FILENAME: JUNAPIS.92
Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter
Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues (ISSN 0889-3764)
Volume 10, Number 6, June 1992
FRESH HONEY
My experience in Europe revealed that many on the Continent are
concerned about honey freshness. We in the United States, like our
friends from Europe, are interested in quality measured by moisture
content, flavor, aroma, and freedom from debris and crystals.
Freshness, however, has not been an urgent issue. After all,
little can happen to honey over time unless it ferments. And who
hasn't heard about that timeless sweet still reported to be edible
when taken from clay pots in ships sunk some 2,000 years ago!
Honey freshness, however, is not just an academic concept when it
comes to the export market. And Europe, after all, is a major
importer of honey. A recent paper provides an analysis of how
values have been set in the Codex Alimentarius Commission (1969)
for measuring freshness using diastase activity and
hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. M.T. Sancho, and colleagues
from Spain ("Aging of Honey," Journal of Agric. Food Chem., Vol.
40, No. 1, pp. 134-138, 1992) studied 115 honeys from a wide range
of plants found in the Basque country. Their conclusions: The
great majority of honeys examined would be out of freshness in 2
years; to be safe, they should be consumed at least one year after
extraction. There is little question that honeys lose their
freshness quickly given the measurements reported in the study.
The other side of the coin, however, is whether aging necessarily
means a loss in other qualities that honey is known for. Until
more studies on this issue are complete, however, it's not good
form to ignore the capitalistic rule that "the customer is always
right." If you wish a copy of the paper, please phone or write.
HONEY OF A THANK YOU
ENSO, the Entomology and Nematology Student Organization at
the University of Florida, and Scott Yocom would like to thank Mr.
Troy Groebe of Groebe Farms, Belleview, Florida and Mr. Al Ballard
of Ballard Apiaries, Sarasota, Florida for their recent donation of
600 pounds of Orange Blossom Honey. This gift is greatly
appreciated and the proceeds from selling this honey will help
departmental students in many ways. Thanks again!
CARIBBEAN APICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (CADA)
The Caribbean Apicultural Development Association (CADA) was
recently formed in response to information shared at the First
Regional Training Workshop for Beekeepers, May 11-13, 1992,
Castries, St. Lucia. Fifty-six beekeepers and officials involved
in apiculture from 19 nations met to exchange technical information
and discuss apicultural development problems in the region. A
major conclusion by those in attendance was that few, mostly weak,
beekeeping associations exist at the national level throughout the
Caribbean. Because of this, it is believed that a strong regional
beekeeping development effort could significantly help nations
upgrade their individual apicultural programs. Particular issues
deemed important to beekeeping development in the Caribbean are:
1. Possible introduction/establishment of the African honey bee
and diseases and pests of honey bees, particularly the Varroa bee
mite, on many islands presently free of such organisms.
2. Integration of beekeeping into environmental conservation and
agroforestry initiatives presently underway in the region.
3. Formation of a viable queen-rearing industry in the region.
4. Provision of technical information to beekeepers in the region
and increasing possibilities for diversifying the marketing of bee
products.
The new Caribbean Apicultural Development Association (CADA) has a
five-member steering committee. A first edition of the CADA
newsletter is being sent to a large mailing list throughout the
Caribbean. At present, there is no limitation on membership. The
region is being defined broadly to include anybody on an island or
mainland nation with an interest in the area. Communications
should be sent to the newsletter editor, Dr. Daniel Pesante,
University of Puerto Rico, Animal Science Dept., College Station,
5000 Mayaguez, P.R. 00681,ph 809-265-3854; FAX 809-265-0860. The
next meeting of the CADA will be held in Trinidad in September.
TROPICAL APICULTURE MEETING IN TRINIDAD
The 5th International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical
Climates, sponsored by the International Bee Research Association
and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago will be held in Trinidad,
September 7-12, 1992. For details, contact Mohammed Hallim,
Ministry of Agriculture, St. Clair Circle, Port of Spain, Trinidad,
ph 809/622-1221, Extension 328, FAX 809/622-4246.
POLLINATION PARADOX
In January and February of last year, I wrote about the honey bee-
blueberry connection. As you may recall, the honey bee is not the
most efficient pollinator of blueberries, especially some varieties
adapted to the South. An article entitled: "Honeybees are Poor
Pollinators - Why? (Plant Systematics and Evolution, Vol. 177:71-
75) by Christian Westerkamp discusses some of the biological
reasons that honey bees are not always the best pollinators.
