FILENAME: JUNAPIS.90
Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues
Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter
Volume 8, Number 6, June 1990
STOCK INTRODUCTION IN FLORIDA
Mr. Laurence Cutts, Florida Chief Apiarist, recently sent a memo out to
interested persons concerning events in Florida. Of special interest are two
importations of honey bees. Dr. Roger Morse of Cornell University was able to
bring 26 British queens into the U.S. to investigate resistance to tracheal
mite. Daughters were reared and allowed into Florida for testing. Florida
cooperators in this project, according to Mr. Cutts, are David Miksa and Mel
Greenleaf. A progress report on this research was printed in the June issue
of "American Bee Journal." It was written by Dr. Norman Gary, University of
California, Davis, who, along with Dr. Robert Page of the same institution,
developed an experimental technique to look at resistance. Although full
details are not yet available, Dr. Gary believes there was no difference in
mite resistance when British and American stocks were compared. However,
hybrids did show a "statistically significant degree of resistance,"
indicating that "hybrid vigor" may be an important element to look at in the
future. Dr. Gary promises a full report of this work will be published soon.
The potential importation of Carniolan (Apis mellifera carnica) bees into
Florida to look at Varroa resistance is also mentioned by Mr. Cutts. At the
present time, Dr. Tom Rinderer, USDA-ARS Baton Rouge Bee Lab, has applied for
a permit to bring in progeny of bees that have shown resistance in Yugoslavia.
The parental stock was brought to a Louisiana barrier island and kept in
isolation for eight months. Once daughters are reared and introduced, the
original parental stock will be destroyed, providing at least one generation
of bees as a safety buffer in case pests or diseases might be present. The
Florida Arthropod and Arthropod Pathogen Introduction Committee of the Florida
Division of Plant Industry has granted permission to introduce the offspring
which will be tested in cooperation with Horace Bell Honey Co. in Deland,
Florida. However, USDA-APHIS must first act to allow the bees entry from the
barrier island to the U.S. mainland.
The hue and cry for importing everything from African bees to the Asian honey
bee (Apis cerana) can be heard everywhere. The latter insect has a number of
fans. It appears to be a good pollinator; is resistant to Varroa; and will
not cross with the African honey bee. Beekeepers use it in many countries in
Asia with success. Dr. Siriwat Wongsiri, University of Bangkok, Thailand,
however, has recently published an article concerning problems with "Apis
Cerana" in the developing countries of Southeast Asia (Honey Bee Science,
Vol. 10:4 pp. 160-164. According to an English summary (the original text is
in Japanese), use of Apis mellifera is on the rise and there are half as many
colonies of cerana as mellifera now being used. Beekeeping with cerana is
less because of the inability to control swarming and absconding resulting in
lower honey yields. Significant problems using cerana also continue to be
European foulbrood susceptibility and lack of basic knowledge about keeping
the bee.
Perhaps the best of all worlds would be a mellifera-cerana mix of bees. This
controversial possibility was reported by Dr. Eric Mussen in his latest "From
the UC Apiaries." The same Dr. Wongsiri mentioned above has apparently
reported that mellifera colonies will accept frames of emerging cerana brood.
The cerana bees then groom their mellifera sisters in the colony, removing and
biting the Varroa mites. What the beekeeper winds up with is a sub-population
of honey producing mellifera cared for by a sub-population of cerana!
Many also favor bringing in African bees from Brazil or Africa. One reason
is that both Brazil and Africa report fewer disease problems; however, as the
article on the numbers game in this newsletter reports, there are disease
problems in Brazil. Nevertheless, those promoting importation use the
rationale that because the U.S. now has Varroa, and tracheal mites, nothing
new could possibly hurt the U.S. beekeeping industry.
This concept is debatable. An interesting situation has arisen in Argentina,
presumably due to importation of a large quantity of queens from the U.S.
