
amount of Oxalic Acid into the vapor- Set the heated vaporizer in the bottom
izer – about half the size of a pea. I entrance.
stand back and watch to see which
way the wind is blowing – even with
the properly-rated mask it’s best not
to stand in the path of the vapor.
Place ½ tsp of Oxalic Acid into the vapor-
izer. It will begin to liquefy and vaporize
immediately.
The last of the liquefied Oxalic Acid turns
to vapor. OAV is colorless; what you see
is water vapor (steam).
Step 3: Vaporize:
When the vaporizer is heated up to
temperature and the test OA is gone
I pull the damp cloth aside and place
the vaporizer in the entrance of the
hive. I put ½ tsp scoop of OA into the
vaporizer, slide the vaporizer into
the hive and replace the damp cloth.
(Note that the OA will melt and be-
gin to vaporize as soon as it is placed
into the hot cup so you will need to be
very careful, you want to be be wear-
ing your mask!) After about two min- Notice on these pictures that the OA
utes, all of the OA will be vaporized vapors have bleached the paint on my
and out of the cup. hives. You do not want that in your lungs!
American Bee Journal
Damp cloth covers the entrance while
vaporizing.

Step 4: Remove the Vaporizer:

You can now pull aside the damp
cloth and remove the vaporizer – be
sure that it is empty before you re-
move it. I usually tap it on the side of
the hive stand to knock off any ash,
dead (cooked) bees or spilled Oxalic

Sanders Honey
Acid before I go to the next hive. Note
the time, you will want to leave each
hive sealed up at least 10 minutes af-
ter you remove the vaporizer. Queens
Step 5: Next Hive(s):
Repeat steps 3 and 4 keeping the
For Sale
vaporizer hot makes the process go
fairly fast.
Josh Sanders
7288 Perdie Lee Rd
Step 6 Finish up:
Depending on how many hives you Nicholls GA 31554
have it may be time to go back to the
first hive to un-seal it. Again, you will
912-399-8480
want to wait at least 10 minutes after
you have removed the vaporizer be-
fore you un-seal the hive I spend this
time putting the vaporizer and battery
into my cart. I then start by remov-
ing the masking tape since there are
always guard bees waiting at the up-
per entrances and if some field bees
are out they will be gathered at these
upper entrances waiting to get back in.
Next I remove the damp cloth from the
bottom entrance and finally I remove
the board from under the screened
bottom. I use the damp cloth to wipe
any spilled Oxalic Acid from the board
before I put it back into my cart.
Steve Winchell is a re-
tired Municipal IT Pro-
fessional. He lives near
Arlington, Washington
with his wife Julie, 4 cats
and several thousand
bees. He kept bees with
his father in the 1970’s
and 1980’s and has now
returned to keeping bees for about 4 years.
He is a member of the Washington State Bee-
keepers Association, the Skagit Valley Bee
Keepers and is the Treasurer of the Stanwood
Camano Island Beekeeping Association.

May 2019 557

558 American Bee Journal
May 2019 559
560 American Bee Journal
 Notes
The Latest Bee Science Distilled
A Pesticide Success for Bees Pollinating Almond
A
pproximately 1.5 million hon-
ey bee colonies are currently
used to pollinate ~950,000
acres of nut-producing almond trees
in California. Since the estimated
number of colonies in the United
States is ~2.6 million according to the
USDA National Agricultural Statistics
Service, that means nearly 60% of the
country’s managed honey bees are
flying around in California almond
orchards each February.
So, if there was a time and place to
ensure that bees were not exposed to
harmful levels of pesticides, almond
pollination in California would be
high on the list. But is that the case?
This is the topic for our eighteenth
“Notes from the Lab,” where we
highlight “Combined toxicity of in-
secticides and fungicides applied
to California almond orchards to
honey bee larvae and adults,” writ-
ten by Andrea Wade and colleagues
and published in the journal Insects
[10:20 (2019)].
Wade and colleagues’ study was
motivated by widespread beekeeper
concern about potentially harmful
pesticide exposure during almond
pollination in 2014. Reportedly, up-
wards of 40% of colonies in almond
orchards experienced adult honey
bee deaths or dead and deformed
brood, and 20% of colonies were
completely dead. Data from the Cali-
fornia Pesticide Information Portal
indicated that several pesticides
were applied during almond bloom,
including the insecticides chloran-
May 2019
from the Lab:
traniliprole, methoxyfenozide, and
difubenzuron, and the fungicides
propiconazole, iprodione, boscalid,
and pyraclostrobin.
The insecticides, which are applied
during bloom to control the peach
twig borer (Anarsia lineatella), work
by targeting insect developmental
processes and muscle function. In
2014, each insecticide was labeled
for application in almonds during
bloom due to low acute toxicity to
honey bees. However, several stud-
ies have found sublethal impacts of
these insecticides on honey bees, in-
cluding impaired learning, reduced
brood production, and reduced sur-
vival of adult workers and immature
queens.
Fungicides are commonly ap-
plied to almond and nearly all other
U.S. crops during bloom to control a
wide variety of fungal plant patho-
gens. Due to their low acute toxicity
to bees, fungicides are generally as-
sumed to pose low risk. However, re-
cent studies have found that several
fungicides can synergize with insec-
ticides and enhance their toxicity, es-
pecially when applied together via a
tank-mix.
To test the potential impact of the
insecticides and fungicide-insecticide
combinations that bees could be ex-
posed to while pollinating California
almond, Wade and colleagues per-
formed an elegant series of pesticide
effects bioassays on honey bee larvae
and adults. First, they dosed larval
food with concentrations of each
by Scott McArt
fungicide, insecticide, or fungicide-
insecticide combination that could be
expected given field application rates
by growers (2% by volume). Larvae
were allowed to develop until pupa-
tion and adult emergence was record-
ed. Second, a dose-response curve
for adult worker bees was developed
to assess when synergism between
propiconazole and chlorantranilip-
role occurred at various concentra-
tions of chlorantraniliprole.
So, what did they find? Did any
of the insecticides or fungicides im-
pact larval mortality on their own?
Yes. None of the fungicides impacted
larval mortality on their own, nor
did the insecticides chlorantranilip-
role or methoxyfenozide. However,
only 11% of larvae exposed to the
insecticide diflubenzuron survived
to adulthood, a nearly 4-fold reduc-
tion in survival compared to controls.
While previous studies have found
low acute toxicity of diflubenzuron
to adult honey bees, this substantial
impact on larvae mirrors previous
field observations of reduced brood
production following whole-colony
exposures.
What about synergisms between
fungicides and insecticides? While
chlorantraniliprole was not very tox-
ic to larvae on its own, the authors
found that only 10% of larvae sur-
vived to adulthood when exposed to
a combination of the fungicide propi-
conazole and chlorantraniliprole (a
more than 5-fold reduction in surviv-
al), and only 40% survived when ex-
561

posed to the fungicide iprodione and
chlorantraniliprole (a ~70% reduction
in survival). The synergism between
chlorantraniliprole and propicon-
azole was also found when adult
workers were dosed. Thus, Wade and
colleagues found evidence for risk of
pesticide synergisms to larvae and
adult honey bees pollinating Califor-
nia almond.
Well this doesn’t seem good. Has
anything changed since 2014? The
reason the title of this article is “A
pesticide success for bees” is because
of the changes that have taken place
since 2014. First, usage of chlorantra-
niliprole and methoxyfenozide had
been steadily increasing between
2007-2014, but only half the amount
Fig. 2 Larval development was monitored and successful adult emergence (D18) was
recorded for each pesticide treatment.
562
Fig. 1 The set-up
for larval feeding
assays consisted of
diets containing the
various pesticides
and pesticide com-
binations, which
were fed to larvae
in 48-well micro-
plates (1 well for
each larva).
of these insecticides was applied
during bloom in 2015 compared to
2014. While usage of diflubenzuron
had been decreasing somewhat since
2013, less than half of this insecticide
was used in 2015 compared to 2014.
In other words, even before Wade and
colleagues’ study was published this
year, almond growers were reacting
to beekeeper concerns about insecti-
cide exposure.
Second, Wade and colleagues
showed their preliminary findings to
the California Almond Board in 2017,
which resulted in the Board recom-
mending to all California almond
growers that no insecticides (includ-
ing chlorantraniliprole, methoxyfe-
nozide, and difubenzuron) be used
during bloom. Furthermore, based
on Wade and colleagues’ results, the
Board recommended that no tank-
mixing of fungicides and insecticides
should occur during bloom. These
recommendations were summarized
in the recent publication, “Honey bee
best management practices for Califor-
nia almonds,” which is freely avail-
able online: http://www.almonds.
com/pollination.
If you’re a beekeeper who con-
ducts pollination of almond, be sure
your grower is aware of the Califor-
nia Almond Board best management
practices document. Furthermore,
please feel free to share our recent
“Pesticide Decision-Making Guide to
Protect Pollinators in Tree Fruit Or-
chards” (Van Dyke et al., 2018), which
summarizes all known information
regarding risk to bees from insecti-
cides, fungicides, and insecticide-
fungicide synergisms.
Pollination is an important service
that beekeepers provide to U.S. agri-
culture, and I’ve never met a grower
who wants to harm bees. With better
information and increased communi-
cation between beekeepers and grow-
ers, we can make pollination safer for
bees. Wade and colleagues’ research
is a glowing example of this.
Until next time, bee well and do
good work,
Scott McArt
reFereNCe:
Wade, A., C.-H. Lin, C. Kurkul, E. R. Re-
gan and R. M. Johnson. 2019. Combined
toxicity of insecticides and fungicides
applied to California almond orchards to
honey bee larvae and adults. Insects 10:20.
https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10010020
Van Dyke, M., E. Mullen, D. Wixted and S. H.
McArt. 2018. A Pesticide Decision-Making
Guide to Protect Pollinators in Tree Fruit
Orchards. Available for free download at:
https://pollinator.cals.cornell.edu/resour
es/grower-resources/
Scott McArt, an As-
sistant Professor of
Pollinator Health,
helps run the Dyce
Lab for Honey Bee
Studies at Cornell
University in Ithaca,
New York. He is par-
ticularly interested
in scientific research
that can inform management decisions by
beekeepers, growers and the public.
Email: shm33@cornell.edu
Lab website: blogs.cornell.edu/mcartlab
Pollinator Network: pollinator.cals.cornell.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/dycelab
American Bee Journal
 The Pesticide
Situation
Part 5
Reinventing Nature
by RANDY OLIVER
ScientificBeekeeping.com
In their never-ending battle against herbivores and parasites, plants have for eons
been synthesizing toxic chemicals, collaborating with microbes, or assisting predacious
insects to deter or kill pests. Now that we’ve perhaps begun getting over our synthetic
pesticide hubris, and are realizing that we’re running out of new chemicals, we can
learn from nature itself.
K
REINVENTING NATURE
eep in mind that plants have
successfully fought pests
since long before we humans
invented synthetic pesticides. We’re
now starting to revisit how they do
this, with the goal of developing more
sustainable pest control products.
BiOpestiCides (aka “BiOlOGiCals”)
Long favored by organic farmers,
pesticides that fall into the above
category tend to be pollinator- and
eco-friendly, and perhaps even more
importantly, are desirable to consum-
ers — especially the Millennials who
are now starting to determine market
demand. Biopesticides have a lot go-
ing for them1:
• They are inherently less harmful
to the environment,
• They are typically less hazardous
to the applicator,
• They are designed to target only
one or a few target species,
• They are often effective at low
application rates, and some may
self-propagate,
• They rapidly biodegrade,
• They are preferred by consumers,
• And they work well in Integrated
Pest Management strategies.
Biopesticides currently account for
about 5% of the pesticide market, but
that proportion is expected to increase
May 2019
substantially. As one of the leaders in
this field, Pam Marrone, explains2:
Governmental agencies are further
pressuring growers by restricting or ban-
ning certain forms of conventional chemi-
cal pesticide usage... At the same time, a
number of supermarket chains and food
processors, key purchasers of specialty
fruits, nuts and vegetables, are imposing
synthetic chemical residue restrictions,
limiting options available to growers
close to harvest.
For example, the European Union
passed legislation…that restricted and
removed hundreds of pesticide active in-
gredients. This was followed by passage of
the Sustainable Use Directive, which leg-
islated reductions in chemical pesticides
and increasing use of integrated pest man-
agement and alternatives such as biopesti-
cides. Several countries passed programs
to accelerate biologicals, for example, in
Brazil and China, allowing biopesticides
to get to the market more quickly and with
less capital than chemicals.
Fig. 1 Biopesticides are a hot topic worldwide. Although the definition varies, biopes-
ticides can include fungi, bacteria, viruses, parasites and predators, plant extracts and
oils, minerals,4 pheromones, hormones, RNAi or genetic engineering.
Practical application: A switch to
biopesticides could be very good for
pollinators. And some can be best
applied by bees themselves.3 All pro-
jections are that biopesticides are on
track to help us to manage resistant
pests in a more sustainable and eco-
friendly manner (Fig. 1).
resistaNt Cultivars
Since plants can’t run away from
predators, they fight back with chem-
istry. There has been a continual evo-
lutionary chemical warfare between
them and insects. Plants produce a
dizzying array of chemical repellents,
anti-feedants, and toxic phytochemi-
cals in order to ward off insects. For
example, some traditional maize
strains in Mexico produce pollen that
acts as an herbicide against compet-
ing weeds, and our favorite herbs and
spices produce those aromatic mole-
cules to deter herbivores from feeding
upon them (which is why bees don’t
like having essential oils dumped
563
into their hives). But as we’ve select-
ed strains of plants in order to make
them more desirable as food for us
humans, this may come at a cost — if
those cultivars also lose some of their
protection against pests.
Practical application: The ances-
tors from which we’ve bred many of
our favorite food crops were often
poisonous or irritating to humans.
Although we’ve bred out the most
dangerous plant chemicals, our fa-
vorite foods still contain thousands
of completely “natural and organic”
phytotoxins, as elucidated by Gold.5
Of all dietary pesticides that humans
eat, 99.99% are natural: these are chemi-
cals produced by plants to defend them-
selves against fungi, insects, and other
animal predators ... Each plant produces
a different array of such chemicals. On
average, the Western diet includes rough-
ly 5,000 to 10,000 different natural pes-
ticides and their break-down products.
Americans eat about 1,500 mg of natu-
ral pesticides per person per day, which
is about 10,000 times more than they
consume of synthetic pesticide residues...
Even though only a small proportion of
natural pesticides has been tested for car-
cinogenicity, half of those tested…have
been found to be carcinogenic in rodents;
naturally occurring pesticides that are ro-
dent carcinogens are ubiquitous in fruits,
vegetables, herbs, and spices.
Today’s plant breeders are revisit-
ing this natural pest resistance, both
by reincorporating genes for pest re-
sistance from ancestral varieties (Fig.
2), or by introducing species-specific
toxins into crops, such as genetically-
engineered Bt “Cry” (for “crystal-
line”) proteins into corn and cotton.
The huge advantage of this technolo-
gy is the specificity of the toxic action
— in the case of the Cry proteins, they
only target insects that actually take
a bite out of the plant (as opposed to
having to be needlessly sprayed all
over the field), and can be specific
for beetles and caterpillars, while re-
maining relatively harmless to pol-
linators and other beneficial insects.7
Practical application: The adop-
tion of Bt crops has greatly reduced
the application of pesticides on U.S.
cropland, with little apparent envi-
ronmental cost. On the other hand,
the widespread use of Roundup
Ready® crops has reduced the ero-
sion and fuel associated with weed
control by tillage, and helped to in-
crease carbon sequestration in the
soil, but at the environmental cost
of increased use of glyphosate her-
bicide and the reduction of benefi-
cial insects that previously fed upon
those weed species.
Practical application: There is
huge potential in “precision breed-
ing” of plants via genetic engineer-
ing — by either reintroducing natu-
ral genes for pest resistance, or by
creating novel ways for crops to de-
fend themselves in an environmen-
tally-friendly manner. The sooner
we drop the unfounded negative
stigma of “GMO,” the more quickly
plant breeders can develop cultivars
that are innately resistant to pests.
iNteNsive aGriCulture
One commonly-proposed answer
to The Pesticide Situation is to shift
to “organic” agricultural practices.
What’s not to love about “organic”
farming? But what we need to do is
to differentiate between the term “or-
ganic” as used as a marketing term —
riding on the common misconception
that it implies being free of pesticides,
as compared to the concept of agro-
ecological farming — focused upon
maximum sustainability and mini-
mal environmental impact. Although
there is considerable overlap between
the two, the arbitrary restrictions for
“organic” certification don’t allow
some options that may be better for
biodiversity and the environment
in the Big Picture. Until we get the
growth and demands of our grow-

Good news: Plants developed

flowers, nectar, and nutritious pol-
len in order to attract pollinators,
but when breeding for productiv-
ity, we sometimes inadvertently
bred some of those traits out of
certain cultivars. Some good news
from Tennessee Department of
Agriculture Apiary Inspector Wil-
liam R. Frazier Jr is that Pioneer is
phasing out its soybean cultivar
47T36, which provides scant nec-
tar for bees, and replacing it with
P46A57BX, which is far more bee
attractive.

