FILENAME:  OCTAPIS.92
 
 
            Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter
    Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues (ISSN 0889-3764)
                 Volume 10, Number 10, October 1992
 
 
                  MILESTONES-RALPH WADLOW DIES
 
     The history of beekeeping is full of colorful characters who
advanced the craft in many ways.  Certainly, Ralph Wadlow, who died
October 4 in Fort Myers, was one of these.  His passing is a true
milestone in Florida apiculture.  Mr. Wadlow was one of the
pioneers who brought beekeeping below the frost line in Florida
some 40 years ago.  He was also instrumental in convincing
vegetable growers that pollination by honey bees increased yields.
Although he didn't study botany or genetics in college, Mr. Wadlow,
nevertheless, cooperated on bee research projects at Cornell
University, the University of Bogota in Colombia and the University
of Florida.  He was once quoted as saying he "assisted the Ph.D.s
with their lily white dukes, testing theories with blisters,
backaches and sweat."
 
     Mr. Wadlow was so active in Florida and national beekeeping
associations it is difficult to conceive that he will no longer be
present at these functions.  A charter member of the Florida State
Beekeepers Association, he was a prime mover in that organization
for decades, attended almost every meeting and held many
responsible positions.  He more than once held all the offices in
the Southern States Beekeepers Federation, regularly attended
Eastern Apicultural Society gatherings and was often one of
Florida's delegates to the American Beekeeping Federation.  He was
also involved in international apicultural activities, consulting
in South America (Bolivia) and attending several Apimondia
conventions.
 
     In a newspaper article about Mr. Wadlow in 1975 he said:  "In
South America, I am El Doctor.  Here, I am a beekeeper, quite an
ordinary fellow."  The many, including myself, who knew Ralph don't
cotton to this idea.  He was extraordinary in every way.
 
ANTIBIOTIC PROPERTIES OF HONEY--NEW ZEALAND-MANUKA HONEY
 
     An interesting story concerning particular honeys in New
Zealand is beginning to surface. According to the August issue of
the National Beekeepers' Association newsletter, Buzzwords, a Dr.
Peter Molan of Waikato University recently summarized his work on
the medicinal properties of honey.
 
     Dr. Molan has gathered together the known medical research on
honey and has found that it is used in many countries in the
treatment of burns, blisters, bed sores and major wounds.  Honey
has long been used as a wound dressing, and according to Dr. Molan,
it is probably the perfect substance for such a use.  Not only is
it antibiotic (killing almost all bacteria), it also keeps the
wound from dehydrating.  Almost all other wound dressings either
keep the wound dry (avoiding infection, but leading to scarring),
or moist (avoiding the severe effects of dehydration, but making a
great medium for bacteria to grow).
 
     Honey is also better than man-made antibiotics, Dr. Molan
contends, because such antibiotics actually slow down the rate of
cell growth.  The moisture-attracting nature of honey, on the other
hand, actually pulls body fluids and nutrients to the wound surface
where they help speed skin growth and healing.
 
     According to Dr. Molan, honey has everything going for it
except the acceptance of the medical fraternity.  But the recent
discoveries about a second antibiotic substance in manuka honey may
help change that.   All honey gives off hydrogen peroxide, a known
antibiotic.  The hydrogen peroxide is produced when the glucose in
honey reacts with oxygen.  The problem with hydrogen peroxide as an
antibiotic, however, is that in large concentrations it breaks down
in the presence of a common enzyme (catalase), producing the
characteristic fizz we see when we put it on a cut.  Because it is
produced slowly in honey, at a low level, the hydrogen peroxide
doesn't loose it's effectiveness.  Provided honey is kept away from
light, the enzyme which breaks down the hydrogen peroxide won't
even activate.
 
     Dr. Molan and his students tested the hydrogen peroxide in
honey on a range of bacteria and as a control removed the hydrogen
peroxide with catalase. That's when they discovered the second
antibacterial property in manuka honey.  While not present in all
samples, some showed a high level of non-peroxide inhibition over
a whole range of bacteria, even at honey dilutions as low as 1.8%.
 
     Manuka honey has also been shown to be effective against
Helicobater pylori, which is now thought to be the major cause of
stomach ulcers.  A large number of patients will be given one
tablespoon of bioactive manuka or another honey before meal times,
five times a day.  The patients will then be examined for the
reduction in H. pylori bacteria.  The trials are set to begin after
the Otago University Hospital ethics committee approves the
procedure.  The study will hopefully be funded by a grant from the
Honey Industry Trust Fund.
 
