FILENAME:  JULAPIS.91
 
 
            Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter
    Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues (ISSN 0889-3764)
                  Volume 9, Number 7, July 1991
 
                  MOSQUITO SPRAYING ON THE RISE
 
     Hot weather and lots of rain are producing mosquitos.  This
means telephone calls to mosquito control agencies which often
result in pesticide application.  I have had several reports of bee
kills resulting from spraying this summer.  It is incumbent on
beekeepers to get to know their mosquito control agency and find
out how and where it operates.  Most bee kills as a result of
spraying for mosquitos have to do with (1) aerial spraying; (2)
blooming nectar plants; and (3) daylight hours.  All three put
together is guaranteed to be a disaster for colonies in an area.
Eliminating any of the above factors greatly reduces the risk of
subsequent bee kill.
     Many small counties in Florida have no aerial spraying
capability, but large outbreaks of mosquitos might mean contracting
with an independent applicator that does.  This on-again, off-again
arrangement is the most dangerous for beekeepers because
contractors may not be familiar with bee locations or in close
communication with the employing mosquito control agency.  Most
mosquito control agencies are aware that application affects
colonies and will work with beekeepers to avoid kills.
     If, in spite of efforts to communicate with mosquito control
agencies, bees are killed, the only recourse may be through the
legal system.  An article in American Bee Journal (Vol. 131, No. 7,
July, 1991, pp. 437-439) by D. Mayer and E. and C. Johansen
provides some tips on handling these situations:
1.  Perform frequent inspections for bee kills in apiaries located
in high risk areas.
2.  If a bee kill is suspected, contact a state apiary inspector
and the state department of agriculture for assistance.
3.  Take photos of anything associated with the kill.
4.  Obtain dead bee samples and have them chemically analyzed to
determine insecticide residues.  Also collect duplicate samples.
5.  If a bee kill is substantial, consider retaining an expert
consultant for investigative purposes.
6.  Contact persons in the vicinity for information they might have
on pesticide application procedure.
7.  When chemical analysis tests positive for an insecticide, find
out as much as possible about the material.  Get a copy of the
label to determine how it can be legally applied and compare it
with field reports either by the organization doing the application
or eye witnesses to the event.
8.  Finally, contact a lawyer with expertise in these types of
cases to help with discussions concerning settling the case out of
court.  If these discussions fail, consider filing a lawsuit.
     Haste is all important when collecting evidence of a bee kill
by insecticide.  The most critical part is collecting the samples.
Bear in mind that samples of freshly dead or actively dying bees
are much more likely to have detectable pesticide residues.
Samples should be frozen immediately and be collected by an
independent THIRD PARTY (such as the bee inspector, or Cooperative
Extension Service agent), NOT by the beekeeper.  Finally, it is
extremely important that the testing facility be provided with some
idea about the specific pesticide used.  Without this information,
it is almost impossible for any laboratory to find the culpable
chemical.
     Given what has to be done when a bee kill occurs, many
beekeepers simply write off the loss to experience.  In most cases
it costs more to pursue a claim than the loss itself.  The
cheapest, most effective course of action continues to be
prevention.  This may require only a small effort to communicate
with potential applicators and the potential dividends are
enormous.
                  FORMIC ACID FOR MITE CONTROL
 