Before the invention of manmade in-

secticides, traditional farmers would
select for cultivars that repelled pests
on their own. Many of those resistant
cultivars still exist. Unfortunately, as
pointed out by Adaskaveg,6 it may
take years to incorporate those genet-
ics by conventional breeding into pe-
rennial tree and vine crops, plus “crop
characteristics selected by the breeder to
meet consumer demands often result in
higher disease susceptibility of the crop.”
Fig. 2 Some years ago I worked with an Israeli startup seeking to use RNAi to make
tomato and potato plants resistant to a devastating disease carried by the psyllid in-
sects above (in a leaf-inoculation cage of my own design). In my lab I found that some
tomato cultivars were already resistant to the disease. Nowadays, breeders could use
precision CRISPR gene editing to transfer those genes for resistance to currently-
susceptible cultivars, thus eliminating the need for weekly spraying of neonicotinoids
to control the psyllid.

564 American Bee Journal

ing human population under control,
agriculture’s most promising course
of action appears to be to embrace a
combination of high-tech, high-in-
tensity farming, in order to spare the
conversion of our threatened wild-
lands to cropland.
Practical application: I’ve been a
booster for organic farming for de-
cades. But in recent years I feel that
“organic” has lost its way, and is
now more caught up in being “anti”
this or that, rather than being “pro”
feeding the human population with
the least environmental impact.
iNNOvatiONs iN MeChaNiCal
teChNOlOGY
One of the biggest challenges in
agriculture is the amount of labor in-
volved. Humans soon learned how to
harness animals to drag the plow, and
nowadays a single diesel-fueled trac-
tor can have the power of hundreds
of horses (thus making larger farms
more efficient). California agriculture
is suffering from a shortage of legal
residents who want to work on farms,
and as a result is in a race to convert to
next-generation automation and ro-
botics. This will likely be good news
for beekeepers, since robotic pesticide
applications can be more precise, and
applied at night. Another exciting de-
velopment is robotic weeders, which
could greatly reduce or even elimi-
nate the need for herbicide applica-
tions [watch a video8]. This could re-
ally help pollinators, since as farmers
are forced to switch from glyphosate
(Roundup®) to dicamba herbicide
(due to resistance issues), the drift of
this chemical eliminates the flowering
weeds around field margins.
Practical application: Robotic in-
sect and weed control could make
cropland and field margins more
pollinator-friendly by reducing both
insecticide and herbicide applica-
tion and drift.
I’d now like to introduce two new
buzzwords in agriculture:
aGrOeCOlOGY aNd “reGeNerative
aGriCulture”
Farming practices are often divided
into two extremes — conventional
and “organic” — a marketing term
allowed by the USDA. Growers may
receive a premium for products that
meet the standards for “certified or-
ganic,” but that premium is begin-
ning to fade. In reality, there is a large
May 2019
Fig. 3 This chart, from the LaCanne and Lundgren study9 determined the overall
profitability of growing corn in the Northern Plains under two different types of
farming practices. Not shown here is that insect pest populations were more than
10-fold higher on the insecticide-treated farms than on the insecticide-free re-
generative farms.
gray area between the two extremes,
with many farmers being very much
concerned about sustainability and
being environmentally responsible,
but not willing to pursue the arbi-
trary restrictions of organic certifica-
tion. The question then is, can such
environmentally-conscious farmers
still be financially rewarded even if
they don’t meet the organic certifica-
tion standards? According to a recent
study by LaCanne and Lundgren, it
appears to be so (Fig. 3):
“Despite having lower grain yields, the
regenerative system was nearly twice as
profitable as the conventional corn farms.
[That] relative profitability…was driven
by the high seed and fertilizer costs that
conventional farms incurred …, and the
higher revenue generated from grain and
other products produced (e.g., meat pro-
duction) on the regenerative corn fields.”
It’s not that farmers can’t continue
to supply our food needs, but that
they can do it in a more environmen-
tally-friendly manner. Australian
conservation scientist Dr. Andrew
Balmford has authored several pa-
pers on integrating eco-friendly prac-
tices into high-intensity commercial
agriculture.10
All that information does us little
good unless it gets to the farmers
themselves. Our agricultural exten-
sion services are realizing that they
haven’t been keeping up with the
times. A recent article in California
Agriculture11 points out that ag exten-
sion agents need to start adopting a
“from the ground up” approach for
informing growers through the use
of social media and demonstration
projects.
Practical application: It’s easy to
complain, but more meaningful
to offer solutions. If family farm-
ers don’t break even, they may go
out of business, and their land may
be bought up by larger farms (due
to such consolidation, the median
acreage of farms today is over 1200
acres). Contrary to the example of
the EU imposing politically-moti-
vated restrictions top-down, it may
be better to offer bottom-up dem-
onstration projects to show how
to practice profitable farming with
minimal pesticide use.
To that end, Dr. Jon Lundgren
(coauthor of the study above) quit
the USDA in order to establish Blue
Dasher Farm — a Research and Dem-
onstration Farm in Regenerative Ag-
riculture, in South Dakota (Fig. 4). Jon
works closely with a large commercial
beekeeper, and one of his missions is
to demonstrate how to practice bee-
friendly farming. He is also involved
in projects in California and other
states. I applaud Jon for his efforts to
demonstrate in real life how farmers
can improve their practices — he de-
serves our strong support.
Action item: Put your money
where your mouth is. You can finan-
565

Fig. 4 A demonstration day at Blue Dasher Farm. Similar to beekeepers, growers tend
to copy the practices of other successful farmers. Demonstration farms are perhaps
the best way to show them how to improve their practices.
cially support Dr. Lundgren’s dem-
onstration projects at https://www.
ecdysis.bio/take-action/. Jon is walk-
ing the walk, and if he can show
other Midwestern growers how they
can profitably improve their prac-
tices to the benefit of bees and the
environment, others will copy him.
Disclosure: I’ve donated substan-
tially to Blue Dasher Farm.
Our industry would do well to fa-
miliarize ourselves with what best
works to overcome others’ kneejerk
resistance to change. I’ve found
Torben Rick’s Top 12 Reasons Why
People Resist Change to be enlight-
ening and helpful — take a look for
yourself.12
To be continued…
ous tree fruit, nut, strawberry, and vine
crops 2012. http://cestanislaus.ucanr.edu/
files/143369.pdf
7 Xie, X, et al (2019) Bacillus thuringiensis
maize expressing a fusion gene Cry1Ab/
Cry1AcZM does not harm valued pollen
feeders. Toxins 11(1): 8.
8 https://youtu.be/Lw4p31gtX60
9 LaCanne CE& JG Lundgren (2018)
Regenerative agriculture: merging farming
and natural resource conservation
profitably. PeerJ 6:e4428 https://doi.
org/10.7717/peerj.4428
10 Balmford, A, et al (2018) The environmen-
tal costs and benefits of high-yield farm-
ing. Nature Sustainability 1: 477–485. This
paper is open access, with a number of useful
citations.
11 Lubell, M & N McRoberts (2018) Closing
the extension gap: Information and com-
munication technology in sustainable ag-
riculture. Calif. Agri 72(4): 236-242.
12 https://www.torbenrick.eu/blog/change-
management/12-reasons-why-people-
resist-change/
Randy sees beekeeping
through the eyes of a bi-
ologist. He’s kept bees for
over 50 years, and with
his sons runs around 1500
hives in the California foot-
hills. He closely follows bee
research, engages in some
himself, and enjoys sharing
what he’s learned with others.

resistaNCe tO ChaNGe iN a ChaNGiNG NOtes aNd CitatiONs

wOrld
I feel for our farmers — they are
being forced to rapidly adapt to a
changing world. And many of those
adaptations are not of their own
choosing. There is a fundamental
human objection to having the will
of others imposed upon us. Farm-
ers and landowners can be expected
to resist change, unless they feel that
the benefits and rewards for making
the change are seen as adequate for
the trouble involved. Luckily for us,
one of those benefits is landowners’
common desire to be good stewards
of their land for future generations
(as well as not inadvertently poison-
ing their families). We commercial
beekeepers are part of the agricultur-
al community, and will do best if we
learn to present our suggestions in a
productive and positive manner.
Practical application: We beekeep-
ers will have far greater success in
getting landowners and growers to
work with us if we better under-
stand the reasons why any of us fight
having to change how we do things.
eNdNOtes
1 Gupta, S & AK Dikshit (2010) Biopesti-
cides: An eco-friendly approach for pest
control. Journal of Biopesticides 3: 186-188.
2 Marrone, PG (2014) The market and po-
tential for biopesticides. Chapter 16, pp
245–258, in Biopesticides: State of the Art
and Future Opportunities, ACS Sympo-
sium Series, Vol. 1172. DOI: 10.1021/bk-
2014-1172.ch016
3 https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/sites/
agriculture/files/expo-milano-2015/
cap-events/organic-farming/hokkanen_
en.pdf
https://entomologytoday.org/2014/09/25/
entomovectoring-uses-bees-to-fight-fun-
gus-with-fungus/
4 According to the EPA, Biopesticides are
certain types of pesticides derived from
such natural materials as animals, plants,
bacteria, and certain minerals. For ex-
ample, canola oil and baking soda have
pesticidal applications and are considered
biopesticides. Kaolin clay is also common-
ly used. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients
-used-pesticide-products/what-are-
biopesticides
5 Gold, LS, et al (2002) Misconceptions
about the causes of cancer. https://
toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cpdb/pdfs/Gold_
Misconceptions.pdf
6 Adaskaveg, J, et al (2012) Fungicides,
bactericides, and biologicals for decidu-

566 American Bee Journal

May 2019 567
568 American Bee Journal
 Equipment
Downsizing:
Advantages
and
Disadvantages
A
s of this writing, we have had
a mild winter in the North
Mississippi River Delta. The
requirement for bee feeding has been
above average. I am now at a point
where the research apiary has been
fed 100 gallons of syrup on 20 colo-
nies. These past two years have been
tough on the bees in this area. Some
very competent beekeepers have lost
up to 50% of their total colonies.
Varroa mites have been on a ram-
page here since 2016. The extended
warm period has caused bees to need
more feeding to overwinter. These are
the two problems I know about. It is
likely bee diseases have also played
a major role in this mystery, but no
test samples have been taken. Of the
20 colonies in the apiary, ten were in
standard 10-frame equipment with
one standard hive body and one
shallow super. The remaining ten
colonies were in 5-frame equipment.
The 5-frame hives were in three deep
hive bodies.
This operation is a comb honey pro-
duction business. I take pride in my
honey bee colonies being free of mi-
ticides that are chemical laboratory/
factory produced. I know formic acid
is a chemical, but the bees make and
use it to clean the hive. I treat for var-
roa each fall, after the honey is taken
off, with formic acid for mite control.
Drone brood comb is the other de-
fense mechanism. Using drone brood
comb in one of two or three brood
boxes and freezing the capped drone
larvae will haul out half of your mites
before or after winter. It takes two
methods to be most effective. Most
mite control methods take out 50 to
75% of mites at most. Two methods
May 2019
Beautiful comb honey from the Mississippi River Delta
by RAYMOND A. NABORS, PH. D.
can remove over 90% of mites in a
colony.
A year ago, or more, I began an ex-
periment. I converted ten colonies to
5-frame equipment for beekeeping.
The main source of information on
using 5-frame equipment came from
beekeeper Steve Cooper. He spent
much of his career working with Steve
Taber, producing queens and nucleus
colonies. Most of this work was done
in California which is 2,000 miles
from here. The climate in California is
milder with much less weather varia-
tion. Here, we have torrential rain
followed by drought. In the winter it
freezes with low temperatures in the
teens, after a summer with tempera-
tures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bees cope with this situation here and
other places farther north on our con-
tinent. It is counterintuitive to think
Migratory cover and bottom board
that bees could survive as well here
as in a mild climate like California
housed in narrow 5-frame hive boxes.
I had several colonies out of the 20
die out or abscond in the winter be-
fore last. After talking to Steve and
taking copious notes, I devised a
plan. I cut the 10-frame standard su-
pers in half. A 1x12” board, 20 inches
in length is required to close the open
side of a standard super cut in half. It
must be cut down to about 9.75 inch-
es. Measure the depth and height of
each hive body and super cut in half.
They are all different. Keeping bees
since 1978, I have acquired hives from
others or bought used equipment in
good shape. Much of my new equip-
ment has come from Dadant over
the years. I have in my possession
equipment from most U.S. suppliers,
bought at bee meetings, or on special
sale events and traded. Measure each
bee box before cutting a board to close
the cut side. Measure the depth care-
fully. Otherwise you have an opening
between boxes that bees can use as an
upper entrance.
Colonies overwinter here very
well in 1.5 stories. Two-story colo-
nies with two standard hive boxes
seem to be less thrifty coming out
of winter than the 1.5-story colonies.
This will vary from north to south.
Folks up close to Canada may need
3-story standard 10-frame hive boxes
to overwinter a colony of bees. The
longer the winter, the more storage
space your bees will need.
The bees I moved into the bottom
story of my 3-story, 5-frame hives
were quicker to build up than the
packages or nucleus colonies I put
into a standard 10-frame hive box.
569