American foulbrood, previously unknown in that country, is now epidemic. In
addition, for some reason it doesn't appear to respond to treatment from
Terramycin (R) at the same dosages used in this country. Levels of up to
1200 mg active material must be used as opposed to the 200 mg recommended in
the U.S. This has proven disastrous for beekeeping in certain regions of
the country. The reason the queens were brought to Argentina was simple
economics--they cost less to import because the value of the U.S. dollar was
low. Although regulations exist in the country to prevent introduction, this
shipment was somehow cleared through customs.
This Argentinian case and others (many previously believed that introduction
of tracheal mites into the U.S. was not a serious threat to bee colonies)
reveal why there has and will continue to be controversy over importation.
Although most persons agree that stock introduction is needed in some cases,
there is a great deal of concern about the methods involved. Unfortunately,
no guidelines exist. Offspring of the British bees were allowed into Florida
because they originated on U.S. soil and so were treated just like any others.
In the case of the Yugoslavian bees, a state committee approved the permit,
but there continues to be no standard importation criteria that can be
followed for subsequent introductions.
FLORIDA LEGISLATION
The conclusion of the Florida legislative session will mean more regulations
involving beekeepers and honey marketers. Fines for misuse of pesticides have
been increased from $1,000 to $10,000 for each violation. In addition, in the
near future it appears that the Florida Department of Agriculture will develop
standards and inspection procedures for food labelled as organic. It also
seems that the African bee awareness plan published in the January issue of
this newsletter was not funded. This is not surprising considering the bee
has yet to cross the Texas border. But, like good sports teams, the players
will live on to propose this valuable program again next year.
THE NUMBERS GAME
On several occasions, I have discussed "the numbers game." This is an
overriding concern for a large number of colonies a beekeeper manages. The
results of this can be twofold: trying to manage more colonies than time
permits or an area can support and/or spending valuable time coaxing along
weak colonies at the expense of more pressing demands of the operation.
Hints that reliance on the numbers game is not profitable are seen in the
June issue of "American Bee Journal." Mr. Frank Steinoble, a successful
beekeeper in South Africa, has made as much as $425,000 per year on bee
pollination and honey production according to Ms. Sandra Crow. Proper
management and close supervision are key factors in Mr. Steinoble's success.
As Ms. Crow says, "He warns there are various ceilings to one's business; that
there is a point when one has reached the ultimate profit for a stated number
of hives."
Mr. Hubertus Von Posern of Austria, writing in the same journal part two of a
series on the Brazilian Apimondia Congress, also alludes to the numbers game.
Brazilian beekeepers claim to have few disease problems with their bees. But
Mr. Von Posern doubts high disease resistance in the African bee. Rather, he
witnessed beekeepers killing off weak colonies with few qualms. These losses
are easily replaced by swarms. As he concludes: "Imagine if we could afford
this beekeeper's practice of destroying anything weak! How much healthier our
apiaries would be! We learned at the Convention that bee diseases do exist in
Brazil after all."
News from Bill Clarke, retired apiculturist from Penn State University who
visited Egypt as part of the "Farmer-to-Farmer" development project, is
revealing: "It is true that Varroa is creating difficulties for the Egyptian
beekeeper but we feel that the major problem continues to be the decrease per
colony in honey production that has occurred over the last twenty years. We
feel that a major contributor is the huge increase in the number of colonies.
There is a limit to the amount of nectar that any given area can produce." An
example given by Mr. Clarke:
In 1979 - 200 colonies produced 20 kilograms each totalling 4000 kgs.
In 1989 - 1000 colonies producted 4 kilograms each totalling 4000 kgs.
NOTE THAT THE SAME AMOUNT OF HONEY WAS HARVESTED IN BOTH YEARS! As Mr. Clarke
concludes, "Time and equipment are being wasted in building large numbers of
colonies. One strong colony can outproduce four or five weak ones."
SPONSORS FOR EGYPTIAN BEEKEEPERS NEEDED
The Farmer-to-Farmer program will enter a new three-year phase this year.
It will include a two-way exchange allowing 180 Egyptian farmers and extension
agents to receive 30 days on-farm training in the U.S. Mr. Clarke says some
five beekeepers will be coming in September and he is looking to find a place
for three of them. Some will speak English and all will be enthusiastic,
intelligent and cooperative workers. A $20.00 per day stipend for bed and
board will be available. Any farm family wishing to host an Egyptian should
contact Umesh Mally, Director of Global Programs, Agricultural Cooperative
Development International, 50 F St., N.W., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20001, ph
202/638-4661 or FAX 202-626-8726.
