File item: BUZZ0493.TXT 4/19/93 6:42PM
23992
Submitted by Terry Dahms
President - East-Central Iowa Beekeepers
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THE BUZZ APRIL, 1993
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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 Robert Shepherd, IHPA Treasurer.
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Dear Fellow Beekeepers:
Spring is just around the corner. A few more weeks and
hopefully we'll be out working our bees. I've been looking forward
to this for a couple of months now. We have already been out and
checked our colonies for feed. What we found wasn't good. There is
a great winter loss everywhere. I've heard from many people around
the state and also from out of state here in the North. A number
have lost their bees to starvation. Many others find no apparent
reason for their loss. They've wrapped their bees in the fall, left
plenty of honey stores and showed little, if any mite infestation.
We really have no answer at this time. All we can do now is fill
our boxes with bees again and hope for a good year.
The Clinton administration has been trying to get rid of the
honey loan/support program, now for some time, and its on the agenda
again. The government wants to eliminate the program completely.
At this time I feel it is unwise, because the market is being
flooded with cheap foreign honey. If the importation of foreign
honey were stopped, I feel we could do with out the support program.
But until that happens we can not. Please call and write your
congressmen immediately to give them your views on saving the
program. We must band together on this again and let them know we
need this program. A sample letter is included on page 6.
I wish to ask all who receive this newsletter to consider
joining the Iowa Honey Producers as members. We are constantly
working with the public to promote honey and inform them of the
benefits of honey bees. THE BUZZ newsletter you receive each month
is full of good information. It keeps you up to date on problems
others are facing, new disease and mite treatments, sale & want
ads., scientific information, and much more at no cost to you. If
you enjoy working with bees you will enjoy meeting other beekeepers
at meetings and field days. Everyone has something important to
contribute. We learn so much in talking with others. Our annual
meeting always has good guest speakers on many interesting topics.
Members can also order their magazines at a discount through the
association. The association puts on field days each year at
different locations and addressing various subjects. We have a lot
of fun and provide a lot of information. Please accept our
invitation to join our organization as members. We really would
like to have you. -Leroy Kellogg, IHPA President
CENTRAL IOWA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION AUCTION
APRIL 24, 1993
11:00 A.M.
Kellogg's Honey House Cambridge, Iowa
Partial Listing of Pre-assigned Beekeeping Items
2 wiring boards 1 Brand Rex wax melter
1 uncapping tank 3 honey tanks
2 wax pans 200 plus new frames
36 new 5-gal. honey cans 50 sheets deep foundation
1 steam generator 1 honey pump
1 3-burner gas plate 1 super cart
25 honey house pallets 100 plus division board feeders
50 divided screen top feeders 100 bottom board side rails
12 queen excluders 4 section box supers, complete
8 sets of section boxes, new a few new bottom boards
a few nearly new bottom boards 20 inner covers
1 pint of Bee-Go 1 new & 1 used smoker
1 hive tool 85 plastic 5-gal. buckets w/lids
19 - 6 5/8" Illinois supers w/9 or 10 frames of drawn, light comb
2 boxes of new wooden comb honey section boxes
1 vibrating steam heated uncapping knife - new
1 30-frame Better Way wax melter
100 brood boxes, some with foundation
90 medium supers with drawn comb
6 shallow supers with drawn white comb
nuc boxes, screen and solid top
2 boxes friction top feeder pails
40 plus new unassembled brood boxes
10 lbs.(approx.) thin foundation
12 ft. bee tarp to cover truck box
plus lots of misc: helmet, nails, smoker, gloves, etc.
Those wishing to bring items to sell can bring it the day of the
sale or contact Margaret Hala at (515) 752-2981. Lunch will be
available on site at a reasonable price. No rain date will be
scheduled - will be held inside warehouse, if necessary.
Come one, come all!
FOR SALE: Bee Equipment or Operate on Shares
25-30 Complete Hives, Extractor, clean stored inside, extra jars,
frames, etc. Contact: Brad Buchanan, Cedar Rapids 848-7298 Evenings
* Can offer land for hive locations.
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DADANT BEE SUPPLY DEALER specializing in providing supplies for
the hobbyist and small sideline beekeeper.