One thing every colony will like is
drawn comb. I put ten frames of
drawn comb, cleaned and frozen, into
each new colony both narrow and
standard. Within two months, the
narrow hive colonies were full and
strong before the main honey flow
started. They were noticeably stron-
ger than the standard 10-frame equip-
ment housed colonies. A 10-frame
1.5-story colony has the same vol-
ume as a 3-story 5-frame colony. One
of the downsides to the 2018 spring
was that, even though the winter was
late, so were the crops on which we
make honey. The bee colony strength
peaked before the main honey flow
started. I had to place on a third hive
body for every 5-frame colony. Some
of the new 10-frame colonies were not
ready for the honey flow when it did
start. All 10-frame colonies had a shal-
low super of honey going into winter.
At the beginning of the 2018 season,
I had 10 colonies housed in 1.5-story
standard 10-frame equipment in our
test apiary. I also had 10 colonies
housed in narrow 5-frame hives.
These hives were mixed up across two
rows in the apiary. All were on metal
hive stands 16 inches off the ground.
Although all the narrow colonies were
ready for the main honey flow, all the
10-frame colonies were not as strong.
At any rate, the honey supers went on.
The bees made a fine crop. I only had
one colony that did not make honey
this season. As you might guess from
this article so far, the only colony that
did not make honey was a 10-frame
colony. I did make a late crop, but it
was a normal crop. Across all colonies
my average honey production was
about 70 pounds. If that sounds good,
the average here was 100 pounds be-
fore varroa.
570
Making 5-frame boxes from 10-frame boxes
Our honey here is made from Hi-
biscus and Legume flowers. Hibiscus
is the best for bees and makes the best
honey. What is this magic Hibiscus
you ask? It is cotton flower honey.
Cotton is in the Hibiscus family. Up-
land cotton has extra floral nectaries
as well as copious amounts of nectar
in their large flowers. Honey bees will
fly over a soybean field to work in a
cotton field. Cotton honey is mild fla-
vored and light yellow in color. Our
soybean is the Legume contribution
to our honey. Soybean honey is very
light amber. When mixed with cotton
honey, it slightly darkens the yellow
color. Most people like the light, mild
flavored honey that is made from
most pasture plants and many crop
plants. The darker, stronger flavored
honey made from many tree flow-
ers or darker nectar annual plants
are not as widely appreciated. We all
like the honey we ate when we were
younger. Tulip Poplar honey is dark
red with an aftertaste of molasses, but
it is one of my favorites because that
is the honey I ate early in life. In many
parts of the country, bees do not work
soybeans. If there are other abundant
nectar sources the bees usually pre-
fer other sources. However, we have
a million acres of soybeans here in
bloom when most other floral sources
are unavailable. Bees do work soy-
beans in the Mississippi River Delta.
Supering methods on colonies for
comb honey production is an impor-
tant decision. The first honey super
goes over the brood chamber. Comb
honey must be removed before the
capping wax becomes travel stained
with propolis and more wax is added.
Thick, travelled wax makes the combs
too chewy and thick. Comb honey
needs to have fresh, white, thin cap-
ping wax to be of highest quality. The
second super needs to go under the
first super, right over the brood cham-
ber when that first super is half full.
Switch the middle frames for the outer
frames in the half full super and re-
verse it on top of the second super full
of foundation. The bees will cap off
the first super honey frames evenly if
frames are manipulated properly. The
first super acts as bait comb for the sec-
ond super. That third super likewise
goes under the second super. About
the time that third super goes on the
bees, the second should be half full
so that frame manipulation is accom-
plished in the second super. The first
super should be capped and nearly
ready for removal. Quick removal and
freezer storage keeps quality high.
All the narrow 5-frame colonies
were making honey early as our main
honey flow started. Those narrow
supers fill quickly. It has been my
practice to use 9-frame spacers in my
10-frame comb honey supers. These
get cut in half for the 5-frame supers
so that they hold four frames. The
honey comb is thicker and heavier
with frame spacers. Comb honey su-
per placement is more difficult than
extracted honey super placement.
Many beekeepers will place two or
three supers on at one trip to an out-
yard. This is fine for extracted honey
but not comb honey. Supers come off
very fast for 5-frame colonies. These
colonies can fill two narrow supers,
eight shallow frames, in a week here.
Standard colonies have a similar fill
rate. At peak honey flow a 10-frame
shallow super can be filled in a week.
I prefer escape boards for honey
removal. I am making my own for
narrow hive honey production. Cut a
hole 1.5 inches in diameter in a piece
American Bee Journal
of plywood or OSB cut to the size of take the nucleus colonies out today
your narrow supers (that should be and put the new queens in tomorrow.
about 9.5” x 19.75”). A standard 1x10” The stronger narrow colonies will
lumber cut to length can make tops, provide more nucleus colonies for
bottoms and escape boards. Frame sale or increase.
the wood with standard 1x2” boards Finally, did I lose colonies again this
from the lumber yard. The top frame winter? Yes, I did lose five colonies
should have the 1.5” side flat to the out of 20. All the colonies that died out
plywood. The bottom frame should were in standard 10-frame equipment.
have the 0.75” side flat to the ply- So far, all the narrow colonies are still
wood. A maze constructed of 3/8” with me. If you read up on honey
wood strips (divided bottom bars), bee life cycles and biology, most wild
four of 4” and four of 8”, make up the colonies are within limits regarding
four-frame squared around the hole the number of combs. Inside a hollow
within the perimeter of the 1x2” board tree, bees usually build four or five
on the underside of the escape board. combs in the hollow space. This is a
The 3/8” wood strips must have a normal colony comb width. It may be
45-degree angle cut on each end such that bees can cluster better and keep
that the long side of the strip is out five combs warmer than ten. The
from the central 1.5” hole. Fit a sec- narrow hive could be more natural
ond strip so that the long side of strip for honey bees than our human idea Escape board for 5-frame hive
two just reaches the short end of the of a standard hive. The narrow bee articles written by Mark Winston and
strip first placed. These boards need boxes are easier to lift. This becomes Thomas Seeley. The narrow hive is
to be 3/8” apart and the 45-degree an- important for the beekeeper as they more natural to the honey bee.
gles cut on the ends must line up. Put get older. Hive manipulations should
a rectangular piece of hardware cloth be about the same. Swapping the top BiBliOGraphY:
box for the bottom box in spring will Seeley, Thomas D. (1985). Honeybee Ecology.
over the 3/8” maze frame you have
Princeton University Press, Princeton,
made. The hardware cloth rectangle be lighter for the beekeeper to lift. New Jersey.
should square off the 4” x 8” maze Narrow hives live up to my expecta- Winston, Mark L. (1987). The Biology of the
frame. The bees go down the hole tions. You can check out bee biology Honey Bee. Harvard University Press,
and cannot find their way back into and natural life cycles in books and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
the super. If the temperature drops 10
degrees at night the bees should clear
out in about one or two days. I use a
blower for stragglers.
We have 50 mph winds here in win-
ter. There are few trees, only in fence
rows between farms. So far, none of
my narrow hives have blown over.
We do not have problems with bears
here. I have knocked over one nar-
row, three-story hive myself. I set it
back up and it has done well since
the accident. Rachet straps will come
in handy for moving narrow hives.
The narrow hives are easier to lift. I
used the leftover strips from cutting
stock lumber down to fit one side to
make cleats across both ends of the
hive boxes.
Starting a nucleus colony or making
a nucleus colony is easier with nar-
row hive boxes. Controlling swarms
is a major part of comb honey produc-
tion. One of the best ways to control
swarms is to make a swarm with each
colony. Each spring, I expect to take
a nucleus from each three-story nar-
row colony. Replacing that 5-frame
nucleus with foundation frames will
provide easy colony increase. The
nucleus colonies can be sold or kept
if needed. Taking the queen with the
nucleus colony will delay or stop
swarming. It is best to order queens
in advance. When the queens arrive,

May 2019 571

572 American Bee Journal
 IF BEES COULD TALK
by MALCOLM T. SANFORD
https://beekeep.info
thing that literally “hasn’t been done
yet,” decoding the songs of honey bees
for improved colony health. This is not
surprising given the research record
of the group, resulting in employing
honey bees to, among other things,
monitor air and land pollution, and fa-
mously, detect plastic land mines.
The original overall vision of that re-
search program was using honey bees
to evaluate environmental impacts as
part of an ecological risk assessment.
It primarily involved developing and
testing computerized data acquisition
equipment to provide continuous, ac-
curate, and precise field and labora-
tory measurements. It also included
development of computer models that
simulate the responses of honey bee
colonies to environmental stressors.
These research efforts continue to ma-
ture as Dr. Bromenshenk searches for
the culmination of a vision expressed
with smartphones, Android or iPhone,
are needed to do the inspections and
post reports. It is hoped that every
user also records colony sounds so
that recordings and AI analysis results
are captured. However, colony inspec-
tion reports alone can be used to gen-
erate bee health maps, revolutionizing
bee health protection via early alerts.
As part of this effort, Bee Alert
Technology is implementing a crowd-
funding initiative via Kickstarter.
com to begin around May 1 and run
for thirty days. It is hoped that ev-
ery beekeeper in the world with a
smartphone will support this launch.
To take advantage of this, a team is
needed, ready and willing to process
the initial data, re-train the AI soft-
ware, and enact regional bee health
mapping — for the U.S., Canada, Eu-
rope, New Zealand, and Australia —
any English-speaking nation. Finally,

H
ow many times have beekeep-
ers wished to communicate
directly with honey bees?
Impossible right now lacking a com-
mon language, but that looks to be
changing quickly. Technology in many
realms is maturing and possibilities
are exploding to begin the process,
employing something that is all over
the news lately: artificial intelligence,
or simply AI.
Wikipedia provides some explana-
tion at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Artificial_intelligence: “In computer
science, artificial intelligence (AI) is in-
telligence demonstrated by machines,
in contrast to natural intelligence dis-
played by humans and other organ-
isms. Computer science defines AI
research as the study of ‘intelligent
agents’: any device that perceives its
environment and takes actions that
maximize its chance of successfully
achieving its goals. More specifical-
ly, Kaplan and Haenlein define AI as
‘a system’s ability to correctly interpret
external data, to learn from such data,
and to use those learnings to achieve
specific goals and tasks through flex-
ible adaptation.’ A quip in Tesler’s
Theorem says ‘AI is whatever hasn’t
been done yet.’“
Jerry Bromenshenk and his crew
at Bee Alert Technology have indeed
spent the last twelve years doing some-
some time ago, “finding the beekeep- there will be a need to produce ver-
ing equivalent of putting an air-con- sions of the application in other lan-
ditioned cab with yield mapping on guages so as to truly go global.
a grain combine.” The most recent
project of Bee Alert Technology, the
smartphone application known as Bee
Health Guru, continues the pursuit of,
and threatens to exceed, that goal in
ways never before imagined.
Bee Health Guru combines obser-
vations in the field using a phone’s
microphone and an App running ar-
tificial intelligence software. It begins
with an analysis of a sound recording,
immediately and automatically per-
formed by the program, and assigning
the probability that one of eight colo-
ny health conditions is determined.
It tells the user to visually inspect the
colony to confirm its condition, and
then save an inspection report. These
three actions: (1) recording colony
sounds, (2) predicting the likelihood
of specific diseases, and (3) reporting
the outcome of colony inspection, pro-
vide data needed to fine-tune the AI
program and map occurrences of dif-
ferent colony problems.
The visual inspection reports even-
tually should be replaced by AI anal-
ysis reports alone as the software’s
accuracy improves. In essence, the
program actively learns and then can
be tweaked over time to ensure con-
tinuous reliability. To enact the resul-
tant health trend mapping, beekeepers

May 2019 573

574 American Bee Journal
May 2019 575
Panorama view of bee colonies in trees in Tanzania: In many regions, swarms are caught in hives fixed in trees. If it’s far away
enough from the “own” apiary, own reproduction swarms or absconding swarms can also be caught. Ute Schneider-Ritter
The African Way:
Healthy Bee Colonies and Sustainable
Income Maintenance
by Dr. Wolfgang Ritter, Ute Schneider Ritter, Martin Ritter and Gozde Okcu
Honey bees, as pollinators of plants for better harvest
and as producers of honey, make an important contribu-
tion to our food. In recent decades, there have been some
massive losses of bee colonies in America and Europe.
For these losses of bee colonies a series of causes have
been identified. However diseases seem to play an im-
portant role.
As an expert on the World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE/Paris) and the World Organization of Bee-
keeping Organizations (Apimondia/Rome), I have been
searching for many years for systems where bee colonies
survive disease without the use of medication. Looking at
the OIE atlas of bee disease spreading you can detect many
white spots on the African continent. Certainly, it can be
concluded that respective examinations have not been
conducted. But more often bee colonies, especially in East
Africa, usually do not have problems with brood diseases
like American foulbrood and Varroa-Virus-Infections.
Bee health iN aFriCa
American foulbrood (AFB) is known since ancient
times and should have occurred in these parts of Africa
also. However, the first evidence of Paenibacillus larvae, the
pathogen of AFB, could be confirmed recently by Ellis and
Mum (2005) in Kenya obviously showing no clinical signs
of this disease. In our own examinations in East Africa,
we could neither state an outbreak of AFB nor prove its
pathogen in honey samples taken from food stored around
brood areas. The bee races there evidently own a very
strong hygiene behavior enabling them to remove any in-
fected larvae before the infectious spores can develop.
The varroa mite has been spread for a long time already
in North and South Africa. Its distribution could also be
proved recently in West, Middle and East Africa. Because
of the epidemiology of this parasite, it can be concluded
that it has been spread all over this continent for many
years already. Problems with this parasite are only rare-
ly reported from Africa. If there are reports, they mostly
come from so-called “modern” apiaries, where the appli-
cation of American/European management methods us-
ing multiple-story hives had been introduced.
May 2019
Here, already medical treatment has been applied or
is going to be taken into account, because of these losses.
During our examinations in East Africa, we often could
also find varroa mites and some viruses transferred by the
mite, like Acute Bee Paralysis Virus and Deformed Wing
Virus, but without showing considerable effect on the
colony’s health or causing visible damage. Obviously, the
strong hygienic behavior also helps them to keep the infes-
tation rate of varroa mites low.
In discussions with beekeepers and experts accompany-
ing us, we could more and more clearly reveal other cor-
relations. The key factor seems to be the bees’ swarming
instinct and the connected self-healing capacity by honey
bee colonies.
lOCal aFriCaN Bee MaNaGeMeNt
To understand all this, you have to understand first the
East African way of managing bee colonies. In small farm-
ers’ apiaries, the bee colonies are nearly exclusively kept
in hives with fixed combs. A detection of brood diseases is
only possible by examining bees, food and debris. In many
regions, they have already switched to use hives based on
the principle of “Kenya top-bar hives”: The combs can be
moved because they hang at mobile top bars. A frame is not
necessary, because the combs are not fixed to the slant sides
(angle: ca. 68°), thus staying mobile. The top bars form a
compact surface and protect the bees` nest. So, only a small
gap is opened when the nest is inspected. In many African
regions it is common to open hives of the quite defensive
bee colonies by night only. We demonstrate to the beekeep-
ers in East Africa how to handle and examine colonies in
top-bar hives even during the day. For honey harvest, the
combs are extracted, squeezed out or they drip out in bas-
kets, like it is usually done with any other local hive. In this
way the combs are always newly built and, contrary to our
management system, less contaminated with pathogens of
diseases and residues from the environment.
swarMiNG FOr reprOduCtiON
Moreover, local and top-bar hives are considerably
smaller than multiple-story hives and are not extended by
577
supers with frames and combs. So the bee colony itself can
define the size of its nest. In those nests adapted to the col-
ony size, bees are able to care better for brood hygiene and
to remove infected or infested brood. In addition, the small
hive volume avoids combs being left uncontrolled by the
bees and destroyed by wax moths. Moreover, a small hive
volume stimulates the colony’s swarming instinct. As
nothing is done against swarming, the colonies are used
to swarming quite frequently. All African bee races show a
vivid swarming behavior. Several swarms per year or se-
rial swarms are not exceptional. In the American/Europe-
an management system with multiple-story hives, the bee
colony’s swarming instinct only develops when a colony
has already grown to a considerable size. So it may become
difficult for swarms in some regions to find enough food to
survive in times of forage scarcity.
swarMiNG tO ChaNGe the lOCatiON
In some regions in Africa, especially where the availabil-
ity of forage or water depends on seasonal fluctuations,
the bee colonies are used to migrating on certain routes.
Contrary to swarming for reproduction, all bees leave their
Development cooperation does not mean to introduce some-
thing learned and experienced at home but to listen ― some-
times for a nearly endless time ― and to learn from those con-
versations. This more than 80-year-old beekeeper tells us in
Ethiopia about his experiences with his traditional way of bee-
keeping. Ute Schneider-Ritter
In Uganda my wife Ute talks with a beekeeper family about their
situation. Especially women repeatedly stress how strange it is
for them to treat bees with medicaments when even they them-
selves and their children are not sufficiently provided with ad-
equate means. Ute Schneider-Ritter
578
In Tanzania, we are training students and others in order to dis-
tinguish healthy from ill brood. As expert consultants they can
later help beekeepers in their daily work. Ute Schneider-Ritter
nest if a colony swarms in order to migrate. The reduced
and finally stopped brood rearing are signs that swarm-
ing is on the way. As soon as the remaining food stocks
can be stored in the honey stomachs of the bees, migration
swarming starts.
Moreover, the bee races in East Africa react very sen-
sitively against disturbance and abscond from their nest
when they are bothered too much. This can be initiated by
frequent ant attacks or if a colony is strongly affected by
Small or Big Hive Beetles. Last but not least, frequent or
massive manipulations by humans can also be the cause.
In nests of absconded or migrated colonies, the combs are
rapidly destroyed by wax moths. Thus natural sanitization
is accomplished.
Great varietY OF NestiNG plaCes
Of course, there is the question of where the swarms fly
to. Reproduction swarms are looking for a nesting hole at
a distance of at least one kilometer from their former one
in order to decrease the risk of a possible transfer of dis-
eases and to increase the chance of finding abundant food
supplies. Absconding swarms sometimes choose a nesting
hole more in the vicinity. Even outside of forests it is very
In local forestry beekeeping, like here in Tanzania, hives to be
occupied by bee colonies are hung up in trees and can easily be
managed. Just to pick up the hive someone has to climb on the
tree. On the ground you can work in peace, because all flight
bees are up in the tree. With a branch fork and a self-releasing
knot you can hang the box up again without anyone having to
climb again. Ute Schneider-Ritter
American Bee Journal

