Submitted by: Terry Dahms, Pres.
East Central Iowa Beekeepers Assoc.
internet: [log in to unmask]
ps: sorry for the delay in posting.
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THE BUZZ JUNE, 1994
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A newsletter published monthly as a cooperative effort by The Iowa
Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and The Iowa Honey
Producers Association (IHPA), an affiliate member of the Iowa
Horticultural Society. Copy deadline is the 20th of each month.
Your ideas, comments and letters are welcomed and encouraged.
EDITOR: Bob Cox, State Apiarist, Iowa Dept. of Agriculture,
Wallace Building, Des Monies, IA. 50319 Phone: (515) 281-5736.
IHPA MEMBERSHIP: Membership dues in the Iowa Honey Producers
Assn. are $5.00/year. Send to Gordon Powell, IHPA Treasurer.
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STATE APIARISTS REPORT
What a fantastic spring for the bees we have had! You can
expect lots of swarming if you have not managed the bees properly.
It is time to start thinking about getting supers on your colonies
and preparing for the harvest. That brings up the Iowa State
Fair. Get involved this year. Enter some of your best product in
the apiary division or perhaps cook something with honey to enter
in the food division. It doesn't matter whether your bees produce
dark or light honey, liquid or comb honey, beautiful beeswax or a
nice observation beehive. There is a class for everyone.
Think about putting in a bid for selling honey or beeswax at
the Iowa Honey Producers Association Salesbooth at State Fair. We
could really use good quality product and at the same time promote
our favorite industry or hobby.
I am finding the Varroa mite in many places around the state
this year. Beware of this mite and treat if you have them. Time
is running out to treat this spring, if not already past in most
areas of the state. The black locust trees are blooming now (May
23rd) and some sweet clover is starting to bloom here in central
Iowa. This is the time of year to put on supers for the bees to
store surplus honey.
In June there are local beekeepers meetings being held in
Marshalltown, Iowa City and Davenport. For specific dates,
places, and times consult the "Calendar of Events." These are a
great opportunity to compare notes and see how other beekeepers do
things. Why not pick one closest to you and attend it?
If you want to be on a list of beekeepers wanting to retrieve
swarms or need bees inspected before July 1st, give me a call at
(515) 281-5736. - Bob Cox
CENTRAL IOWA BEEKEEPERS MEETING
The Central Iowa Beekeepers Association (CIBA) will hold their
summer meeting at the Anson Park Shelter House in Marshalltown
June 18th at 5:30 p.m. A member appreciation meal will be cooked
and served by CIBA board members for continued support of the
membership. The program will follow at 6:30 p.m. featuring Bob
Mitchell, Tim Laughlin and Bob Cox (Mo, Larry and Curly?)
For further information contact Margaret Hala (515) 752-2981.
IOWA SUMMER BEEKEEPING FIELD DAY
Saturday, July 23rd the Iowa Honey Producers and Central Iowa
Beekeepers Association will hold a beekeeping field day at the
Riverside Bible Camp near Story City, Iowa. The camp is located
just 2 miles off of I-35 about 20 miles north of Ames.
Registration is at 8:30 a.m. and the program will last until 4:00.
Dr. Marla Spivak of the University of Minnesota Bee Research
Laboratory will present a program on queen management: finding and
evaluating the queen, queen selection, breeding, rearing methods,
replacement and introduction methods. Everyone attending will get
a copy of the new disease booklet published by the University of
Minnesota.
The morning will start out with a walking tour of bee plants on
the grounds. Breakout sessions in the afternoon will include
choices of Comb Honey Production, Pollen Trapping, Beginning
Beekeeping, or Bee Diseases and Pests.
The camp setting is a great place for beekeepers and their
families. There is a beeyard with a screened-in observation
building on the property. Some of the talks and lunch will be
held in an air-conditioned retreat center. Pre-registration
($4.00 for single or family) is required for a prepared meal
($5.75 per adult) or you could bring your own lunch and eat at
picnic tables outside. To register fill out the form on page 9
and send in with your check for the registration and meal. The
registration fee at the door is $5.00.