AUTUMN APIARIES, INC. - GORDON & BEVERLY POWELL
4012 - 54TH STREET
DES MOINES, IA. 50310
PHONE (515) 278-1762
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STATE APIARISTS REPORT
Winter losses have averaged about 50% statewide. Some report
only 10% loss, while others have lost almost all their colonies.
What a setback! I don't believe all those colonies will be replaced
this year; not with the 50 - 60 pound per hive crops we've had the
last three years.
The economic picture for beekeeping does not look any better
than in the beeyard for the commercial beekeeper. Cheap imported
honey is flooding the market and holding the wholesale price down.
In addition, the honey loan program is scheduled to be de-funded by
the end of 1993, unless the present administration changes it's
mind.
So what's the GOOD news? It's spring time, a time for new
beginnings. Maybe this year we will have good nectar flows. We
also have beekeeper associations where we can help each other out.
There is strength in numbers and if we work together we can
accomplish great things. We can also be thankful for the things
that we do have. We live in the greatest country in the world, even
in bad times. Most all of us have food to eat, a home to live in,
clothes to wear and even transportation and the freedom to travel
when and where we want to go.
This is the time to visit your bees and attend to their needs.
The following is a list of tasks to accomplish this month and next
in the beeyard:
1. Pick up empty equipment and take to your shop to repair and
prepare boxes to receive packages or make splits or store with moth
crystals. Be sure to check all brood combs for American Foulbrood
scale and if present then melt down the comb, disinfect woodenware
and replace with foundation.
2. Feed colonies with a thin syrup whether you think they need
it or not until the dandelion flow hits to encourage brood rearing.
3. When it warms up and after colonies expand in size, make
splits from strong colonies to curb swarming and replace winter
losses. (Queens should already be ordered to put in the splits.)
4. Treat all colonies with Terramycin powder several times or
once with a Terramycin grease patty.
5. If you are in an area with Varroa mites, treat with one of
the miticide plastic strips to control mites OR test your colonies
with the ether roll or sticky board test and treat if mites are
present.
6. If you have excessive winter loss with lots of honey
remaining in the dead colonies, treat with Menthol pellets or
Miticur strips to control the tracheal mites.
7. Eliminate small very weak colonies to avoid wasting time
and money feeding a lost cause. There is probably a reason why they
are weak and others are strong (e.g. poor queen, disease or mites).
8. Continue to paint, repair and put foundation in honey
supers so that you will be ready with plenty of supers when the main
honey flow comes in June.
9. Attend the beekeeping workshops in Davenport this month.
NOTE: If you would like help in identifying any of the diseases or
the mites, call the State Apiarist's Office at (515) 281-5736.
JAPANESE MARKETING CHINESE HONEY IN IOWA
I recently received a letter asking me to be a distributor of
Chinese acacia honey. The letter was from a corporation in Japan
who has a joint venture with the Shandong province in Mainland
China. They are offering 550-1100 tons of Chinese honey per year
at a price of 50-59 cents per pound.
This is just an example of the problem we have in the
beekeeping industry in this country. This imported honey is really
hurting the market. We are desperately in need of a more reasonable
import tariff. Even the honey support program would not be so
important, if there was a 20% ad valorem tariff on imported honey.
It is time to contact your US Congressman and U.S. Senators
concerning the honey market situation. If you do not contact them,
you do not have the right to complain if they take actions you don't
like. Now is the time to act! - Curtis Barnhart, Honey
Producer, Monticello, Iowa
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
APRIL
5 & 12 Beekeeping Workshop 6:30 p.m., Putnam Museum, 1717 West
12th, Davenport, Iowa.
MAY
22 Iowa Honey Producers Spring Field Day 10:00 a.m. Ray Tull
Farm, Donnellson, Iowa Contact Ray Tull (319) 835-5201
JUNE
14 Eastcentral Iowa Beekeepers Meeting 7:00 p.m. Johnson
County Fairgrounds, Montgomery Hall, Iowa City.
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FOR SALE: "Honey Bee Diseases and Pests" booklet by Canadian
Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA).
Good color photos on the subject. 17 pages - $1.75 @
Contact Bob Cox at (515) 281-5736.