To avoid too much heat for beekeepers and for their bees as
well, colonies are preferably placed into the dense bush or un-
der trees, like here in Uganda. The beekeeper is explaining to
Gözde and Martin from ”Bees for the World” which hives are
not populated. If there is enough forage, an absconded colony
can easily be replaced by a swarm caught in the trees. Ute
Schneider-Ritter
easy in Africa for bees to find new nesting holes, because
it is common everywhere to hang up small containers or
hive-boxes into trees, as swarm catchers. As soon as they
are occupied, the beekeepers take them and include them
into their own apiary. This complies with honey bees’ wish
to settle in a nesting hole more than five meters above the
ground, with a volume of about 40 liters. In local East-Af-
rican beekeeping it is usual to indicate the total number of
owned hives and the portion occupied by bees; because
the number of colonies kept changes according to the sea-
son and the local conditions. The statement “I’m the own-
er of a number of bee colonies” is strange there and has
probably been suggested from abroad. If beekeepers are
instructed to keep the bee colonies in their apiary through-
out the year, they must provide them with food and water
and honeycombs must be stored. This presents additional
problems without bringing benefits.
Swarming and Bee HealtH
The different forms of swarming seem to be of great
importance for bee health. Absconding and migration
swarming lead to the complete demolition of all combs by
wax moths. When swarming for reproduction, disruption
of brood rearing occurs. In the “old colony” it can only
start again after the new queen has mated with drones. In
the swarm itself, the “old queen” can only continue brood
rearing after combs are built and first stored food is avail-
able. Moreover, the bees tend to cover the raw inside of
the nesting holes with propolis to protect everything from
infections.
The disinfection of the nest as well as the construction
of new combs and the interruption of brood rearing are
therefore essential elements to provoke self-healing with
bees in East Africa. In this way the bee colonies are able
to prevent the outbreak of diseases like foulbrood and the
collapse of colonies because of a varroa-virus-infection.
This process is similar to sanitization measures usually
practiced in Europe and other parts of the world to control
varroa and other diseases.
If this natural renovation of the brood nest and the re-
peated swarming is interrupted, as it is done in most of
the management methods applied in America and Europe,
problems are frequently caused; because nest and body
May 2019
hygiene behavior alone — extraordinarily well developed
with the African bee races — is not sufficient to prevent
the outbreak of diseases and to provoke self-healing.
Bee colonies either leave their apiary to multiply after swarm-
ing, to migrate to new regions or to escape from a disturbance.
As soon as there are good foraging conditions, the colonies
return and can be caught easily in swarm trees. At the apiary,
they are either lodged in new hives or remain in the swarm
catchers. This cycle represents an essential element of the
self-healing capacity of the African bee. Wolfgang Ritter
development Cooperation and itS effeCtS
Many projects of development cooperation aim at in-
creasing the productive capacity of bee colonies in Africa
by introducing the American/European management
method in multiple-story hives and intending as well
to increase the beekeepers’ income. But by this strategy
also our problems are imported to Africa. Local apiar-
ies called “modern” are reporting high honey yields but
also increasing health problems in their bee colonies. Var-
roa treatment is requested or already practiced. For this
purpose, the medicaments commonly used with us are
on their “wish list.” As the local climate is mostly too hot
for vaporizing substances like organic acids and ethereal
oils, medicaments with synthetic substances are preferred.
Unfortunately, such medicaments are often disposed of in
the African market when they are no longer salable here.
Residues in wax and honey inevitably occur.
But what is even more serious is that every single treat-
ment deteriorates the natural self-healing capacity of the
bee colony and prevents the bee colony from maintain-
ing its natural tolerance against the varroa mite. And the
import or spreading of foreign bee races is an even more
fatal error. Though it apparently helps to make beekeep-
ing more profitable and to reduce the risk of being stung
frequently by bees, it finally leads to a disaster concerning
bee health. This has not only been stated in Egypt after
the import of the Apis mellifera carnica from Europe. Only
native races are optimally adapted to the specific local
conditions and can develop stable natural tolerances. In
addition, costs and workload for the honey harvested are
generally lower. The beekeeper who wants to get more
honey offers more hives to be occupied.
development Cooperation witHout SuStainaBility
But not only bees are suffering. By the import of hives
and equipment also beekeepers are lured into a financial
trap. It is often difficult to replace the “donated” things on
579
the local market. Not only stainless steel but also wood-
en boards are too expensive in some regions for the lo-
cal population. Moreover, beekeepers are equipped with
devices like frame hives and extractors, which they don’t
need basically. On the local market, honey dripped off or
pressed out and also comb honey sells very well. It would
be much more important to prefer the use of local natu-
ral resources for comb construction and to support local
handcraft.
Without doubt, productive capacity is increased by the
introduction of the American/European management
method required and practiced by development coopera-
tion but also by local institutions. In most cases, there are
large enterprises built up in the end, however not achiev-
ing good prices for their honey on the world market. In
consequence, they flood the local market with cheap prod-
ucts, in turn depriving small farmers and families of their
means of existence.
The author in the youth project: These Ethiopian youth groups
are meeting at ”their bee place” to hear music, to chat about
this, that and the other, and by the way handle the bee colonies.
After lodging the colonies in African top-bars, they can follow
what is going on in the bee colony. Ute Schneider-Ritter

Honey bees and the “African Way” can contribute to a

better future for Africa. But we, the Americans and Euro-
peans as well, can learn a lot from Africans, at least con-
cerning bee health.

In Ethiopia, training is organized locally by one of our partners,

“Bees for Development”: Only participants reaching the re-
spective training target are invited for the consecutive training
course. Hive construction with locally available materials, as
demonstrated here, is part of the basic training. It is followed by
the lodging of swarms and honey harvest. Ute Schneider-Ritter

foStering tHe afriCan way

The income from selling the honey of a small number
of bee colonies already allows a family to afford school
fees and school uniforms for their children thus offering
them better chances for their future. In cooperation with
our local partners our organization “BEES for the World”
fosters local management methods and reveals options
apart from often well intended but wrongly implement-
ed development aid. Our aim is to produce high quality
products by the African way: honey for the local market
and wax free of residues for the world market. So local
apiaries are enabled to generate additional income from
the beeswax only rarely utilized in many parts of Africa.
Opposite to the classical development aid, we do not of-
fer money to a project structure but a business model in-
cluding a partnership. The major part of the benefit from
selling the wax is given back to the local partners in or-
der to train additional beekeepers locally and offer them
the opportunity to build up their own apiary. Especially
the second-born youth, left without access to land, profit
from such a support. So, they can stay in their home vil-
lages without being forced to try to make their living as
daily workers in the overcrowded capitals.
In East Africa, bee colonies are often treated only at night,
which usually leads to high bee losses. Here we show bee in-
spectors in Tanzania that during the day it is much easier to
assess the condition of bee colonies without bee losses. Ute
Schneider-Ritter
literature
Cheruiyot, S.K., Lattorff, H.M.G., Kahuthia-Gathu, R. et al., 2018.
Varroa-specific hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera scutellata in Ke-
nya. Apidologie, 49 (4): 439
Le Conte Y, Ellis M and Ritter W, 2010. Varroa mites and honey bee
health: can Varroa explain part of the colony losses? Apidologie, 41,
353-363
Ellis JD and Mum PA, 2005. The worldwide health status of honey
bees. Bee World, 86, 88-101
Muli E, Patch H, Frazier M, Frazier J, Torto B, et al., 2014. Evaluation
of the Distribution and Impacts of Parasites, Pathogens, and Pesti-
cides on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Populations in East Africa. PLoS
ONE 9(4): e94459. doi: 10. 1371/journal. pone. 0094459
Neumann P and Carreck NL, 2010. Honey bee colony losses. Journal
of Apicultural Research 49(1): 1-6.
Ritter W, 1988. Varroa jacobsoni in Europe, the tropics and subtropics.
In: Needham G R, Page R E, Delfinado-Baker, Bowman C E (Eds.),

580 American Bee Journal

 Africanized honey bees and bee mites, Ellis Horwood, Chichester:
349-359.
Ritter W, Michel P, Bartholdi A, Schwendemann A, 1990. Develop-
ment of tolerance to Varroa jacobsoni in bee colonies in Tunisia, in:
Ritter W (Ed.), Proc. Int. Symp. on recent research on bee pathol-
ogy, Sept. 5-7, 1990, Gent, Belgium: 54-59.
Ritter W. and Schneider Ritter U., 2016. Bee diseases: examining op-
tions for their management in Africa. Bull. Anim. Hlth. Prod. Afr.,
Bee: 19 - 25
Seeley TD, 2007. Honey bees of the Arnot Forest: a population of
feral colonies persisting with Varroa destructor in the north-eastern
Unites States. Apidologie, 38: 19-29
Seeley TD and Smith ML, 2015. Crowding honeybee colonies in api-
aries can increase their vulnerability to the deadly ectoparasite Var-
roa destructor. Apidologie, 46: 716- 727.
Nganso, B. T., Fombong, A. T., Yusuf, A. A., Pirk, C. W. W., Stuhl,
C., et al. (2017). Hygienic and grooming behaviors in African and
European honeybees—New damage categories in Varroa destruc-
tor. PLoS One 12(6), e0179329

Dr. Wolfgang Ritter has been several de-

cades  expert and head of the Reference
Lab of World Organization for animal
health (OIE/Paris) at the Institute of Ani-
mal Health and Food Control in Freiburg/
Germany. As an expert and president of the
scientific commission of bee health of the
world beekeeping association (Apimon-
dia/Rome), he advised several govern-
ments, organizations and apiaries worldwide on the topics of bee
health and sustainable modes of operation for several decades. He
is specialized in ecological beekeeping and bee health. He gave lec-
tures for 11 years on ecological agricultural economics at the Uni-
versity of Kassel. Additionally he is author of several books about the
topic of ecological beekeeping and bee health. He is also beekeeper
himself, with over 40 years of experience.
wolfgang.ritter@beesfortheworld.de; www.beesfortheworld.de

May 2019 581

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582 American Bee Journal


H
oney — the delightful treat
that produces a smile of sat-
isfaction from anyone tasting
the sweet substance.
This carbohydrate-filled energy
booster is a gift from Mother Nature
that has been treasured since the first
bees began producing the golden liq-
uid during the age of the dinosaurs.
There is no way of knowing what
mammal braved the stinging insects
to get the first taste, but that was all it
took. Honey has been a delicacy ever
since.
Honey bees are thought to be at
least 200 million years old. The earli-
est fossil was discovered in 2006 in a
mine in the Hukawng Valley of Myan-
mar. Encased in amber, this preserved
100-million-year-old bee has charac-
teristics of both a wasp and a honey
bee but is mostly bee. Isn’t it amazing
how these early bees evolved into the
thousands of species we have buzz-
ing around today?
The history of honey is fascinating
— prehistoric honey hunters robbing
wild bee nests, the first beekeepers
domesticating honey bees and the
use of honey as a medicine — all
make us appreciate the small insect
that dedicates its life to producing
the sweet stuff.
prehistOriC hONeY huNtiNG
Even though bees are one of the
oldest forms of life, they did not start
making honey right away. It took the
right combination of flowering trees
and plants and the bees’ attraction to
these food sources before the golden
liquid came into existence.
According to Dr. Karen Carr’s his-
tory of honey on her website, Quatr.
us Study Guides (https://quatr.us/
May 2019
Honey: Older Than
History Itself
by GRETA BURROUGHS
This is the oldest known bee fossil, encased in amber found in northern
Myanmar. (Creative Commons via Wikimedia.org https://commons.
wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Melittosphex_burmensis.jpg)
africa/honey-history.htm), bees be- vines to reach into a wild bee nest to
gan to make honey around 200 mil- gather honey and most probably a
lion years ago during the Jurassic era. chunk of the honeycomb.
This was long before there were any The beeswax from the honeycomb
people around to pilfer it. But over was just as important to our ances-
the millennia, many mammals and tors as the honey, especially as they
primates have discovered the delec- transitioned from hunter-gather so-
table energy food and perfected the cieties to Stone Age farmers. In 2015,
fine art of robbing bee nests. archaeologists tested more than 6,400
Modern-day chimpanzees demon- Neolithic era pottery shards look-
strate how their and our predeces- ing for the chemical fingerprints of
sors obtained the sweet treat. They beeswax residue. The presence of the
strip leaves from sticks and use the wax showed that honey hunting was
tool to dip the wild honey from the widespread across Europe, the Near
nests located in tree trunks or un-
derground. Early hominids used the
same technique and continued the
same ritual as they migrated out of
Africa into Europe and Asia around
60,000 BCE.
The wandering hunter-gatherers
had good land to hunt, fish and gath-
er food. Dr. Carr says, “They gener-
ally stayed a little ahead of the game,
just like you don’t go grocery shop-
ping for every meal (or most people
don’t). They ate a lot of fish, shellfish,
seaweed, wild lettuce, onions, garlic,
and grains. The early people also took
eggs from nests.”
It was the same with honey. Honey
hunters took advantage of any wild
bee nests they spied. Dr. Carr remarks,
“People have always wanted to eat
honey. It was a good source of energy.
The main thing about early people
is that they had to go out and find it
wild so it was much harder to get.”
The earliest depiction of a per-
Eight thousand year old cave painting
son raiding a wild bee colony is an
of a honey hunter harvesting honey and
8000-year-old cave painting near Va- wax from a bees nest in the Arana Cave
lencia, Spain. The rock painting was at Bicorp, near Valencia, Spain.
discovered in 1919 in the Arana Cave (Creative Commons via Wikimedia.org
at Bicorp. It illustrates a person with https://commons.wikimedia.org/
a basket in hand climbing up three wiki/File:Cueva_arana.jpg)
583

