Received: from [169.226.1.21] by relay.internode.net (SMTPD32-3.02) id ADFE153300CA; Tue, 12 Nov 1996 23:43:10 -0700 Received: from CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU by CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 1799; Wed, 13 Nov 96 01:46:53 EST Received: from CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@ALBNYVM1) by CNSIBM.ALBANY.EDU (LMail V1.2c/1.8c) with BSMTP id 9672; Wed, 13 Nov 1996 01:46:49 -0500 Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 01:46:45 -0500 From: "L-Soft list server at ALBNYVM1 (1.8b)" Subject: File: "BEE-L LOG9609B" To: "W. Allen Dick" X-UIDL: 474 Status: U ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 00:39:34 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Cecile T. Kohrs" Subject: Re: Brother Adam has anyone had any luck listening to or downloading the National Public Radio article on Brother Adam? I haven't, my husband hasn't, and we're very upset. :-( TIA Cecile ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 23:49:52 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Don Bowen Subject: Re: Router Shaper Bit >it. Being that the hive body is or should be 7/8" in thickness I set the >Dado's to 5/8" in depth. With the saw running I slowly lower the panel >over the dado within the jig untill flat with the table top. Then I lift >it off and all's done. Some of the oldtimers will say that this is not a This is known as a plunge cut and is extremly dangerous on a table saw. This is because the cutting action of the tool is back towards the operator. Make a jig that holds the bottom edge of the board such that it cannot be thrown toward the operator. Also be sure that as you lower the board that if it does catch, it will not drag fingers into the blade. You cannot depend on reaction time, the jig must do the protecting. Don Bowen donb@cts.com Valley Center, CA Senior Software Engineer Bee Point acres Smith Automation Systems, inc USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 21 Don.bowen@integrators.com 33 16' 04 N 116 59' 19 W organic gardener, woodworker, beekeeper, reader 1936 Farmall 12 1966 Corvair Corsa 140 Convertible 1 wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 acres, no TV ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 06:33:03 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Re: Brother Adam >has anyone had any luck listening to or downloading the National Public Radio >article on Brother Adam? > >I haven't, my husband hasn't, and we're very upset. :-( >TIA >Cecile No luck here, either. If someone can get it, posting of the transcript would be greatly appreciated. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 06:47:26 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Hivewall Thickness & Cutting Handholds > >Being that the hive body is or should be 7/8" in thickness Most North American hives are now 3/4 inches thick, since finished lumber is 3/4 inch thick these days. At one time finished lumber was thicker, and since the beehive's critical dimensions are _inside_, not outside due to bee spaces, when the lumber was changed this meant the outer size had to change a bit, if 3/4 was to be adopted. Some beehive manufacturers stuck with 7/8" so that floors, lids, etc would still be right -- in and out. Some claim the extra thickness is important for strength, however all commercial beekeepers I know of have long since gone to the thinner material for reasons of cost, weight, etc. I don't think anyone misses the extra weight and size. I sure don't. I have supers that must be over 50 years old and some that have been made in just about every year up to the present. Represented are both rabbet and dovetail construction, using pine, spruce, and even a cedar or 3/4" plywood in a few cases. A few even have simple butt joints which work, but are not highly recommended due to lower strength. All work about equally well, but the 3/4 pine dovetail boxes are likely the most durable. Cedar and 3/4 plywood do not last well. >>I set the Dado's to 5/8" in depth. With the saw running I slowly >>lower the panel over the dado within the jig untill flat with the >>table top. Then I lift it off and all's done. While this will work, the handhole thus made will not be very long. After the board is flat on the table, move the board about 2" in a lengthwise direction, this will give a more standard length. Of course, you must allow for this and start 1" closer to one end than the other. > This is known as a plunge cut and is extremly dangerous on a table > saw. This is because the cutting action of the tool is back towards > the operator. Make a jig that holds the bottom edge of the board > such that it cannot be thrown toward the operator. Also be sure > that as you lower the board that if it does catch, it will not drag > fingers into the blade. You cannot depend on reaction time, the jig > must do the protecting. Don's advice here is very wise. It is hard to believe where the board can wind up if it catches in a powerful saw -- and where your hands might be (in the blade?) split seconds later, *if* you have not thought it all out carefully *and* used a jig or a stop. A safer way for the novice is to assemble the box, then put the handholes on, because you have a lot more to hold onto, and can stay away from the blade. Just be sure to get the handholes on right side up. Boxes with handholes upsided down look funny. One fellow mentioned using cleats --3/4 X 16" X 2" sticks that are nailed on the front and back for lifting. They are very superior in many ways, becuse you can really get a grip, and because mechanical aids can get a relly positive hold. However in any sizeable operation, they tend to be unpopular because of the dificulty in stacking and palletizing something with bumps on the end -- and appreciably more storage and truck deck is required. We had some supers with cleats until last year, when we finally tore them all off to make the supers conform to the balance of our equipment -- and our pallets. On some boxes, we have not yet made handholes, and yet the boxes are quite maneagable, and some of our boys do not use the handholes even on boxes that have them, preferring rather to grab the box from underneath. Although we made a special saw table to cut the handholes, we found the butterfly cutter we had made got dull very quickly and had to give up. Apparently, dust and sand had gotten under the cleats and into the paint, so that whenever we tried to cut a handhole where a cleat had been, the grit dulled the blades. We will have to go to a carbide saw blade dado, or wobble washer blade again -- unless we are prepared to scrape to the wood at each cut. I had hoped to make the sexy looking commercial scooped slits, but I had also wanted it to be a job that an unskilled helper could do without much supervision. Managing and sharpening shaper heads is not as easy and idiot-proof as running a carbide blade. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca & allend@internode.net Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 13:57:57 +0000 Reply-To: ddbka@beelines.thegap.com Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Les Simms Organization: beelines-du Subject: Re: Brother Adam > >> National Public Radio carried a nice piece on their Morning Edition > >> program this morning about Brother Adam, including an interview with > >> Dr. Eva Crane. > > > > Is there a way to get a copy of this interview ? > > You can write morning@npr.org > > Also on the web check out > > http://brinkley.prognet.com/contentp/npr/me.html > > I think will have an online audio file of the program Sept 6th assuming > the segmant was today, Sept. 5th. Today it lists the Sept 4th segments. > Here is the transcripted text. National Public Radio, Morning Edition , Thursday 5th September 1996. >From England there is news that one of the world's great naturalists has died, a Benedictine monk known as Brother Adam. NPR's Alex Chadwick reports on the man who earned an international reputation for his skill as a beekeeper. Karl Kehrle was born 98 years ago, in a place that no longer exists really, the kingdom of Wuerttenberg. He was a sickly boy and at age eleven he was sent by his mother to the Buckfast Abbey in Southwest England, where he might regain his health. He stayed on through World War 1 and afterwards, the kingdom of Wuerttenberg dissolved into the German Wymar Republic, Karl Kehrle too ceased to exist as such. He joined the Benedictine Order as Brother Adam and was placed in charge of the abbey's apiary, its bee raising operation. "You see, you know how if somebody who is very good with plants, you say they've got green fingers (or green thumbs, I think you say)" Dr. Eva Crane who with Brother Adam helped to found the International Bee Research Association. "Well he was the same with bees, he could recognise what was good." In England, for bees, hardly anything was good at the time. A parasite had devastated the native population; there were practically no honeybees left. Brother Adam went to Turkey and found a good substitute strain which he brought back to England. The Buckfast Abbey is located at the edge of Dartmoor, a great expanse of brushland that's almost deserted. It's not very hospitable, Dr. Crane notes, but for a couple of weeks a year it is ideal bee country. "The queens and drones mate in the air, so you can't just put them together like cattle. You've got to have your mating apiary several miles from any other source of bees except the ones you want them to mate with." Gradually Brother Adam developed what became known as the "Buckfast Superbee", a sleek, three-quarter inch, winged, buzz-bomb in a handsome coat of dark-brown stripped with grey. Sweetly dispositioned, loyal and productive, they were a kind of "Labrador Retriever" of the bee world. "When you open a hive they'll stay on the comb and won't fly off and buzz around you and sting you. That is very important in beekeeping and he wanted them to produce a lot of honey." And they did produce a lot of honey and they were not much bothered by the parasite that had wiped out the other bees. The Buckfast Superbee was an apiary triumph. Brother Adam became the most famous bee-man in England and maybe the world, according to Dr. Eva Crane who herself went on the head the International Bee Research Association. "I was in Mexico in 1957, staying with some German beekeepers there, and someone said, "How many beekeepers do you have in England. I only know about Adam and Eve." You see, because I was Eve and he was Adam." Brother Adam, Benedictine monk and beekeeper extraordinaire died Sunday near the Buckfast Abbey in Southwest England. This is Alex Chadwick reporting. ________________________________________________ D R O M O R E & D I S T R I C T B E E K E E P E R S Estd. 1984 - World Cup Winners 1991-92 - Blue Ribbon Winners 1994 Affiliated to the UBKA * Incorporating "Dromore Buzzette" Chairman-Michael Young * Secretary-Bob Shaw * Treasurer-Les Simms E-Mail: * Telephone: +44(0)1846-683512 S-Mail: 9 Governors Ridge Park, Hillsborough, Co.Down, BT26 6LD, UK ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 07:00:01 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Bob Rolfness Subject: Brother Adam NPR on the InterNet Greetings to All. NPR's Morning Edition which included a very nice segment on Brother Adam is available in sound as it was transmitted on the Internet. If you have a web brwser like NETSCAPE and a sound card in your computer check out web site http://www.realaudio.com This company is making available for free an audio extension program that can be downloaded from that web site. After installing it in your brower you can reestablish a link to the realaudio site and "hear" several network's news and special interest programs, plus several other itmes. Considering whats required, the audio doesn't sound all that bad. Regards, Bob Rolfness Moses Lake, WA ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 11:00:16 PST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Steven A. Creasy" Subject: Escape Boards I would be very thankful if someone could E-mail me directly with instructions for building an escape board. I used the small plastic kind this year, and they tended to get clogged. Thank you so much in advance! Steve Creasy- Maryville, Tennessee Prov 24:13, 25:16 ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 09:37:30 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Fume boards vs Escape Boards > Allen Dick wrote: > > > Abandonment (Tipping) > > > > The abandonment method also leaves the burr comb free of dripping > > honey, and having a blower allows one to take the boxes within > > the hour in case robbing is likely, or an extra trip would be > > required. > > Hi Allen, > > Can you please explain about the Tipping. Not shure I know what you > mean. > > Thank's Tipping is a method of removing honey without using chemicals, blowers, brushes, etc. It is the most elegant solution, but requires at least advanced or master level bee knowledge to succeed consistently without complications. Here's how: 1. Choose a day when temperatures are sufficient for free bee flight, and a good flow has been on for several days. 2. Remove full or partly full supers -- preferrably with no brood, and preferrably from above an excluder. 3. Place each one _on end_ either on the ground to one side near the entrance of the hive from which it was removed, or on top of a hive nearby that has it's lid on normally. (Perhaps that latter hive has just had its honey removed and a super added). Do not block flight paths. 4. Shortly the bees should finish their tasks, clean up any drips from burr comb, and fly out. They will then fly into the hive from which they came. This may take minutes or it may take hours, depending on the intensity of bee and flight activity. 5. Pick up the supers and take them away. You are done. Problems: Weather changes fast, and so do bees. Bees that were happy at one moment, may turn to heavy robbing, resulting in (total) loss of the honey and serious stinging of passersby. Queens, if excluders are not used, may be in the super(s) of some hives. Careful blowing, brushing or shaking toward the correct hive is then required, as the bees may not leave by themselves. Brood in supers will have the same effect. Backing out In the worst case, the supers may simply be lifted back on the hive from which they came, and an attempt may be made again later. With our experience, we are able to leave boxes tipped -- sometimes for days -- without incident, if the truck does not have a chance to return due to breakdown or some other cause. But then we do know exactly what we are doing, ands seldom have a problem. There are only a few weeks a year that we can get away with such 'careless' behaviour. Rain or dust storm can be a problem, however the honey is largely protected from rain because the boxes are on end. Questions welcome. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca & allend@internode.net Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 11:46:06 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Shaking combs/tipping I have been doing some harvesting with escapes and also have been doing some shaking of combs to remove bees. There is an interesting aspect that I noted while doing this lately: I've found that if you remove the supers from a given colony, and stack them (cris-crossed) on the ground on the upturned hive cover, they soon realize they are separated from the colony. Some begin to fly up from the supers and return home. After say ten - twenty minutes or so, if you start removing the combs one by one from the super and shake them, the bees are already pretty upset (excited) due to this separation. They are really easy to shake off then, as they are quite "jumpy." It doesn't take much shaking at all to get the combs free of bees, sometimes even a slight vibration will get them all off. (I'm talking about capped-over combs especially.) They don't seem to come after me, they are more interested in getting home. If the combs are removed while the supers are on the hive, or without allowing some time to pass, the girls tend to "hold on" much more stubbornly. I shake the combs over some tall weeds/goldenrod behind the hives. This way the have something to land on other than the hard ground. Many catch their fall on the stems and slowly emerge from the weeds to fly up and return to the hives. The combs are transferred to an empty super box close by, or leaned against a tree/hive until there are a whole super's worth free of bees, and ready to place in an empty super to take home. I haven't tried tipping, but I guess this involves a similar principle. I should add that if smoke is applied to the stack of supers just before one starts to remove the combs to shake, the bees, already somewhat confused, start running all over ("boiling") and this makes comb removal difficult. So I refrain from smoking the stack of supers once removed. Anyone removing honey by shaking might wish to try this method, or start by "tipping" and shake the remaining bees out after a while. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 14:04:32 -0600 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jerry J Bromenshenk Subject: Re: SOLAR VENTILATION In-Reply-To: <960906120532_517075833@emout08.mail.aol.com> from "Charles Cannon" at Sep 6, 96 12:05:32 pm Hi: You can find it advertised inside the cover of almost any recent copy of ABJ. At the price, it will take a long time to pay off, even with better honey prices. I haven't seen any hard data about whether this thing actually increases honey yields. Seems to me that conditions inside the hive will vary a lot from according to time of year and geographic region. For example, Maryland is sure different from Montana. I have seen water sheet down the inside of hive walls in Missoula, MT and Seattle, WA during the spring rainy season, but nothing like the conditions inside confined hives in Maryland when the temperature and relative humidity exceed 90%. Cooling down a hive in hot climates can be simply accomplished by tipping up a corner of the lid, although this probably works better with flat lids than with telescoping lids. John Harbo has published some data that suggests that warm hive interiors may help suppress mites. We have some data that seems to indicate that colonies subjected to fungal-based pesticides are somewhat protected by the high core temperature (brood nest) of a healthy colony. In fact, colonies exposed to fungal pathogens may actually increase their temperature a degree or two (evidence still a bit shakey). Granted, one can heat prostrate a colony. But does it take more energy to cool down or to heat up a colony by a degree or two? Thus, I for one would like to see the data to back up the claims for this solar ventilation unit. Perhaps the manufacturer could post it for all of us. Jerry J. Bromenshenk The University of Montana-Missoula jjbmail@selway.umt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 20:00:00 GMT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Organization: WILD BEE'S BBS (209) 826-8107 LOS BANOS, CA Subject: The Beekeeper's Handbook JMP>I am attempting to purchase the book "The Beekeeper's Handbook" by >Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile. Any help0 out there? James and All, The best place to look is e-mail LJCconnor@aol.com ,he has many hard to get bee books in stock. Will accept cc order via e-mail or phone. The major book wholesalers list this title as special order. Here is the information: 1. MC Millian $10.95 by Diana Sammataro 06.84-17331-X 2. Mc Millian $19.95 by Diana Sammataro & Alphonse Avitable 0-02-018140-0 No sure why it's listed twice but would guess there is both a hard cover and soft back edition. All you need to do is visit your local book seller and give them the above and maybe they can order the books for you if you do not want to use the Beekeepers Book Store that Larry Connor's has for years provided books for beekeepers and made a lot of us happy with his special service for beekeepers buy a beekeeper. E-Mail LJConnor@aol.com for a list of books he can provide you with. ttul OLd Drone --- ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ HTTP://SUEBEE.COM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 21:44:40 GMT Reply-To: Tim_Sterrett@westtown.edu Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tim Sterrett Organization: Westtown School Subject: Tippping to Remove Supers Read carefully what Allen Dick writes about tipping supers: Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MIDNITEBEE Subject: Re: Brother Adam NPR on the InterNet This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01BB9CEA.AF36B8E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Br.Adam's real-audio. I am new at sending attached files. Let me know,if I did the attachment,correctly. ------=_NextPart_000_01BB9CEA.AF36B8E0 Content-Type: application/octet-stream; name="nb6s0501-6.lnk" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Description: nb6s0501-6 (Shortcut) Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="nb6s0501-6.lnk" TAAAAAEUAgAAAAAAwAAAAAAAAEYbAAAAIAAAAMCrcPMHnbsBAKA/CnGcuwEAK2fyB527AUIAAAAA AAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALwAFAAfAOBP0CDqOmkQotgIACswMJ0ZACNDOlwAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAJFnFwAxAAAAAABPH5YSEIBXaW5kb3dzAAAwADEAAAAAAMMgwnQRAFRlbXBvcmFyeSBJ bnRlcm5ldCBGaWxlcwBURU1QT1J+MQAcADEAAAAAABAh9i0SAGNhY2hlNABDQUNIRTQAKgAyAEIA AAAnIQewIABuYjZzMDUwMS02LnJhbQBOQjZTMDV+MS5SQU0AAABzAAAAHAAAAAEAAAAcAAAAOAAA AAAAI0NyAAAAHAAAAAMAAADfHT4PEAAAAEhQX1BBVklMSU9OAEM6XFdJTkRPV1NcVGVtcG9yYXJ5 IEludGVybmV0IEZpbGVzXGNhY2hlNFxuYjZzMDUwMS02LnJhbQAAMQAuLlxUZW1wb3JhcnkgSW50 ZXJuZXQgRmlsZXNcY2FjaGU0XG5iNnMwNTAxLTYucmFtKgBDOlxXSU5ET1dTXFRlbXBvcmFyeSBJ bnRlcm5ldCBGaWxlc1xjYWNoZTQ= ------=_NextPart_000_01BB9CEA.AF36B8E0-- ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 10:50:03 +1100 Reply-To: nickw@wave.co.nz Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Nick Wallingford Organization: Nat Beekeepers Assn of NZ Subject: Re: Router Shaper Bit > This is known as a plunge cut and is extremly dangerous on a table saw. > This is because the cutting action of the tool is back towards the operator. > Make a jig that holds the bottom edge of the board such that it cannot be > thrown toward the operator. Also be sure that as you lower the board that > if it does catch, it will not drag fingers into the blade. You cannot > depend on reaction time, the jig must do the protecting. Doing handholds used to scare me considerably. Then I found that you could go ahead and nail the box up first. With a fence across the width of your sawbench, you can then lower the end down onto the blade(s) while holding the box well away from the blades. I found it to give much better control, but still never liked the job! (\ Nick Wallingford {|||8- home nickw@wave.co.nz (/ work nw1@boppoly.ac.nz NZ Beekeeping http://www.wave.co.nz/pages/nickw/nzbkpg.htm ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 20:04:58 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Michael L. Wallace" Subject: Re: Flavor of extracted hone At 12:29 9/5/96 -0400, you wrote: >---------------------- Information from the mail header ----------------------- >Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology >Poster: Ted Fischer >Subject: Re: Flavor of extracted hone >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > REGARDING RE>Flavor of extracted honey > >Jim Satterfield wrote: >"My beekeeping friend, P.N., says that if he tastes some of the honey on >an uncapped comb then compares it with the taste of the honey as it comes >out of the extractor, the taste is different. Some of his friends say, >"Nope, there is no difference." > >There most certainly is a difference. I produce extracted honey exclusively, >but I always look forward to chewing on pieces of burr comb so prevalent in >the supers, as do my wife, children and friends. Everyone says that the >flavor has no equal. I think a lot of this flavor is contained in the >volatile components that waft up and are lost forever. > >Ted Fischer > One thing that I think is being overlooked here is that the beeswax, itself, has a flavor. When mixed, in the mouth, with the honey, it will naturally have a different taste than extracted honey alone. As far as the extractor changing the taste, if the extractor is stainless steel and has been kept clean, there isn't anything that can change the taste. If some other material is coming in contact with the honey during the extraction process, however, there could be a taste change. Regards, Mike Wallace Sar Shalom Apiary McKinney, Texas USA "Out of the heart, the mouth speaks." ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:14:06 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tom Allen Subject: Re: Bee Culture Magazine Please contact me relative to a subscription to "Bee Culture" ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:14:17 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tom Allen Subject: Re: router or shaper bit I do not haave the luxury of special bits,However I use a wobble dado cutter ,on a radial arm saw , set moderately wide and place my stock on a wedge stand. I draw the radial arm saw into the wood on the wedge. THe cut is at first shallow and gets deeper as the radial arm moves toward the work piece. For limited quantities this is adequate. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:28:34 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Gerry Visel Subject: Escape Boards -Reply Steve Creasy wrote: "I would be very thankful if someone could E-mail me directly with instructions for building an escape board. I used the small plastic kind this year, and they tended to get clogged. Thank you so much in advance!" Might's just as well publish it; I got it from one of the bee journals. Take an inner cover, a thick one like a feeder board. On the "thick" side, glue or tack on 1/4" square wood strips around the hole to form two or three concentric triangles with their corners open about 3/8". The strips should have the ends cut on a slant so that the ends angle toward the corners. Then glue or tack a triangular piece of screen over the whole triangle. You're done. To use 'em, put the board under the supers, screen side down. The beeses go down through the hole and straight outward through the passageways at the corners of the triangles, but when they come in, end up turning down a side passage to the next corner of the triangle. Cute idea. It's not sensitive to bee space in the moving parts like the spring-type escapes you install in the inner cover hole. Those need the "springs" to be cleaned and adjusted to one bee thickness opening. Every type has its adherents though. Gerry Visel ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:51:49 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Gerry Visel Subject: Re: Bee Culture Magazine -Reply Bee Culture is published by A I Root, who are at 1-800-289-7668, fax: (216) 765-5624, email: bculture@aol.com. Their address is 623 W Liberty St., Medina, Ohio 44256. Subscriptions are $16.50/year, $30/2 years, but it is cheaper if you get it through a local bee club, (along with all the other benefits of such membership. I think they were $2 off.) They also have a new web page at http:\\www.airoot.com, (if I 'member right,) that is pretty neat. I didn't realize they were such a candle producer. (Also check out www.suebee.com.) Kim Flottum, the editor, is a contributer here. Is this info all right, Kim? IMO, this magazine and Dadant's American Bee Journal should be in every (American?) beekeeper's mailbox. Gerry Visel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 01:22:48 +0000 Reply-To: jdalexa@his.com Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: John Alexander Subject: Brother Adam on NPR If you would like to listen to the segment that NPR did on Brother Adam on NPR, you can listen to it at the following url: http://www.realaudio.com/contentp/npr/nb6s05.html You will also need to get a password - also free - from them. It only took me three minutes total. There are a lot of good programs there. To listen to the file, which is in RealAudio format, you will need the RealAudio player available free of charge at: http://www.realaudio.com/ John Alexander Beltsville, MD ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 22:35:49 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Paul Cronshaw, D.C." Subject: Bee Vacuums Bee-listers, I posted a message recently about finding a bee vacuum that would remove bees from difficult places and not pulverize the bees. Mike Griggs was kind enough to enlighten me on a system that he uses and some resources. I have posted his messages to the list with his permission. If anyone has any more leads on a bee vacuum system, please post to the list. Paul Cronshaw DC Cyberchiro and Hobby Beekeeper Santa Barbara, CA ------Original Message----- X-Sender: mhg3@postoffice2.mail.cornell.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 09:59:48 -0400 To: paulc@silcom.com (Paul Cronshaw, D.C.) From: Mike Griggs Subject: Re: Bee removal Paul, You are right that this is a bit hard on the bees. soft nurse bees are often hurt. The trade off is that this method does allow for a qick cvlean up of bees in areas that are hard to get to or to clean up the confusion in an otherwise difficult situation. I try to use less intrusive methods when possile. But here are a few tips to reduce insect deaths going into the vacuum capture box. I had to play around with strenghts of the vacuum so I could suck up bees without accelerating to the point that they slam into the walls and get hurt. I also use a smooth hose to suck up the bees. The corregated hose of the vacuum is to slow down particle impaction. This causes the bees to bump and bang all the way to the trap. Finally I constructed a cloth trampoline for the bees to bouce onto rather than a wooden wall. This is just a piece of thin streachy cloth that sill allows air through and provides a soft landing. Hope this helps Mike *********** X-Sender: mhg3@postoffice2.mail.cornell.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 09:37:20 -0400 To: paulc@silcom.com (Paul Cronshaw, D.C.) From: Mike Griggs Subject: Re: Bee removal Paul, Didn't get back to you sooner as I was preparing my truck for annual inspection. After thirty years, the last eight with extreme salt, it took longer than expected. I have seen vacuum collection devise designs for many insects. Some are powered by gas enjine,electric motor, or aspiration. The emergence of the rechargable battery industry offers hope that a truly portable and efficient method will someday arrise. Imagine a battery operated turbine that would provide enough power for say a leaf blower, reverse the air flow to provide enough suction to collect bees in a collection container. Mobile, quiet, effficient and reusable. I currently use an old GE vacuum I pulled from the trash. I was using an electrolux but my wife lectured me on the use of household utilities in barns. It really doesn't take to much suction to collect bees. One could regulate flow by providing a seondary intake orifice with adjustible size. by increasing the secondary hole the strength of thesuction at the collection port would be reduced. I have seen collector devises in either or both ABJ and Bee Culture. The idea is not new, it is quite easy and effective one need only to devise a working soln from available sources. With any operation the quicker the machinery the higher the chance to cause damage. I often trade the increase in speed for slightly increase in loss. I expect to loose some bees especially during a house removal. I loose significantly fewer during a swarm capture. The trampoline just decreases my losses. Post whatever you would like. Perhaps you would have the time and initative to come up with a workable plan and post them up for all to see. Cheers Mike .-~~~-. / } / .-~ \ | } \.~~-.-~| . -~_ / \./ \/\ { O | ` .-~. ; ~-.__ __{^\_ _}_ ) }/^\ ~--~/-|_\| : : .-~ / /\_/^\._}_/ // / / | \~ - - ~ ( (__{(@)}\__}.//_/_____/_____|____\_______________ \__/{/(_)\_} )\\ \\--------------------------------- ( (__)_)_/ )\ \> Mike Griggs mhg@cornell.edu \__/\__/ Entomologist/Support Scientist HTTP://www.ppru.cornell.edu/biocontrol/griggs.html ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 00:23:07 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Paul Cronshaw, D.C." Subject: Where are the AHB these days? Haven't heard too much on the AHB on this list these days? Maybee I should be happy that we beekeepers aren't getting too riled up about these newcomers. :) Just curious where their migration is taking them these days. I know they are moving East and West across the Southern States, and have not made it past Blythe in S. Calif. However, I am anticipating their arrival in Santa Barbara some time in the future. But when? Paul Cronshaw DC Hobby Beekeeper Santa Barbara CA ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 00:23:02 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Paul Cronshaw, D.C." Subject: Re: Escape Boards Steve Creasy wrote: "I would be very thankful if someone could E-mail me directly with instructions for building an escape board. I used the small plastic kind this year, and they tended to get clogged. Thank you so much in advance!" Save your time and energy on building these. I got mine from Brushy Mountain Bee supply for $8.25 plus shipping. 1-800-233-7929 (Just a happy customer) For a small apiary, these work great. For example, I put the escape boards on a Friday, take off the supers in the early Sat AM without disturbing the hive, extract the honey Saturday daytime, put the supers back on over queen excluder Sat afternoon to let the bees clean up the wet combs. 2 days later I put the escape board back on to remove the bees, then remove the dry supers for winter storage. Tim Sterrett: "But note that Allen says that a good honey flow is necessary for this method to work. Many of us wait to extract until honey flows are long gone. Tipping supers might excite our bees to robbing of historic dimensions!" I agree. Here in Southern Calif, there are periods of nectar drought. Leaving supers out would create bee mayham in my neighborhood. The media would be sure to arrive on my doorstep with rumors of "Killer Bees" and I would end up on the 6 O'Clock news.!! :) Paul Cronshaw DC Santa Barbara CA ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 18:27:25 +0200 Reply-To: beeman@kuai.se Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: P-O Gustafsson Subject: Re: Escape Boards > "But note that Allen says that a good honey flow is necessary for this > method to work. Many of us wait to extract until honey flows are long gone. > Tipping supers might excite our bees to robbing of historic dimensions!" There is another method that's been used here with good result. Instead of using an escape board on the hive, we have an escape bottom that stands on the ground beside the hive. A bottom board with only one small hole that's facing the entrance of the hive. Beekeepers using this system usually have 2 hives on a stand with a space between the hives. The bottom is placed between the hives with supers from both hives stacked up. In this case the bottom has 2 holes, each facing a hive entrance. If the boxes are taken off the hives in the morning before 11 o'clock, it works great. All bees leave the supers and you can pick them up in the afternoon. The small holes doesn't attract robbers so much as an open box. -- Regards P-O Gustafsson, Sweden beeman@kuai.se http://www.kuai.se/~beeman/ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 13:18:48 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MIDNITEBEE Subject: Re: Brother Adam on NPR This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01BB9D88.45390B20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit attached file of Br.Adam ------=_NextPart_000_01BB9D88.45390B20 Content-Type: application/octet-stream; name="nb6s0501-6.ram" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: nb6s0501-6 (RealAudio File) Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="nb6s0501-6.ram" pnm://audio.realaudio.com/rafiles/npr/volume3/nb6s0501.ra$0:19:23 ------=_NextPart_000_01BB9D88.45390B20-- ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 13:49:23 EDT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Frederick L. Hollen" Subject: Re: Router Shaper Bit In-Reply-To: <2.2.32.19960907064952.006d7fe4@crash.cts.com>; from "Don Bowen" at Sep 6, 96 11:49 pm Try it this way: Assemble the hive body / super first. Set your tablesaw fence for the distance you want from the top of the box to the handhold. Clamp A stop block to each end of the fence so as to center the dado cut in the length of the box and allow maybe an extra inch of cut. You'll need two sets of stop blocks, one set spaced for the ends, about 18" apart, and one set for the sides, about 22" apart, both centered at the center of the blade. Stand to the side of the saw and, holding the box by the ends, hold one end against the stop block at the infeed end, lower the side into the turning blade, then move the box to the other stop block and lift it straight up and off. Turn the box over and cut the other side, and repeat until you've cut the sides of all your boxes. Then change the stop blocks and cut the ends. It's really a simpler procedure the it looks when it's explained as above. The stop blocks reduce the likelihood of kickback and standing to the side puts you out of the way. Holding the assembled box by the ends as you cut the sides, etc., keeps your hands well away from the blade. Works for me. Happy woodworking, Fred of According to Don Bowen: > > >it. Being that the hive body is or should be 7/8" in thickness I set the > >Dado's to 5/8" in depth. With the saw running I slowly lower the panel > >over the dado within the jig untill flat with the table top. Then I lift > >it off and all's done. Some of the oldtimers will say that this is not a > > This is known as a plunge cut and is extremly dangerous on a table saw. > This is because the cutting action of the tool is back towards the operator. > Make a jig that holds the bottom edge of the board such that it cannot be > thrown toward the operator. Also be sure that as you lower the board that > if it does catch, it will not drag fingers into the blade. You cannot > depend on reaction time, the jig must do the protecting. > > Don Bowen donb@cts.com > Valley Center, CA Senior Software Engineer > Bee Point acres Smith Automation Systems, inc > USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 21 Don.bowen@integrators.com > 33 16' 04 N 116 59' 19 W > > organic gardener, woodworker, beekeeper, reader > 1936 Farmall 12 1966 Corvair Corsa 140 Convertible > 1 wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 acres, no TV > ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 14:02:33 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Hand-holds and cleats After a while playing with bees it's not uncommon to find that you have accumulated lots of variations of the "standard" hive body design. Some hand-hold are rectangular, some curved, others beveled on the upper edge to give a better grip. If you are running all deep bodies for brood and honey it gets really hard to maneuver the full boxes just by these indentations. Even if you have shallower supers, after a few hours gripping heavy boxes it becomes exasperating. Anybody out there using cleats for hand-holds? That is, a 2" (or so) wide strip of wood nailed across the back and front of each box. It makes lifting much easier, and if you attach these cleats along the *top edges* it reinforces the weak point of the hive body -- along the rabbets. Some prefer to nail a cleat at the upper AND lower edge, front and back. This allows you to stand the box on end (as when 'tipping'), also it gives you a nice durable place to jam your hive tool (between adjoining cleats) to pry the supers apart. The cleats would certainly be easier than messing with a saw to get finger-holds cut. Just a suggestion Regds, JG ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 17:30:00 GMT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Organization: WILD BEE'S BBS (209) 826-8107 LOS BANOS, CA Subject: Where are the AHB these days? >Haven't heard too much on the AHB on this list these days? Maybee I should >be happy that we beekeepers aren't getting too riled up about these >newcomers. :) Hi Paul, No news is good news. Have not even seen a wire report of any deaths from any kind of bees this year, but you can be sure there were some. I guess this was the year of hyping the "silent spring of the honeybee" so interest was directed towards the reports for sea to sea and boarder to boarder of the decline of the feral honeybee. Hardly a week goes by here that someone does not predict the complete loss of agriculture because of the declining honeybee populations. This is BS, at least here in California with the very poor flying conditions we had this spring for bee pollination all our crops have been good, but this kind of hype does sell papers and will no doubt glean a few study grants. Would not surprise me to see some "green" organization come out with suggestions for new laws prohibiting beekeepers from catching swarms until the feral population is up to strength. >Just curious where their migration is taking them these days. I know they >are moving East and West across the Southern States, and have not made it >past Blythe in S. Calif. Yes, and the one's found in Blyth came in by train if you want to believe the Department of Agriculture. Someone should ask them why they got off at Blythe and did not make the trip to the end of the line which could be at the Canadian boarder. Since there are very few people in the world out side of Africa that can be sure they have the so called "AFRO" bee without doing very expensive tests there is no way to tell if they have reached the Canadian boarder yet as federal money has all but dried up to look for them. >However, I am anticipating their arrival in Santa Barbara some time in the >future. But when? Why? I would think that most beekeepers would not be looking forward to the arrival of the African Bees, unless you are one of the non beeleavers who does not believe the hype and body