The principle thesis of the paper is that honey bees, because of
the colony's perennial life over many generations, cannot afford to
adapt to the needs of one or a few plant species. These insects
must take advantage of as many plants as possible and thus remain
generalists. This is good for bees as well as beekeepers, for it
guarantees productivity in a great many geographic locations.
However, it also means that few if any honey bee adapted flowers
exist and so pollination by these insects is a hit and miss affair.
The paper's conclusion: "Considering the high number of flower and
pollinator species and the multitude of their respective
interrelations it is obvious that a single species cannot take over
all pollinatory tasks...Honeybee monocultures thus must be avoided
or overcome and a manifoldness of pollinators must be fostered
instead by all means."
In an effort to better exploit wild pollinators, a fledgling bumble
bee industry is developing. Unfortunately, much of the research in
this area is proprietary. Nevertheless, a newsletter is being
published called Bumblebeequest: Yearround Rearing. The latest
issued discusses why buzzing (bumble bees do it; honey bees don't)
is important for tomato flower pollination, lists pathogens, like
viruses, that attack wild bees and explores the risks of
introducing exotic bumble bees which would compete with other
native bee species. Subscriptions are available for Canada
$20.00/yr. Send a check payable to "Bombus" to Dr. D.T. Fairey,
Agriculture Canada, Box 29, Beaverlodge, AB, Canada TOH OCO.
Those interested in bumble bees, as well as other pollinators,
might wish to attend the International Workshop on Non-Apis Bees
and Their Role as Crop Pollinators, August 9-13 at Utah State
University, Logan, UT. To register ($120 before July 17), call 1-
800/538-2663.
In spite of evidence that honey bees are not perfect pollinators in
all situations, fans of these insects don't need to despair. The
fact that honey bees are generalists means they can be used as
pollinators for a wide variety of crops. And in most
circumstances, they are the insect of choice when it comes to
employing practical pollination practices.
FOR-SALE CATALOG
The new for-sale catalog of publications, software and videos
available from the Florida Cooperative Extension Service has now
been distributed. This 26-page resource provides titles, costs and
detailed descriptions of educational materials in many areas
including: commercial agriculture, natural resources, chemicals
and fertilizers, economics and entomology. Of particular interest
is the FAIRS CD-ROM Multimedia database, containing about 750
megabytes of information on everything from irrigation to plant and
landscape selection. To receive a copy of this catalog, contact
your county Cooperative Extension office or call 904/392-1764.
ON FOREST STEWARDSHIP
I am in receipt of the first issue of The Florida Forest Steward.
This quarterly newsletter for Florida landowners and resource
professionals seeks to inform land managers about the new Florida
Forest Stewardship Program. Initiated by the National Association
of State Foresters and funded by the USDA Forest Service, the
program in Florida has enlisted the aid of six state agencies to
help managers of lands of 25 acres or more to develop their own
stewardship design. Nine incentive programs (SIP) are eligible for
financial assistance: Reforestation and Afforestation, Forest and
Agroforest Improvement, Soil and Water Protection and Improvement,
Riparian and Wetland Protection Improvement, Aquatic Habitat
Enhancement, Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Forest Recreation
Enhancement.
The unique thing about this program, according to the newsletter,
is that it is not just timber oriented. Because of this
multipurpose approach, it would seem that land could also be
managed to enhance honey bee habitat. A good case can be made for
the potential value of bee pollination in several of the SIPs
mentioned above. This appears to be an excellent chance for
enlisting some professional aid in developing/conserving nectar and
pollen-producing areas and perhaps increasing the number of
potential beeyard locations.
One way to begin is to get on the newsletter mailing list and also
ask for a copy of the publication: Florida's Forest Stewardship
Program: An Opportunity to Manage Your Land for Now and for the
Future. These can be requested from: Dept. of Forestry Extension
Office, University of Florida, 118 Newins Ziegler Hall,
Gainesville, FL 32611. Study the materials, then make appropriate
suggestions to the manager of lands where your beeyards are
located, and to forestry resource professionals. Remember that
this opportunity is just that; nothing will come from it without a
push by the beekeeper.
Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
Entomology-Nematology, Bldg 970
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone (904) 392-1801, Ext. 143
FAX: 904-392-0190
BITNET Address: MTS@IFASGNV
INTERNET Address: [log in to unmask]
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