     There's been a lot of information recently on use of formic
acid for mite control.  The material has several things going for
it including the fact that it is a natural product, fairly
inexpensive and is effective against both tracheal and Varroa
mites.  However, my colleague at the University of California in
Davis, Eric Mussen, laments that some facts have been left out in
all the folderol.  First of all, the material doesn't have a label
and so cannot be legally used.  Second, its potentially dangerous
to users.  Here's what he writes in his newsletter, From the UC
Apiaries.
     Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid with a formula of
H-C-OOH.  It has a molecular weight of 46.03 and is described as a
"colorless, fuming liquid with a pungent, penetrating odor."  It
boils at 216 degrees F, melts at 35 degrees F, has a specific
gravity of  1.2, a vapor pressure of 23 mm Hg at 20 degrees C,
mixes well with water, alcohol, ether and glycerol, and has an odor
threshold at 21 ppm.
     Vapor-air mixtures of 18-57% are explosive, if the ambient
temperature is at or above 122 degrees F and the mixture is ignited
by a spark.  The vapors are heavier than air and may travel a
considerable distance to source of ignition and flashback.
However, fire is not a major concern.
     1.  Organic acids are dangerous materials to handle.  If you
spill formic acid on your skin, expect severe pain, brown or
yellowish stains, burns that usually penetrate the full thickness
of the skin, have sharply defined edges, and heal slowly with scar
tissue formation.  If you spill it on your clothes and don't wash
it out, chronic exposure can lead to dermatitis (rash), protein
precipitation, and red blood cells in urine.
     2.  Splashed into eyes, formic acid causes pain, tears,
blurred vision and photosensitization (lights are too bright).  In
severe cases, conjunctival edema (swelling around eyes) leads to
destruction of corneas.
     3.  If someone accidentally drank formic acid, it would cause
severe burning pain in the mouth, throat and abdomen; followed by
vomiting, watery or bloody diarrhea, tenesmus (painful straining
during urination), retching, hemolysis (ruptured blood cells),
hematuria (blood cells in urine), anuria, liver and kidney damage
with jaundice, hypotension (low blood pressure), collapse,
convulsions, coma and paralysis.
     4.  The most subtle effects involve inhalation.  Opening a
container of formic acid in an enclosed space liberates fumes.  At
100 ppm, the fumes are immediately dangerous to life and health.
Inhalation at low concentrations causes tearing, rhinorrhea (runny
nose), coughing, throat irritation, and headache.  Higher
concentrations may produce the previous symptoms, followed in six
to eight hours by pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), tightness
in the chest, difficulty breathing, dizziness, frothy expectoration
and cyanosis (bluish or purplish skin discoloration due to lack of
oxygen in the blood).  Breathing only a little at a time over
prolonged periods can lead to erosion of the teeth, local tissue
death in the jaw, bronchial irritation with chronic cough, frequent
attacks of bronchial pneumonia and gastrointestinal disturbances.
     If there is any good news in the story, it is that formic acid
does not appear to be carcinogenic.  It is a mutagen (causes
mutations in genetic material).
     Use of proper protective equipment is a must when handling
formic acid.  The chemical container should be opened only in a
room with powerful exhaust ventilation.  The acid is strong enough
to eat through some forms of plastics, rubber and coatings.
Employees must wear appropriate protective clothing and equipment
to prevent any possibility of skin contact with this substance,
including appropriate gloves, splash-proof or dust-resistant safety
goggles and faceshield.
     If a person is going to be in an atmosphere where there are
100 ppm (0.01%) formic acid, one of the following must be worn:
A.  Chemical cartridge respirator with an organic vapor cartridge
and a full face mask.
B.  Dust, mist and fume respirator.
C.  Gas mask with an organic vapor canister (chin-style, front- or
back-mounted canister).
D.  Supplied-air respirator with a full face piece, helmet or hood.
E.  Self-contained breathing apparatus with full facepiece.
     We hope this information is convincing.  Formic acid MUST be
handled with care.
 
                TROPICAL BLOSSOM IN THE SPOTLIGHT
     Tropical Blossom Honey Co. in Edgewater, Florida was recently
featured in Insight, the newsletter of the Southern United States
Trade Association (SUSTA).  Mr. Dave McGinnis began the company in
1940 with $250.00.  Tropical Blossom now has sales in twenty
foreign countries and is the leading independent U.S. exporter of
honey.
     As an example of the possibilities in the honey export market,
the article describes a "Quid pro Quo" arrangement with a Swedish
importer, Curt Strandberg.  In exchange for Mr. Strandberg's
representation in Scandinavia, Mr. McGinnis would assist in
securing U.S. distributors for Strandberg's jams and jellies.  In
addition to Scandinavia, Tropical Blossom has expanded its
exporting to Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the Middle East.
     Honey exporting has had its ups and downs.  Tropical Blossom
entered the business in the 1960s, but lost much of its sales
during the mid 1980s when price supports were in place and the
dollar was strong.  Creation of the National Honey Board, however,
along with the government's "Buy-Back" program, have allowed
processors to purchase domestic honey at world prices while
protecting the producer.  Thus, perseverance has paid off for Mr.
McGinnis, quoted in the article as saying that trade regulations
and barriers are not exclusive to the honey industry.  But the
effects can be minimized by joining trade associations like SUSTA,
attending trade shows and getting to personally know your foreign
customers.
     SUSTA is headquartered in New Orleans.  It works to promote
export sales of agricultural and food products from fifteen
southern states and Puerto Rico by helping producers and
distributors target potential overseas markets, and administers
federal funds for international market development.  For more
information, write SUSTA, 2 Canal St., Suite 1540, New Orleans, LA
70130-1408, ph 504/568-5986 or FAX 504/568-6010.
 