count of the thousands of people they have killed making their way to Santa Barbara? I can tell you for a fact, reported to me by people who do know they have African "killer" bees and work with them every day, that the African bees along the boarder in Arizona are nasty, but all the bees are hot there and any of them will sting your pockets shut without extreme care when you work them. A lit smoker and veil on. The crosses of these bees are A OK, and are very productive. The real thing produces a lot of brood that is used to make nucs with other type queens to keep them from leaving. The Texas Afro bee, the TEX-MEX bee has caused NO problems in California pollinating Almonds the last three years and can not even be identified by temper when in California. The Texas beekeeper's report the first cross with their favorite stock to be very productive. In any case if you have someone who is into DNA testing you may be able to have your bees tested for AHB genes. Don't be surprised if they come back low level positive because Africa is not that far from Italy and some of our stock early in the century was imported direct including a few from Africa so the genes are around sometimes described as being Egyptian which is still part of Africa as far as I know. What really matters is how bees are perceived by the public. All the hype of those looking for public support and money has distorted the facts, and because these perditions of the end of the world have not come true public interest and funds are not as easy to get for bee research on bees. Some have yelled the "sky is falling" one too many times and it is now falling on the support for beekeeping study projects. If the public uses common sense when around bees there is no problem. The warning and instructions put out by the various government agencies to the public are no different from those cautions one should use with any honey bees. In fact if the reference to African and "killer" bees were removed or replaced with Italian or Brother Adam, or what ever you have these official warning and caution would be just as appropriate and make a lot of sense. Well maybe not the one's that call for a daily inspection of your property for "killer" bees. ttul Andy- (c) Permission is granted to freely copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)Opinions are not necessarily facts. Use at own risk. --- ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ "Where there are fruits & nuts, there are beekeepers" ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 14:36:47 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Michael L. Wallace" Subject: Re: Where are the AHB these days? At 12:23 9/8/96 -0700, you wrote: >---------------------- Information from the mail header ----------------------- >Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology >Poster: "Paul Cronshaw, D.C." >Subject: Where are the AHB these days? >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Haven't heard too much on the AHB on this list these days? Maybee I should >be happy that we beekeepers aren't getting too riled up about these >newcomers. :) > >Just curious where their migration is taking them these days. I know they >are moving East and West across the Southern States, and have not made it >past Blythe in S. Calif. > >However, I am anticipating their arrival in Santa Barbara some time in the >future. But when? > >Paul Cronshaw DC >Hobby Beekeeper >Santa Barbara CA > Unfortunately, Paul, they are still around and very active, as always. Their migration is slow enough, however, that the attention on them comes and goes. There's always more attention when someone gets seriously hurt or killed. There are two fortunate aspects from my vantage-point; they haven't arrived here, in our part of Texas :) (although they are in south Texas):(, and they are susceptable to the varroa mite, which might check them before they become too bad. Cheers, Mike Wallace Sar Shalom Apiary McKinney, Texas USA "Out of the heart, the mouth speaks." ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 15:36:55 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Re: Where are the AHB these days? >Unfortunately, Paul, they are still around and very active, as always. >Their migration is slow enough, however, that the attention on them comes >and goes. There's always more attention when someone gets seriously hurt or >killed. > >There are two fortunate aspects from my vantage-point; they haven't arrived >here, in our part of Texas :) (although they are in south Texas):(, and they >are susceptable to the varroa mite, which might check them before they >become too bad. > > >Cheers, > > >Mike Wallace >Sar Shalom Apiary It was my understanding that the Africanized bees were not so susceptible to varroa; that beekeepers in South America were finding the mites, but that the colonies were surviving without treatments. (Something about the bees biting at the mites?) Along similar lines, the native hosts of varroa in Asia - Apis cerana, I believe -- what is their control mechanism (biting?); over time they must have reached some sort of balance with the parasites. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 16:56:54 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tim Cote Subject: Re: Looking for bees Thought I'd give an update on my wife and my search for 50 colonies in our plans to move from pure hobbiests to sideliners. Others have also mentioned buying them, so this may be useful. The folks at ABJ were kind enough to send me their want-ads from the previous two months and I signed on for a couple years in the future (a nice complement to Bee Culture, I think). From those old ads I found: 1) a guy in FL who will sell single deeps at $80 ea. in the spring and 2) a fella in Mississippi willing to sell two-story deeps for $60 ea., ready mid-October. Either way, it's a long, long weekend drive from here in Maryland, but I'm willing. I suppose I'll wait for the September issue of ABJ; failing better leads I'm Mississippi bound (sooner or later; later if I can broker over-wintering). Suggestions anyone? Tim Cote Timothy Cote MD MPH 512 Boston Ave Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-587-2425 fax 301-587-6192 beesbuzz@erols.gov ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 17:13:13 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Kim Flottum Subject: Re: The Beekeeper's Handbook Hello, The second editon of this book has been out of print for several years. It was not reprinted by the publisher. There may be a few floating around, but not many. A third editon has been written and is at a publihsers now. Whether they print it or not is not important, because there are several publishers waiting in line to do so. It should be available about Christmas. Kim Flottum Publications Mgr. A.I. Root Co. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 14:14:35 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Mark F. Almond" Subject: baggie feeders I missed the artictle on baggie feeders. How was these used. Did you punch pin holes in the baggies? Sounds like a great idea. Mark ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 23:17:24 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Hans-Ulrich THOMAS Subject: Re: Brother Adam on NPR In-Reply-To: <199609081718.NAA00465@chopper.cyberTours.com> I listened to this RealAudio file and was amazed how well it worked. Does anybody know how I can save this file to my harddisk? Thanks for letting me know. Best regards Hans __________________________________________________________ Hans-Ulrich THOMAS. Beekeeper & collector of books about: - bees and beekeeping - ants (yes these small little buggers!) - nature printing e-mail: hthomas@solid.phys.ethz.ch CompuServe: 100045,2556 Fax: ++41 1 633 10 77 __________________________________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 14:20:31 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Mark F. Almond" Subject: Bee Skep I am trying to locate some directions for making a bee skep for our club to display at our fair booth. Anyone having information or a source of information for making a bee skep will be appreciated. Mark ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 16:36:49 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Don Bowen Subject: Re: Hand-holds and cleats >Anybody out there using cleats for hand-holds? That is, a 2" (or so) wide >strip of wood nailed across the back and front of each box. It makes >lifting much easier, and if you attach these cleats along the *top edges* >it reinforces the weak point of the hive body -- along the rabbets. Some >prefer to nail a cleat at the upper AND lower edge, front and back. This >allows you to stand the box on end (as when 'tipping'), also it gives you a >nice durable place to jam your hive tool (between adjoining cleats) to pry >the supers apart. The cleats would certainly be easier than messing with a >saw to get finger-holds cut. Just a suggestion Regds, JG A beekeeper I work with localy uses cleats on everything. Even bodies with all varients of finger holds. He uses 2 for the reasons stated above. As he picks a lot of used equipment he puts on the cleats so it is not unusual to see cleats over cut slots. I use cleats on all mine after his example. Don Bowen donb@cts.com Valley Center, CA Senior Software Engineer Bee Point acres Smith Automation Systems, inc USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 21 Don.bowen@integrators.com 33 16' 04 N 116 59' 19 W organic gardener, woodworker, beekeeper, reader 1936 Farmall 12 1966 Corvair Corsa 140 Convertible 1 wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 acres, no TV ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 21:45:45 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MIDNITEBEE Subject: Inner covers I would like to know what the pro and cons are of inner covers, that are made of glass. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 00:57:27 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tom Allen Subject: Re: Shaking combs/tipping BEING RATHER NEW AT THIS GAME I MADE THE MISTAKE OF WORKING ON MY HIVES TO REMOVE SUPERS THIS PAST SATURDAY WITH A RAIN STORM HEADING MY WAY. THERE WERE MORE BEES IN THE HIVES THAN I HAVE EVER SEEN AT ANY ONE TIME. I GUESS THEY NEW MORE ABOUT THE WEATHER THAN I AND WERE NOT ABOUT TO GET WET. WHAT'S MORE THEY WERE VERY PERTURBED ABOUT MY OPENING THE HIVE. THIS WAS MY FIRST MOVE IN DAMP WEATHER AND I WILL SURELY AVOID IT IN THE FUTURE. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 01:19:14 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tom Allen Subject: Re: Router Shaper Bit I HAVE A RADIAL ARM SAW AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CLAMP MY WORK PIECE FIRMLY TO THE TABLE AT ABOUT 15 DEGREE ANGLE. USING A STANDARD SAW BLADE I START THE MACHINE WITH THE BLADE CLEAR OF THE WORK PIECE. I THEN DRAW THE RADIAL HEAD TOWARDS ME SLOWLY AND THE BLADE ENGAGES THE WORK PIECE . IT CUTS OUT THE HAND HOLE QUITE NEATLY. IT IS AT BEST CHANCY AS RADIAL ARM SAWS ARE TRICKY BEASTS.HOWEVER AFTER 20 YEARS OF USING IT I CAN STILL COUNT TO TEN ON FINGERS AND THUMBS. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 23:22:48 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: The tipping method for honey removal Comments: To: "James C. King" This is a reply to a private email that resulted from a recent post. I imagine the content is of general interest, so am sending it to all. > Yes, some odor does > get into the honey house, but I have found that a quick ventilation > of the building when warm removes the odor. As I said those who use the Bee-Go, cannot smell it, even though the smell lingers for months. > Anyway, I'm intrigued ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 01:34:01 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Cecile T. Kohrs" Subject: Joe Hemmens Dear Fellow Bee Listers. Got this mail today, thought I'd share the SIGNIFICANT PORTION In a message dated 96-09-08 08:51:15 EDT, joe.hemmens@ndirect.co.uk (Joe Hemmens) writes: << I would write more but my wife is expecting a baby and it's due today. Don't know if it's a worker or a drone. We'll find out soon. Best wishes Joe Hemmens >> ************ I am sure we all wish helpful Joe lotsa luck, and the best to his Queen! Cecile ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 22:24:06 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tim Townsend Organization: TPLR Honey Farms Subject: Re: Plastic Foundation Dirk Howard wrote: > > Steven A. Creasy wrote: > > I am looking for others' experience with plastic foundation (EG Pierco products). They make plastic-stamped, wax-covered snap in type foundation > > as well as all plastic one piece (frame and all) fully drawn comb. I have heard that it warps from some around here. I am wondering if any of > > you have had experience with it recently, and if so what it is. > I'mafraid you have the information wrong.We at Pierco have a one piece frame and foundation, not fully drawn comb, we will be introducing a plastic foundation this winter for standard frames. And NO it does not warp. Tim Townsend > I am using Demadent foundation in wooden frames. I am very pleased with the > performance and acceptability. I will not use wax foundation or the Duragilt > foundation. If I ever try something else, it will be the one piece plastic frame > with foundation. > > For what it is worth. > > -- > Dirk W. Howard > Beekeeper in Utah with 13 hives. > mailto:dhoward@helius.com ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 17:06:16 -0700 Reply-To: curriculum@trabajos.com Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Curriculum Organization: Lantel Trabajo Online Subject: Inserte gratuitamente su curriculum! Estimado seqor: Deseamos informarle de un servicio gratuito para los que buscan trabajo. Si busca trabajo o quiere cambiar de empleo, puede insertar gratuitamente su curriculum en nuestra base de datos y pueden incrementar posibilidad de que sea visto por empresas interesadas. Nuestra avanzada tecnologma de busqueda permite a las empresas hacer una seleccsn precisa y rapida para encontrar exactamente con un ahorro de tiempo, energma y dinero. Si asi se desea y nos indica, aseguramos la confidencialidad de los datos, y podemos bloquear su curriculum a determinadas empresas. Puede tambien acceder de forma csmoda a nuestra bolsa de ofertas. Nuestra direccisn de Internet es http://www.trabajos.com/ Suerte en su intento. Un saludo. Lantel Trabajo Online ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 08:26:43 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Kelley Rosenlund Subject: ticks Hey kids, I often find ticks on me after working in the bee yards. I have heard that dusting your ankles with sulfer will help keep them off. Has anyone tried this or have any other repellants? Also, what tricks do you use to remove ticks once the have you to be their new home? Ticked off in Florida... God Bless, Kelley Rosenlund rosenlk@freenet.ufl.edu Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A., Phone:352-378-7510 200 hives, 1 year in beekeeping. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 07:36:18 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Gerry Visel Subject: Hand-holds and cleats -Reply If you put cleats at the top of the boxes, doesn't that interfere with the outer (telescoping) cover? Gerry Visel ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 09:20:12 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Craig Abel Subject: Re: Nectar and UV Blair Sampson and Jim Cane presented a paper at the 7th International Pollination Symposium held in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada titled "Impact Of Enhanced Ultraviolet-B Radiation On Plant-Pollinator Interactions. In their paper they mentioned Phacelia campanularia had decreased concentrations of sugar under higher UV-B radiation. Both of these people are with the Entomology Department at Auburn but that's all the information I have on them. Craig Abel USDA/ARS North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station Iowa State University Ames, Iowa USA At 09:51 AM 9/6/96 +0300, you wrote: >Hi, > I will be very much interested in the same info. > > Thanks in advance, Rivka > >Rivka Nokrian >Dept. of Botany >George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, >Tel Aviv University >Tel Aviv, Israel > >On Thu, 5 Sep 1996, Vladimir Ptacek wrote: > >> Friends, >> Has anybody of our group an information about the effect of UV irradiation >> on nectar secretion? Are there any references. Thanks in advance. >> Vladimir Ptacek >> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >> Fac. Sci., Dept. Anim. Physiol. E.mail: ptacek@sci.muni.cz >> Masaryk University phone: .42/5/41129 562 >> 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic fax: .42/5/41211 214 >> > > ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 14:30:46 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Sid Pullinger Subject: Skeps <<>>>> No idea where you are situated but the following book is available in= England. Skeps. Their History, Making and Use. By Frank Alston. Price =A37.75 >From Northern Bee Books, Scout Bottom Farm, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 5JS Tel. 01422 882751 Fax 01422 886157 E-Mail Ruxbury@delphi.com Complete kit and instructions for making from Steele and Brodie, Ltd Beehive Works, Kilmany Road, Wormit, Newport-on Tay, Fife DD6 8PG Tel. 01382 541728 _________________________________________________________________ Sid Pullinger Email : sidpul@aladdin.co.uk 36, Grange Rd Compuserve: 100343.1216@compuserve.com=20 Alresford Hants SO24 9HF England ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 07:07:36 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Betty B Subject: Re: ticks At 08:26 AM 9/9/96 -0400, you wrote: >Hey kids, > I often find ticks on me after working in the bee yards. I have >heard that dusting your ankles with sulfer will help keep them off. Has >anyone tried this or have any other repellants? > >Also, what tricks do you use to remove ticks once the have you to be their >new home? > >Ticked off in Florida... > >God Bless, >Kelley Rosenlund rosenlk@freenet.ufl.edu >Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A., Phone:352-378-7510 >200 hives, 1 year in beekeeping. > The same thing we use to get rid of chiggers works well for getting rid of ticks: plain old Vicks Salve or Mentholatum Rub. Just dab it on the ticks and they can't breath, so they let go. Camphor also works well by itself. Lots o' luck! Betty B ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We are like kids' art on God's refrigerator. - ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 16:09:50 +0200 Reply-To: Michael Haberl Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Michael Haberl Subject: beekeepers in NY area? Dear Bee-L readers! Two months ago I asked for your help in locating interesting things for a visit to Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. I have been there and really enjoyed the hospitality! Thanks again for all of you who made suggestions, and thanks especially to those who spend a lot of time with me and invited me to their homes! A friend of mine is going to New York on Oct 14th, 1996 for one week. He would be very interested to meet some beekeepers there and about 150 miles around. Are you interested? He is working about 100 hives and expert in producing all kinds of bee products (honey, pollen, propolis, cream, candles, molds for candles, mead, royal jelly,...). If you know some interesting bee supply shops or anything like this, your hint would be welcome as well. Unfortunantely, he has no e-mail. But I will forward every message to him. If you prefer to contact him directly, here is his address: Karen and Otto Hilpoltsteiner Am Anger 4 85598 Baldham (that's in Bavaria, southern Germany) Germany Tel & Fax: 0049 8106 369806 I promise you that he is a real interesting person! PS: And I promise that this is my last touristic mail! ____________________________________________________________________ Michael Haberl Zoologisches Institut der Uni Muenchen Tel: ++49 89 5902-444 Luisenstr. 14 Fax: ++49 89 5902-450 80333 Muenchen, Germany E-mail: haberl@zi.biologie.uni-muenchen.de ____________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 10:18:18 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Victor E Sten Subject: Re: Router Shaper Bit Have been following this discussion with interest, here is how I proceed: I use template routing having made a template of 1/4" plywood with a slot 1-1/4" x 4" the, slot is 2" from the top The plywood template size lengthwise is made so that the left side will center the slot on the ends and the right side will center the side slots when lined up with the corners of the hive box, the template is nailed to the assembled box with two tacks. The router is set up with a 3/8" straight bit and a template bushing. Two depth settings will bring the slots to 1/2"depth, which is sufficient for me. The box is held with one foot on the floor during the routing. Moving the template is easy, you just pull it off and nail it again to the next side using the same tacks. Regards from Viktor Hobby beekeeper in Hawkesbury, Ontario. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 10:28:59 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Ted Fischer Subject: Re: Escape boards REGARDING RE>Escape boards There has been a lot of discussion recently on the use of escape boards in honey super removal. However, one factor that has not to my knowledge been mentioned is the amount of work involved. I have used escapes in the past but have found this to be the very most labor intensive method of all. It involves two trips to the yard, instead of one; this is a major problem if there are several widely separated yards. But most importantly, it involves lifting all the supers (about 50 lbs each) full of bees to the side in order to place the escape board under the lowest super. Some of my hives have up to seven supers, and all have at least four! I would ruin my back lifting all this three times (once down, once back up, then the final removal)! I usually look for the easiest method of beekeeping, not the most difficult. I think that perhaps the escape boards might be OK for a couple of hives, but I cannot see that the sideline beekeeper (and surely not the commercial operator) ought to waste all this time and energy when there are much easier methods available. Ted Fischer ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 11:49:42 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: janet montgomery Subject: Re: ticks At 07:07 AM 9/9/96 -0700, you wrote: >At 08:26 AM 9/9/96 -0400, you wrote: >>Hey kids, >> I often find ticks on me after working in the bee yards. I have >>heard that dusting your ankles with sulfer will help keep them off. Has >>anyone tried this or have any other repellants? >> >>Also, what tricks do you use to remove ticks once the have you to be their >>new home? >> >>Ticked off in Florida... >> >>God Bless, >>Kelley Rosenlund rosenlk@freenet.ufl.edu >>Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A., Phone:352-378-7510 >>200 hives, 1 year in beekeeping. >> > >The same thing we use to get rid of chiggers works well for getting rid of >ticks: plain old Vicks Salve or Mentholatum Rub. Just dab it on the ticks >and they can't breath, so they let go. Camphor also works well by itself. > >Lots o' luck! > >Betty B > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >We are like kids' art on God's refrigerator. > - >Ticks drop on to their hosts from above, so tall grass , weed or brush along the path or around the hives will encourage your accumulation of ticks.. Mowing or clearing a 4-6 foot path and work area will help in reducing your tick accumulation, also treating your lower clothing with a repellent containing DEET will repel both ticks and chiggers. >Also, if your so inclined, a spray of the work and /or travel area with a product conraining chlorpyriphos or permethrin will knock down the tick population in the local work or travel lane - both of these products are usually found in area flea sprays and should be applied as a coarse , directed spray when the bees are not working and should be effective for 10-14 days Dan Veilleux Col. OH Janet Montgomery 104 Fallis Road Columbus, Ohio 43214-3724 Home: (614) 784-8334 FAX: (614) 268-3107 E-mail: montgomery.1@osu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 22:04:07 +0200 Reply-To: beeman@kuai.se Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: P-O Gustafsson Subject: Re: Escape boards Ted Fischer wrote: > I think that perhaps the escape boards might be OK for a couple of hives, but > I cannot see that the sideline beekeeper (and surely not the commercial > operator) ought to waste all this time and energy when there are much easier > methods available. Hi Ted, There is a time for blowing bees and a time for using escape boards. Blowing is the best way in summer when bees are busy collecting nectar. But when you are alone in a beeyard of 20 hives in the autunm taking off that last box and want to check the broodnest without getting thousands of robbers to help you, then it's nice to have that escape board to clear the supers. Even if it means you have to go back one more time. -- Regards P-O Gustafsson, Sweden beeman@kuai.se http://www.kuai.se/~beeman/ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 15:08:15 -0600 Reply-To: allend@internode.net Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: The tipping method for honey removal At risk of providing too much on this topic: I was just out tipping a few boxes. Light robbing is happening. Of course things are proceeding nicely. I'll go and pick up the boxes in a few minutes -- they are in the home yard. I realised that I discussed conditions where there would be a flow, or conditions where there would be robbing, but did not explicitly state that: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tipping _will not work_ if the bees are not flying freely! ------------------------------------------------------------------- The reason: If they have not flown for a few days, they will not know where to go when and if they do fly up, and as a result abandonment will fail. Bees forget where home is in as short a time as a day or two at some times of year, and it is a safe bet that after three days of confinement or low flight activity, most will not remember their hive location. Someof these things are so much second nature to me that it is hard to remember to explain every little detail. Sorry if anyone ran into difficulty. Feel free to ask if you have problems understanding my explanations.. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca & allend@internode.net Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 18:40:41 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Books about Br. Adam Here are the titles: BEEKEEPING AT BUCKFAST ABBEY, by Brother Adam, c. 1975 (4th ed. 1987) IN SEARCH OF THE BEST STRAINS OF BEES, by Brother Adam, c. 1986 FOR THE LOVE OF BEES: THE STORY OF BROTHER ADAM OF BUCKFAST ABBEY, by Lesley Bill, c. 1989 Sorry but I don't have the publishers. A librarian can do a library-network search if you wish to find them. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 20:53:07 -0300 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Stan Sandler Subject: Re: Bee Vacuums >Bee-listers, > >I posted a message recently about finding a bee vacuum that would remove >bees from difficult places and not pulverize the bees. I use a vacuum cleaner to remove clusters of bees from the windows of the honey house. Like Mike Griggs mentioned, I find that an OLD worn out vacuum cleaner from the dump or a yard sale is great. A good working one mashes them. I use a very old tube shaped electrolux with a cloth bag. Although the machine has very little power, it does not take much to suck bees from a cluster or off glass. There are very few damaged bees when I empty the bag in front of a nuc. Regards, Stan ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 19:01:48 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Re: Hand-holds and cleats -Reply >If you put cleats at the top of the boxes, doesn't that interfere with the >outer (telescoping) >cover? > >Gerry Visel Yes, if of the usual factory design. The telescoping cover could be made longer, but the majority of cleated boxes I've seen have been those of commercial beekeepers or others using the migratory-type cover. This is a flat cover, which is cleated on the ends to prevent warping. (An inner-cover is not normally used with this lid). There are folks around NY and Pa I know of who have only ever used these lids for ages. I've got some of both, but use an inner cover under the flat ones too, in winter. If you're going to spend the time to make fancy telescoping covers, it would be nice to make them deeper than the US manufacturers dictate, and follow the British design (deep outer cover, often with vents). This shrouds the hive more, during nasty weather. For my cheapo outer covers I just nail up frames made of (5/8" x 2") furring strips and nail rectangles of plywood onto these. A layer of roofing paper stapled on, a coat of paint and that's about it. They are nice and light. Speaking of hand-holds and cleats, one of the obvious advantages to the British (Modified) National hive is the plinths that are integral to the hive body design. They give about as solid a grip as you could ever ask for. In many instances this is probably worth having the long lugs on the frames. Honey sure is heavy! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 21:39:07 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Stephen.Reddick" Subject: Killing beees saving honey Hi Bee Liner: I am looking for the proper way to safely kill off the last of the bees left in a house. I have removed a colony of bees from a house, and the owners are anxious for me to Finish the job. The hive I provided has been there for 6 weeks but there are still a few bees leaving the 1 way screened cone. There is a light honey on still so I am hesitant to just take the cone off and let the Stronger colony rob them out. I feel this may just give the colony in the house a chance to pick back up. Steve sunrise@barint.on.ca ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 00:20:22 -0300 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Stan Sandler Subject: Re: Escape boards >But most importantly, it involves lifting all the supers (about 50 lbs each) >full of bees to the side in order to place the escape board under the lowest >super. Some of my hives have up to seven supers, and all have at least four! >I would ruin my back lifting all this three times (once down, once back up, >then the final removal)! I usually look for the easiest method of beekeeping, >not the most difficult. Hi Ted: I use the triangle bee escapes and like them alot, although I do use a blower sometimes when it seems more convenient. I find that I can put the escapes in without any lifting, just some prying and sliding. I part the boxes at the back, (I use a wonderbar instead of a hive tool if I am lifting two deep or several shallows), and get the board started, slide or "walk" the supers back, and then slide or "walk" (depends on the amount of burr comb) the board and supers back over the under boxes. If the supers have been on for a while you can usually pry them to a quite steep angle without having them come apart, but you have to pull them back an inch or so, of course, so they won't come off the underboxes. There is also a lifter that a person can make for use with a hive loader to lift boxes from the handholds. I haven't made one yet, but Allen Dick has given me a good description of his and I intend to make one and use it for putting in escape boards, among other things. If it works as well as the hive cradle which he also kindly gave me a design for, that would be wonderful. Regards, Stan. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 23:37:43 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: David Morris Subject: Re: Books about Br. Adam In a message dated 96-09-09 19:40:22 EDT, you write: << Here are the titles: BEEKEEPING AT BUCKFAST ABBEY, by Brother Adam, c. 1975 (4th ed. 1987) IN SEARCH OF THE BEST STRAINS OF BEES, by Brother Adam, c. 1986 FOR THE LOVE OF BEES: THE STORY OF BROTHER ADAM OF BUCKFAST ABBEY, by Lesley Bill, c. 1989 >> Add to the list BREEDING THE HONEYBEE by Br. Adam. Publisher: Northern Bee Books Scout Bottom Farm Mytholmroyd Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire, HX7 5JS UK Tel. 01422 882751 Fax 01422 886157 E-Mail Ruxbury@delphi.com "In Search of the Best Strains of Bees" is also available from Northern Bee Books. My copy of "Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey" was published by British Bee Publications 46 Queen Street Geddington, Northants, England (no postal code given) "For the Love of Bees" was published by David & Charles Publishers Brunel House Newton Abbot, Devon, England also in the United States: David & Charles Inc. North Pomfret, Vermont, 05053 USA In addition to Larry Connor, you might inquire if Karl Showler of B&K Books has copies. Karl specializes in out-of-print and antique books. I have the following address and telephone number for him. B&K Books Riverside Newport Street Hay-on-Wye via Hereford, HR3 5BG UK telephone (440) 497-820386 - I haven't used the telephone number is lately, and I can't recall when I last made an inter national call, so I am not entirely certain about the prefixes. 44 is the international code for England. I'm not certain about the "0". I have read and thoroughly enjoyed each of these books. I highly recommend them. My wife and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend an afternoon with Br. Adam in May, 1993. He was a gracious and delightful host, "retired" from the apiary by that time. He offered us glasses of his mead, aged 10 years, truly the nectar of gods, and then gave us a tour of the apiary. It is a wonderful memory that we shall treasure. Regards, David Morris Laurel, Md ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 13:47:03 +1100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Chris Allen Subject: Re: Router Shaper Bit Some one asked about a router bit for cutting hand holds. Just for a change, try using an angle grinder. I have a small angle grinder and a special disk for carving timber. The disk is made of steel and has teeth around the edge shaped very much like the teeth on a chain saw. This arrangement is very useful for grinding/shaving away bits of waste timber that you can not get at with ordinary tools. The promotional material that comes with the disc shows that a good operator can cave some very decorative pieces with this device. You could use it to make some very nice hand holds. I cannot give any practical hints because I have not needed to make/get any new boxes since I bought the disc. WARNING If you don't handle them properly, chain saws and angle grinders have a nasty habit of kicking back at you. I have also used cleats with telescopic lids. The trick is to place the cleat lower down so that it does not interfere with the telescopic lid. I prefer to use cleats made for 50mm * 25mm timber and place it at about the same level where the hand holds are normally cut. That gives me a comfortable grip with fingers under the cleat and thumb over the top of the box. Regards Chris Allen ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 23:17:46 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: SHolisky Subject: Re: ticks And please be sure and let the group know how the reception was...I should think that "smelling of DEET" would be like bringing in your pet skunk to "see the bees".... :) ? Good luck - Scott also treating your lower clothing with a > repellent containing DEET will repel both ticks and chiggers. > >Also, if your so inclined, a spray of the work and /or travel area with a > product conraining chlorpyriphos or permethrin will knock down the tick ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 15:11:29 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Connie Gagnon Subject: removal from mailing list Please manually remove my address from this mailing list. thanks cddg ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 09:28:01 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Dave Black Subject: Re: Bee Vacuums In-Reply-To: <199609092353.UAA22260@bud.peinet.pe.ca> In message <199609092353.UAA22260@bud.peinet.pe.ca>, Stan Sandler writes > I find that an OLD worn out vacuum >cleaner from the dump or a yard sale is great. A good working one mashes >them. A tip for using vacuums for this kind of thing. Drill the 'suck making' bit with a series of holes. By covering an appropriate number of holes with tape the artificial 'leak' allows you to adjust the velocity of the air flow infinitely untill its just right. This is hard to describe when you don't have an example of the vacuum but I hope you get the principle. -- Dave Black Blacks Bee Gardens, Guildford, GU1 4RN. UK. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 22:40:25 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: John Subject: Re: Bee Vacuums At 10:35 PM 9/7/96 -0700, you wrote: >Bee-listers, > >I posted a message recently about finding a bee vacuum that would remove >bees from difficult places and not pulverize the bees. > >Mike Griggs was kind enough to enlighten me on a system that he uses and >some resources. I have posted his messages to the list with his >permission. > >If anyone has any more leads on a bee vacuum system, please post to the list. > >Paul Cronshaw DC >Cyberchiro and Hobby Beekeeper >Santa Barbara, CA > >------Original Message----- > >X-Sender: mhg3@postoffice2.mail.cornell.edu >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 09:59:48 -0400 >To: paulc@silcom.com (Paul Cronshaw, D.C.) >From: Mike Griggs >Subject: Re: Bee removal > >Paul, > >You are right that this is a bit hard on the bees. soft nurse bees are >often hurt. The trade off is that this method does allow for a qick cvlean >up of bees in areas that are hard to get to or to clean up the confusion in >an otherwise difficult situation. I try to use less intrusive methods when >possile. But here are a few tips to reduce insect deaths going into the >vacuum capture box. > >I had to play around with strenghts of the vacuum so I could suck up bees >without accelerating to the point that they slam into the walls and get >hurt. > >I also use a smooth hose to suck up the bees. The corregated hose of the >vacuum is to slow down particle impaction. This causes the bees to bump >and bang all the way to the trap. > >Finally I constructed a cloth trampoline for the bees to bouce onto rather >than a wooden wall. This is just a piece of thin streachy cloth that sill >allows air through and provides a soft landing. > >Hope this helps Mike > >*********** > >X-Sender: mhg3@postoffice2.mail.cornell.edu >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 09:37:20 -0400 >To: paulc@silcom.com (Paul Cronshaw, D.C.) >From: Mike Griggs >Subject: Re: Bee removal > >Paul, > >Didn't get back to you sooner as I was preparing my truck for annual >inspection. After thirty years, the last eight with extreme salt, it took >longer than expected. > >I have seen vacuum collection devise designs for many insects. Some are >powered by gas enjine,electric motor, or aspiration. The emergence of the >rechargable battery industry offers hope that a truly portable and >efficient method will someday arrise. Imagine a battery operated turbine >that would provide enough power for say a leaf blower, reverse the air >flow to provide enough suction to collect bees in a collection container. >Mobile, quiet, effficient and reusable. > >I currently use an old GE vacuum I pulled from the trash. I was using an >electrolux but my wife lectured me on the use of household utilities in >barns. It really doesn't take to much suction to collect bees. One could >regulate flow by providing a seondary intake orifice with adjustible size. >by increasing the secondary hole the strength of thesuction at the >collection port would be reduced. > >I have seen collector devises in either or both ABJ and Bee Culture. The >idea is not new, it is quite easy and effective one need only to devise a >working soln from available sources. With any operation the quicker the >machinery the higher the chance to cause damage. I often trade the >increase in speed for slightly increase in loss. I expect to loose some >bees especially during a house removal. I loose significantly fewer during >a swarm capture. The trampoline just decreases >my losses. > >Post whatever you would like. Perhaps you would have the time and >initative to come up with a workable plan and post them up for all to see. >Cheers > >Mike > .-~~~-. > / } > / .-~ > \ | } > \.~~-.-~| . -~_ > / \./ \/\ { O | ` .-~. ; ~-.__ > __{^\_ _}_ ) }/^\ ~--~/-|_\| : : .-~ > / /\_/^\._}_/ // / / | \~ - - ~ > ( (__{(@)}\__}.