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FOR SALE: Package bees. Pick up at Aurora (near Manchester)
April 12th. Shipped with Apistan strips. 2-lb. package $23.50
Contact: Douglas Child in Aurora, IA (319) 634-3682.
FOR SALE: Two (2) barrels of light honey. Contact: Ron Loutsch
Westfield, Iowa Phone: (712) 568-3425
FOR SALE: 1000 deep boxes with drawn comb, 6 boxes of Dadant wired
deep foundation and 4 boxes of comb honey foundation.
Contact: Mark Gress, Avoca, Iowa Phone (712) 343-2719
FOR SALE: Treated bottoms $2.00 @, Telescoping lids $2.00 @,
Inner covers $1.00 @, 200 division board feeders $0.50 @,
10-frame 6 5/8 supers $7.50 @, Pallet jack on wheels with 24 -
20" x 32" pallets $100.00 and Deep 10-frame supers $10.00 @.
CONTACT: Dick Blake, Rt. 2, Box 112-B, Shenandoah, IA 51601 phone
(712) 246-3412.
PESTICIDE DEPENDENCY (from APIS, Florida Apiculture Ext. Newsletter)
The dangers of pesticide dependency are legion. They include:
product contamination, environmental pollution and a
chemically-resistant pest population. And in a perverse way,
chemical control also contributes to long-range problem while
admittedly providing a short-range solution. That's because
treatment keeps susceptible bee colonies alive, and in the process,
prevents detection of stock that has innate resistance to the pest.
The message remains clear: Don't Chemically Treat Unless There is a
Reason!
Does the concept of resistant stock hold up under scrutiny?
Take a look at chestnuts as reported in the December, 1992 issue of
Citrus and Vegetable Magazine. Prior to 1904, the American chestnut
was the most important food and timber tree in Eastern U.S. hardwood
forests. But a bark fungus, accidentally introduced from the Asia
(shades of Varroa also introduced from there), killed some 3.5
billion trees from Maine to Georgia west to the Mississippi River.
This largest botanical disaster in history took only 40 years.
According to the article, a James Carpenter discovered a large
living American Chestnut in a grove of dying trees in the early
1950s. Budwood from this tree was grafted into rootstock, and in
1962, seedlings were crossed back to both American and Chinese
parents. The second generation was moved to Alachua, FL where a
grove of some 60 trees can be found that are now over 40 feet tall
and 16 inches in diameter. These Dunstan Chestnuts are healthy,
vigorous and bear every year. There has not been a single reported
infection from the fungus on this variety for more than 30 years.
Unfortunately for the beekeeping industry, resistant honey bee
stock found in Yugoslavia is now being released to selected queen
breeders in the U.S. This is stock ARS-Y-C-1, somewhat resistant to
Varroa and considered economically so to tracheal mites. At the
present time, a U.S. Department of Agriculture/beekeeping industry
stock release panel has been formed. It is seeking
Breeder-Propagators with a good deal of experience who will ensure
that ARS-Y-C-1 is successfully reared and distributed to beekeepers.
For more information, contact Dr. Thomas E. Rinderer, Research
Leader, Baton Rouge Bee Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge,
LA 70820, ph 504/766-6064.
SAMPLE LETTER TO CONGRESSMEN * Congressional *
--WRITE ON YOUR LETTERHEAD. Switchboard:
--PERSONALIZE TO FIT YOUR SITUATION. * 202-224-3121 *
The Honorable(Name of Senator) The Honorable(Name of Representative
United States Senate U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Sen.___________________: Dear Rep. ______________________:
I am writing to ask that you work to help save the Honey Loan
Price Support Program. This program is important to (name of
beekeepers -or- "the beekeepers of our community").
Beekeeping plays a valuable role in the economic life of our
community. This industry accounts for ____ full time and ____ jobs
here in (name of community) and many more across (name of state).
Any actions which adversely affect our beekeepers will also
adversely affect (name of community).
(I/We) are aware that beekeepers are already facing economic
hardships - unchecked imports, depressed markets, and parasitic
mites. Please help them by keeping the honey program in place.
Sincerely,
(Be sure your letter includes your complete address and telephone
number.)