                      BEE DISEASE DIAGNOSIS
 
     I reported on the availability of Agriculture Handbook 690,
Diagnosis of Honey Bee Diseases, last month, but was unable to find
out how to order it.  Information from the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS) indicates that the order number is #TS
PB91193813/LL and the publication will be available by July 1.  The
shocker, however, is the price of $17.00.  If you want a copy, I
suggest sending a check for $6.00 to Department of Entomology-
Nematology, University of Florida (see address below signature) and
we'll send you a Xerox of the original.
 
                      BEEKEEPERS INSTITUTE
 
     You should have received the flyer for this year's Beekeepers
Institute at 4-H Camp Ocala with last month's edition of this
newsletter.  It is scheduled for August 23-25, deep in the heart of
the Ocala National Forest.  If you wish registration information,
please let me know.
 
                       AFRICAN BEE STATUS
 
     The African honey bee invasion is now well underway in Texas,
according to an article in Bee Science, Vol. 1, No. 3, May, 1991.
Swarms (latest count is over 70) have been found from Brownsville
to Laredo.  Between 20 to 25% of swarms captured are testing
Africanized, a larger percentage than expected, says Elba Quintero,
APHIS project manager, who also predicts the percentage will rise
to 50% by 1992.  The article reports one estimate of three swarms
uncaptured for every one found in a bait hive.  A number of
governmental agencies as well as beekeepers are collecting swarms
and twelve counties in southern Texas are under quarantine.
     Information in both Spanish and English is reaching the
general public which is diligently reporting swarms, the article
says.  The message is "Don't Bug the Bees."  Health department
officials don bee suits and use soapy water to destroy swarms.  In
addition, the article discusses the first stinging attack on a
Brownsville man who was not seriously injured.  The bees were
established in a concrete drainage pipe, part of a residential
driveway.
     The article concludes that the bees are 50 miles north of the
border and making a strong push northward.  They aren't expected to
reach San Antonio in 1991.
 
                          GEORGIA NEWS
 
     There have been some recent apicultural developments in our
neighboring state of Georgia.  Dr. Keith Delaplane was hired as the
extension apiculturist and his program is getting off the ground.
He writes the monthly column "Strictly for the Hobbyist," in the
American Bee Journal, and has recently published a beginners book
on bees.  Entitled:  Honey Bees and Beekeeping, the 23 page
pamphlet describes everything from honey bee biology to dealing
with unwanted colonies.  Limited copies of the publication are
available from Georgia Cooperative Extension offices or for $.30 by
contacting Carol Nimmons, Cooperative Extension Service, University
of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, ph 404/542-8944.
     The first edition of Dr. Delaplane's newsletter dedicated to
Georgia beekeeping is also out.  The Georgia Bee Letter, dedicated
to promoting good bee practices must be obtained from the
Cooperative Extension Offices in Georgia.  Unlike this newsletter,
it is not mailed out from the University.
     Dr. Delaplane's efforts are fine additions to the southeastern
extension honey bee educational effort.  Should you want to meet
him up close and personal, he has kindly consented to attend this
year's Florida Beekeepers Institute.
 
                    MORE ON ORGANIC LABELLING
 
     I have had some questions concerning the standards I published
last month for organic certification.  The state has yet to
identify any third party certifiers according to Richard Gunnels,
Director of Organic Certification Program, Rm 431 Mayo Bldg.,
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800, ph 904/488-9682.  In the next month or
so, he will have the names of some certifiers.  Persons with
interest in being certified should contact Mr. Gunnels directly.
Others with information on the certification process include Mark
Ketchel, Organic Crop Improvement Association, Rt. #3, Box 326,
Alachua, FL 32615, ph 9094/462-1302 or Robin Lauriault, a member of
the Organic Food Advisory Council, ph 904/475-2037, Melrose, FL.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
 
Malcolm T. Sanford
0740 IFAS, Bldg 970
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0740
Phone (904) 392-1801, Ext. 143
FAX: 904-392-0190
BITNET Address: MTS@IFASGNV
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