//_/_____/_____|____\_______________ > \__/{/(_)\_} )\\ \\--------------------------------- > ( (__)_)_/ )\ \> Mike Griggs mhg@cornell.edu > \__/\__/ Entomologist/Support Scientist > > HTTP://www.ppru.cornell.edu/biocontrol/griggs.html > >Call Brushy MT Bee Farm 1-800-beeswax, they had one in their 1992 catalog, I'm sur Steve cal tell where to get on e, If not I have one , Send me your fax and I'll return diagram JRT ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 21:53:47 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Joel Govostes Subject: Honey extractor 4 sale I saw an ad in the local free paper for a 4 frame extractor, with motor. The seller is only asking 100 dollars. This is in Ithaca, NY area. If anyone is interested (seriously) e-mail me and I can check it out. -- Joel ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 23:05:07 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Dave Green, Eastern Pollinator Newsletter" Subject: Possible Changes in Bee Protection Labels? This announcement was posted on the mosquito list. I have not yet verified the accuracy of the information, but felt is was important enough to pass on immediately FWIW. If true, it would be of great benefit to the bees. Current labels are not universally obeyed; and some states even have official programs to circumvent compliance with bee protection labels. These would make the bee protection much more specific and possibly harder to circumvent. Pollinator@aol.com Dave Green PO Box 1200, Hemingway, SC 29554 Copy of the announcement: Subj: Proposed Label Changes Date: 96-09-10 20:55:38 EDT From: byteline@maas.net (Don Menard) Sender: owner-mosquito-l@iastate.edu Reply-to: mosquito-l@iastate.edu =============================================== Lucas Terracina of Calcasieu Parish Mosquito Control posted the following on Byteline that will have a detrimental affect on most mosquito control operations if enacted. Before these proposals go into effect, make your feelings known to your legislators and to Jim Bach whose address is included below. Thanks, Don Menard byteline@maas.net =============================================== PROPOSED CHANGE FOR BEE STATEMENTS - ON LABELS The EPA is proposing changes in the environmental hazard statements on pesticide labels for the protection of bees and other beneficial insects. EPA is proposing that all labels be changed if a pesticide is toxic to insects that are beneficial to crops, as shown in research data, or if the product is intended for application from bud through bloom or foliar application to agricultural crops, forests, shade trees or ornamentals, or for mosquito abatement. Any pesticide that meets any of the above criteria will have a precautionary statement on the label. To MINIMIZE BEE KILLS, pesticide products that are toxic to bees will be required to include one of two statements on the label to protect bees. The statement used will depend on whether the pesticide has displayed an extended residual toxicity. The two samples shown are proposed label statements. Some changes are likely before final statements are adopted. These label statements may be added to pesticide labels within one or two years. Comments on this proposal, prior to the proposal being published in the Federal Register for public comment, may be addressed to: Jim Bach Washington Dept. Of Agriculture Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560 phone # 306-902-1922 or Fax 306-902-2094 _______________________________________________________________ PROSPSED STATEMENT #1 PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS DISPLAYED (i.e.) Carbofuran, Malathion ULV) This product is toxic to bees exposed to application or residues. Unless this product is used in accordance with a state program for the protection of bees or as otherwise stated on this label, DO NOT allow this product to come in contact either directly or through drift to blooming crops or blooming weeds. ________________________________________________________________ PROPOSED STATEMENT #2 PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS NOT DISPLAYED (i.e.) Carbaryl, Endosulfan) This product is toxic to bees. Unless this product is used in accordance with a state program for the protection of bees or as otherwise stated on this label. DO NOT allow this product to come in contact either directly or through drift to blooming crops or blooming weeds between 2 hours before sunrise and 2 hours after sunset. We received the information from Doug Johnson, Administrator, Cascade County Weed and Mosquito Management District in Great Falls, Montana. His phone number is (406) 454-6920, fax 454-6922 Doug got the information from a recent Montana State Department of Agriculture Newsletter. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Tagline Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Gravity: Not just a good idea, it's the law. _____________________________________________________________________ Bee Protection: Not just a good idea, it's the law. -DLGreen ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 20:27:49 +1200 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Bryan Clements Subject: TEST I HATE TO BE A BEE IN YOUR COLLECTIVE BONNETS BUT I WANT TO SEE IF THIS FLYS! BRYAN Bryan Clements Waikato Honey Products bryan@honeynz.co.nz ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 10:52:38 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Winston Sweatman Subject: tipping and bee blowing Dear bee-liners Are young bees (ones that haven't progressed to the forager stage) ever a cause for concern with tipping or blowing methods? If these bees are in the supers they wouldn't be able to find their way back home. Is this ever a problem in practice? Winston ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 14:38:58 GMT+0200 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MR G JOHNSTON Organization: Rhodes University South Africa Subject: Strange?? Hi everyone. After bringing colonies back from their over-wintering site, I found that only two out of six had survived. The winter was very harsh this year here in Grahamstown and when combined with many fires which obliterated most of the forage led to the severe weakening of colonies. Of those two colonies that survived, one was very weak with no stored food or brood whilst the other was weak but had multiple eggs in cells (indicative of laying workers and a queenless colony down here in the Cape - S.Africa). These two colonies were placed side by side (About 1 metre apart) and fed. What seemed to happen was that they tended to rob each other a bit and whilst observing this, the queenless colony started to abscond. But then instead of flying off and forming a ball, they flew quite orderdly into the second (very weak) colony. There was no defensive behaviour and the colonies merged without any fighting. Now they are a strong and very active colony. Is this a common occurance whereby two weak colonies willfully join each other to form a single thriving unit? The pheromonal communications involved in this sort of merger must be mind-blowing. Thanks alot Cheers +-----------------------------------+ | I walked in through the open door | | couldn't believe what I saw | | They were all around me | | Epeleptics to a banjo melody. | | GAVIN JOHNSTON | | G93J2616@WARTHOG.RU.AC.ZA | +-----------------------------------+ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 06:39:17 +0700 Reply-To: dicka@cuug.ab.ca Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: tipping and bee blowing > Dear bee-liners > Are young bees (ones that haven't progressed to the forager > stage) ever a cause for concern with tipping or blowing methods? > If these bees are in the supers they wouldn't be able to find their > way back home. Is this ever a problem in practice? Yes it sure can be. That is one of many reasons why it is an advanced technique. A good intuitive understanding of bees is required to use the method without disasters from time to time. That is also why it is important that a good flow be on. In spite of what I read in the books, experience has shown that in a good flow, *every* bee in the hive seems to be able to find her way home. In less optimal conditions, they just cluster in the boxes. The more I think about the pitfalls, the more I wonder if I should have opened this can of worms on this forum. I notice that a number of other commercials (good friends of mine) that I KNOW tip *routinely*,are remarkably silent. Those of us who work with bees daily for decades do things without thinking or putting them into words, and they just work. When it comes to trying to explain, it gets really tough knowing what to explain and what is just intuitive. You just get tangled up in explaining previous explanations. An example is combining hives -- I haven't even thought seriously about using newspaper for twenty years. Whenever I want to combine hives, I just do it (without) and there are no problems. Twenty five years ago, I can remember piles of dead bees resulting from my inexperienced attempts. Nonetheless, having started this, I guess I should finish it. At this point I should mention that for some reason, my ISPs have problems with finding and I have been without contact for a day or two. It seems that the problem occurred right in the middle of sending a clarification post to the group -- truncating the post, so I will repost the missing and incomplete messages shortly. Moreover, I was out yesterday and played around with tipping in light robbing conditions and have some *very* interesting observations that I will try to write up today. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 09:41:43 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Dave Green, Eastern Pollinator Newsletter" Subject: Mosquito List - My response Here is a copy of my letter to the mosquito list, regarding the possible label change in bee protection directions: In a message dated 96-09-10 20:55:38 EDT, Don Menard (byteline@maas.net) writes: << Lucas Terracina of Calcasieu Parish Mosquito Control posted the following on Byteline that will have a detrimental affect on most mosquito control operations if enacted. Before these proposals go into effect, make your feelings known to your legislators and to Jim Bach whose address is included below. >> Don, I invite you to join the current century. Why are you bucking efforts to protect our pollinators, which are in ever shorter supply? Shame! Think hard: "My children and grandchildren will need to eat. Will they bless me for my efforts to protect our food supply, or blame me for my aid in its destruction?" If it means a little more thought before spraying; if it means you are going to have to learn at least some minimal things about bees; if it means some adjustments in timing sprays, this is a small price to pay, to save a threatened environmental resource. Tell Jim Bach this is a GREAT idea! << =============================================== PROPOSED CHANGE FOR BEE STATEMENTS - ON LABELS The EPA is proposing changes in the environmental hazard statements on pesticide labels for the protection of bees and other beneficial insects. EPA is proposing that all labels be changed if a pesticide is toxic to insects that are beneficial to crops, as shown in research data, or if the product is intended for application from bud through bloom or foliar application to agricultural crops, forests, shade trees or ornamentals, or for mosquito abatement. Any pesticide that meets any of the above criteria will have a precautionary statement on the label. To MINIMIZE BEE KILLS, pesticide products that are toxic to bees will be required to include one of two statements on the label to protect bees. The statement used will depend on whether the pesticide has displayed an extended residual toxicity. The two samples shown are proposed label statements. Some changes are likely before final statements are adopted. These label statements may be added to pesticide labels within one or two years. Comments on this proposal, prior to the proposal being published in the Federal Register for public comment, may be addressed to: Jim Bach Washington Dept. Of Agriculture Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560 phone # 306-902-1922 or Fax 306-902-2094 _______________________________________________________________ PROSPSED STATEMENT #1 PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS DISPLAYED (i.e.) Carbofuran, Malathion ULV) This product is toxic to bees exposed to application or residues. Unless this product is used in accordance with a state program for the protection of bees or as otherwise stated on this label, DO NOT allow this product to come in contact either directly or through drift to blooming crops or blooming weeds. ________________________________________________________________ PROPOSED STATEMENT #2 PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS NOT DISPLAYED (i.e.) Carbaryl, Endosulfan) This product is toxic to bees. Unless this product is used in accordance with a state program for the protection of bees or as otherwise stated on this label. DO NOT allow this product to come in contact either directly or through drift to blooming crops or blooming weeds between 2 hours before sunrise and 2 hours after sunset. We received the information from Doug Johnson, Administrator, Cascade County Weed and Mosquito Management District in Great Falls, Montana. His phone number is (406) 454-6920, fax 454-6922 Doug got the information from a recent Montana State Department of Agriculture Newsletter.>> This is actually no different that the current label statements. It is just specific enough so that it is harder to weasel out of. I have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars from poisoning of my livestock by applications in violation of label directions. Much of this is from public officials who think they are above the law. I am tired of finding stinking dead bees, just when they are needed to pollinate our food. Just this past week I found two locations that have been hit, with the death of 30 of 60 hives, and the rest might just as well be counted as dead; they are so weak as to be salvage cases, which will require a lot of expensive sugar to feed. The field force has been stripped from them, so they are unable to feed themselves, just as the fall flowers get started in bloom. I am bending my efforts now during the spray season to identify and prosecute those who ignore the labels. If the proper authorities will not enforce the law (and they often won't, particularly for public programs), I will personally swear out warrants against the perpetrators. We have lost our wild honeybees to a parasitic mite; we cannot get young people interested in beekeeping, because there is little profit in the business. And the "Official" South Carolina line is that wild pollinators are not protected. That's malfeasance of our environmental "protectors." SHEESE! Who or what will pollinate our food? Shall we let out the schools during fruit or melon bloom, and send the kids out with little brushes to pollinate the blossoms? It has been done. So those of you who ignore the label directions: If you keep on, you will be cursed by future generations of hungry people. You cannot evade the label directions by notifying beekeepers, then spraying as you please. If you are spraying in the daytime, with a material with bee protection directions, and you don't know exactly what is going on with bees in the application area, you are negligent, possibly even criminal. You will have to have some kind of monitoring system if you are using residual materials, or even daytime use of non residual material. If you don't know where the bees are or when, you cannot comply, even with current labels. Monitor hives are ideal for this purpose, and most beekeepers would be happy to work with you on this. I have offered to supply monitor hives to all the public vector control agencies and to commercial aerial applicators who do cotton. No one has ever accepted. THEY DO NOT WANT TO KNOW! I've seen this before. Only after some prosecutions, is there any interest. I am sorry if this is offensive to those who carefully adhere to the directions. We can shake hands and work together. The ones who repeatedly ignore bee-protection directions are criminals, and must be treated as such. The industry would be wise to do more self-policing. << Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Tagline Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Gravity: Not just a good idea, it's the law.>> Protecting Pollinators: Not just a good idea, it's the law. Pollinator@aol.com Dave Green, PO Box 1200, Hemingway, SC 29554 Practical Pollination Home Page Dave & Janice Green http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 16:51:17 +0200 Reply-To: beeman@kuai.se Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: P-O Gustafsson Subject: Re: Strange?? MR G JOHNSTON wrote: > After bringing colonies back from their over-wintering site, I found > that only two out of six had survived. > Of those two colonies that survived, one was very weak with no stored > food or brood whilst the > other was weak but had multiple eggs in cells (indicative of laying > workers and a queenless colony down here in the Cape - S.Africa). > What seemed to > happen was that they tended to rob each other a bit and whilst > observing this, the queenless colony started to abscond. But then > instead of flying off and forming a ball, they flew quite orderdly > into the second (very weak) colony. There was no defensive behaviour > and the colonies merged without any fighting. Now they are a strong > and very active colony. > This happens now and then for me too. Early in spring the bees from a queenless colony that are robbed out join the robbers back to the queenright hive. -- Regards P-O Gustafsson, Sweden beeman@kuai.se http://www.kuai.se/~beeman/ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 13:26:52 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Wendy Ban Subject: OK 533391 OK 533391 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 13:31:46 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Dave Green, Eastern Pollinator Newsletter" Subject: Re: Homeless Bees Note: This original and response is crossposted to the beekeeping newsgroup and the bee list. In article <511f85$5dk@taco.cc.ncsu.edu>, kdmuelle@unity.ncsu.edu (Keith Downing Mueller) writes in rec.gardens: > >Just got power back after Fran. > >There are hundreds of trees in our surrounding woods which have been >downed. AS a result, there are now bees everywhere. If you need bees come >down here. > >Please bring ice and your own batteries >-- >Keith Mueller mule@ncsu.edu I hope you and yours are all well and safe. Unfortunately the hollow trees that feral honeybees prefer for their homes, are the first to go in this kind of storm It would be a very tall order to get the bees established into new homes and settled down for winter. Their disaster has already stressed them so much, then to lose their brood (or what brood couldn't be transferred) would just add to it. Right now any open hive has little chance, as bees are robbing out each other, and hornets and yellow jackets joining into the fray. They have little chance of survival. If there are hives that are not broken up, they may well survive and be okay, but then you will get a round of aerial mosquito spraying. After Hugo, the environmental "protectors" ignored the label directions and applied insecticide on many warm sunny afternoons when bees were foraging on goldenrod and asters. The field bees just dropped, and the clusters back at the hives became too small to survive the winter. Bumblebees and many solitary bees also dropped where they were working. If they do aerial spraying, I would do everything within my power to make them obey the law, as expressed in label directions. If the material is toxic to bees; it will forbid application while bees are foraging. Don't let them establish the times of application by guesswork, but by monitoring to establish when bees actually are foraging. There is no reason to compound the disaster by doing additional damage to pollinators. Fran will impact your pollination picture for years to come. This is an aspect of the disaster that is not often recognized. Pollinator@aol.com Dave Green, PO Box 1200, Hemingway, SC 29554 Practical Pollination Home Page Dave & Janice Green http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html The opinions expressed here are not those of my boss. She doesn't pay much attention to my opinions either. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 16:09:12 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Marcia Sinclair Subject: Re: ticks I haven't tried this, but my Forest Service buddies tell me this homemade spray keeps flies and ticks at a distance: 2 cups white vinegar 1 cup Avon Skin-so-soft bath oil 1 cup water 1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil At 07:07 AM 9/9/96 -0700, you wrote: >At 08:26 AM 9/9/96 -0400, you wrote: >>Hey kids, >> I often find ticks on me after working in the bee yards. I have >>heard that dusting your ankles with sulfer will help keep them off. Has >>anyone tried this or have any other repellants? >> >>Also, what tricks do you use to remove ticks once the have you to be their >>new home? >> >>Ticked off in Florida... >> >>God Bless, >>Kelley Rosenlund rosenlk@freenet.ufl.edu >>Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A., Phone:352-378-7510 >>200 hives, 1 year in beekeeping. >> > >The same thing we use to get rid of chiggers works well for getting rid of >ticks: plain old Vicks Salve or Mentholatum Rub. Just dab it on the ticks >and they can't breath, so they let go. Camphor also works well by itself. > >Lots o' luck! > >Betty B > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >We are like kids' art on God's refrigerator. > - > > Marcia Sinclair Writer & Editor Gresham, Oregon wordland@mail.aracnet.