Bee Hieroglyph from the tomb complex of Senusret I.
(Keith Schengili-Roberts via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.
org/wiki/File:AncientEgyptianRelief-BeeHieroglyph-ROM.png)
East and North Africa at least 9000
years ago.
Dr. Carr explains, “Honey is a good
preservative. When storing food for
the winter, the early people mixed it
with honey or sealed it up in a jar of
honey. The wax was also used for me-
dicinal purposes like sealing cavities
and covering wounds.”
In India, honey has been used for at
least 5000 years in Ayurvedic medi-
cine. It was and still is a remedy for
internal and external infections and
for cleansing and healing wounds.
It is mentioned numerous times in
Indian sacred texts and the early
Hindus regarded honey as the food
of the gods.
The earliest written prescription is
on a Sumerian clay tablet from 2000
BCE. It describes a remedy for heal-
ing wounds: “Grind to a powder riv-
er dust and … [words missing] then
knead it in water and honey and let
plain oil and hot cedar oil be spread
over it.”
The Chinese concept of honey be-
ing a neutral food and good for many
ailments goes back a long way and
is still used in traditional medicines
584
today. It was mentioned in their writ-
ings from the third century BCE be-
ing used with other herbs to alleviate
pain, soothe stomach ailments and re-
move toxins. An interesting side note,
the Neolithic Chinese also created the
first fermented beverage made with
rice, honey and fruit (Science Daily
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/
Ancient Egyptian letter from Dromon asking Zenon to bring him some honey to man-
age an eye disorder. (From the Cairo Museum under Creative Commons license.
https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/M0003499.html)
2004/12/041206205817.htm). It may
not have been very medicinal, but it
sure made the people feel better!
the First Beekeepers
Even though honey has been a trea-
sured commodity since prehistoric
times, there is no evidence of domes-
ticating bees until around 3000 BCE
in Egypt.
Dr. Gene Kritsky, a renowned ex-
pert in the history of beekeeping,
states in his report, “Beekeeping from
Antiquity Through the Middle Ages,”
for the Annual Review of Entomology:
“Egyptian apiculture was a state-or-
ganized occupation, and honey was
an important commodity for trade,
food, and medicinal ingredients.
Beeswax was an important part of
magical and religious rituals; it was
also used in cosmetics and for water-
proofing boats.”
Wall paintings and reliefs illus-
trate how honey played an important
role in ancient Egyptian society. The
honey bee and its precious gifts were
revered by the priests and the ruling
class. The honey bee was used in a hi-
eroglyph denoting the king of Lower
Egypt in the Kahun papyrus, and
decanters holding honeycomb were
buried with the pharaohs to nourish
them in their afterlife. It seems the
gods had a sweet tooth as well, since
honey was also used in the offerings
made to appease them.
The ancient Egyptians also bene-
fited from honey’s medicinal proper-
ties. The physicians of that time were
very knowledgeable and developed
an extensive library of medical and
surgical procedures taking advantage
of the antibacterial properties of hon-
ey. Papyrus texts detail treatments for
American Bee Journal
many ailments from sore throats to
healing surgical incisions.
Hunting for wild honey would
never have satisfied the high demand
for this necessity, so the ingenious
people developed a way to domesti-
cate the honey bee.
Dr. Kritsky describes the early
beehives: “The Egyptians used hori-
zontal hives made of dried mud and
straw stacked upon each other to cre-
ate walled apiaries.” A relief from
the Sun Temple dating back to 2450
BCE illustrates how the beekeepers
worked the hives and sealed the hon-
ey in containers for storage.
No actual Egyptian hives have sur-
vived the passage of time, but the pic-
torial evidence indicates this practice
was first established during the Old
Kingdom period in Lower Egypt,
where irrigated fields provided a
large variety of flowering plants for
the bees.
An Egyption history website, Re-
shafim.org (http://reshafim.org.il/ad/
egypt/timelines/topics/beekeeping
.htm), says that the hives were trans-
ported either by donkey or boat
around the countryside to the areas
where early or late season blossoming
plants lured the bees to collect their
nectar. Having a portable system also
allowed the beekeepers to protect the
hives from the annual flooding of the
Nile by having the means to take their
precious cargo to higher ground.
The Egyptians may have been the
first to domesticate bees, but as with
all good things, word spread and oth-
er cultures refined it for themselves.
The materials to construct hives var-
ied from region to region but the
concept of creating a home for honey
bees remained a constant.
Honey THrougH THe Ages
Apiculture, or the keeping of
bees for their honey and beeswax,
spread up the Mediterranean coast
through the expansion and influ-
ence of Egypt’s New Kingdom
around 1500 BCE. From there it
spread to all the regions and even-
tually down the Silk Road to central
Asia and China. (Quatr.us https://
quatr.us/food-2/honey-spreads
-around-world-bee-keeping.htm)
Honey and beeswax were essen-
tial to many ancient civilizations. The
Hittites used wax-coated writing tab-
lets and had laws enforcing strict pen-
alties for stealing beehives.
Assyrian sculptors used the lost-
wax technique to cast bronze statues.
And it is said that the Babylonians
May 2019
An apiary illustrated in the Sept. 15, 1898 issue of THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. 365
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE. THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS. (Public domain
through flickr.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/
19795187703/)
had strict rules regarding marriage
and established the original idea of
a ‘honeymoon’ as the first month fol-
lowing a couple’s marriage. During
that period, the bride’s father sup-
plied his son-in-law with mead, a
drink made with honey, to fortify and
aid him in his amorous endeavors.
Whether this is true or not is still up
for debate.
According to Dr. Kritsky, the earli-
est fossilized beehives, dating back
to 875 BCE, were discovered at Tel
Rehov, in modern day Israel. They
resemble the horizontal hives illus-
trated in the tomb of an Egyptian
nobleman named Rekhmire, but the
number of hives found at Tel Rehov
suggests collecting the beeswax was
the primary objective since lost wax
casting was a major occupation in
the area.
Written accounts and archeologi-
cal evidence indicate that apiculture
was practiced in classical Greece and
Rome. Beeswax and traces of honey
have been identified in lamps and jars
dating back 2500 years in Greece. Like
the Greeks, the Romans used pottery
beehives with removable tops to get
at the honey without destroying the
hive, as well as larger structures. Ac-
cording to Eva Crane in her book, The
Archaeology of Beekeeping, the Romans
employed another method as well:
They kept bees in hollow trees, in ar-
tificial hives made of cork bark.
In Europe, beekeeping became a
booming industry during the Middle
Ages. The Roman approach of forest
beekeeping originally fulfilled the
demand for honey and honeycomb.
This practice basically carried tra-
ditional honey hunting to the next
level. Instead of robbing naturally oc-
curring bee nests in woodland trees,
people created a place for the bees to
inhabit by enlarging existing nesting
spots or hollowing out tree trunks to
create artificial hives. The hive was
covered with a board or a door with
a hole for the bees to use as an en-
trance. A single tree could house two
or three hives. The forests provided
countless tall straight trees to make
these apiaries.
When foresters complained that
the value of the timber was being de-
stroyed, beekeepers began to keep the
bees in log hives on the ground. This
progressed to constructing hives of
other materials.
Crane documents the types of hives
Europeans used: “Almost every region
had its traditional form of housing for
bees, usually made of pottery, wood or
cork. They had hinged doors or open
backs that could be covered until time
to remove honey.” Another type of
hive was the bee skep. It was construct-
ed of wicker, straw and reed twisted
into ropes and coiled in circles stitched
together with blackberry briars.
Crane also noted, “In Britain,
France, and Belgium, sturdy stone
houses called ‘bee boles’ were craft-
ed for the honeybees. The boles were
often set in a garden or orchard for
585
the bees to pollinate the fruits of the
trees.”
Eventually, the use of skeps and
hives made of logs, pottery and cork
gave way to wooden bee boxes with
doors that allowed easier access to
the honey and better management of
the bees.
the New wOrld
In Central America, the Mayans
and Aztecs kept hives of stingless
bees long before the Spanish invasion
of their lands. The oldest known Ma-
yan beehive, dating back to 300 BCE,
was found in the Yucatan peninsula
of Mexico
The Meso-American societies used
the honey and wax for religious
ceremonies, as a sweetener and for
its medicinal properties. They also
traded the beeswax and honey with
other indigenous people for cacao
seeds (chocolate). (https://www.
thoughtco.com/ancient-maya-
beekeeping-169364)
American bees are smaller than
the European honey bee. They live in
hollow trees and store their honey in
round sacks of wax instead of honey-
combs. They do not produce as much
as the domesticated honey bee, but
the honey is said to be sweeter.
When the European immigrants
arrived in North America, it must
have been quite a surprise to find
A relief from the Tomb of Rekhmire illustrating Egyptians gathering honey from a hive
circa 1479  –1425 B.C.E. (Creative Commons via Wikimedia.org https://commons.
wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gathering_Honey,_Tomb_of_Rekhmire_MET_30.4.88_
EGDP013036.jpg)
586
there were no honey bees as they
knew them. The native inhabitants
still collected honey from wild bee
nests and had no concept of domesti-
cating bees since honey hunting ful-
filled all their needs.
That did not work for the newcom-
ers. Honey and beeswax were integral
to their way of life, so the larger scale
production of the necessary products
was sorely missed. The solution: im-
port honey bees from their homeland.
The first colonies of honey bees ar-
rived in the Virginia colony in 1622.
Over the following decade, more
shipments were delivered to Mas-
sachusetts. By the mid 1700s, all the
colonies had established bee hives.
The native population called them
“White Man’s Flies” but the Cherokee
Indians noticed the advantages of do-
mesticating bees and became the first
Native American beekeepers.
By 1800, the range of the honey bee
stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Mississippi River. Fifty years later,
honey bees were shipped to Califor-
nia and they spread throughout the
western territories from there.
During this time, the beekeeping
world was revolutionized when L.L.
Langstroth patented a hive with mov-
able frames. Until then, most of the
other types of bee housing had to be
destroyed in order to get to the hon-
eycomb. Langstroth’s invention led
the way to the bigger, better, more
efficient method of beekeeping prac-
ticed today.
Commercial production of honey
answered the worldwide need for the
sweet stuff. It may not have been the
necessity it once was after sugar be-
came readily available to the masses,
but once a person has tasted honey, it
is hard to stop desiring it.
As a medicine, it was a required
item in any home or medical set-
ting. Prehistoric people used honey
and beeswax even before they knew
what germs were. The Romans le-
gion used honey to sustain the
troops on long campaigns and to
heal wounds. During the American
Civil War, honey and cayenne pep-
per were used to heal wounds. The
red pepper stopped the bleeding,
and the honey prevented bacteria
from getting in the wound. Even to-
day, with the widespread availabil-
ity of antibiotics, trends are reverting
back to traditional natural cures.
Honey is the glue that binds prehis-
tory, history and modern civilization
together. It is one of the few things
that has remained the same over the
millennia. Something to think about:
If Mother Nature had not provided
the golden fuel, would history have
turned out differently?
sOurCes CONtaCted
Dr. Karen Carr, Associate Professor Emerita
Department of History, Portland State
University
Dr. Gene Kritsky, Dean, School of Behavior-
al and Natural Sciences, Mount St. Joseph
University, Cincinnati OH
iNterNet sOurCes
AncientEgypt: Beekeeping, Reshafim.org.il
http://reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/
topics/beekeeping.htm
Carr, K.E. History of honey. Quatr.us Study
Guides, May 18, 2017. https://quatr.us/
africa/honey-history.htm
Fessenden, M. Our Ancient Ancestors Probably
Loved Honey Too. Smithsonian.com. Nov.
11, 2015 https://www.smithsonianmag.
com/smart-news/relationship-between-
humans-and-honeybees-goes-back-9000-
years-180957245/
Kritsky, Gene, Beekeeping from Antiquity
Through the Middle Ages, Annual Re-
view of Entomology, 2017 www.annual
reviews.org
Heathmont Honey, Bees, Beekeeping and
Honey, Heathmont Honey.com http://
www.heathmonthoney.com.au/bees/
HoneyHistory.htm
Hirst, K. Kris, Ancient Maya Beekeeping,
Thoughtco.com, May 11, 2018 https://
www.thoughtco.com/ancient-maya-
beekeeping-169364
History of Honeybees, https://historyof-
bees.weebly.com/europe.html
American Bee Journal
Honey in History. Prehistory, Ancient Egypt,
Ancient China. Healthy with Honey.com
https://healthywithhoney.com/honey-
in-history-prehistory-ancient-egypt-
ancient-china/
Honey in History: Ancient India, Healthy
with Honey, https://healthywithhoney.
com/honey-in-history-ancient-india/
Oertel, Everett, History of Beekeeping
in the United States, Oct 1980 https://
beesource.com/resources/usda/history-
of-beekeeping-in-the-united-states/
Short History of Bookkeeping, NHC Bee-
keepers.org, http://nhcbeekeepers.org/
library/ShortHistoryofBeekeeping.pdf
University Of Pennsylvania. (2004, De-
cember 7). 9,000-year History Of Chinese
Fermented Beverages Confirmed. Science-
May 2019
Daily. Retrieved February 8, 2019 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004
/12/041206205817.htm South Georgia Apiaries
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worked as a freelance
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587
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588 American Bee Journal

 Pollen Sources
in Appalachia,
July Through
October
Michael Staddon
1911 Buffalo Calf Road
Salem, WV 26426-7590
T
he purpose of the West Virginia
Pollen Project was to gather fac-
tual information about pollen
foraging habits of honey bees in West
Virginia. It was funded through two
Northeast SARE farmer grants.
Over the years of keeping bees, my
stack of questions regarding pollen
foraging went through the ceiling,
and traditional ways of finding the
answers became woefully inadequate.
At the same time, a realization of the
incredible importance of pollen to
honey bees grew to such an extent that
a study of this type had to happen.
For instance, by ground observa-
tion an observant beekeeper might
notice that bees are bringing in a large
amount of white pollen in early fall.
He may take a hike and see bees gath-
Honey Bee gathering nectar and pollen from Crooked Stem Aster (Symphyotrichum
prenanthoides)
May 2019
Light Microscope image of pollen grains including clover, plantain, grass,
virgin’s bower, and Asteraceae types at 600x magnification
ering white pollen from Thistle (Cirsi-
um) flowers, and could conclude that
Thistle is an important pollen source
for bees. It could be. However there
are at least three other fall bloom-
ing plants that also provide white-
colored pollen, so there would be no
way to know the accuracy of the con-
clusions. With light microscopy I was
able to easily distinguish between
these white pollen types, and thereby
delineate which ones the bees were
visiting, and how much pollen was
contributed by each.
I began collecting pollen samples
in 2013 and 2014 even before I had
figured out how the financial aspects
of the project would work out. This
turned out to be noteworthy because
I was able to gather pollen samples
prior to the arrival of Emerald Ash
Borer (Agrilus panipennis) in my area.
We determined that prior to the EAB
invasion, Ash pollen comprised up to
35% of the bees' pollen intake while
in bloom.
Four other beekeepers agreed to
collect pollen samples for the project
throughout the 2015 season so that
we could look at pollen foraging in
multiple locations and compare them.
Occasionally I would find bees
working ferociously on plants that did
not seem to be mentioned in any of the
literature. Some of these plants took me
years to identify. Elephant’s Foot (Ele-
phantopus) was one example; Beefsteak
Plant (Perilla frutescens) was another. I
once asked a room full of experienced
beekeepers if anyone had ever heard
of Elephant’s Foot plant, and not a sin-
gle hand went up. Through the Pollen
Project we discovered that Elephant’s
Foot can provide nearly 20% of the
bees’ pollen income at times. It was
also surprising to find that, in terms
of quantity, the largest amount of Clo-
ver pollen found in any sample was
less than half that of Virginia Creeper
(Parthenocissus), while Winged Sumac
(Rhus copallinum) provided more than
triple that of fall Goldenrod (Solidago
altissima/C. canadensis).
The Pollen Importance Tables show
the highest amount of pollen contrib-
uted by each plant type, both in terms
of the percentage found in one pollen
sample, and the amount of pollen col-
lected. For instance, Honeysuckle pol-
len made up 89% of the grains found
in the October 2014 sample, which
is a very high percentage. However,
the amount of pollen collected on
589
 The final report includes seven tables describing the pollen found in seven locations.
that date was so small that the actual
volume of pollen collected from Hon-
eysuckle was actually very low. And
yes, the appearance of Honeysuckle
pollen in some of the late fall samples
was surprising.
During the study I was surprised
to find some Blackberry-like pollen
showing up in the mid-summer sam-
ples, long after most Rosaceae species
had finished blooming – and many
had even ripened their fruit. It turns
out there is a native Flowering Rasp-
berry (Rubus odoratus) that blooms
Honey Bee gathering nectar and pollen from Elephant’s Foot (Elephantopus)
590
through the summer that could be
the source of this pollen. I have seen
this plant blooming in WV with hon-
ey bees working it. Another possibil-
ity would be cultivated fall-bearing
raspberries.
It was interesting to look at the di-
versity of pollen collected at different
times. On average across all locations
from July to October, August samples
provided the highest diversity of
plant types visited by bees for pollen.
From my observations it looks very
much like winter survival is corre-
lated as much with the quality of the
pollen flow as with Varroa destructor
issues. Many beekeepers experienced
this in the fall and winter of 2017.
Poor forage was widely reported,
followed by heavy colony losses
throughout the state. Matthew Dixon
Smart found the same to be true from
his widespread observations in the
Midwest. Along with varroa mite in-
festation levels, the amount of pollen
gathered in the summer was one of
the best predictors of survival.
The official title for the first half
of the project, which looked at pol-
len collected March through June, is
“West Virginia Pollen Project 2015”
(45 pages). The second half of the
project, covering July through Octo-
ber, is “Defining Honey Bee Pollen
Sources in Appalachia, July Through
October” (49 pages). You can find the
final report, which includes a full de-
scription of our materials and meth-
ods as well as many more findings, on
the Northeast SARE website.1 The fi-
nal outreach PDF, which includes the
materials and methods description
as well as all the results, charts and
graphs in a single document, is avail-
able at the Honey Glen blog (the most
recent version of the first half posted
July 20162 and the second half posted
December 2018).3 To download these
reports as PDF files, visit the links
shown in the endnotes.
My hope is that as questions come to
your mind about various plants, or the
American Bee Journal
Pollen Type Importance to Honey Bees, by % of total daily intake (TDI) and Weight
Collected July through October in the years 2013-2015. Sorted by Weight.
Max % Max weight
Scientific Name Common Name
of TDI /hive /day, lbs
Rhus copallina Sumac, Winged 99.25 0.71851 *
Solidago / Aster / Ageratina. Goldenrod, Aster, Snakeroot 99.75 0.2223 *
Verbesina / Helianthus Wingstem / Sunflower type 41.25 0.21656 *
Parthenocussus Virginia Creeper type 87.25 0.15705
Plantago Plantain 38.5 0.08288 *
Melilotus & Trifolium repens Clover, Sweet & White Ladino 98.5 0.0656
Ambrosia Ragweed (Giant) 70.75 0.05536
Zea mays Corn 82 0.04442
Cichorium / Lactuca type Chickory, Lettuce 31.25 0.04
Trifolium pratense Clover, Red 20.75 0.02295 *
Conoclinium / Centaurea type Mistflower / Knapweed type 10.25 0.02226
Eupatorium type (Asteraceae) Thoroughwort type (Asteraceae) 61.75 0.02025
Xanthium type Cocklebur type 2.25 0.01477
Impatiens capensis Jewel-weed 10 0.01316 *
Clematis virginiana Virgin’s Bower 30 0.01133 *
Rumex Dock 7.25 0.00785
Elephantopus Elephant’s Foot 19.25 0.00752
Sambucus Elderberry 11.5 0.00546
Verbena type Verbena type 1.25 0.00546 *
Rubus / Rosa Bramble Berries, Rose 6.75 0.00488 *
Chenopodium/Amaranth Lambsquarters / Amaranth 58.75 0.00459
Vernonia Ironweed 4.75 0.00434 *
Humulus / Cannabis type Hops / Marijuana type 1.75 0.00265
Lonicera Honeysuckle 89 0.00255
Tilia Basswood 4.75 0.00226
Cirsium altissimum Tall Common Thistle 6.75 0.00221
Apiaceae (i.e. Daucus) Wild Carrot 4.75 0.00218
Castanea / Notholithocarpus Chestnut / Chinkapin / Tanoak 27.25 0.00213
Persicaria / Polygonum Smartweed type 0.25 0.00164
Poaceae Grass 4 0.00094
Typha Cattail 1.75 0.00083
Dianthus Sweet William type 1.75 0.00048
Hosta Hosta 1.25 0.00045
Centaurea cyanus type Cornflower type 1.25 0.00029
Chrysanthemum / Matricaria Daisy / Chamomile type 4.5 0.00028
Dipsacus fullonums Teasel 2.75 0.00026
Rhus glabra Sumac, Smooth 0.5 0.00024
Magnolia Magnolia 0.5 0.00023
Oenothera, likely speciosa Evening Primrose 0.25 0.00017
Ocimum basilicum Sweet Basil 0.25 0.00006
Phytolacca Pokeweed 0.75 0.00003
Cirsium arvense Canada Thistle 0 0
Hibiscus syriacus Rose of Sharon 0 0
Polygonum cuspidatum Japanese Knotweed 0 0
Sedum Late Stonecrop 0 0
This material is based upon work supported by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education in the National Institute of Food
and Agriculture, U.S.D.A., under Award No. 2014- 38640-22161. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed
in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S.D.A.