For further information contact Bob Cox, State Apiarist, Iowa
Department of Agriculture, Wallace Building, Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-5736 or Gordon Powell, 4012 - 54th St., Des Moines, IA
50310 (515) 278-1762.
SCOTT COUNTY BEEKEEPERS FIELD TRIP
Thurday, June 16th at 6:00 p.m. the Scott County Beekeepers
Association will hold a beekeeping field trip. Meet at Al
Gruber's beeyard at 1945 Wisconsin St. on the west side of
Davenport.
This will be a hands-on experience in the beeyard or you may
want to watch. Anyway, bring you own hat, beeveil and other
personal gear if you have it. However, come even if you do not,
because we will have some extra equipment for you to use.
We will identify queens, swarm cells, and other aspects of a
bee colony. We will demonstrate how to make splits and requeen
colonies and when to place supers on colonies for surplus honey
production. Hopefully, we will not have a rainstorm again.
DIRECTIONS: Turn north on Wisconsin Street off of Locust, 1 1/4
miles east of I-280. Come and bring a friend.
For further information contact Ray & Jo Whitwood (319) 263-0992.
HONEY OF A VERSE
"John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins... And John was clothed with
camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he
did eat locusts and wild HONEY" (Mark 1:4,6)
NOSEMA IN HONEYBEES by Carol Fassbinder (Hawkeye Science Fair
Winner)
In the past four winters the winter kill rate for honeybees in
Iowa has been 50-75%. In my science fair project I wanted to
determine if Nosema disease is a contributor to such a high winter
loss. I predicted that the colonies that were treated with
Fumadil-B will have little or no Nosema spores, and survive winter
better than the colonies that were not treated.
Procedure: I tested 8 different yards (averaging 26 colonies per
yard) and gathered a 25-bee sample from each. Yards #1 and #2
were treated with Fumadil-B and winter-wrapped, #3 and #4 were
treated and not wrapped, #5 and #6 were not treated but wrapped,
and #7 and #8 were not treated and not wrapped for winter. At
each yard I recorded the number of living colonies in the spring.
I then dissected the bees by removing the head, then grasping the
stinger end of the abdomen, and gently removing the insides.
After removing the insides from 25 bees, the gut, ventriculus and
honey stomach were ground up with 25 millilters of water (1 ml per
bee) with a mortar and pestle. I used a wire loop to transfer a
small amount of this solution onto the hemocytometer for counting
the number of Nosema spores. Under a 430 power microscope I
counted the Nosema spores in 80 small squares on a special grid
and used a mathematical formula to calculate the correct number of
spores per bee and the level of infestation.
Results: The Nosema infestation is displayed in Table 1 and the
winter survival rate is shown in Table 2 on page 4. In yards #1
and #2 (Fumadil & wrapped) the average spore count was 1,667
spores per bee, and they had an average winter survival rate of
85% and the amount of dysentery was extremely low. In yards #3
and #4 (Fumadil but not wrapped) there were 24,834 spores per bee
and they had an average winter survival rate of 85% and was not
much dysentery dtectable at these yards. In yard #5 and #6 (no
Fumadil but wrapped) the average spore count was 66,665 spores per
bee, and 83% winter survival raate and there was a fair amount of
dysentery on the outside of the hives, but the inside of the hives
were still clean. In yards #7 and #8 (no Fumadil & not wrapped)
the spore count was 152,667 spores per bee, with only 31%
surviving winter and dysentery covering the front of the hives, as
well as the inside of the hives.
Conclusions: It appears that if the bees are either well
protected for winter by wrapping or treated with Fumadil-B, their
winter survival is reasonable. However, if the bees are neither
treated with Fumadil-B, nor protected by wrapping, they do not
survive winter well. I conclude that winter protection is more
important than treating with Fumadil-B (because of the added
expense). If the bees are not protected, then treatment with
Fumadil-B is essential. Since other factors play a part in winter
survival, more reasearch needs to be done. (Carol is a 7th grader
at Valley Community School and daughter of Robert and Kathy
Fassbinder , commercial beekeepers from Elgin, Iowa.)