NEW IHPA HONEY COOKBOOK
We are preparing a very unique and special cookbook. It will
feature the excellent State Fair Annual IHPA meeting and your
favorite recipes. Each recipe selected will show the name of the
contributor. Send your three or four favorite recipes so that you
can be represented in this memorable collection. It will be a
beautifully bound spiral book that will be treasured for years and
will make a beautiful gift.
Using a separate sheet of paper for each, please type or print
your recipes, keeping in mind any of the following eight categories:
Appetizers and beverages Breads and Rolls
Soups, Salads & Vegetables Pies, Pastry & Desserts
Main Dishes & Casseroles Cakes, Cookies & Candy
Meat, Poultry & Seafood This & That
1. First list all the ingredients. 2. Then give the directions
for making the recipe. 3. Be sure to include your name at the
bottom.
The cookbook will contain 16 pages of helpful hints on basic
cooking information, have illustrated category dividers, a table of
contents, an index and will be type set in easy to read print.
Proceeds from this book will go into the treasury of the Iowa Honey
Producers Association. Please send your recipes in the next few
days so you don't forget, and so there will be time to compile the
book. Because a limited number will be printed, and to be assured
of receiving them, you may reserve one or more copies for yourself
and your family at this time. Send your recipes to Paul F. Goossen,
RR 5, Box 198, Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641.
FORMIC ACID GEL-STRIP
The application of formic acid to honeybee colonies for the
control of tracheal mites and varroa mites has shown to be generally
effective and has been registered for use against these pests in
several European countries. However, the application of liquid
formic acid has several drawbacks (i.e. obtaining correct dosages,
potential hazards to the applicator and multiple applications
needed).
Medivet Pharmaceuticals of High River, Alberta, is developing a
formic acid gel-strip to overcome these problems. Willy Baumgartner
of Medivet feels that the potential for a one-shot application is
feasible. However, additional work is required to obtain a
formulation which will give the necessary control. Medivet has had
the cooperation of Dr. Don Nelson of the Beaverlodge research
Station, Kerry Clark and Paul van Westendorp of the B.C. Ministry of
Agriculture, John Gruszka from Saskatchewan Agriculture and Dr. Bill
Wilson from USDA in evaluating initial formulations.
The gel-strip is being developed to accomplish several
objectives at the same time: to provide a method that requires only
one application, to make the method of application easy and safe for
the applicator and to provide more uniform evaporation over the
treatment period. (from Canadian Bee Notes)
NEW IOWA QUEEN BREEDING PROGRAM
A new Iowa bee breeding program is starting with the goal of
developing a better bee adapted to conditions in the state. In an
effort to overcome disease and other bee problems, members of the
Central Iowa Beekeepers Association have initiated the Iowa Bee
Exchange with the assistance of scientist-member Rick Hellmich.
Hellmich, who has done research at Ohio State and worked in bee
genetics for the USDA and Weaver Apiaries in Texas, will voluntarily
manage and document the program. Labor, materials and a secluded
test-site apiary will be donated by Spencers Apiary in Cambridge.
However, quality Iowa bee stock is needed! The breeding
program is interested in acquiring 40 starter nucs--bees from
diverse locations throughout the state. An ideal colony population
is one that shows promise for the characteristics of honey
production, mite or disease resistance, gentleness and
overwintering. The donated nuc would include a queen and 3 frames
total of brood and honey. No equipment is needed.
Donated nucs must be ready and delivered by May 1. The nucs
will be assigned a number and a flyer describing the progress of
their bees and the program will be sent to bee keepers who provide
bees. Stock will be sent in 1993 to selected southern breeders and
in upcoming seasons Iowa beekeepers will have the opportunity to
purchase queens that have been raised from the Iowa stock.
Participation in an ongoing stock monitoring program will be
available for interested parties. Occasional progress reports will
be printed in this newsletter.
For more information on providing bees or materials for this
exciting program, contact: Rick Hellmich, 509 9th Street, Ames,
Iowa 50010 (515) 233-3562 (or) Spencers Apiary, PO Box 131,
Cambridge, IA 50046 (515) 383-4245
HONEY OF A VERSE
As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of
Israel brought in abundance the first fruit of grain and wine, oil,
HONEY, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in
abundantly the tithe of everything.
- II Chronicles 31:5
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