-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Slade <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Dienstag, 2. February 1999 02:10
Subject: Re: Alternative methods against bees diseases
 
>Bees must have been challenged with varroa in Stefan's country for most of
his
>39 years.  Romanians have not yet achieved a world wide reputation for
being
>efficient beekeepers.  It would be interesting to learn Stefan's methods of
>varroa control and those of his local colleagues and whether any signs of
>resistance of bees to varroa mites is emerging.
>Chris Slade
 
 
        Hello dear Chris,
 
    Thanks for your positive thoughts related to the alternative methods
against bee diseases.
 
    As I told you already from the beginning, I am an amateur beekeeper. In
the last 7 years I took care of only about 40 colonies, so I am really a
very small beekeeper.
 
    However, I dare to say that I have a great experience in apitherapy, and
in many other natural therapies.
 
    Apitherapy can not function without beekeepers and that is why, as a GP
(general practitioner), I thought is mandatory to learn and be at least an
amateur in your wonderful profession.
 
    During the last 8 years I gave hundreds of "lectures" to beekeepers from
over 40 countries (directly, through articles or through Internet).
 
    My main goal is to give each beekeeper more "tools" to obtain higher
quality products and to "teach" them how could they better sell their
products to the medical "market".
 
    In this regard, I think that it is imperative necessary, even if it's so
"painful" for some of us, to try to find as many as possible alternatives to
the classical "chemical" treatments which contaminates, sooner or later, all
bee hive's products.
 
    To master the "alternatives", I think it should be a very important goal
for all beekeepers, worldwide.
 
    Now, regarding your opinion related to the Romanian beekeeping, I have
few comments to make:
 
 
    * there are many documents which proves that beekeeping has in our
country a very old history (over 2,000 years);
 
    * our bee products are famous for their wonderful, excellent aromas,
especially honey, pollen and propolis;
 
    * we have, on a small area (around latitude 45), many types of climates,
thus here there are over 80% from the Europe's melliferous flora.
 
    * Romania, I dare to say also, has the highest knowledge in the use of
bee products for medicinal purposes. In Bucharest, since 1978 there is the
largest Apitherapy Center in the world.
 
    * Apimondia has its Publishing House also in Bucharest; thus, most of
the world's beekeeping experience and know-how has "traveled" through my
country.
 
    * The largest world's Apitherapy Data Base is made by myself, in
cooperation with the Standing Commission of Apitherapy from Apimondia.
 
    * Yes, you are right, the COMMERCIAL aspects of our beekeeping is not as
high as it should be. Why? The answer is simple: 45 years of bad communist
type governing...
 
    * Related to experience in obtaining bees resistant to varroa, yes, we
have also that before 1994, but its true, on a small scale. One of our
experienced beekeepers, it seems to be BEFORE other great specialists, has
found the best strategy to select varroa resistant bees. His wife told me a
couple of minutes ago that they have about 50 (fifty!) colonies resistant to
varroa!!! This evening I'll speak directly with him and I'll try to find
more details. Of course, you can immagine why, only a small part or none of
these "details", will be available for the List... What I can promise is to
give you his "official" answer to this very important problem.
 
 
        Kind regards and many thanks Chris!
 
        Stefan Stangaciu, MD, LAcup.
       Constanta, Romania
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