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 19:49:14 PST Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Steven A. Creasy" Subject: Essential Oils update I received the following from Mr. Amerine at U of WV. I hope it will be of interest... Forwarded message follows:: > Dear Steve, There is practically no difference between natural and synthetic wintergreen. The natural oil is 99% the same as the synthetic. We have tried both, and both are equally effective; other beekeepers have corroborated= this. I am attaching a file that is the basis of our web page. I hope it is useful to you. File: Preliminary Results of Research Varroa Mite Control, 1996 http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa.htm (Update: September 10, 1996). We are going to update this web page about monthly as we learn more from our experiments and as we receive results from other beekeepers. This page is designed for beekeepers; for those needing help with terminology, please see Graham, J. 1992. The Hive and the Honey Bee, Dadant & Sons, Hamilton IL, 1324 pp. Eradication possible? We believe that during the late fall and early winter the varroa mite is very susceptible to control by essential oils. By treating hives with the grease patties containing wintergreen, tea tree or patchouli oils, and making sure the treatment is near the cluster, then the varroa mites will have no place to hide and all can be killed. (No brood cells will be available as shelters.) Because most of the country has lost feral colonies, and only careful beekeepers now have bees, a concerted effort by all beekeepers at this time may achieve eradication of the varroa mite. We are not as sure about tracheal mite--(there are so few around this area that we can not find a sufficient infestation to test), but it, too, may be susceptible to winter treatment with grease patties. Perhaps adding menthol to the grease patties may be lethal to them as well. This critical opportunity in beekeeping may not come around again for some time to come: our scenario is that with the feral colonies gone, many new colonies will be established in the next few years which will have light infestations of mites; swarms will issue from these and begin to reestablish a feral population--containing at first a few varroa mites. In a few seasons these will increase and another epidemic of fatal varroa mite + PMS will occur. As the new feral colonies increase, it will become impossible to find them and to eradicate their varroa mites. That is why now is such a special= opportunity. Summary of Treatments: We have refined our experimental treatments as follows: 1). Syrup: 25 drops (1 cc) of wintergreen or spearmint added to two cups (about one pound or 453.6 grams) of sugar in a quart jar (0.95 liter); hot water added to fill jar. Be sure to add the oil to the granulated sugar then add the very warm water (not too hot or else the oils will evaporate). Feed the bees as much syrup as they will take. We have had good results with wintergreen, spearmint, and peppermint oils. 2). Grease patties: are made with four cups of granulated sugar, two cups of shortening and one of the following: 21 cc of wintergreen oil or 21 cc of patchouli oil or 21 cc or tea tree oil or 11.5 cc of each of two oils (eg., wintergreen + patchouli). (This rate is 1/4 oz. of essential oils per pound of sugar and grease). The components are thoroughly mixed (wear gloves or use a large spoon, as wintergreen oil in such concentrations may be toxic; patchouli oil is not toxic). The mixture is then made up into 4 ounce patties (like a small, 3.5" hamburger) which are divided and placed on top of each brood box (about one half pound or 8 ozs. of grease patties per hive; one batch treats 5.8 hives). We plan to make patties this fall that also contain terramycin (TM25) to determine whether medications can be combined for both mites and foul brood.=20 3). Tracking strips: are made by cutting sheets or pieces of 1/8 in. plexiglass into strips 3" wide by 14" long (7.5 cm by 35.5 cm ), and used as a base for holding a treated slurry containing essential oil. The slurry is made as follows: 17.5 ozs. (2 and 1/5 cups) of canola oil are mixed with 6.5 ozs. (slightly more than 4/5 cup) of melted beeswax, stirred and set on a hot plate. To this liquid add 24 cc's of wintergreen oil (or 24 cc's of patchouli oil or 12 cc's of each ). Stir well and pour into three 8 oz. plastic cups. When cooled, the slurry has a shoe-polish or salve-like consistency. Then, 2 to 3 teaspoons of the slurry are applied to the tracking strip which is placed lengthwise just inside the front entrance of each colony. The bees must track through this slurry when they enter or exit the hive; they then clean off the slurry by eating it and feeding it to each other. Treatments are repeated after 5 days: the old slurry, dead mites and dead, deformed bees are scraped off and new slurry added. Plexiglass is used for tracking strips because it has a very smooth finish allowing an even coverage and it is too hard for the bees to chew up or remove; masonite or other similar material could be used just as well. 4). Paper inserts at top of hive: For control of varroa mite on displaced nurse bees (see below). Use 2 cups of canola oil containing 11 cc's of wintergreen; put some in a honey bear (as a squeeze bottle) and apply 6 lines of wintergreen oil in both directions on a paper towel so that the towel is saturated. The bees chew it up and remove it in a week or so. You should replace it as needed to treat the varroa mites trying to avoid the other treatments. Varroa Mite Assessment: You can place a sticky board on the bottom of the hive in combination with both patties and a tracking strip to obtain a good count of varroa mites within 24 to 48 hours: in our tests the essential oils killed more mites than Apistan. We use the essential oils throughout the year, either feeding syrup (when nectar is not coming in), using patties (pretty much year around, but bees do not use the patties as much during honey flows), and using the tracking strips, which are especially useful during the honey flows. We have found in recent months: When nectar flows are coming in, the bees tend to ignore the syrup and the grease patties and the number of reproducing mites increase; that is why Bob developed the tracking strip, to insure that varroa mites are treated. When tracking strips are used, the varroa mites will enter cells being capped in order to escape the essential oils; drone cells are preferred. =20 Grease patties containing spearmint oil were propolized, but not those patties made with wintergreen, tea tree or patchouli oils.=20 We recently found that the varroa mites were able to escape treatment despite using both tracking strips and grease patties (or tracking strips and syrup). We found that displaced nurse bees which gather under the inner cover were used as a hiding place by the mites. We treated this group of mites by putting a piece of paper towel treated with canola oil + wintergreen just under the inner cover. We used 2 cups of canola oil containing 11 cc's of wintergreen; put some in a honey bear (as a squeeze bottle) and applied 6 lines of wintergreen oil in both directions on the towel so that the towel was saturated. The bees chewed it up and removed it in a week or so. You should replace it as needed to treat the varroa mites trying to avoid the other treatments. Queens: A potential problem may be that queens on mating flights may have their pheromone masked or may become somewhat disoriented by the essential oils. We recommend that the treatments be removed from the hives when queen rearing and mating is taking place. Drones: We found that large numbers of drone cells provide protection to the varroa mites and are definitely the source of most breeding varroa mites. Consequently, we recommend that the amount of available drone cells be kept to a mininmum; be sure to remove and replace old comb containing lots of irregular drone cells. (See the literature for techniques using periodic drone removal to reduce varroa mites).=20 Large colonies: When hives have many supers, the treatment for the varroa mites is "diluted". So, remove and extract honey supers and reduce the hives to two chambers or to one and a half chambers as soon as possible; in this way, the treatment will be more effective.=20 Note about tracheal mite: We checked Bob's colonies for tracheal mite by collecting older foragers: those that have frayed wings and a bald thorax. We removed their heads and first pair of legs and examined the tracheae visible inside the cavity where the legs were (peel off the "collar" with forceps); infested tracheae could be seen with a hand lens and were dark spotted or uniformly dark. Results: in control colonies (no treatments) 30% had tracheal mites; in treated colonies, 10% had tracheal mites. Since bees are able to drift considerable distances, we suspect that some of those in our treated colonies may have come in from other, declining feral colonies in the neighborhood (a few feral colonies still remain near Cumberland, but these should be gone soon). The older bees give a more reliable test for the presence and extent of infestation by tracheal mite. Original page (Prepared July 1996, published in the Amer. Bee Journal, September, 1996.): In our opinion, Bob Noel, Beekeeper in Cumberland Maryland, has discovered an effective and economical control for varroa mite (Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans (Acari: Varroidae)) and probably also for tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae)). The following is a brief account of our work and preliminary findings during the past 14 months. In summer and fall of 1995, Bob fed syrups containing essential oils1 to his bees, specifically wintergreen oil and spearmint oil. He added 10 to 20 drops (1/2 to 1 cc, respectively) of the oils to 453.6 grams (one pound) of sugar in a 0.95 liter (1 quart) jar, and hot water was added to fill the jar. This syrup was then fed to the bees at the entrance using a standard boardman feeder. He applied the two syrups to 14 hives as follows: spearmint oil to 5 colonies and wintergreen to 9 colonies beginning in July and continuing until October. In July, 1995, many of his colonies were heavily infested with varroa mite displayed typical PMS (parasitic mite syndrome): they were suffering from mite viruses, such as ABPV, CBPV, Kashmir Virus and from sacbrood which was quite heavy, and the brood pattern was scattered and incomplete, very similar to American foul brood (AFB) (however, none of the colonies had AFB). Many of the emerging workers were small with shriveled wings and very small abdomens. Two of the colonies were so weak in July that wax moths were attacking comb and brood. Syrups were given ad lib and topped up daily. Bob assayed varroa mite populations by opening sealed brood cells, both drone and worker, by observing emerging brood and by directly observing varroa mite behavior.=20 Results: after using treated syrups for three weeks, Bob noticed improved brood patterns, healthier bees, and reduced mite populations. After 30 days of treatment (we inspected the colonies in August, 1995) varroa mites were definitely in decline and the bees were considerably recovered from PMS. We observed numerous varroa mites and PMS in control (untreated) colonies. On 21 September, we thoroughly inspected several hives; those that were treated with syrups were virtually free of varroa mite, whereas untreated control colonies in the area were heavily attacked by varroa mite, had typical PMS, and were beginning to die off. In November 1995, Bob found that two of his bee yards (Oldtown, MD and Kifer, MD) which were free of varroa mites in July and August, were heavily infested with varroa mites (2-3 mites per adult bee). We believe that workers from collapsing feral colonies had joined with these colonies bringing in enormous numbers of varroa mites. Bob treated some colonies with apistan strips and grease patties (without essential oils) and others with grease patties containing the following: four cups of granulated sugar, two cups of shortening and 4.8 cc's of wintergreen oil. This mixture was made into 8 oz patties and placed one per colony above the cluster. The following spring and early summer only a trace of varroa mite could be found in the hives treated with the grease patties containing wintergreen oil; several of the colonies treated only with apistan and standard grease patties died out.= =20 In May 1996, Bob devised the tracking strip method of varroa mite control: strips of 1/8 in. plexiglass, 7.5 cm by 35.5 cm (3" by 14"), were used as a support for a slurry made as follows: 4 parts mineral oil mixed with 1.5 parts melted beeswax; this liquid was then poured into 4 oz. baby food jars to which 2 cc's of patchouli oil and 2 cc's of wintergreen oil were added. Then =BD to 3 teaspoons of the slurry were applied to the each tracking= strip with fingers, which were placed lengthwise just inside the front entrance of each colony. He began these treatments early in May. The day after strips were applied, dead varroa mites were found on the tracking strips--several dead mites per colony.=20 Bob's associate, Harry Mallow (a beekeeper for 30 years, former Maryland bee inspector, and former president of the Maryland State Beekeepers Association) treated one hive (his last surviving colony at beeyard No. 2) with the tracking strip on 31 May, 1996 (double the dose of patchouli and wintergreen oils; i.e., 4 cc of each oil in 4 ozs. of the slurry). On June 1st, both Harry and Bob observed several 100's of dead varroa mites at the entrance, on and around the strip. They returned on June 2nd to videotape the dead mites--most had been carried off by ants, but several dozen dead mites still remained at the entrance. Amrine inspected this colony on 6 June, 1996, and found very few live varroa mites on workers in the hive (two were seen on 1000's of bees examined). About 100 sealed drone cells were examined; several recently capped drone cells contained 18 to 25 highly aggitated varroa mites--they ran around the larva or pupa very rapidly and ran quickly onto and over the combs. It appears that at the time of treatment they entered nearly capped drone cells as if they were "bomb shelters" to avoid the tracking material. The older capped drone cells (with colored pupae and capped before the treatment) contained normal numbers of normally developing varroa mites. On June 6, 1996, Amrine inspected 12 of Bob Noel's colonies, in three bee yards, and collected all varroa mites that could be found. About 100 sealed drone cells and several worker cells were opened in each colony. Four sealed drone cells were found infested with varroa at his "Rick's" bee yard in Cumberland, MD: two in colony number 4, treated with a tracking strip containing the mineral oil-beeswax slurry and 4 cc of patchouli oil in a baby food jar (4 oz); and one each in colonies 2 and 3 which were treated with the same slurry containing 2 cc of wintergreen oil and 2 cc of patchouli oil (in 4 oz.). Varroa mites were not found in hive number 1 (same treatment as hives 2 and 3). We regard these numbers as a trace infestation of varroa mites. (The same colonies were inspected by Maryland bee inspector Dave Thomas, who reported no live varroa mites on 18 May, 1996). No deformed bees were found; there were 12 to 14 frames of brood in each colony which were the best looking colonies we have seen in the last three years. Inspection of the Kifer, MD bee yard resulted in finding only two sealed drone cells with varroa mites (one each) out of 100 drone cells examined (hive number 3). This hive had been treated only with grease patty + wintergreen oil in November 1995, and a tracking strip (slurry made from 4 parts canola oil + 1.5 parts melted beeswax and 2 cc of patchouli oil) was added 30 May 1996. The colonies had two or three mites per adult bee in November, 1995. Inspection of the Oldtown, MD, bee yard resulted in finding 3 sealed drone cells containing varroa mites out of 100 cells examined in each of two colonies. These had been treated with grease patties containing wintergreen oil in November 1995, and had received no other treatment. In November, the colonies had two or three varroa mites per adult bee. Conclusions: Bob Noel's experiments from July 1995 to the present have demonstrated that essential oils in sugar syrup, grease patties and tracking strips are able to greatly reduce populations of varroa mites in bee colonies. 1) Spearmint oil at the rate of =BD to 1 cc per quart of syrup (1# of sugar) had the= best results when fed in July through October; wintergreen oil was less effective, but still highly effective, in these experiments. 2) Grease patties containing 4.8 cc's of wintergreen oil were very effective from November until April in reducing and nearly eliminating varroa mites in heavily infested colonies treated in November. 3) Tracking strips containing 2cc of patchouli oil and 2 cc of wintergreen oil (or 4 cc of patchouli oil) are very effective in controlling varroa mites during spring build up. 4) In all cases of successful treatments, the essential oils were delivered to the brood nest of the treated colonies. The importance of this last observation can not be overemphasized. Two experiments of ours support the importance of this point. First, Harry Mallow began sugar syrup treatment of 16 colonies at his bee yard No. 1 in September, 1995. He treated 8 colonies with syrup and essential oils only (4 with 15 drops of wintergreen oil per pound of sugar, and 4 with 15 drops of spearmint oil); the cans were placed at the top of the colonies (in contrast to boardman feeders placed at the entrance by Bob Noel). [Nurse bees and foragers collect nectar from a boardman feeder and the syrup and essential oils go to the brood; feeders at the top of a hive do not usually deliver syrups or food directly to the brood nest.] Four more of his colonies were given wintergreen syrup + apistan strips and the last four colonies were given untreated syrup as controls. Only the four colonies with wintergreen syrup + apistan survived. These colonies were treated too late and the syrup was fed in the wrong location: at the top of the colony instead of the entrance. Second, Harry also treated one colony located in his beeyard No. 3 in April of 1996 with canola oil + wintergreen oil (4 cc of wintergreen in 4 ozs. of canola); a folded paper towel with canola + wintergreen was laid on a queen excluder above the cluster. He got a good kill of varroa mites (many were found dead on the bottom board). He continued this treatment for several weeks. We inspected the colony on 6 June, 1996: a paper towel with canola oil was on top of a queen excluder at the top of the colony (1 and =BD= story); it had not been touched by the bees (in contrast, the original paper towel was shredded by the bees in April). [After April, the bees have little reason to go to the upper part of the hive and will not be affected by treatments placed there.] About 100 sealed brood cells (mostly drone) were examined in this colony; about 1/4 of the drone cells contained normally developing varroa mites. Obviously, this treatment, though effective in April when the cluster was near the top of the upper super, was no longer working. Thus the presence of the essential oils in the top of the hive was insufficient to cause reduction of varroa mite. This probably explains some of the negative reports we have read or heard from other researchers using essential oils--they apparently did not deliver the oils to the brood nest in a way that nurse bees and foraging bees would be treated; thus the tracking board at the entrance is highly effective, the syrup fed by boardman feeder is highly effective, and treated grease patties above the fall and winter cluster proved highly effective. The treatments must be delivered to the brood nest--in such a way that nurse bees and foraging bees are treated. Proposed mechanisms of action: Our observations of Bob Noel's experiments in 1995 and 1996 indicate the following mechanisms are probably at work in controlling varroa mites: 1) Direct toxicity: The grease patties and tracking strips indicate that the essential oils are able to kill varroa mites by direct contact, within 24 hours or less. Honey bees are not harmed by these oils at the rates used; honey has not been found to be contaminated by any of the treatments used to date (taste test). The evidence to date is strong enough to prove that this is definitely a mechanism of varroa mite control; however, no case has been observed where direct toxicity has totally elliminated the mites. For now, it can only be regarded as a partial control and effective only at time of treatment and for several days following. 2) Sensory disruption: it seems that the essential oils from grease patties and tracking strips are able to mask the normal chemosensory receptors on the tarsi and mouthparts of varroa mites, disrupting the mite's ability to function normally. As a result, they are not able to properly invade larval cells about to be capped, nor do they seem to be able to properly insert themselves under the sternites of worker bees and feed on bee hemolymph. They may not be able to recognize adults and mature larvae of honey bees because of the presence of the grease + oils on the mites' cuticle and sensory receptors. This mechanism is hypothetical and is supported indirectly by observations of behavior of varroa mites in treated colonies by Bob Noel, Harry Mallow and us. 3) Reproductive disruption: it is apparent that varroa mites in all three methods of treatments are not able to reproduce normally. Examination of cells at or near the time of emergence of bees and mites from mite-infested cells in treated colonies show that few newly developed females are found; many cells have been found containing dead immature mites and single females that never reproduced (so-called nonreproducing or sterile females). We conclude that the essential oils are able to disrupt the reproductive mechanism of the varroa mite.