Figure 1 - Number of Nosema Figure 2 - Winter survival rate
spores per bee in the spring in the spring of 1994 after
of 1994 after colonies were colonies were treated with
treated with Fumadil (3+4), Fumadil-B or wrapped or both
wrapped (5+6), both (1+2) or or neither.
neither (7+8).
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JUNE
13 Eastcentral Iowa Beekeepers Meeting 7:00 p.m. in
basement of Montgomery Hall, Johnson County
Fairgrounds, Iowa City
16 Scott County Beekeeping Field Day 7:00 p.m. at Al
Gruber's beeyard, 1945 Wisconsin St. in Davenport.
18 Central Iowa Beekeepers Dinner & Meeting 5:30 p.m.
at Anson Park Shelter House in Marshalltown.
Program at 6:30
25 IHPA Board Mtg. 1:00 p.m. at Royal Cafe in Huxley.
JULY
13-15 Eastern Apicultural Society Annual Conference in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Contact Maryann Frazier
telephone: (814) 865-4621.
23 IHPA/CIBA Summer Field Day at Riverside Church Camp,
Story City, Iowa. Contact Gordon Powell or Bob Cox
for further details.
NOVEMBER
11-12 Iowa Honey Producers Annual Meeting in Marshalltown.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT SWARMING
(Reprinted from the Alaska newsletter - By Dr. Clarence Collison,
Mississippi State University)
Swarming is an instinctive desire of honeybees to increase
their numbers by reproducing at the colony level, giving them
twice the chance to survive. While this behavior is not fully
understood, several factors contribute to the swarming impulse.
The major factor is congestion in the brood area which is
related to population size and availability of space. Swarming
also is associated with the production and distribution of
chemicals secreted by the queen. When there is a shortage of
these secretions (queen substance), the bees make queen cells in
preparation for swarming or supercedure (a natural replacement of
an established queen by a daughter in the same hive).
Swarming also may be modified by the weather. When colonies
are strong and developing, good weather following some bad weather
seems to accentuate the swarming fever. Other factors that
contribute to swarming include poor ventilation, a failing queen,
heredity and an imbalance in the makeup of the worker bee
population. Most swarming occurs during April and May in
Mississippi, and you need to check the colonies every 8 to 10 days
during this season. The presence of queen cells in the brood area
is the first indication the colony is preparing to swarm or
supercede its queen. Swarm cells are commonly found on or near
the bottom bars of the combs in the upper brood chamber(s).
Whereas supercedure queen cells are generally found on the face of
the comb.
To check quickly for swarm cells, tip back the top brood
chamber(s) and look up between the frames, destroy all (unsealed)
swarm cells. Unfortunately, cutting out queen cells seldom
prevents swarming; it only delays it since the bees usually
construct more cells in a few days. Once the bees succeed in
capping a queen cell, they are committed to swarming.
(Tennessee Apiculture March-April 1991)
I am not hard hearted--some of the time but I have a hard time
feeling sorry for people who allow their bees to swarm when they
don't watch their bees. July is our usual swarming time. This
year the first swarm was reported June the 5th. Caging the queen
first week of July to prevent swarming won't work as well this
year due to the fact that the bees are swarming early. It will do
the other jobs in to brood rearing, etc., that I write about.
Cutting out queen cells--my way of saying it--it is a waste of
time. Why? Because even experienced beekeepers miss them and
when the bees have their jogging shoes on cutting out cells will
not stop them, just slow them down a few days. Separate the brood
from the queen by an excluder and give an uppper entrance. Let
them swarm but stay in the hive.
FOR SALE: queen excluders, Kelley 33-frame extractor, sump tank,
1" pump, Dadant Wax melter, Cowen uncapper, 2 - 3000 gal. S.S.
corn syrup tanks, and more. Call days (608) 568-7601 or evenings
(608) 748-4706.
ESPY APPOINTS NEW MEMBERS TO NATIONAL HONEY BOARD
Mike Espy, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, appointed two
producer members, one exporter member and one cooperative member
as well as alternates for each position to the National Honey
Board. The new members' three-year terms commenced April 1 and
expire on March 31, 1997.
