FILENAME: APRAPIS.90
Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues
Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter
Volume 8, Number 4, April 1990
PESTICIDE REGISTRATION
It is becoming increasingly more costly and difficult to get a pesticide
registered. This is certainly true for Nor-Am Chemical Company's product,
Miticur (R), which contains the active ingredient amitraz. Originally, the
product was scheduled to undergo the review process by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) last February. Now, however, the Agency indicates
this will not occur until June. Unfortunately, this means that the product
may not be available in the fall, when it will be most needed to reduce
tracheal and Varroa populations in beehives.
Nor-Am has recently written a letter to beekeeping industry leaders about the
situation. The company urges that political action be taken to speed up the
process. It suggests that beekeeping associations and individuals contact EPA
regarding the situation and request the Agency to expedite registration of
this material. The need is certainly there. An alternative chemical to
fluvalinate will reduce the possibility of Varroa mites becoming resistant to
the only currently registered material, Apistan (R). In addition, Miticur (R)
is expected to provide protection against tracheal mites as well. The contact
person is: Mr. Doug Campt, Director, Office of Pesticide Programs, United
States E.P.A., 401 M. St. S.W., Washington, DC 20460, ph 703/557-7090.
Dr. Harvey Cromroy, Acarologist at the University of Florida, also indicates
that registration of Miticur (R) is extremely important because the current
situation with reference to Apistan (R) registration is not clear. This
material was also due to be reviewed by EPA and a general-use label (called
"Section 3") was to have been available by the first part of 1990. This has
not occurred, however. Apistan (R) continues to carry an emergency-use label
(called "Section 18") and it must be used under stipulations of a compliance
agreement with state agriculture officials. Fortunately, Zoecon, the
manufacturer, has assured him that the Section 3 label has been approved and
will be available as of October 1, 1990, the date the Section 18 label is due
to expire.
EAS 1990
The Eastern Apiculture Society, fondly called EAS by many, will meet July 30
through August 3 at Salisbury State University, Salisbury, Maryland. The
event will consist of a beekeeping short course, July 30 through August 1,
followed by the conference itself. The keynote speaker for EAS-1990 will be
Eugene Killion, retired Illinois apiary inspector and master comb honey
producer. EAS is an association of mostly hobbyist beekeepers from 17 eastern
states. However, any individual can become a member for $10.00. For more
information on EAS-1990, write Ms. Ann Harman, President, 6511 Griffith Rd.,
Laytonsville, MD 20882, ph 301/253-5313.
LIMITING FACTORS
One of the perplexing things about many beekeeping problems is the complex
interrelationships of the many factors involved. Beekeeping is one of
agriculture's last very extractive industries. Success in the activity relies
very much on environmental factors not under control of the beekeeper. Other
kinds of production agriculture such as raising crops or livestock are more
closed systems. The material put into the system (bags of fertilizer and
food, buckets of water) can be measured as well as the results (bushels of
corn, number of pounds of butter or meat). Some of this is possible in
beekeeping, especially with reference to managing colony population size. But
because the bees cannot be confined and it often is not known how they are
interacting with the environment, analysis of results of management practices
is often not reliable and involves a great deal of guesswork.
Because more is known about the dynamics of many crop production systems, it
is often easier to determine what might be limiting than in beekeeping
situations. For example, a soil analysis will provide a good deal of
information. In spite of this, however, an understanding of the concept of
limiting factors by the crop manager is important. No matter how much the
system is altered by adding other components, the limiting one prevails. This
idea is represented in what is known as the barrel-stave analogy shown below:
FIGURE 1 GRAPHIC--NOT PRESENT IN ELECTRONIC VERSION
This is the classic case of plant growth being limited by the presence of
nitrogen. All staves of the barrel are required to keep plants growing (i.e.
liquid from pouring out). No matter what is done to lengthen the other staves
in the barrel (soil moisture, solar radiation, insect infestation, etc.)
increased growth will not occur until the nitrogen stave is elongated. Once
nitrogen fertilizer is put into the soil, plants will begin to grow. However,
the amount of phosphorus (the stave marked P) then becomes limiting. And so
it goes; the staves becoming longer or shorter depending on actions either
imposed by the manager or the environment.
The ideal barrel in this analogy would be one filled with water with all the
staves as even as possible in length. This balanced approach is what most
managers strive for. Why put a lot of energy into reducing competition from
weeds (the longest stave), for example, when the other staves are shorter?
Many beekeepers strive for this in beeyard management by equalizing colony
strength. This way the same procedures can be done to each colony in the yard
which saves a good deal of time.
Unfortunately for the beekeeper, many of the factors or barrel staves
contributing to successful beekeeping are not well understood. In addition,
two other important factors have recently been introduced into the system,
tracheal and Varroa mites. With all the attention focused on these two
pests, however, there is a real possibility that the beekeeper may be led
astray. The assumption that these two mites are the most limiting factors to
bee production may not be true in all situations. Other staves of the barrel
in fact might be shorter so that no matter what influences are brought to bear
on mite populations, increased production will be limited. What the barrel-
stave analogy reveals is that focusing on only one aspect of honey bee
management can be counterproductive and that a balanced approach based on
sound beekeeping practices developed over the years is by far the best way to
optimize production.
AFRICAN BEE AWARENESS
Along with many other issues placed before the Florida legislators during
April and May will be the African honey bee awareness plan I reported on in
the January issue of APIS. A recent letter from Representative Joseph R.