=20 It is known that under natural, untreated conditions, the female varroa mite, after feeding on a larva in a sealed cell for 1-2 days, normally becomes "gravid"--she appears swollen and the cuticular membrane between the sternal and genital plates becomes stretched and evident as white borders around the plates. The so-called "eggs" deposited by the female are in reality immature mites that are ready to emerge as protonymphs, the embryonic and larval stages having been completed within the chorion inside the body of the female. Thus, the female is converting the blood of the bee larva and/or pupa into nutrients for each developing immature mite. This part of the varroa's development is viewed by us as its weakest point, the so-called "Achilles' Heel" of the varroa mite, and appears to be the major target of action of the essential oils. The oils may be disrupting enzyme systems used to convert bee blood nutrients into nutrients for the developing immature mites and so the females are not able to produce "eggs". Also, after hatching, very few of the mites in treated colonies were able to complete development by the time the bee emerged from the cell.=20 These mechanisms help explain observations given to us by several beekeepers where honey bee colonies were located in regions with blooming plants rich with essential oils, such as mints, melaleucas, eucalypts, etc., and which were often found to be free of, or not harmed by, varroa mites. We presume that the bees foraged on flowers of the plants, or on the resins of the plants for propolis, and returned to their colonies with these nectars or resins containing essential oils. Appartently, enough of the essential oils reached the brood cells so that the development of the varroa mites was disrupted in the colonies. This probably explains the failure of varroa mites to develop in many tropical regions, such as Brazil: the large variety of native flora apparently produce essential oils in nectar, pollen or propolis to the extent that normal reproduction of the mites is impaired. We believe that these essential oils, which were originally produced by the host plants in order to kill, repel or prevent arthropod attack, are a very natural means of mite control. Honey bees are not affected by the essential oils, especially those from Lamiaceae (the mint family), because of concurrent evolution of the bees with these flowering plants and their essential oils; the bees long ago developed techniques to avoid, or counteract, the toxicity of the essential oils. However, the varroa mites, which were originally on Apis cerana in South and East Asia, apparently are susceptible to the essential oils. An important question is whether varroa mites will be able to evolve resistance to the essential oils; only time will tell. However, there are so many essential oils available, that if resistance to one appears, another oil may be substituted; the only real fear is whether varroa mite may eventually develop resistance to the entire class of essential oils. Our future research will be directed toward 1) finding an essential oil treatment that will totally erradicate varroa mites from hives; 2) providing evidence to elucidate and document the mechanism(s) by which varroa mites are controlled by essential oils; 3) testing the oils at increased levels to determine toxicity levels to honey bees; 4) testing honey and beeswax harvested from treated hives for the presence of residues of essential oils. We encourage other beekeepers to conduct research similar to ours in order to help find a way to eliminate bee mites. Please let us know if you have had similar results. Our interests in this project are strictly non-profit and for the benefit of the honey bee industry and beekeeping in general. Respectfully submitted,=20 James W. Amrine, Jr., Terry A. Stasny, and Robert Skidmore West Virginia University We can be reached at the following mailing addresses: Robert C. Noel, Teacher, Fort Hill High School Computer Science and School Coordinator 108 Blackiston Ave. Cumberland, MD 21502 =20 Telephone: 301-724-3529 Harry A. Mallow, Former Regional Bee Inspector, Allegheny & Garrett Cos. Md. Dept of Agric. (under John Lindner) 11914 Valley Rd. NE Cumberland, MD 21502=20 Telephone: 301-724-2191 James W. Amrine, Jr.2 (Professor), Terry A. Stasny 2 (Research Acarologist) and Robert Skidmore (Apiculture graduate student) Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, P. O. Box 6108, West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26505-6108 Telephone: 304-293-6023; E-mail: jamrine@wvnvm.wvnet.edu 1 For a source of essential oils, we recommend Lorann Oils, 4518 Aurelius Road, P. O. Box 22009, Lansing, MI 48909-2009. Toll free number is 1-800-248-1302. Fax number is 517-882-0507. Lorann Oils will send catalogs to callers and will sell essential oils at wholesale prices to beekeepers (callers must identifiy themselves as beekeepers) in quantities from 1 oz. to 1 gallon. Beekeepers needing larger quantities should call for special pricing. 2 Amrine has been teaching beekeeping at WVU since 1978, is past president of the Eastern Apiculture Society (1982) and is current president of the Morgantown Area Beekeepers Association; Stasny is founder of the Morgantown Area Beekeepers Association (1977), and has been a beekeeper for 30 years; Skidmore was a bee inspector for the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture, Erie, Pennsylvania area in 1995. Standard Equivalents and Measures: 1 pound =3D 453.597 grams =3D .453 Kg 1 Kg =3D 2.2046 pounds 1 fluid ounce =3D 29.57373 cc 1/4 oz =3D 7.3934 cc 1 cc =3D 0.0338 oz. =3D 25 drops from a standard medicine dropper 10 cc =3D .338 oz or about 1/3 ounce or two teaspoonfuls 1 fluid dram =3D 3.6967 cc=20 =3D 0.125 ounces =3D 1/8 oz. =3D .75 tsp. 1 teaspoonful =3D 1.33333 fluid drams =3D 4.93 cc, or =3D approximately 5 cc =3D 1/6 oz. =BD tsp. =3D 2.465 cc Or =3D approx. 2.5 cc 1/4 tsp. =3D 1.2325 cc 1/8 tsp =3D 0.62 cc 1 tablespoonful =3D 3 teaspoonfuls, =3D 4 drams =3D 14.7868 cc or =3D approximately 15 cc =3D1/2 oz. 1 cup =3D 8 ounces or =BD pound =3D 236.58984 cc =BD cup =3D 4 ounces =3D 118.29492 cc 1/3 cup =3D 2.666667 ozs =3D 78.86328 cc 1/4 cup =3D 2 ounces =3D 59.14746 cc 1/8 cup =3D 1 ounce=20 =3D 29.57373 cc =3D 8 drams =3D 6 tsp. or 2 tablespoonfulls 1 common ounce dry weight (avdp) =3D 28.34952 grams 1 cup sugar =3D 218.3 grams (by experiment) =3D 7.7 oz. Avdp. 1 cup crisco =3D 217.36 grams (by experiment) =3D 7.66 oz. Avdp. Example, making grease patties: A standard container of crisco weighs 3 lbs. To this add 6 lbs of sugar, for a total of 9 lbs. Nine lbs of grease patties requires 1/4 oz. per pound =3D 9*.25=3D 2.25 ozs or 66.5 cc of wintergreen (a little more than 1/4 cup or= 1/4 cup + 1 and 1/2 tsp.) =20 Sincerely, Jim Amrine Division of Plant & Soil Sciences P. O. Box 6108, West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26506-6108 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <> Telephone: 304-293-6023 <> <> Fax: 304-293-2960 <> <> web: http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa.htm <> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------END OF FILE------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 16:02:14 -1000 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Guinnevere Roberts Organization: University of Hawaii - Zoology Subject: Re: Possible Changes in Bee Protection Labels? I think new pesticide labels are a great idea, but I am hoping the ones posted were either drafts or mistyped. The second sentence in proposed statement #2 cannot stand alone. Sorry to be picky, but you want people to understand the label! > PROPOSED STATEMENT #2 > PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT IF EXTENDED RESIDUAL TOXICITY IS NOT DISPLAYED > (i.e.) Carbaryl, Endosulfan) > This product is toxic to bees. Unless this product is used in accordance > with a state program for the protection of bees or as otherwise stated on > this label. DO NOT allow this product to come in contact either directly or > through drift to blooming crops or blooming weeds between 2 hours before > sunrise and 2 hours after sunset. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 21:40:15 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Kirk Jones Subject: Re: Brother Adam on NPR >Dear Hans, I have an idea to do nature printing on my candles and am >wondering about any helpful tips or books on printing in that medium. Any >information would be appreciated. Sharon "/we ceaselessly gather the honey of the invisible, to store it up in the great golden hive of the invisible" Holderlin __________________________________________________________ >Hans-Ulrich THOMAS. Beekeeper & collector of books about: > >- bees and beekeeping >- ants (yes these small little buggers!) >- nature printing > >e-mail: hthomas@solid.phys.ethz.ch >CompuServe: 100045,2556 >Fax: ++41 1 633 10 77 >__________________________________________________________ ****************************************************** * Sleeping Bear Apiaries/Kirk Jones (616)882-4456 * * BeeDazzled Candleworks/Sharon Jones (616)882-7765 * * * * email b-man@aliens.com * ****************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 16:07:22 -1000 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Guinnevere Roberts Organization: University of Hawaii - Zoology Subject: non-Apis bees I was wondering whether anybody knows of a good source of information on the status of non-Apis pollinators. I am primarily interested in solitary hylaeid bees Numerous here in Hawaii and Australia), but also Trigona or other species. I know that many solitary bees have been hard hit by both pesticides and habitat changes, any ideas on how to monitor or raise them? Has anybody tried trap-nesting? If so, what size tubing worked best? ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 18:54:53 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jerry Fries Subject: Re: Bee Vacuums One way to slow down the airflow is to use a larger diameter hose going into the collection box. To increase vacuum gradually back to the strenght needed to suck the bees use a reduction that can be adjusted at the nozzel. the smaller the opening the stronger the the vacuum at the nozzel. After the bees enter the larger diameter section the speed of the air will slow down. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 19:07:15 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jerry Fries Subject: Re: Strange?? I have seen bees leave a hive with an unattractive Queen little by little. I have not witnessed bees fighting unless I forced strange bees togather. To enmass simply move in is a new one on me. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 00:21:00 GMT Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Andy Nachbaur Organization: WILD BEE'S BBS (209) 826-8107 LOS BANOS, CA Subject: INSIDE A BEEHIVE BOOK REVIEW and a GOOD Deal follows! __________________________________________________________ (//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////) (//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////) /~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\ | ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ | | / \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \ | | \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ | | / \___/ \___/ \ | | \___/ \ _ / The MAGIC SCHOOL BUS \___/ | | / \ /O O \ _ / \ | | \___/ \~~~ / // \ INSIDE A BEEHIVE \___/ | | / \ /--\// )) / \ | | \___/()==/()== \__./ by Joanna Cole \___/ | | / \()=( ()= ) Illustrated by Bruce Degen / \ | | \___/ \____/ \___/ | | / \ |||| "A MUST BUY BEE BOOK" says / \ | | \___/ (/ \) the OLD Drone \___/ | | / \___ 1st edition Sept 1996 __/ \ | | \___/ \___ ___ ___ ___ ___/ \___/ | | / \___/ \___/ \__ / \___/ \___/ \___/ \ | | \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ \___/ | :____________________________________________________________: \___________________________________________________________/ How do you review a book that you fall in love with at first blush? This has to bee the Best Children's bee book that I have ever had the pleasure to read. It has to bee OK for you adults as I enjoyed it. I am sure if it has a fault some will say it does not put the "fear" of the killer bees into our children but only explains what goes on inside a beehive and the bees cycle with the best cartoon style art and great text that I have ever seen. I enjoyed every page! This is a HONEY seller, but does not leave out POLLINATION and a "MUST BUY" for all interested in the bee industry at any level. INSIDE A BEEHIVE is part of the MAGIC SCHOOL BUS series of books and is tied into the PBS TV show of the same name. It retails in the US for $15.95. Because BARNEY Loves you all and so does the OLd Drone I can send you this book in the USA for $14.95 plus $1.50 postage, or for $20.00 you can have the book and the satisfaction of supporting the Wild Bee's BBS and a place of. Honor seen by all who log on to the bbs. Get one and I bet you will want one for each of your kids, or grand kids. Now is the time to put them away for Christmas. The book itself is hard bound with jacket and 48 pages and 100% illustrated from Scholastic Press, 555 Broadway, NY, NY-10012 ISBN 0-590-44684-3 $15.95 list priced. To order from Wild Bees post your order via US mail to: Inside a Beehive or via private e-mail to: 1522 Paradise Lane beebooks@beenet.com Los Banos, CA 93635 We can handle CC, checks, cash or whatever you have to trade. One week or faster delivery depending on supply. --- ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ HTTP://SUEBEE.COM ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 20:20:51 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Betty B Subject: Re: ticks At 04:09 PM 9/11/96 -0700, you wrote: >I haven't tried this, but my Forest Service buddies tell me this homemade >spray keeps flies and ticks at a distance: 2 cups white vinegar > 1 cup Avon Skin-so-soft bath oil > 1 cup water > 1 tablespoon eucalyptus oil Ah --- yes! Skin-so-soft bath oil. Let me tell you a little story about it. Several years ago I went with a group of folks to the Amazon jungle. Expecting to be attacked by swarms of insects, I took along two bottles of Deep Woods insect repellant. After using if for a few days on my exposed skin, I started developing a rash everywhere the repellant touched. Also, if I had it on my hands and then touched plastic (camera, tips of shoelaces, poncho, belt, straps, etc.) the plastic melted and got all over my hands and anything else I touched afterwards. Others had similar problems. It was a real mess! One other member of our group came to our rescue with the Skin-so-soft that his wife had packed. All 10 of us used it for the rest of the trip, and smelled wonderful. No insects biting, either. When we got home, my skin felt great. Incidentally, I had expected the mosquitos to be the worst of all, but they weren't. It was the ants that hated us with a passion, and all of them bit like fire ants, expecially the teeny ones. The ants didn't fly, of course, but they did drop down on us if we touched hanging vines or tree limbs ---- makes me shiver just remembering them falling down inside my shirt. But I survived. I will have to try your spray on my next outing. It sounds like a good repellant. Betty B > > >At 07:07 AM 9/9/96 -0700, you wrote: >>At 08:26 AM 9/9/96 -0400, you wrote: >>>Hey kids, >>> I often find ticks on me after working in the bee yards. I have >>>heard that dusting your ankles with sulfer will help keep them off. Has >>>anyone tried this or have any other repellants? >>> >>>Also, what tricks do you use to remove ticks once the have you to be their >>>new home? >>> >>>Ticked off in Florida... >>> >>>God Bless, >>>Kelley Rosenlund rosenlk@freenet.ufl.edu >>>Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A., Phone:352-378-7510 >>>200 hives, 1 year in beekeeping. >>> >> >>The same thing we use to get rid of chiggers works well for getting rid of >>ticks: plain old Vicks Salve or Mentholatum Rub. Just dab it on the ticks >>and they can't breath, so they let go. Camphor also works well by itself. >> >>Lots o' luck! >> >>Betty B >> >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> >Marcia Sinclair >Writer & Editor >Gresham, Oregon >wordland@mail.aracnet.com > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We are like kids' art on God's refrigerator. - ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 01:34:41 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: MIDNITEBEE Subject: only a test Please excuse this test message.Trying to see if my mail server is working properly. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 21:51:22 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jerry Fries Subject: Re: ticks Here in Alaska we are renowned for having some of the largest flocks of carnivorous mosquitos in the world. One of the reasons the Russians never attacked is because they knew we had squadrons of mosquitos which could out dogfight a mig 22 anyday. One day a mosquito landed at Anchorage international airport. They fueled it and it took off before they realized what was going on! We have got some tough mosqutos here but there is something that really works to keep them away. Betty B mentioned a recipe that contained Avon Skin So Soft. Believe it or not it really works! Not just works but is the best overall insect repellant I've seen.I've looked for 40 years. In Anchorage there are ladies in several places around town with roadside booths selling Skin So Soft. I heard a rumor that Avon is now selling the same basic mix as repellant because they are not allowed to sell Skin So Soft as such. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 19:40:54 +1200 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Bryan Clements Subject: Re: Possible honey purchase Greetings. Did you find any market places for honey? We export honey, about 150 ton per year but have not sold to the USA. Mostly we sell to Europe, so any marketing oppertunities in that area would be great. Regards Bryan Bryan Clements Waikato Honey Products Ltd 8 Short Street New Zealand bryan@honeynz.co.nz ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 19:57:49 +1200 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Bryan Clements Subject: Re: Possible honey purchase Am still learning to fly, the posting re: possible honey purchase was intended for Steve Mitchell >dteach@horizon.hit.net so will try again. Regards & apologies Bryan Bryan Clements Waikato Honey Products Ltd 8 Short Street New Zealand bryan@honeynz.co.nz ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 08:03:19 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Gerry Visel Subject: Re: Possible Changes in Bee Protection Labels? -Reply Should we get picky and insert the word "honey" before bees on the proposed warnings? (If we gotta put up with new regulation, let's make sure they get it as right as possible.) With the "killer bee" mania a few years ago, the bee image may not be as pure as our honey is... Gerry Visel ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 09:37:17 CST6CDT Reply-To: bwhite@mda-is.mda.state.mn.us Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: BLANE WHITE Organization: Minnesota Dept of Agriculture Subject: Re: Possible Changes in Bee Protection Labels? -Reply Hi all, Gerry Visel wrote: > Should we get picky and insert the word "honey" before bees on the > proposed warnings? (If we gotta put up with new regulation, let's make > sure they get it as right as possible.) > > With the "killer bee" mania a few years ago, the bee image may not be as > pure as our honey is... > No the point is to protect pollinating insects not just honey bees also remember that the Africanized bees are honey bees. blane > ****************************************** Blane White State Apiary Inspector Minnesota Department of Agriculture 90 W Plato Blvd St Paul, MN 55107 http://www.mda.state.mn.us phone 612-296-0591 fax 612-296-7386 bwhite@mda-is.mda.state.mn.us ******************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 11:48:35 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "" Subject: Update on Adam Books Wicwas Press has the following availability on the Brother Adam books: BEEKEEPING AT BUCKFAST ABBEY, by Brother Adam, c. 1975 (4th ed. 1987) $16.95 plus $2.50 postage, surface, worldwide IN SEARCH OF THE BEST STRAINS OF BEES, by Brother Adam, c. 1986 $18.95 plus $2.50 postage, surface, worldwide FOR THE LOVE OF BEES: THE STORY OF BROTHER ADAM OF BUCKFAST ABBEY, by Lesley Bill, c. 1989 Out of print, I have one extra copy for $20.00 plus $2.50 postage. Wicwas Press PO Box 817 Cheshire CT 06410-0817 Phone and Fax 203 250 7575 Phone and leave credit card data on secure phone answer machine. I do not recommend use of the internet for cc information. Checks accepted by mail, of course. Larry Connor ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 09:00:44 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jay Jones Subject: Re: ticks In-Reply-To: "Your message dated Wed, 11 Sep 1996 21:51:22 -0800" So for point of clarification, will skin so soft work alone or is the eucalyptus oil listed in the recipe offered to the group needed? From two recent posts it sounded like the skin so soft worked well alone. Jay Jones jonesj@ulvacs.ulaverne.