May 2019 591


Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum) bloom
bees’ foraging choices, you will find
this report a helpful and useful refer-
ence. I also hope it will spur further
research. I can be contacted by e-mail:
michael@honeyglen.com or through
my website www.honeyglen.com.
Many thanks to Professor Vaughn
M. Bryant of Texas A&M University
who served as technical advisor; to
Mike Blessing, Harold Davis, Steve
Hamrick, and Mark Lilly for collect-
ing pollen samples for the project; to
Pollen Diversity graph showing the level of diversity by location in each sample July through October
592
Honeysuckle (Lonicera) pollen grain
Zach Fowler at WVU Life Sciences
for lending a microscope; and to my
family for their wholehearted help
and support.
This material is based upon work
supported by Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education in the Nation-
al Institute of Food and Agriculture,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, under
Award No. 2014-38640-22161. Any
opinions, findings, conclusions, or rec-
ommendations expressed in this publica-
tion are those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect the view of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
eNdNOtes:
1
https://projects.sare.org/people/hill-
cntrybs/
2
Michael Staddon, West Virginia Pol-
len Project 2015, Honey Glen Blog, 45
pages, 2015 https://www.honeyglen.
com/2015/12/29/wv-pollen-project-final-
outreach-report/
3
Michael Staddon, Defining Honey Bee
Pollen Sources in Appalachia July Through
October, Honey Glen Blog, 49 pages, 2018
https://www.honeyglen.com/2018/12/23/
defining-honey-bee-pollen-sources-in-
appalachia-july-through-october/
Michael Staddon be-
gan keeping bees in
2004 and currently
keeps about 50 colonies
in West Virginia. He is a
WVBA master beekeep-
er, and served as presi-
dent of the North Central
West Virginia Beekeepers Association from
2013 through 2018. In 2016 and 2017 he worked
for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture
doing hive inspections and gathering samples
for the USDA/APHIS National Honey Bee Sur-
vey. He sells bees and honey locally and of-
fers an online basic beekeeping course on his
website, www.honeyglen.com, which combines
thorough research with experience from his
own immersion in honey bees.
American Bee Journal

A
s beekeepers, can we elimi-
nate the small hive beetle?
Seven years ago I attended a
seminar offered through the USDA/
SARE. I applied and received a farm-
er/rancher USDA/SARE grant to
study the elimination of small hive
beetles. To read this study go to proj-
ect.sare.org and enter the grant num-
ber FNC10-843.
The study started with saltbox 1.0,
a simple box placed under the bee-
hive filled with pea gravel and rock
salt. At the end of two years, saltbox
5.0 was tested. This box was a larger
4’ x 8’ box with pea gravel, rock salt
and potting soil beneath 3 hives. The
reason for using potting soil was
based on observing how the beetles
interact when placed on different soil
mediums.
The most important results of my
investigation happened in the last
five years. I had to find a better way
to contain the beetle larvae with a
system that was more mobile. This
system adds about 11 lbs. to the cur-
rent bee hive. I modified the saltbox
to fit under a modified screened bot-
tom board. The design minimizes
cost, reduces maintenance and results
in better examination of hives, along
with hive mobility. At the conclusion
of five years, with saltbox 11.0, I be-
lieve I have found a reliable method
to eliminate them.
Each spring and fall I went through
each hive searching and destroying
beetles. My goal was to eliminate
them from the beehive prior to the
winter cluster of the bees. This proce-
dure led to some interesting observa-
tions. I went through each hive at least
four times over a seven-day period.
For example, on Monday I would go
through each hive searching for them,
May 2019
Can We Eliminate
Small Hive Beetle?
Seven Years of Study
by JOHN NENNINGER
killing and keeping count. I would do
the search and destroy every other
day until I couldn’t find any beetles.
During the fall inspection, I added
blocks of sugar for winter feeding,
covering the sugar with aluminum
foil and then covering the alumi-
num foil with a box of insulation. I
then used duct tape to tape up all
the joints of the boxes. In the spring
of the year, I opened the hives for
inspection. There was always some
sugar left. I had no problem with
any other insects through the winter.
However to my surprise, the very
first spring when I opened up the
beehives I had hundreds of beetles
on the inside and outside of the in-
ner cover. I was very upset and dis-
traught at this condition.
Because the temperature was still
in the lower 50s the beetles were not
that active. (When the temperature
gets below 40 they go into a dormant
state. This was observed when I vis-
ited a beekeeper who had beetles. I
gathered up some of the allegedly
dead beetles in a jar. The jar was then
placed in my car and within minutes
Empty saltbox
and screened
bottom board
the beetles started to move about.) I
commenced in smashing as many
of them as I could. I then went back
48 hours later and did the process
over again until I was satisfied that
I couldn’t find any more. I applied
spring sugar water and throughout
the summer I left the bees alone.
What caused my beehives to have
so many adult beetles? Throughout
the winter in Missouri we could have
days that are well in the 60s. In this
kind of temperature bees are active
along with beetles. However, where
did these beetles come from? As I was
researching this question I found that
I had a neighbor within 100 yards of
me that had beehives. But their hives
all died out late fall into winter. I had
other beekeepers that were a half a
mile away by car. All their beehives
died out. And of course there could
be feral bees. The individuals were
not too talkative about their beehives.
However they complained about
bugs in their hives.
How could these beetles get entry
into my beehive? Guard bees during
clustering are extremely low or rare.
593

Who’s watching the door? The bee-
hive itself with its pheromones and
chemical compositions is the main
attractor for the adult beetle. So on
a warm winter day, as the bees are
cleansing themselves, the beetles are
looking for a place to winter. The only
thing that they have to do is enter the
front door, crawl up the inside by-
passing the cluster, and become nice
and snug on the inside or outside of
the inner cover.
I followed the same procedure of
inspecting the beehives in the spring
and fall for five years, counting and
killing beetles. During the spring in-
spection, after a search and destroy
mission, the number of beetles were
reduced to a point where five or less
were in my beehives. The fall of 2018
I did not find any beetles in two of my
beehives. As I inspected the saltbox
below the hive for larvae, I did find
remains and larvae that were in the
process of dying.
The saltbox is made out of three-
quarter-inch plywood and 3-inch
boards that are glued and screwed
together. All joints are caulked inside
and out along with the edges of the
This illustrates the placement of the SHB larvae containment box (painted white)
placed under a modified screened bottom board (painted green). The duct tape
is covering a screened ventilation section I use to control summer heat. The hive
(wrapped for winter) sits on top of that.
594
Finished saltbox
filled with potting
soil-based mix
plywood. The box is painted inside
and out with three coats of exterior
white paint. I filled the box with an
inch and a half to 2-inch mixture of
one third potting soil, one third salt
and one third Spectracide Triazicide,
with a light dusting of quarter-inch
potting soil on top (the larvae love
potting soil). This box is then placed
under a modified screened bottom
board. The alterations include re-
moving the tray, closing the opening
with a cut-to-fit quarter-inch piece of
plywood, caulking all the edges, and
painting. The number 8 screen that is
part of the bottom board will keep the
bees from going into the mix. How-
ever, as the larvae drop down to find
soil to pupate, the larvae pass through
the number 8 screen into the soil mix.
From my previous experiments
with beetles and larvae, the adults
can walk backwards with a modified
Michael Jackson moonwalk; however
the larvae can only go forward. The
larvae can turn but not go backwards.
The previous two observations were
discovered when I was testing dif-
ferent soil compositions and inter-
nal traps made of drinking straws.
For example, I put sand in a closed
Tupperware container and placed 12
beetle larvae on top of the sand. The
larvae keep going around the rim of
sand searching for an opening; due to
the sand density the larvae were un-
able to descend into the sand. Within
24 to 48 hours all of the larvae died.
As for the larvae, I can guarantee
that I can contain and kill all the lar-
vae. This theory goes back to my first
saltbox. If I can kill all the children of
all the generations of beetles, there
will never be any adults. The system
that I have developed works, it does
kill all the larvae.
I am currently testing a new inner
cover that would be very attractive to
adult beetles. The goal of this new in-
ner cover is to trap and hopefully kill
the adults that enter the beehive.
As beekeepers, can we eliminate
the small hive beetle?
John Nenninger’s
passion for bees
began in college
genetics many years
ago. As an avid citi-
zen scientist and
logical conserva-
tionist, John prides
himself on under-
standing the impor-
tance of ecology and the environment. From
designing and building his eco-friendly home
to researching and understanding the impact
of the Small Hive Beetle, John thrives in
query. John seeks to understand the correla-
tions with the environment, “for all things are
connected.” He enjoys educating in schools
and the community about beekeeping.
John has a bachelor of science in
mathematics and computer science and
a minor in education from University of
Northeastern Illinois and an MBA from
University of Phoenix. Jhn333@aol.com
American Bee Journal
 The Impacts of
Honey Bees and
Agriculture on the
Surrounding Ecology
by DONNA ASHLEY
H
iNtrOduCtiON
oney bees (Apis mellifera)
are an important part of the
agro-ecosystem matrix that
benefits the economy of agriculture
with increased yields. Farms cover
40% of the Earth’s land mass3 and are
sometimes seen as part of the prob-
lem regarding pollinator decline, and
honey bees as a managed agricultural
commodity have the potential to have
a negative effect on native bee popu-
lations. Could farm system manage-
ment that includes conservation of
bees not only provide and contribute
to natural habitats, but also be used
as models for pollinator conservation
areas and natural habitats?
hONeY Bees aNd Native Bees
Native bees are well documented
as efficient pollinators of crops and
plants in natural ecosystems. Diverse
wild bee populations contribute to
pollination by improving fruit and
seed set, and may offset declines in
managed bee pollination service.7, 10, 13
Native bees have also been shown to
improve pollination in certain crops
by buzz pollination, and enhance the
pollination effectiveness of honey
Bumble bees and honey bees together pollinate the cranberry crop on Pudding Stone Farms.
May 2019
bees. Honey bees do not work as well
as native bees under poor weather
conditions, but have been observed
as the dominant pollinating bee spe-
cies in good weather.6, 13
Honey bees are frequent pollinators
of a wide variety of plants and crops
with large populations at a low cost
to growers. They are needed for large
crop areas that do not have a native
bee habitat connection in surround-
ing areas. 5 Honey bees likely cannot
replace native bees and their special-
ized pollination despite their large
populations; however, there is a lack
of studies that explore the impacts of
honey bee pollination when native
bees are absent.5, 11
Although there is competition be-
tween native and honey bees, there is
little evidence of honey bees causing
stress to wild bees by food competi-
tion, but this is dependent on local
food sources. Impacts of honey bees
on wild bees may be local, with stron-
gest effect found closest to managed
hives, but their impact may be insig-
nificant during periods of high floral
resource availability. Agricultural in-
tensification may reduce the numbers
and diversity of native bees, but there
is no evidence that competition with
honey bees is responsible.8, 10
aGriCultural iMpaCts ON Bees
Agro-ecosystems provide habitat
and nutritional resources for wild
and honey bees and function as
ecosystems.13 Open spaces provide
habitat and bees are found in greater
abundance in these areas, using floral
resources from both agriculture and
natural areas. A wide variety of pol-
len sources can contribute to greater
nutrition in bees, resulting in an in-
creased ability to fight off stressors
such as pathogens, pesticides and
parasites. It is notable that native
bees need natural habitat to thrive,
and the quality of the surrounding
landscape is important, as intense
management of larger crop fields (or-
ganic or conventional) is challenging
for wild bees.3, 6,8,18 Organic farms are
recognized as having greater wild bee
diversity, but organic farms without
natural habitat expansion had similar
social bee abundance to conventional
farms with nearby natural habitat.7, 8
Pesticides are of concern, and more
studies that include periodic field-
realistic testing of all classes of pes-
595
 One of our honey bees works apple blossoms in the spring.
ticides for continued monitoring of
pollinator health are needed to help
make informed decisions in pest
management on farms. Pesticide risk
assessments are mostly from studies
of honey bees, and more research is
needed that includes sub-lethal ef-
fects such as impact on larvae, re-
productive health, navigation, and
the synergistic effects of combined
pesticides on both honey bees and
native bees. IPM (Integrated Pest
Management) practices minimize the
use of pesticides with an emphasis on
low-toxicity methods of pest control
and manual scouting to determine
pest populations that are of economic
damage to the grower. IPM strategies
on both organic and conventional
farms are necessary to protect popu-
lations of native bee species. 6, 15
Monoculture (single crop) farms,
whether organic or conventional,
can be limiting to bees especially if
surrounding weeds and vegetation
Wyatt leaves generous areas of un-
mowed pollinator forage, where clover
and other “weeds” are allowed to grow
wild.
596
A honey bee works turnips that have gone to seed in the garden.
are eliminated to prevent foraging
competition during bloom times in
crop plants. Bees in general will for-
age long-range for mass flowering
crops, which increase bumble bee
densities on farms 1,17. In some cases,
mass flowering crops have a stron-
ger influence on wild bee popula-
tions than natural habitat availability.
These landscapes could be further
improved by managing semi-natural
habitats, or multiple mass flowering
crops with staggered bloom times,
that would provide quality and stable
food sources.6, 16, 17 Appropriate man-
agement techniques, even on farms
that are intensely managed, can off-
set many of the negative trade-offs
with agriculture.12 Heterogeneous
landscapes (variety of plant sources)
with natural habitat connectivity and
smaller scale size may be the contrib-
uting factor for bee health, not neces-
sarily lack of pesticide use.4, 18
Our experieNCe iN CraNBerries
It was during my work on the cran-
berry bogs here in Massachusetts as
an IPM scout monitoring pest popu-
lations that I became intrigued with
the bees working the cranberry crop
and surrounding areas. This led to
keeping our own hives here at Pud-
ding Stone Farms, a family farm
owned by my father-in-law Stephen,
who is a third-generation cranberry
grower. Cranberries need pollinators
for fruit set and generally rely not
only on honey bees but also native
bumble bees for pollination. Grow-
ing cranberries and keeping honey
bees are complementary; the cycles of
weather, seasons, and human inter-
vention have an effect on the colonies
and cranberry vines, and observing
these effects gives an appreciation of
the response of plants and insects to
their environment.
Since cranberries rely on bees for
pollination, they are prioritized when
making pest control decisions. Cran-
berry farms are commonly surround-
ed by wetlands, forest and open ar-
eas, and are home to many types of
wildlife, with habitat supportive of
bee populations. My oldest son Wy-
att does the mowing here on our farm
and will leave areas of clover and oth-
er weeds un-mowed to provide for-
age for bees when the cranberries are
not in bloom, and has plans to expand
bee forage and habitat.
Both of my teenage sons have an
interest in bees; at 19 years old, Wyatt
is also a beekeeper, while his younger
brother Henry has an affinity for na-
tive bees. Henry is 17 and working
on a conservation project for native
pollinators as his Eagle Scout Service
Project, planting food resources and
providing habitat at a cranberry farm
that is now out-of-production and
managed by Massachusetts Fish and
Wildlife in our home town.
eCOlOGiCal iMpaCts OF hONeY Bees
The impact of honey bees as pol-
linators in natural habitats is poorly
understood. Honey bees visit a small
proportion of floral resources, and
therefore native bees provide the
majority of pollination for flowering
plants in natural habitats. Notably, re-
search excluded collecting data from
areas near farms that may have honey
bee hives. However, honey bees, as an
abundant generalist pollinator, may
influence the evolutionary path of the
interactions between plants and na-
tive pollinators in some areas.5, 10
American Bee Journal
 Honey bees can be used as envi-
ronmental monitors15 and further
research in technologies that record
and track data such as exposure to
pesticides, chemical detection, forag-
ing activity in agricultural and natu-
ral areas, crop conditioning for pol-
lination preference, and bee-vector
bio-control of crops could have ben-
eficial applications in not only us-
ing honey bees for agricultural and
beekeeping purposes,2 but could also
be applied to research for conserva-
tion areas and restoration of natural
habitats.
iMpaCts ON FarMers aNd Beekeepers
Beyond pollination services from
honey bees, farmers could maximize
their visibility to the public as polli-
nator stewards and capitalize on the
conservation of both native and non-
native bees by branding their respon-
sibility to sustainable bee conserva-
tion in their farming practices and
products.3 Agro-ecosystems could
include planting harvestable com-
modities that sustain a wide variety
of bee populations.16, 17 Advancements
in research on crop plant breeding
for pollinator friendly traits, such as
increased nectar or pollen produc-
tion for attraction, would be benefi-
cial to both growers and beekeepers
through expanded forage resources
for the bees and greater yields via
pollination for growers.9
Farmers and beekeepers will likely
have to adapt to the effects of climate
change in the future.3, 12 Bees will re-
spond to landscape changes, and the
ability to predict their response can
help plan management strategies.
Restoring pollination services for
agriculture could also benefit native
plants and thereby promote biodi-
versity of bees and plants.6, 8 In some
areas, placement of managed honey
bee hives could potentially ben-
efit conservation areas and restore
natural habitat in those areas where
wild bee and plant species have been
lost.6, 8, 10, 14
Integrated Crop Pollination (ICP) is
the use of managed pollinator species
in combination with farm manage-
ment practices that support and pro-
tect pollinator populations to provide
reliable and economical pollination of
crops. ICP strategies are dependent
on geographical location and need to
be tailored for specific needs in local
areas. ICP concepts can be combined
with IPM strategies to create Integrat-
ed Pollinator and Pest Management
(IPPM).6
May 2019
A bumble bee takes advantage of goldenrod blooming at Henry’s Eagle Scout
conservation project.
CONClusiON
It is possible that agro-ecosystems
using IPPM practices that emphasize
natural habitat support with native
plantings, staggered mass plantings
of crops, or perennial plants with
high nutritional value to pollinators
in systems that include managed
honey bees, could provide optimal
habitat and contribute to bee diver-
sity in surrounding ecology. Future
studies of agricultural areas with
year-round managed hives and/
or migratory hives could assist bee-
keepers in making informed deci-
sions about apiary placement in re-
gards to the surrounding geography,
and the effects (positive or negative)
their honey bees would have on na-
tive species.
Agro-ecosystems could possibly be
used as models for mapping strate-
gies for sustaining natural habitats
and areas of ecological concern. Be-
havioral conditioning to train honey
bees to concentrate their floral visits
to particular crops could also be used
as enhancements for the preservation
of native plants in areas of concern.
The relationships between plant and
bee species should be observed by
growers and beekeepers as a display
of symbiosis that cannot be replicated
anthropologically, but can be learned
from to advance environmental stew-
ardship for both honey bees and na-
tive bees.
Both my sons and I have learned
about and developed an interest in
bees on a working farm; it is possible
that agro-ecosystems such as cranber-
ry farms can be an instrumental tool
in the education and development of
protective and supportive strategies
for the benefit of bees.
reFereNCes
1. Beekman, M. & Ratnieks, F., 2000.
Long-range foraging by the honey-bee,
Apis mellifera L. Functional Ecology,
14(4), pp.490–496.
2. Bromenshenk Jerry J. et al., 2015. Bees
as Biosensors: Chemosensory Ability,
Honey Bee Monitoring Systems, and
Emergent Sensor Technologies Derived
from the Pollinator Syndrome. Biosen-
sors, 5(4), pp. 678–711.
3. Burkle, L.A., Delphia, C.M. & O’Neill,
K.M., 2017. A dual role for farmlands:
food security and pollinator conserva-
tion. Journal of Ecology, 105(4), pp. 890–
899.
4. Gabriel, D. et al., 2010. Scale matters:
the impact of organic farming on biodi-
versity at different spatial scales. Ecology
Letters, 13(7), pp. 858–869.
5. Hung, K.-L.J. et al., 2018. The world-
wide importance of honey bees as pol-
linators in natural habitats. Proceed-
ings. Biological sciences, 285(1870), pp.
20172140–20172140.
6. Isaacs et al., 2017. Integrated Crop Pol-
lination: Combining strategies to ensure
stable and sustainable yields of pollina-
tion-dependent crops. Basic and Applied
Ecology, 22(C), pp. 44–60.
7. Kennedy, CM, Lonsdorf, E., Neel, MC,
Williams, NM, Ricketts, TH, Winfree,
R., et al. (2013). A global quantitative
synthesis of local and landscape effects
on wild bee pollinators in agroecosys-
tems. Ecology Letters, 16(5), 584-599.
8. Kremen, Claire, Williams, Neal M.,
Thorpe T.W., 2002. Crop pollination
from native bees at risk from agricul-
tural intensification. Proceeding of the
National Academy of Sciences 99 (26)
16812-16816.
9. Mallinger, R.E. & Prasifka, J.R., 2017.
Bee visitation rates to cultivated sun-
flowers increase with the amount and
accessibility of nectar sugars. Journal
of Applied Entomology, 141(7), pp. 561–
573.
10. Mallinger, R. E., Gaines-Day, H. R., &
Gratton, C. (2017). Do managed bees
have negative effects on wild bees?: A
597
 systematic review of the literature. PLoS
ONE, 12(12), e0189268.
11. Nabors, A. et al., 2018. The effect of
removing numerically dominant, non-
native honey bees on seed set of a native
plant. Oecologia, 186(1), pp. 281–289.
12. Power, A. G., 2010. Ecosystem services
and agriculture: tradeoffs and synergies.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal
Society B: Biological Sciences, 365(1554),
2959–2971.
598
13. Rogers, Shelley R., Tarpy, David R. &
Burrack, Hannah J., 2014. Bee Species
Diversity Enhances Productivity and
Stability in a Perennial Crop. PLoS ONE,
9(5), p.e97307.
14. Russo, L., 2016. Positive and Negative
Impacts of Non-Native Bee Species
around the World. Insects, 7(4), pp.
15. Siviter H, Koricheva J, Brown MJF,
Leadbeater E. Quantifying the impact
of pesticides on learning and memory in
bees. J Appl Ecol. 2018;00:1–10.
16. Todd, K.J., Gardiner, M.M. &
Lindquist, E.D., 2016. Mass flowering
crops as a conservation resource for
wild pollinators (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).
Journal of the Kansas Entomological Soci-
ety, 89(2), pp.158–167.
17. Westphal, C., Steffan-Dewenter, I. &
Tscharntke, T., 2003. Mass flowering
crops enhance pollinator densities at a
landscape scale. Ecology Letters, 6(11),
pp.961–965.
18. Winfree, R., 2010. The conservation and
restoration of wild bees. Annals of the
New York Academy of Sciences, 11951(1),
pp. 169–197.
Donna Ashley lives and
works at home on Pud-
ding Stone Farms with
her husband Jonathan
where they have raised
and home schooled their
two sons. She completed
her University of Montana
Master Beekeeper certifi-
cate in 2018, with plans to continue research-
ing and writing about bees, farming and con-
servation.
American Bee Journal