H. Binford Weaver, Navasota, Texas, was reappointed to serve as
producer member representing Region 5 (Al, AR, LA, MS, MO, OK, TN
and TX). Bobby E. Coy, Jonesboro, Arkansas was appointed as the
alternate for Weaver.
Stephen A. Conlon, Proctor, W.V. was appointed to serve as
producer member representing Region 7 (CT, DL, DC, IL, IN, KY, ME,
MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, and WV). David E.
Hackenberg, Lewisburg, PA was appointed as the alternate for
Conlon.
John (Doug) McGinnis, Edgewater, FL was appointed to serve as
exporter member. Robert E. Coyle, Bellevue, WA, a honey importer,
was appointed as the alternate for McGinnis.
Newly appointed members of the nominating committee are: Jerry
A. Brown, Haddam, KS; Glenn E. Davis, Blue Springs, MO; Todd D.
Larson, Billings, MT; Joann M. Olstrom, Reedsport, OR; Glen R.
Wollman, Parker, SD; Donald J. Kohn, Withee, WI; and Charles D.
Hannum, Arlington, VA.
Reappointed for three terms on the nominations committee are:
Reg G. Wilbanks, Claxton, GA; Donald T. O'Neill, Baton Rouge, LA;
Jacob C. DeKorne, Ellsworth, MI; Darl B. Stoller, Latty, OH and
Stephen H. Dilley, Nashville, TN.
FRANK PELLETT, APICULTURE PIONEER, REMEMBERED
An excellent article about the Hyssop honey plant, a member of
the mint family, by Ayers and Widrlechner was published in the May
1994 American Bee Journal. In this article quite a mention of
Frank Pellett was made with respect to his work on this honey
plant. The following is quoted from this article:
"Because of his extensive writing on the subject, Frank Pellett
(1879-1951), more than anyone else, created a place in U.S.
apicultural history for A. foeniculum (anise hyssop). Mr. Pellett
was a well respected apiculturist. He was the Iowa State Apiarist
between 1912 and 1917, a Field Editor of the American Bee Journal
for many years, and then an Associate Editor of the same
publication, a position he held until the end of his life. He was
instrumental in the pioneering research on American foulbrood. He
initiated and operated the American Bee Journal's Honey Plant Test
Gardens at Atlantic, Iowa. He was a careful observer who
published books on the history of American beekeeping, queen
rearing, practical beekeeping, horticulture, botany and
ornithology (Anonymous, 1951), but he is probably most remembered
by today's beekeepers for his magnum opus, American Honey Plants,
which he revised several times through his life (1920, 1923, 1930,
and 1947). His proclamations about bee forage in general (and
anise hyssop in particular) demanded the respect of the
apicultural industry." (Anonymous. 1951. Frank Pellett 1879-1951.
American Bee Journal 91:234-237).
1994 SUMMER BEEKEEPING FIELD DAY
Iowa Honey Producers & Central Iowa Beekeepers Assn.
Saturday, July 23rd
Riverside Bible Camp, 3001 Riverside Rd.
Story City, IA 50248
Phone (515) 733-5271
Meeting Pre-registration $4.00 $________
(Deadline - July 16)
At the door $5.00 $________
(No prepared meal available if not pre-registered)**
Noon meal* in air-conditioned bldg. $5.75 $________
Through age 3 - No charge
Children: Ages 4 - 10 yrs - $3.00
Ages 11 and up - full price
* Includes soup, salad, BBQ sandwich & chips, bread/roll,
coffee/milk/coolaid
** Picnic tables outside if you would rather bring your own lunch.
1994 MEMBERSHIP DUES:
Iowa Honey Producers Association $5.00 $________
Central Iowa Beekeepers Association $4.00 $________
=================
TOTAL $________
MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: IOWA HONEY PRODUCERS ASSN.
SEND CHECK AND FORM TO: Gordon Powell
4012 - 54th St.
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 278-1762
NAME______________________________________________________________
ADDRESS:__________________________________________________________
CITY:____________________STATE_________________ZIP________________
PHONE(____)_______________________No. of colonies_________________
4/05/94
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