Mackey to the Honey Bee Technical Council and the Africanized Honey Bee Task
Force appointed by Agriculture Commissioner Doyle Conner asks for comments
about the plan. Representative Mackey is Chairman of the House Subcommittee
on Research and Marketing. As a member of both committees, I have written a
letter which provides information on why an awareness campaign is needed.
The text follows:
"Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Subcommittee on Research and
Marketing concerning the African honey bee. The Agriculture Commissioner's
Honey Bee Technical Council and Africanized Honey Bee Task Force have spent
many hours discussing ways Florida can respond to the bee's arrival.
Deliberations of the Council and Task Force have been driven by the fact that
Florida is expected to be the state most affected by the African honey bee in
the U.S. Based on experience in other subtropical areas, much of Florida can
expect a saturation of over-defensive bees. This will mean potentially more
stinging incidents, higher liability insurance rates for beekeepers and
pressure to limit locating managed colonies of bees in many areas of the
state. The latter action will be counterproductive. It will reduce
competition from managed bees on the wild or feral population in many areas,
resulting in higher populations of over-defensive African bees. A spin off
will be a decline in Florida's commercial pollination industry responsible for
producing an estimated $1 billion in income inside and outside the state.
Although wild bees will also pollinate, they are not amenable to manipulations
which build up large populations needed during marginal weather conditions.
Manageable bees, trucked from Florida, are much in demand in the northeastern
U.S. for pollinating cranberries, blueberries, apples and other fruits.
The Council and Task Force expect little help from federal sources to blunt
the effects of the African honey bee in Florida. One reason for this is that
the insect will more than likely be considered a "southern problem." Thus,
Florida must take the realistic view that it will have to fend for itself by
funding both research and awareness programs. The Council's and Task Force's
research priorities include developing methods of identification and stock
certification which go hand in hand with learning more about the genetic
interactions between European and African honey bees. This is the focus of
current studies and is the basis for the request to your committee for further
support. A review of the results from research now being conducted by IFAS is
found in the enclosed February, 1990 issue of APIS, the Florida Cooperative
Extension Service's monthly beekeeping newsletter.
There is unanimity that making available information about the bee to the
beekeeping and general public must be a top priority to minimize the impact of
the African honey bee in Florida. A major information program in place when
the bee entered Mexico is the reason that the insect's effect on human and
animal populations was much less than in Venezuela and other Latin American
countries where no such programs existed. An awareness campaign, therefore,
which includes Dr. Hall's research component, has been conceived in
cooperation with the Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences at the
University of Florida and the Division of Plant Industry's Apiary Bureau.
Details of the plan were published in the enclosed issue of the January, 1990
issue of APIS.
In summary, the Honey Bee Technical Council and Africanized Honey Bee Task
Force urge continuation of a vigorous research effort required to meet the
challenges provided by the African honey bee. However, this must be coupled
with a correspondingly strong information dissemination plan to provide the
best chance of limiting the expected negative effects of this over-defensive
insect in Florida."
As the 1990 Florida legislative session heats up, there will be a cacaphony of
appeals for legislators to support a wide variety of programs. With limited
resources at their disposal, not all worthy causes can be funded. The African
Bee Awareness program is no exception. If you believe this is an important
issue, the next two months will be the time to communicate it to those who
make policy in Tallahassee. Should you wish to receive copies of the issues
of APIS mentioned above as supporting materials, please contact me.
FAIRS
The Florida Agricultural Information Retrieval System (FAIRS) is being
upgraded and is accessible by all 67 Florida County Cooperative Extension
offices. This electronic data base contains thousands of pages of information
on many areas of interest. The beekeeping information data base is now under
development and now available to counties on a continuing basis. Of special
interest is the number of excellent graphics which accompanies the text.
Those counties interested in receiving this new data base should contact
Francis Ferguson at the Orange County Extension Office, ph 8-356-7587 or
Username FF on the IFAS Computer Network.
SPEAKING CLEARLY
A recent article reprinted in the The Speedy Bee quotes the Fall 1989
Consumer Magazine Digest. The editor printed a chart which shows how
many persons often misinterpret scientific prose. This is particularly
relevant with respect to the DNA research I have discussed in the last two
APIS issues, but also covers many areas where government officials,
the media, activist groups and consumers all seem to differ in their visions
of risk assessment.
When it Says It Does NOT Mean
contributes to causes
suggests means
indicates proves
is associated with is causally related to
some scientists believe all scientists agree
at least in some people (bees) probably in all people (bees)
animal studies show human studies would show
in people (bees) with high Y in people (bees) with normal Y
elevates blood cholesterol increases heart disease
high intakes in people (bees) low intakes decrease X in people
elevate X (bees)
Finally, remember that simply speaking does not necessarily mean speaking
clearly or being understood as evidenced by the article's quotation from
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. "The (Mad) Hatter spoke again on the
subject at length, and although she could not catch the thought, it was
certainly, Alice felt, English that he spoke."
1990 FARM BILL
Ms. Jane Phillips and Dr. Frederic L. Hoff have coauthored the publication,
Honey: Background for 1990 Farm Legislation. This is must reading for
anyone interested in how Federal legislators will be looking at the honey
industry within the context of the new farm bill. To obtain a copy, dial 1-
800-999-6779 and ask for staff report No. AGES 89-43. Cost is $5.50 which you
can charge on Visa or MasterCard. You may also send a check or purchase order
made payable to ERS-NASS, P.O. Box 1608, Rockville, MD 20849-1068.
Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
0312 IFAS
202 Newell Hall
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0312
Phone (904) 392-1801
BITNET Address: MTS@IFASGNV
INTERNET Address: [log in to unmask]
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