BEEKEEPERS INSTITUTE
Planning is well underway for Florida's annual Beekeepers Institute to be held
August 24, 25 and 26 at 4-H Camp Ocala. This year's program features
discussions on effects of mites in Florida and the coming of the African honey
bee. Dr. Jim Tew will be a featured speaker. Dr. Tew is National Program
Leader for Apiculture for the Cooperative Extension Service, United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). He writes "Apicultural Awareness," a
newsletter on events surrounding activities of USDA's Interagency Technical
Working Group on the Africanized Honey Bee.
In addition to learning how to detect both tracheal and Varroa mites, research
on mites will be discussed by representatives of the University of Florida and
Florida's Division of Plant Industry. Dr. Glenn Hall, Honey Bee Geneticist
at the University of Florida, will also provide some information on beekeeping
with African bees in South Africa. He and Dr. Orley Taylor spent several
weeks in that country looking at beekeeping practices.
As is customary, a flyer detailing the registration procedure will be mailed
to the APIS mailing list soon. This year's fee is $65.00 for lodging and six
meals. After August 6, a late fee of $20.00 will be charged, so get your
registration in early. You should receive the flyer by the middle of July.
If it hasn't arrived by then, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service
office or me. Each Extension Office will be able to access the registration
form through the IFAS Computer Network.
THE OTHER HALF OF BEEKEEPING
Dr. Roger Hoopingarner, in his newsletter "B-Plus," from Michigan State
University, is concerned about the other half of beekeeping. This refers to
the need to be more aware of nectar resources and the changes that are
affecting them. Dr. Hoopingarner says that much of this is not within the
beekeeper's influence. However, the situation can be helped by encouraging
plantings along roadsides or seeding small patches of high yielding nectar
plants.
Graham Kleinschmidt of Queensland Agricultural College in Australia also
counsels more active management of plant resources. These include attempting
to gain access to governmental areas not currently available to apiarists and
encouraging flora on public lands. These plants could be selected for
characteristics that will not interfere with activities, but will provide ease
of maintenance and be sources of nectar and pollen. As Mr. Kleinschmidt
concluded in remarks made to the Second Australian and International Bee
Congress, "A viable beekeeping industry requires land management that promotes
polleniferous flora. If the present decline in available pollen resources
continues, the effects of poor protein nutrition will make honey production
uneconomic. If this eventuates the major national cost will be to
agricultural production which will be adversely affected by the inability of
the beekeeping industry to service entomophilus crops."
Reports show that many of the powers that control public lands in Florida have
not received the above message. Thus, a great deal of public land is not
available to beekeepers, and in some areas, like state preserves, honey bees
are seen as introduced species, precipitating movement to remove colonies
already present. The argument that bees are foreign to the natural
environment does not hold much water. Many plants in preserves are introduced
as well. Keeping managed colonies out of public lands is not expected to
appreciably decrease the bee population. Indeed, when African bees arrive,
the lack of managed colonies on public lands may well be perceived as a health
hazard. The more defensive insect will have less competition and, as in
tropical Latin America, will immediately fill up the empty ecological niche
left by those attempting to preserve a "natural" state of affairs.
Like so many things in Florida, paying attention to the other half of
beekeeping means only one thing. A concerted lobbying effort by beekeeping
associations on local and state authorities to open up and keep available
public lands for beekeeping. Only one major nectar source, citrus, is
cultivated in Florida. The rest are wild plants. They require cultivation by
the whole state. In return, those agriculturalists requiring pollination will
continue to get bees at a reasonable rate. In the end, the citizens of
Florida will be able to continue to have access to wild land and lower cost
food in the bargain.
Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
202 Newell Hall--0312 IFAS
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0312
Phone (904) 392-1801
FAX: 904-392-5660
BITNET Address: MTS@IFASGNV
INTERNET Address: [log in to unmask]
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