Hello Chuck & All,
Jerry Bromenshenk is leading the field in coming up with ID for bee hives to
prevent hive theft (and many other management uses). The Micro chip like we
use in pets and exotic animals is too expensive. The price for readers is
similar but the cost from the supplier  per micro chip (like I use on my
animals) runs around $10 per animal in quantity.
 The method Jerry is working on is similar to the method Wal Mart stores
will soon be using. Jerry feels the method will be fairly inexpensive after
WaL Mart buys enough product to get the price down.
Kind of like the cost of wooden ware in the U.S. would be  most likely
double the price today if large commercial beekeepers did not buy the
amounts they do keeping prices within reason.
Today's animal microchips only read at close range (inches) while the
product Jerry is working with can be read from many feet away (and possibly
farther in the future).
Jerry hopes to talk several manufacturers of wooden ware to include his
product at time of manufacture.
Maybe Jerry will come on and comment. I have sit through several of his
talks in the last year but at times I have trouble following along as Jerry
is one of the worlds foremost experts on both hive ID & pesticides (along
with his partner Dan Mayer).
I am proud to call Jerry a friend and feel the beekeeping industry benefits
greatly from his work on ID tags & pesticides. Both Jerry & I were amazed
that at the ABF convention in Jacksonville  only  around 20 beekeepers (out
of over 400) took time to listen to the latest information on pesticide
contamination problems. I guess sitting through another program on "making
creamed honey" or "making nucs" was of greater importance to those
beekeepers.
If you ever get a chance to hear Jerry B. speak please  do as I assure you
you will not be disappointed!
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri
B.H./ E.T.H.





----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Norton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 8:02 AM
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Hive ID tags


On Sat, 10 Apr 20, Mike penned: "...if it is
economically feasible would like to start inserting chips into my
equipment."

FWIW on microchipping hives or hive parts, I drove to Georgia earlier this
week for package bees and queens. For the first time I got to meet a lot
of folks face to face that I have been dealing with over the phone for
many years. While at one of these package and queen producers I learned of
a complete yard of bees having been stolen earlier this season. The yard
of bees was stolen not the hives, seems that the culprit absconded with
the bees by shaking out all 40 plus hives in the yard into his own hives
leaving frames with honey, pollen and brood helter-skelter. I was told
that it was as if a tornado had come through the apiary. All the hives and
their individual frames were branded; but, the bees were stolen anyway,
very sad... but, I have no doubt of it being true.


Chuck Norton
Norton's Nut & Honey Farm
Reidsville, NC

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::