     The exciting thing about the manuka discovery is that this
non-peroxide antibiotic substance works against even highly
resistant bacteria such as the MSRA bacterium which is gaining a
reputation for closing down hospital wards.  According to Dr.
Molan, doctors may soon be looking back at the last 20 years as the
golden age of antibiotics.  In the near future, we may have a host
of bacteria resistant to synthetic antibiotics, and the need for
naturally occurring antibiotics like the one found in bioactive
manuka honey will be all that more important.
 
     Dr. Molan also is studying other honeys that might have the
non-peroxide bioactive ingredient.  A promising one is from the
plant called vipers bugloss, also known blue borage (Echium
vulgare).
 
                        BEE'S BOOZY LIFE
 
     According to an artice in New Scientist ("Driven to Drink: A
Sorry Tale of Bees' Boozy Life," August 8, 1992, p. 14), honey bees
drinking fermented nectar have more flying accidents, die younger
and are often rejected by teetotalers back at the hive.  An
Australian entomologist, Dr. Errol Hassan, is looking at bees
imbibing both fermented sugar syrup and nectar.  The alcohol
content can be as high as 10% in these materials and adding
fermented syrup or nectar to honey can make it "spiked."
 
     How drunk bees become is based on how much nectar they consume
and the alcohol content.  Heavily inebriated bees have difficulty
coordinating their actions, reminiscent of birds that have also fed
on fermented nectar.  The bees may even die or be unable to find
their way back to the hive.  When they do make it to the entrance,
strange acting, drunk bees are rejected by the guards, Dr. Hassan
says.  Finally, the insects are more vulnerable to predators.
 
     Dr. Hassan and colleagues discovered the boozy bee phenomenon
while looking at beekeeping practices in Kenya.  Apparently, local
beekeepers were feeding the bees weak sugar solutions that often
fermented.  Fermentation of weak sugar syrup can be avoided by
feeding bees stronger solutions and/or ensuring the insects take
their food quickly.  Since many beekeepers do feed sugar syrup
during marginal times, this brings into focus another possible
reason colonies might suffer either autumn collapse or spring
dwindling of populations.
 
                         BIOCONTROL BEES
 
     Most everyone knows that honey bees are beneficial for their
pollinating activities.  Now, however, ingenous experiments are at
work to show these insects can also be used in the growing field of
biological control ("A Beeline to Biocontrol," Agricultural
Research, July, 1992, pp. 10-13).  Biological control is the use of
bacteria, fungi, other pathogens and predators to attack
agricultural pests.  Biological control targets specific pests with
just as specific controls.  This technology is an attractive
alternative to pesticides.  Chemicals are often not very specific;
they kill beneficial organisms and are increasingly being blamed
for causing harmful side effects to the environment.
 
     Outbreaks of fire blight in apple orchards are the result of
a lack of competing beneficial bacteria in blooms.  This imbalance
results in an epidemic population of a bacterium called Erwinia
amylovora, which invades the flower parts causing damage.  The
problem, therefore, can be controlled by introducing beneficial
bacteria as competition.  That's where the bees come in.
Experiments at the Agricultural Research Service Bee Biology and
Systematics Lab (Logan, Utah) use an apparatus called a pollen
insert to salt honey bees with beneficial bacteria in an effort to
see if they can distribute the beneficial organisims in orchards.
So far, the results have been encouraging.
 
     The same idea is also being used in Tifton, Georgia in the
fight against corn earworm.  Instead of bacteria, the bees are
dusted with a specific virus that affects only the offending worms.
Once spread to the corn plant, the pathogen attacks the voracious
caterpillars, reducing them to an innocuous liquid.  It is
fortunate that honey bees visit corn for pollen or the technique
would not work.  Using this strategy is possible for a wide variety
of flowering plants and only limited by the imagination and by how
much honey bees are affected by what is being distributed.
 
           1993 4-H ESSAY CONTEST--EARLIER THAN NORMAL
 
     It's time once more for 4-H'ers to begin thinking about this
year's essay contest sponsored by the American Beekeeping
Federation.  This year entries are due a full month earlier than
usual.  There are three cash prizes to Top Winners ($250, $100 and
$50). In addition, each State Winner receives an appropriate book
about honey bees, beekeeping, or honey.
 
TOPIC:  "New Honey Promotion Ideas"
 
     You've just landed a new job--director of sales and
advertising for ABC Honey Co.  How will you promote honey sales?
 
     To Consumers:  What is there about ABC Honey (or any honey)
that should interest consumers?  What types of promotions or
advertising are effective for products like honey?  What are you
going to do to spread the good news about honey, to encourage more
consumers in your marketing area to seek out ABC Honey and purchase
it?
 
     To Foodservice Establishments:  Why would traditional
restaurants and fastfood outlets include dishes made with honey on
their menus or provide honey as a topping?
 