MarketPlace
FOR SALE
1000 hives 10-frame two-story on 4-way pallets,
new outfit & queens, excellent condition, available
in May in California. (530) 671-6188.
FOR SALE: Singles and 1 1/2 story hives for sale.
1000 available. Call for Pricing, Jon@(208) 412-
1092 or Golden @ (208) 250-8420. www.golden
beeinc.com
Five frame NUCS for sale mid-April through Fall.
Price dependent on season and quantity of order.
Minimum order of 24 NUCS. No frame trade,
only return of our boxes. Call early to secure your
order. FOB Lewistown PA or Dade City, FL.
Please call W. Fisher Bee Farm for more infor-
mation. 1-800-736-6205. Ask for Aaron.
Cowen Heated top and bottom bar cleaner with
extra SS tub and hot water supply unit purchased
in 2009 less than 40 hours, asking $6000.00.
Item available for pickup in Lewistown, PA or
Dade City, Florida. For more information call
800-736-6205.
Singles for sale, delivery possible on orders over
200. For pricing and availability call: 800-736-6205.
2000 10-frame hives, new queens, on 4-way pal-
lets, very good equipment in FL. Now or after al-
monds in CA. Limited numbers of 4 and 5-frame
deep nucs. Also available in FL starting in March.
Call NOW!! (262) 689-1000.
Make your own Honey Sticks. Complete sys-
tem to start putting your honey in your own
sticks for pennies per stick. Keep the profits
for yourself. www.honeystickmachine.com
Strong, healthy 5 frame Nucs (deep or medium)
available in South Florida starting in April of
2018. Limited quantities of mated queens are also
available. Call Joseph at (561) 715-5715 to place
your order.
HONEY PRICE UPDATES. Call Honey Hot
Line. (763) 658-4193.
PACKAGED BEES AND 5-FRAME NUCS.
TAKING ORDERS NOW FOR 2018. CALL
(231) 735-1203.
For Sale: 200 5-frame nucs and 400 single hives
in Florida. (772) 633-1134.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING-Net price $1.00 per word per insertion. Initials, letters as in street address, counted as individual words. No advertisement accepted for less than 10
words. Payable cash in advance. Blind Classified 10% additional. (A blind ad is one in which responses are addressed to the ABJ and then forwarded to the advertiser.) Extreme care
always is exercised in establishing the reliability of all advertisers, but the publishers do not guarantee advertisements. Orders close the 20th of the second month preceding cover
date. Send typed copy to : Advertising Dept., American Bee Journal, 51 S. 2nd St., Hamilton, IL 62341 or FAX to 217-847-3660 or e-mail to: abjads@dadant.com.
May 2019
American Bee Journal
PARSONS’ GOLD SOLUTION - The Only
Solution For Keeping Your Honey Bees
Healthy! Herbal Treatment Oil & Jelly
- Bee Grooming Stimulant - Train The
Bees To Do The Work - Healthy Bees
Year Round. No Negative Effects On
Bees, Queen, Wax or Honey. Business
(419) 273-3066; Cell (419) 235-7037.
www.parsonsgoldhoneybees.com #33
Treatment Loaded Syringe - $20.00
plus $8.00 S/H. Checks, Money Orders,
Credit Cards. Parsons’ Gold Apiaries,
c/o Robert B. Parsons, 2092 Twp. Rd.,
195, Forest, OH 45843.
For Sale – 3000 10-frame singles. 2015
queens, new equipment. Also, 5-frame
nucs available. Call Chris (941) 720-
6025.
Bobcat, Hummerbee and Superbee Trailers cus-
tom built. New S450 Bobcat’s, set up with masts
and fifth wheels complete. Fifth Wheels sold
separately. Used Bobcat’s bought, sold and trade-
ins welcome. Custom truck bodies and Custom
smoker boxes, all built by a beekeeper FOR bee-
keepers. www.tropictrailer.com - Eli Mendes
239-340-0484, eli@tropictrailer.com
5 frame Nucs, 10 frame single hives on four-way
pallets, doubles, and story and a half hives, avail-
able year round in large and small quantities. Lo-
cated in the Florida Panhandle. Call for pricing,
Ryan Faircloth 850-510-4627.
FOR SALE: Deep extracting supers, 9-frames per
super. (308) 470-0177.
5 Frame nucs in NorthEast Oklahoma. Available
Late April through Fall. No minimums. Taking
orders now for Spring 2019. www.RoarkAcres.
com Michael Roark (918)578-9201 nucs@
roarkacres.com
New Beekeepers Forklift Trailers: 8000 lb. torflex
axle, 17.5/16 ply tires, electric brakes, tilt bed, ex-
panded metal treads. $6,500.00 For photos E-mail:
gcamfab@yahoo.com 269-685-1000 (cell/text).
BUSINESS FOR SALE! 600 PLUS HIVES,
COWEN 120 EXTRACTING SYSTEM, HONEY
TANKS, SUPERS, BOBCAT, TRUCKS AND
MORE! EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUC-
CEED! POSSIBLE OWNER FINANCING,
PLEASE CONTACT KEVIN@SARTINFARMS.
COM 909-800-2695
HIVES FOR SALE! DOUBLE DEEPS, GOOD
EQUIPMENT, CALL WITH ANY QUESTIONS
909-800-2695
Top quality cut comb honey. Comb in the jar,
and extracted star thistle, basswood, Florida or-
ange and melaleuca free pepper honey. 10 frame
singles and 5 frame nuc’s available for almonds.
Call Larry at 231-735-1203 or email debbie@
hilbertshoney.com
New 700 --6 5/8 supers w/foundation, painted,
ready for bees. $30 each. (360) 263-2425.
West central North Dakota beekeeping opera-
tion. Currently running 4000 plus story and
a half colonies. All 6 5/8” honey supers. 9000
square foot warehouse with employee living
quarters. Cowen 120 system, Cook and Beals
spin float and heat exchanger. 120 plus regis-
tered North Dakota locations and California al-
mond contracts. Complete turn key operation
with trucks, trailers, bobcats or partial sale.
All past production records available. Contact
phones: 701-938-4647 or 701-290-0175. Email
contact: bon@ndsupernet.com
700 strong honeybee colonies available after
spring 2019 almond pollination. Price: 180/unit
in semiload lots, F.O.B. Wasco, CA. Like new
equipment. Downsizing. Ask for photos. Call
Ed 231-408-7485 or email: edeisele@gmail.com
2007 Freightliner truck, M2 Series, fully cus-
tomized with 25 ft bed, 4 mounted tool boxes,
two 80 gallon fuel tanks, good rubber, 480K
road miles. Price: $22,500. Photos available.
Downsizing. Call Ed 231-408-7485 or email:
edeisele@gmail.com
2017 Turbo II Hummerbee, fully loaded, tall
mast for semi loading, loaded tires, HD hy-
draulic pump, clamp down kit, etc. Only 300
hrs, Price: $42,500. 2013 Hummerbee trailer,
3,500. Photos available. Call for Ed 231-408-
7485 or email: edeisele@gmail.com
4 & 5 Frame Nucs For Sale $125-$140. Quantity
Discounts Available. **Almond Field Discount**
You bring the boxes, we’ll fill them. Call for info.
608-553-3470.
300 five frame nucs available mid to late April
Northern California pickup. 120$ each. Fresh
queens, good equipment. (530)415-3172
Travis Neves.
4 FRAME NUCS - Calm & Gentle Bees. Pickup
in SW MO. Mid-May $145 each. ph 417-882-8008
LARGE SINGLES - New Equipment - Late May
in SW MO $215 each. These will make honey!!
ph 417-882-8008
5 frame nucs ready to go end of April - get your
numbers back up fast and more economical -
make honey!! Arrowsmith & Sons 530 515 4522.
2000 colonies 1 3/4 story new pallets, good equip-
ment & ready to split shake. Make nucs after al-
monds in Red Bluff CA - call Arrowsmith and
Sons (530) 515 -4522.
Cowen Wax Spinner and Stainless Steel Auger,
excellent condition, $10,000 for both. Jonesboro,
AR. Steve Culp 870-931-8647.
Retiring - 1000 colony operation. 2000 deep
brood boxes, 3000+ med honey supers, covers,
bottom bds, pallets etc. Cowen (60 fr extrac-
tor, uncapper, spinner, and auger), Fager melter,
tanks. SE Minn. Call 651-463-8716. Email:
srduff1@hotmail.com
For Sale....400+ d.d. also singles available....after
Almonds ...in CA or near Sioux Falls or Sioux
City...605.809.6291.
Bee colonies for sale after almonds. (541)223-
2009.
For Sale: Double deeps and single hives, 10
frames or 8 frames. 24 hive minimum. Near
Tracy, CA. 925-626-7800 lendelta@yahoo.com
599
Retiring Complete Bee Operation in Western
South Dakota with excellent locations on alfalfa
and clover. Serious inquiries only. 605-210-0235.
POLLEN TRAPS – queen excluders, internal
feeder, boxes with comb, empty boxes, pallets,
lids, wax spinner. Arizona (480) 206-8740.
Downsizing, Drawn comb $2.50, used hive bodies
$10, new unassembled hive bodies $20, division
board feeders $4.25 North Carolina 828-696-6629
mbc74@icloud.com
For Sale: 5000 6 5/8” shallow supers, 9-frames
per super. 2000 bottom boards. Call for details.
Scott (909) 503-3601.
FOR SALE: Story and ½ 10-frame hives. PLUS
5-frame cardboard Nucs with all new queens.
(559) 674-1842.
Hobbyist sized extracting equipment. 9/18 SS
radial extractor, Dadant uncapping tank with
baskets and heater. Other beekeeping equip-
ment of interest to the hobbyist including 16
Ross Round supers with frames. All quality
stuff. Located in Huron S.D. 605 -354-1664.
Commercial winter beehive storage $6/hive.
Located in central Utah. Close to interstate
freeways. 10 hours from Southern California.
Taking reservations 435-469-1673.
408 hives, 10-frame two-story on 4-way pallets.
700 6 5/8” shallow supers with comb. Call Bob
at (406) 293-3022 or (509) 990-8280.
Retiring. 75 colonies, 120 Cowen Decapper
Deboxer, Auger, Spinner, Pump, 1000 6 5/8
supers, lids, pollen traps, drip boards 6 5/8 end
bar machine. Much misc. So. Cal. (951) 694-
5319.
ATTENTION BEEKEEPERS !!! OUT
OF BUSINESS SALE IN CALIFORNIA
!!! REDUCED PRICING !!! TRUCKS
DO NOT MEET CALIFORNIA CARB
REQUIREMENTS. 2007 Freightliner Flatbed
10-Wheeler 23’x8’ bed $20,000. OBO. USED
IN BEEKEEPING OPERATION. ALL IN EX-
CELLENT SHAPE. CALL FOR DETAILS -
ANNE 661-805-0058.
2012 and 2014 Best Trailers for transporting
Bobcats, Hummerbees small compact pick-
ups, etc. Dual axles. Registered & Plated for
10,000 lbs. Manufactured for 14,000 lb rating.
2012 Best Trailer $2,500.00; 2014 Best Trailer
$4,000.00,F.O.B. Felda FL 33930. Photos
upon request. Call or email: Ed 231-408-7485;
edeisele@gmail.com
120-Frame Air Ram Cowen Extracting System
in excellent condition ready for you to install
and extract your honey crop. Includes deboxer.
Has been reconditioned, manufacture date
11/98. $22,500.00 sold on first come basis. Rea-
son: Upgrading to newer system. Photos sent
per your request. Contact Steve 239-896-0777
or Ed 231-408-7485. Email: seisele007@gmail.
com; edeisele@gmail.com
HONEY FOR SALE
Excellent clover honey in drums and light beeswax
available. Mark Gilberts Apiaries, (608) 482-1988.
U.S. sweet clover, alfalfa, thistle mix, (9 drums of
black locust-limited supply), white honey, melter
honey, filtered, new drums, excellent honey- f.o.b.
several loads available. Produced by Baldwin
Apiaries, Darlington, WI (608) 776-3700.
Very nice looking & good tasting Nebraska
bottling honey. (402) 319-5125.
CLOVER – Buckwheat, Orange, Tupelo, and
Wildflower – pails or drums. PURE SWEET
HONEY FARM, 514 Commerce Parkway,
Verona, Wisconsin 53593. (608) 845-9601.
Clover, Basswood, Wildflower honey available in
pails and drums in WI. Great tasting! Light bees-
wax available. Call (262) 689-1000.
600
Honey and beeswax for sale. Clover, Orange
Blossom, Wildflower. Many varietals available.
Smitty Bee Honey (712) 748-4292.
QUALITY HONEY, barrels, your buckets.
Hollenbeck, Kirksville, Missouri. (660) 665-2542
evenings.
Premium Michigan Honey from blueberries,
wildflowers and thistle. Selling by truck load.
Call Cory at 269.217.4404.
Premium Florida honeys for all your pack-
ing needs: gallberry, mangrove, pepper,
orange blossom, call Ed 231-408-7485 or Steve
239-896-0777, email: edeisele@gmail.com or
seisele007@gmail.com.
Barrels ND white honey by the drum or truckload.
Call 701-650-0200. mackrillhoney@hotmail.com
Premium Oregon meadowfoam, blackberry,
clover, alfalfa honey in drums. Prescott Honey
Farms. 541-977-8848.
BULK HONEY - Creamed Yellow Honey - Mes-
quite Honey -Multiflora Honey -We welcome
any lab tests for purity, our honeys are produced
under the strict EU standards. Samples available -
adrishoney28@gmail.com
HONEY AND
BEESWAX WANTED
HONEY WANTED—Extracted or comb.
LEIGHTON’S HONEY, INC., 1203 Commerce
Ave. Haines City, Florida 33844. (863) 422-1773.
FAX (863) 421-2299
HONEY WANTED– all grades. Also, honey barrels
for sale. Contact Pure Sweet Honey Farm Inc., 514
Commerce Parkway, Verona, WI. (608) 845-9601.
HONEY PRICE UPDATES. Call Honey
Hot Line. (763) 658-4193.
ROYAL JELLY
BEST 100% PURE FRESH ROYAL JELLY.
$65.00 per kilo + shipping. HIGHEST PO-
TENCY. LOWEST PRICES guaranteed on
large orders. TOP QUALITY. Stakich, Inc.
248-642-7023 X 301
POLLEN
QUALITY, CLEAN, LOW MOISTURE POL-
LEN $5.90/lb. Min. 10 lbs. + shipping. LOW-
EST PRICES guaranteed for large orders.
Stakich, Inc. Phone 248-642-7023 X 301
Irradiated fresh pollen guaranteed from Cali-
fornia. We have irradiated fresh bee pollen for
sale. For inquiries or to place an order, please
email us at: backroadbeekeeping@gmail.com,
or call 916-716-0302. You can also visit us at
our website at backroadbeekeeping.com
PROBIOTICS
ApiBiotics - Probiotics for Bees with Prebiot-
ics -Promotes healthy immune system -Increase
beneficial bacteria in bees -Strengthens intestinal
microflora Aztalia Apiary, W5884 Church Road,
Johnson Creek, WI. 53038-9736 (920) 204-3102
info@aztalia.com
POLLINATION
Bees wanted for the Almonds. Art Harris, 6301
Victor St. #63, Bakersfield, CA 93308 (661) 444-
1470.
Almond Pollination 2020. Wintering yards with
full service maintenance, feeding and medication.
Self-service bee yards available. We have trucks,
forklifts and crew to place hives in orchard. You
are paid 50% on February 25th and 50% April
20th. Visit: www.almondbeepollination.com
for more details. California Almond Pollina-
tion Service, Inc. (209) 202-8915 E Mail:
steve@almondbee.buzz
BEES AND QUEENS
JERRY FOSTER QUEENS quality Carniolan and
hybrid Italian queens at competitive prices. Nucs
and packages also. Jerry Foster Apiaries, 937 9th
St., Colusa, CA 95932. Phone (530) 458-4234.
Pacific Northwest mated queens. Orders of 50 or
more. Treasure Valley Idaho. Call for Pricing, Jon
@ (208) 412-1092. www.goldenbeeinc.com
QUALITY QUEENS from HAWAII, available
year round. Call KARRUS QUEENS (808)
854-5308.
3 lb Packages Bees for sale, for pick up in
Wisconsin. Contact: Mark Gilberts Apiaries 608-
482-1988.
Let us put bees into your equipment with enough
time to feed them up for the almonds. May be
willing to do the feeding. Also, willing to fill your
equipment in the spring. Call Rick Riggs (661)
204-2631.
Doubles, singles, brood for sale
year round. FOB Jan-April, Oak-
dale, CA. April-Dec., Milton Freewa-
ter, OR. Queens less than 6 months,
great equipment. Ryan@sweetbee
honeyco.com (360) 907-0842. $5k min.
purchase.
2019 Early-bird pricing–School House Bees.
Italian & Russian-hybrid pkg bees & queens:
P/U–KY ship-midwest. 5-Frame Nucs, Single &
Double Hives P/U–KY. Pails of Spille’s honey all
year. www.schoolhousebees.com (859) 356-1350.
WILD SURVIVOR BREEDER QUEENS
NW Feral Stock - Hardy - Hygienic
Mite Tolerant - Disease Resistant.
– OLYMPIC WILDERNESS APIARY
Isolated Yards – (360) 928-3125. www.
wildernessbees.com
PACKAGE BEES AND QUEENS for sale
spring 2019. Also, 10-frame singles and some
double deep 10-frame and 8-frame hives. Powell
Apiaries, 4140 Co. Rd. KK, Orland, CA 95963.
Phone (530) 865-3346. FAX (530) 865-3043.
Package Honey bees FOR SALE
in Ohio and eastern Indiana
www.olddrone.net
ITALIAN QUEENS, MARKED AND MATED.
JONES BEE FARM, HOUSTON, MS 38851.
CALL SAM JONES: 662-456-6285.
Eastern Bee Supply - Nucs /Queens/Pack-
ages. 910-290-4186 https://easternbeesupply.
my-free.website/
NUCS & QUEENS – shipping available.
NorthFloridaBees@mail.com (850) 661-
8077
George S Zimmerman in northern California
is now taking orders for 2019 Queens being
ready around first of April. VSH trait (Varroa
Sensitive Hygiene) hybrid queens or Cordovan
Italian Queens. All queens are open mated in
my Cordovan Italian yard. Call 530-736-7343 or
email me at gszimm42@gmail.com
A & W Enterprises, Northern California Queen’s.
Now taking orders for Queens, competitive pric-
ing, Mated Italians and Carniolan Queens. Order
100 Queens or more and get special pricing. All
orders shipped next day UPS, pick-ups are wel-
come. Call for pricing - Dave @208-861-8303 All
orders email to BeesAWenterprise@gmail.com
for confirmation.
NorCal Bee has 500 5 frame nucs with bees and
laying queen available for purchase . Call or text
us at (530) 300-3500.
500 hives strong and heavy for sale @ $200 each
available May 1st. Rick 661-204-2631.
American Bee Journal
Dans Queens available May-October. Call
(530) 520-4885 for price and details.
Northern California Queens – Good Quality
Bred Italians. Call Jake: (530) 517-0359.
NUCS
NEW! ZipNetBags.com! 36”x26” double-
layered net bag w/36” zipper to
transport NUC of bees. 281/556-6798,
info@ZipNetBags.com
WANTED
Honey and Beeswax wanted. All colors and
varietals. Send samples or call Smitty Bee Honey
(712) 748-4292.
Beekeeper w/bees needed for 2019 North
Dakota Honey Season. Serious inquiries only.
Contact: BumblebeePalace76@outlook.com
(701) 928-1420
HELP WANTED
Full time position available in Oregon. Bee-
keeping experience and CDL required. Contact
Ryan@sweetbeehoneyco.com PO Box 558,
Milton Freewater, OR 97862 (360)907-0842.
Seasonal and full-time help needed at our migratory
bee operation. We are located in FL and WI. We do
pollination, queen rearing and honey production.
Some experience preferred, team environment,
wages dependent on experience, good opportunity
or advancement. Prior work history and references
required. Contact Gary at (262) 689-1000.
Olivarez Honey Bees/Big Island Queens is seek-
ing motivated beekeepers to join our Hawaii
team! Experience preferred. Self-motivator and
ability to work in a team environment a plus. Po-
sitions are full time, salary based on experience.
Great Benefits Package. Prior work history and
references required. Advancement opportunities
available. Submit resume to info@ohbees.com
or Olivarez Honey Bees Inc/Big Island Queens,
P O Box 847 Orland Ca 95963, Fax: 530-865-
5570, Phone 530-865-0298
Full time and seasonal positions available in Or-
egon. Beekeeping experience preferred. Contact:
prescotthoneyfarms@live.com (541)977-8848.
MISCELLANEOUS
The AMERICAN BEEKEEPING FEDERA-
TION has many benefits to offer its members.
Send for a membership packet of information
today! We also offer a free Beginning Beekeeping
Packet. Contact the AMERICAN BEEKEEPING
FEDERATION, 3525 Piedmont Rd. NE, Bld. 5.
Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30305-1509, Phone (404)
760-2875, Fax 404-240-0998, or email info@
abfnet.org.
Would you like to operate your bee company in
North Dakota? Contact: carrot201611@yahoo.
com (701) 824-4585
BEE SCIENCE NEWS -News website
established to provide a comprehen-
sive review of published peer reviewed
articles related to honey bee health as
well as work that is not published or
open source. Our goal is to provide
information on natural beekeeping
techniques as well as novel sustain-
able solutions for honey bee health
challenges. Subscribe online at www.
beesciencenews.com
Now taking outside contracts for 2019-2020 sea-
son. CA (Controlled Atmosphere) warehouse/
wintering shed with refrigeration available for
rent mid October thru January 2020. Can hold
7,000+ hives. Located in SD. Runs on Gellert op-
erating system. Proven results 3+ years. Call for
more info 605-680-0156.
May 2019
ATTENTION LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS—
PERIODICALS Ranch Magazine is your monthly information
guide for Angora, Cashmere and meat goats, as
L’ABEILLE DE FRANCE—The most important
of the monthly publications in France - for all well as sheep and cattle. Comprehensive Breeder
Directory. 1-Yr $27, 2-Yrs $54. Foreign &
beekeepers, from the amateurs to the professional.
Canada add $36 per yr. postage. Subscribe today!
Each month: an article for beginners, reports from
Box 2678-ABJ, San Angelo, TX 76902. Call for
specialists, a review of the latest information all
free sample. (325) 655-4434
over the world. Ask for a sample Annual subscrip-
THE SCOTTISH BEEKEEPER—Monthly Maga-
tion: 40$ US. ABEILLE DE FRANCE- 5, rue du zine of the Scottish Beekeeper’s Association. Inter-
Copenhague-F 75008 PARIS. national in appeal, Scottish in character. View back
THE AUSTRALASIAN BEEKEEPER— numbers and Subscription rates at: http://scottish
Senior Beekeeping Journal of the Southern beekeepers.org.uk
Hemisphere. Complete coverage of all bee- SOUTH AFRICAN BEE JOURNAL – The
official magazine of the South African Bee In-
keeping topics in one of the world’s largest
beekeeping countries. Published by Pender dustry Organization (SABIO). Published quar-
terly in English, with Afrikaans articles, on the
Beekeeping Supplies Pty. Ltd., “Bilga” 79 Nay- South African Honeybee sub-species of Cape
lor Road, Urila, N.S.W. 2620, Australia. Annual Bees and African bees. For enquiries send to
subscription paid in advance $160 AUD. info@sabio.org.za or refer www.sabio.org.za
THE AUSTRALIAN BEE JOURNAL— ULADAG BEE JOURNAL - Publication of
Caters to both amateur and commercial Uludag Beekeeping Association, published quar-
apiarists. Subscription $120.00 Australian terly in Turkish (with English titles and summaries
of all articles) and English in all aspects of bee-
currently for all overseas subscribers per annum. keeping; beekeeping news, practical beekeeping,
Published monthly. Victorian Apiarists’ Asso- and research articles, and considered a link be-
ciation, Inc., P.O. Box 40, California Gully,Vic. tween Turkish beekeeping and the world. Gazcilar
Australia 3556 Ph: 03 5446 1543, Email: Cad. No. 9/2 16220 Bursa-TURKEY Fax:+90 224
vaa@vicbeekeepers.com.au. 224 3964 http://www.uludagaricilik.org.tr
BEECRAFT The UK’s leading monthly beekeep-
ing magazine. View a digital copy and subscribe on
line at www.bee-craft.com.
DIE BIENE – ALLGEMEINE DEUTSCHE IM-
KERZEITUNG (ADIZ) – IMKERFREUND The
Bee magazines with special publications in bee
science and management for the hobbyist as well
as for the sideliner and professional beekeeper.
Three regional titles but same content today for
Germany except partly Imkerfreund for Bavaria.
Monthly publications with 64 pages. Subscription
Euro 44.50 per year – Deutscher Landwirtschafts-
verlag GmbH, Postfach 870324, 13162 Berlin, Tel.
+49(0)30/293974-87, Fax +49(0) 30/293974-59,
www.diebiene.de
HIVELIGHTS, National magazine of the Cana-
dian Honey Council. Published quarterly. Free
sample on request, write to Canadian Honey
Council, Suite 236, 234-5149 Country Hills
Blvd. NW, Calgary AB T3A 5K8, CANADA.
Subscription information available at www.
honeycouncil.ca.
HONEYBEE NEWS, The Journal of the New
South Wales Apiarists’ Association, Inc., Inter-
national Subscription AUS$50.00 (Airmail) Bank
Draft, Visa or MasterCard payable to NSW AA.
Published bi-monthly—For more information
contact: The Editor, PO Box 352, Leichhardt
NSW 2040 Australia. E-mail: honeybee@
accsoft.com.au
IBRA (the International Bee Research Associa-
tion) is a unique organization established in 1949
for the advancement of bee science and beekeep-
ing. It publishes two magazines: JAR – the Jour-
nal of Apiculture Research, for scientists, and BW
- Bee World, for beekeepers who want broaden
their horizons by learning about other beekeeping
traditions, other bees, other ideas. Members chose
which magazine(s) to include in their membership.
IBRA is a vital bridge between the local (hive)
and global concerns. IBRA is registered under UK
charity law (Office: 91 Brinsea Road, Congresbury,
Bristol, BS49 5JJ, UK) www.ibrabee.org.uk
IRISH BEEKEEPING—Read An Beachaire
(The Irish Beekeeper). Published monthly. Sub-
scription $50.00 per annum post free. Dermot
O’Flaherty, Journal Manager, Rosbeg, Westport,
Co. Mayo, Ireland
601