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 15:40:00 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Palm, Kevin R. (LLP)" Subject: Festooning in the rain?? (sounds like a song title. . .) Hi, all!! Over the past few days, we've had rain, once from the remnants of Hurricane Fran, and once just from a cold front moving through the area. Both times I've noticed that on both my hives, the bees that are stuck outside in the rain cling from the auger holes in the front of my hive bodies and form "chains" with their bodies hanging on to each other. They almost look the way they do when they're festooning, or building comb. Do they do this to shed the rain better?? It looks so strange to see all those bees swaying in chains with the breeze!! Thanks, Kevin Palm ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 15:59:29 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: David Eyre Subject: Re: JZsBZs This is not a normal request for this list, hope nobody gets annoyed with me!! I am desperately trying to contact a Texas company called "JZsBZs Honey Co." I had contact some few months ago, now the phone rings and nothing. Have tried at all times of the day. If anyone has knowledge about their whereabouts please e-mail me privately. Thank You. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 11:55:03 -0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jerry Fries Subject: Re: ticks >So for point of clarification, will skin so soft work alone or is the >eucalyptus oil listed in the recipe offered to the group needed? From >two recent posts it sounded like the skin so soft worked well alone. > >Jay Jones >jonesj@ulvacs.ulaverne.edu I wrote one response regarding Skin So Soft , For most bugs found in Alaska ,especially mosquitos It works alone. We keep some in our motorhome and we always have some in the fishing tackle box. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 15:32:08 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: steven anderson Subject: Re: JZsBZs In-Reply-To: <199609122001.QAA06998@segwun.muskoka.net> from "David Eyre" at Sep 12, 96 03:59:29 pm > > This is not a normal request for this list, hope nobody gets annoyed with me!! > I am desperately trying to contact a Texas company called "JZsBZs Honey Co." > I had contact some few months ago, now the phone rings and nothing. Have > tried at all times of the day. > If anyone has knowledge about their whereabouts please e-mail me > privately. Thank You. > Try Wilmot, South Dakota. They used to have there main Northern Base located there. Say hello to JZ for me Steve Anderson ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 13:09:46 +0100 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Paul Walton Subject: Re: Plastic Foundation In-Reply-To: <323106F6.55E8@pop03.ca.us.ibm.net> In article <323106F6.55E8@pop03.ca.us.ibm.net>, Tim Townsend writes >Dirk Howard wrote: >> >> Steven A. Creasy wrote: >> > I am looking for others' experience with plastic foundation (EG Pierco >products). They make plastic-stamped, wax-covered snap in type >foundation >> > as well as all plastic one piece (frame and all) fully drawn comb. I have >heard that it warps from some around here. I am wondering if any >of >> > you have had experience with it recently, and if so what it is. >> I'mafraid you have the information wrong.We at Pierco have a one piece frame >and foundation, not fully drawn comb, >we will be introducing a plastic foundation this winter for standard >frames. >And NO it does not warp. >Tim Townsend >> I am using Demadent foundation in wooden frames. I am very pleased with the >> performance and acceptability. I will not use wax foundation or the Duragilt >> foundation. If I ever try something else, it will be the one piece plastic >frame >> with foundation. >> >> For what it is worth. >> >> -- >> Dirk W. Howard >> Beekeeper in Utah with 13 hives. >> mailto:dhoward@helius.com I have to confess that I like the sound of one-piece frames and foundation but haven't tried them as yet. I thought that I might give the Pierco product a try next season. Does anyone know of an office/distributor that is based in the UK/Europe? -- Paul Walton Paul@adrem.demon.co.uk Toddington, Bedfordshire, England. Tel. +44 (0)1525 875570 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 03:49:36 +0700 Reply-To: dicka@cuug.ab.ca Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Escape Boards, Tipping, etc. >> "But note that Allen says that a good honey flow is necessary for >> this method to work. Many of us wait to extract until honey flows >> are long gone. Tipping supers might excite our bees to robbing of >> historic dimensions!" >There is another method that's been used here with good result. >Instead of using an escape board on the hive, we have an escape bottom >that stands on the ground beside the hive. A bottom board with only >one small hole that's facing the entrance of the hive. A bee escape board can also be used on a floor on the ground, not necessarily facing -- or near -- the hive. The advantage is the lifting is reduced. The disadvantage is that if the weather and bee activity levels are not right, the bees can and will not be attracted by a hive below thru the screen, as they are in the more conventional use, and will remain a long time -- perhaps indefinitely. However robbers cannot enter if all other holes are taped. This is an abandonment method, and relies on a good level of bee flight and will not work reliably if the bees are clustered. These methods require an ability to observe and understand bee activity. This activity varies very considerably from one time of year to another. This is particularly true of how the bees relate to their home, and how they find it. BTW, We were out removing honey the other day and decided to put some of my claims to the test. Normally, I don't think about what I am doing much. I just do what the bees tell me to do -- without being particularly conscious of how my activities vary with time of day, weather, location, wind, etc., and things usually work out fine. My guys are pretty good beekeepers too, and they just adjust to the situation as they go. Having written about such a complex and intuitive subject, I was challenged -- in my own mind, at least -- to consciously observe and explain better, and to confirm for myself what I wrote. Of course, things are never as simple in the beeyard as they are on paper or a computer screen, but in other ways, they are much simpler. It is much easier to do these things than to try to explain them. Anyhow... the flow is over, we have had killer frost, the day was sunny and in the low to mid twenties (C) or mid 70's (F) with a light to moderate south wind. The yard consisted of 24 hives -- four per pallet, laid out so that 3 pallets are in a semi-circle on the west of where the truck sits to load, and 3 are on the east. On the south end are a group of 15 splits (no honey supers) we made as the flow wound down. Of course, we do not move the truck into loading position until the honey is clear of bees and stacked up ready to load. We park it well out of the way. The nearest other bees are a yard of 24, 1/2 mile away. They did not seem to become involved. We started to tip about noon, opening all hives, and smoking the top box, then removing it and placing it on end to one side of the entrance. We then smoked all the hives (on top only to drive bees, and particularly queens down) and removed the next box and placed it next to the previous one, on end. Periodically we carefully smoked the pulled boxes to disorganise the bees and to break the loose clusters that had formed because of the lack of flow. Bees began to flow up to the top surface and fly away. We observed that where the supers touched the hive and one another, the bees would march right into the entrance like a swarm without flying. If a stick or a bit of comb was made into a bridge, they would walk across to the hive, fanning as they went. Of course, some just flew. The wind had a considerable effect; the bees that had their hive downwind from the supers on the ground had a lot more trouble walking home than those which were downwind of the hive. In one case, the hive scent and fanning of the entrance bees was carried to them, in the other, it was lost on the wind. We were initially putting lids back on hives that were complete (down to the two brood boxes), but had to remove them again because robbing started up. Once all the lids were off, there was still *a bit* of robbing, but the bees settled right down, and stinging ceased. Of course we put all the lids on -- after a tetracycline dusting and feeding -- as we left the yard. We were in a rush, and had to clean up the boxes with a blower (on low speed), before stacking them up and loading them, but given time, all the bees would have been gone. With all the lids off the loss due to robbing was very insignificant. That last trick was one I learned right here on BEE-L, so thanks to the individual who posted it some year or two ago. It has proven a handy trick more than a time or two. An interesting result of this time we had taken to observe and better understand was that my helper, Matt came up with a variant on tipping the next day. He discovered he was able to stand the thirds on end on top of the seconds (which were still on the hive) smoke lightly and watch the bees march down into the hive. This was quick, involved less bending down, and resulted in less bees lost. He cleaned up once again with a blower in order to be able to leave quickly, but most of the bees went down by themselves. Since we did not use excluders this year, we are always worried about losing queens (hence the liberal and regular smoking on top only), so this was a good method from several points of view. (We discovered there was no advantage to leaving the excluders off, but many, many disadvantages). An interesting thing about tipping, as distinct from simple abandonment is that the boxes are placed *on end*. For some reason, when the boxes are placed on end, the bees become disoriented and run up and down. And BTW: boxes on end are very easy to scrape compared to those in normal position, and when we need to scrape top bars in the spring, we tip the hive forward. Otherwise populous hives are hard to scrape because the bees boil up so fast. At any rate, when boxes are tipped on end, the bees leave very nuch faster than on the flat, partly because of this efect, and also because of the exposure of both top and bottom to light and air. It helps to align the boxes so that the sun shines directly in the space between the combs. Anyhow, I hope I have managed to shed some more light on this interesting technique. Once again, a reminder to beginners not to bite off more than they can chew with this method. Uncontrolable robbing can result if there are other bees nearby, and you do not know exactly what you are doing, or how to deal comfortably with such problems. If in doubt, stick to bee escapes -- either on a floor on the ground, or on the hive. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 04:03:22 +0700 Reply-To: dicka@cuug.ab.ca Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Vacuums >You are right that this is a bit hard on the bees. soft nurse bees >are often hurt. The trade off is that this method does allow for a >qick cvlean up of bees in areas that are hard to get to or to clean >up the confusion in an otherwise difficult situation. I try to use >less intrusive methods when possile. But here are a few tips to >reduce insect deaths going into the vacuum capture box. We use a dust buster (2 speed) for removing bees from the window after releasing attendants from cages. Dust Busters are of the type that suck the air through the filter before it goes to the fan. Some vacuums put everything through the fan, and those types are not suitable for use wih bees unless you build a catcher pail and put it in the intake hose (with a screen on the part that carries on to the vacuum cleaner). A 60 pound pail works well as a reservoir. All the advice posted about air speed, orifice size, hose roughness, and padded landing area apply. Beware suffocation after you turn the vacuum off, too. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 09:23:24 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Wesley A Voigt Jr Subject: Re: Tough Lessons! In a message dated 96-08-24 12:51:10 EDT, you write: > I could tell some interesting stories about this - such as the unpopular >bee inspector ..... and the nastiest hive ......run out of the yard......... >But I'll forego...... Why forgo? - It sounds like a good story and I would love to hear it Wesley ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 09:23:43 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Wesley A Voigt Jr Subject: Re: Fascinating Facts about bees In a message dated 96-09-03 13:22:46 EDT, you write: >Gee.....I thought this list was about sharing information and helping each >other.....not shooting holes in other people's posts......sheesh! > > Ian Watson > iwatson@freenet.npiec.on.ca > Thats true (sharing Information), and while Allen may not be the most tactfull person on line - I do like to hear what he thinks. It helps to see what he feels about what others say. I don't always agree but that is alright with me. He is sharing information too. Wesley A Voigt ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 13:14:27 GMT Reply-To: Tim_Sterrett@westtown.edu Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Tim Sterrett Organization: Westtown School Subject: Lids Off to Stop Robbing dicka@cuug.ab.ca,Internet writes: We were initially putting lids back on hives that were complete (down to the two brood boxes), but had to remove them again because robbing started up. Once all the lids were off, there was still *a bit* of robbing, but the bees settled right down, and stinging ceased. Of course we put all the lids on as we left the yard. Allen, can you explain this , please. And, second, when you pull the supers off, are you breaking honey-filled comb between the supers? (I try to turn the odd or even numbers supers 180 degrees, front to back, at least a day before pulling them off to break this comb and let the bees clean it up. Exposed honey gets my bees pretty excited. I realise that a big operation doesn't have time to do this.) Tim Sterrett Westtown, (Southeastern) Pennsylvania, USA tim_sterrett@westtown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 12:00:07 -0500 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Gerry Visel Subject: Essential Oils update -Reply Steve, and company, Hallelu-ya!!! Thanks so much for posting the status of your work. There is hope!! Very well done! One question: would wintergreen or the other oils now fall into the "miticide" family now that needs FDA approval in the US?? I sure hope not (but presume so!) Gerry Visel ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 13:41:00 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: "Palm, Kevin R. (LLP)" Subject: Brother Adam's research Hello all, Since Brother Adam died, I have been reading of his attempts to perfect an "environmentally green" bee, which I assume is an improvement on the Buckfast strain. Has anyone continued his research along these lines, or did it all stop when he retired in 1992?? Also, is anyone at the abbey attempting to keep the Buckfast line from degenerating since Brother Adam stopped his research?? I'm wondering because I'm really impressed with the Buckfasts I had this year and I do not want to see them decline as I requeen. Thanks, Kevin Palm ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 12:00:25 +0700 Reply-To: dicka@cuug.ab.ca Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Allen Dick Organization: The Beekeepers Subject: Re: Lids Off to Stop Robbing > dicka@cuug.ab.ca,Internet writes: > We were initially putting lids back on hives that were complete > (down to the two brood boxes), but had to remove them again because > robbing started up. Once all the lids were off, there was still *a > bit* of robbing, but the bees settled right down, and stinging > ceased. Of course we put all the lids on as we left the yard. > Allen, can you explain this , please. Well, we thought the bees might get wet if we didn't put them back on and it rained later:) Seriously, someone mentioned here some time back that a good way to control robbing within a yard is to simply remove all the lids. If the robbing comes from a nearby yard, then, I would think it would get worse. I really don't know why it works, but I can guess that it makes the bees have to guard their own hive on a large front, and reduces their interest in leaving the hive. It also cools the hive, so the bees need to cover the brood and control temperature. It also disorganises the bees and they may have to re-orient. The large area of exposed hive also provides more choice for bees to visit and reduces the conditions that lead to fighting. It is fighting that is the worst aspect of robbing, because many bees are killed and bystanders can get badly stung. Fighting does not normally occur where there is a large area of food exposed. Bees normally start to fight when the supply runs out. > And, second, when you pull the supers off, are you breaking > honey-filled > comb between the supers? Yes. The bees clean it up a bit as they leave. > (I try to turn the odd or even numbers supers 180 degrees, front > to back, > at least a day before pulling them off to break this comb and let > the bees clean it up. Exposed honey gets my bees pretty excited. > I realise that a big operation doesn't have time to do this.) Well, in that case, you might want to stack them up on a floor with the entrance closed, tape the cracks, and put an escape board on top. They'll usually be empty -- and the comb cleaned up when you return. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:dicka@cuug.ab.ca Honey. Bees, & Art ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 11:12:12 -0700 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Julie Ann Brunner Subject: Fall Re-Queen Hey all: I hope I am not laboring the readers of this list with a question about my hive, but I am at my wit's end. Earlier in the summer I thought that my hive was queenless, due to a lack of brood, but resident beekeepers thought that they were just focusing on the honey flow instead. But they never moved into the honey supers. I have had massive wax moth invasion, robber bee battles and ants, and still no brood. The colony had begun to diminish so I ordered a new queen. It took two weeks due to post office mishandling to receive a live queen, which I placed in the hive. A week later I noticed she was still caged, so I released her. Now a week later I see the queen is alive with attendants, but is not laying yet. There are only a few frames left with bees. Now my question; can this queen revive this colony, or should I just begin the process of trying to purchase a new hive? I can't wait until spring because my husband uses the bees to treat his arthritis. I appreciate any advice, either to me or to the list is this is an appropriate posting. Thanks Julie Brunner (jules@psyber.com) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 15:36:54 -0400 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Jim Wood <101725.2361@compuserve.com> Subject: OBSERVATION BROOD BOX I had been toying with the idea of fitting a perspex window in one of my brood boxes to enable me to observe what is happening inside. The thickness of the perspex or similar transparent plastic would be chosen, so as to provide the same thermal performance as the original wood. I am assuming that this would be difficult with glass. Is this wise ? Will the bees object to the light ( I could always provide a screen to cut out the light ). I notice that H Storch in his book 'At the Hive Entrance' talks about a building frame that seems to perform a similar function, although there are no details as to construction. Any advice would be welcome before I embark on the project. At the moment I only have a single hive ( next to the house ). ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 10:02:59 +0800 Reply-To: Discussion of Bee Biology Sender: Discussion of Bee Biology From: Nik Mohamed Abdulmajid Subject: Health Secrets Book Greetings to all B-listers, I shall be very grateful if any of you could kindly let me know where can I get a book titled: SEVEN HEALTH SECRETS FROM THE HIVE by Charles H.Robson of Wickenbur, Arizona. I cannot recall the name of the publisher except for the cover design with a bee in a conical flask. Please E-mail me personally, unless otherwise you deem justify to share the information with the others. Thank you. Nik Mohamed Abdulmajid -- End --