     To Food Processors:  Why add honey to a processed food?  Do
consumers perceive a food made with honey as having more value?
Does honey offer other advantages as an ingredient?
 
TIPS:  To see any product, you must know its advantages and
disadvantages.  Then you must decide how best to bring the product
to the attention of potential customers.  Look at advertising and
promotion ideas which seem to be effective for other foods and
products.  Consider which of them might be adapted for honey
production.
 
RULES:
 
1.  Contest is open to active 4-H Club members only.  4-H'ers who
have previously placed first, second or third at the national level
are not eligible; other state winners are eligible to re-enter.
 
2.  Essays must be 750 to 1000 words long, written on the
designated subject only. All factual statements must be referenced
with endnotes; failure to do so will result in disqualification.
A brief biographical sketch of the essayist, including date of
birth, complete mailing address, and telephone number, must
accompany the essay.  (The word limit does not include the
references or the biographical sketch).
 
3.  Essays submitted for national judging must be typewritten,
double-spaced, on one side of the paper and should follow standard
manuscript format.  Handwritten essays will not be judged.
 
4.  Essays will be judged on (a) accuracy, (b) creativity, (c)
conciseness, (d) logical development of the topic, and (e) scope of
research.
 
5.  Essayists should not forward essays directly to the American
Beekeeping Federation Office.  Florida entries should be sent to
Dr. Tom Sanford, Box 110620, Bldg. 970, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620 by April 1, 1993.
 
                     RESISTANCE TO APISTAN?
 
An Italian study ("Valutazione dell'efficacia dell'Apistan,
"L'apicoltore Moderno, Vol. 83, June, 1992, pp. 95-8) presents some
disquieting data.  Instead of the expected 99.6 percent of mites
killed, the results showed a range of data averaging 87.2 to 90.5
percent mite mortality.  The authors state that this is evidence
resistant mites may be developing to fluvalinate, even when applied
correctly using plastic strips [Apistan (R)].  One reason for
resistance, the authors say, is perhaps because beekeepers have
used illegal formulations of fluvalinate impregnated on wooden
strips over a period of years.
 
The authors state that at the end of the 1991 antivarroa campaign
in Italy, beekeepers cried victory when seeing so few mites on
bottomboards after applying fluvalinate tests.  Nevertheless, they
caution, 1991 was a bad year (inclement spring) for bees, and
application of Apistan (R) throughout the region (Bergamo province)
for three consecutive years did leave Varroa mites, indicating a
steady loss in effectiveness.
 
In conclusion, the authors say that V. jacobsoni easily develops
resistance to chemicals.  They urge beekeepers to be careful not to
lose the war while winning a battle when treating mites.  They
recommend using fluvalinate legally, scrupulously adhering to
recommendations on the label, treating all colonies at the same
time and same season (autumn), and using other kinds of control
measures in conjunction with the one material available that is
effective and legal.
 
 
                     SUPPORTING MITICUR (R)
 
     An important step to prevent Varroa mites from becoming
resistant to fluvalinate is developing an alternative chemical
treatment.  For some time, a product called Miticur (R), active
ingredient amitraz, has been in the registration process.
Information I received from the American Beekeeping Federation
indicates that a Section 3 - General Use Recommendation may be
approved soon.
 
It is imperative beekeepers contact the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) indicating that an alternative chemical control for
Varroa is badly needed, especially as we obtain evidence of
resistance to fluvalinate.  Miticur (R) also controls tracheal
mites.  Registration, therefore, would be a significant advance in
helping beekeepers conquer two of their most important problems.
Please contact the following people:
 
Douglas d. Campt                        Linda J. Fisher
Director, Office of Pesticide Programs  Assistant Administrator,
                                        Pesticides and Toxic
                                        Substances
Environmental Protection Agency         Environmental Prot. Agency
401 M. St., SW                          401 M. St., SW
Washington, DC 20460                    Washington, DC 20460
ph 703/305-7090                         ph 202/260-29092
fax 703/305-6244                        fax 703/260-1847
 
 
                       CALENDAR OF EVENTS
 
November 5,6,7, 1992.  Florida State Beekeepers Association,
Holiday Inn, Sebring, FL.
 
January 5-11, 1993.  American Honey Producers Association, Houston,
TX.
 
January 19-24, 1993.  American Beekeeping Federation, 50th
Anniversary, Kansas City, MO.
 
April 1, 1993.  Deadline 4-H Essay Contest.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
Malcolm T. Sanford
0620 IFAS, Bldg 970
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone (904) 392-1801, Ext. 143
FAX: 904-392-0190
BITNET Address: MTS@IFASGNV
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