A.N. Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A & G Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A & O Forklift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
American Bee Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
American Honey Producers . . . . . . . . . . . .
Andy Miksa Honey Farm. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Apimondia2019.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aztalia Apiary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bastin Honey Bee Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BeeCulture.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bee Excellent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beekeepingins.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beeline Apiaries & Woodenware . . . . . . .
Beelite Wax Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bee Smart Designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Betterbee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blue Ridge Honey Company . . . . . . . . . . .
Blue Sky Bee Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bordelon Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Borntrager Bee Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brand New Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brother Bee Queen Company . . . . . . . . . .
Brown Honey Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Browning Cut Stock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brumley Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bucko Gloves, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buzz’s Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CC Pollen Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Complete Bee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Contract Pros Mfg.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
Cook & Beals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
Cowen Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Dadant & Sons, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485, 571,
& Back Cover
Dakota Gunness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Ernst Seeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
FieldWatch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
602
Advertising Index
588 Gardner’s Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
582 Globalpatties.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514
484 Groteguth Queens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
505 Hardeman Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568
542 Hawaiian Queen Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
542 Heilyser Technology Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
581 Heine, Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
504 Heitkams Honey Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
520 Hilbert’s Honey Bees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Hogg Halfcomb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
541
515 Honey B Healthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Horace Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
541
603 JJ’s Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
558
493 Kelley Beekeeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506
Koehnen, C.F. & Sons, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
575 Kona Queen Hawaii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
494
598 Lamb’s Honey Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602
488 Lassen Queen Bee Company, The . . . . . . . 520
Lohman Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
571
582 M & N Apiary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
520 Mann Lake Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489, 576
594
Maxant Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
587 Meyers, A.H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
541 Miller Bee Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
602 Mother Lode Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
598
Nod Apiary Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528
568
Nolt’s Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601
Old Sol Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566
Olivarez Honey Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
OxaVap.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Park-Burris Queens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
Pierco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Plastic Packaging Concept. . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Pollination Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
Powell Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Queen Right Colonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
QSI Honey and Food Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
R.M. Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601
Resilience Apiary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566
Roberts Bee Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516
Rockbridgetrees.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Ross Rounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Rossman Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
Sanders Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Selby Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
Shastina Millwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
Sherriff, B.J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Simpson’s Bee Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Smith Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
South Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
South Georgia Apiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
Spell Bee Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
Stan’s Pure Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Stayers Quality Queens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Strachan Apiaries Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Stong Microbials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Suhre, Adam Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Suhre, E. Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Sunshine Honey Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602
Superior Bee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
Swienty Beekeeping Equipment . . . . . . . . 508
Taber’s Honey Bee Genetics . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Texas Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
T.R.S. Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508
Vidalia Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
VP Queen Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Weaver, R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
Western Bee Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Wicwas Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
Wilbanks Apiaries Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
Wintersun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Wooten’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
Z’s Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
American Bee Journal
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