Newsletter : March 2005
Newsletter : March 2005
1. Editorial
I must admit to being rather baffled. The arrival of pyrethroid resistant varroa has forced me to think about how to protect my bees by using controls other than Bayverol/Apistan. One obvious option is a thymol-based treatment, for example by using pure thymol crystals in a suitable container (which some experienced beekeepers do) or by using a preparation such as Apiguard or Exomite Apis. Others that have been mentioned in these pages before include dusting the bees with icing sugar or treating them with oxalic acid in some form or another. The latter is apparently used widely in mainland Europe and had been subject to stringent tests as regards residues in wax and honey. However it is "not approved" for use here.
Two methods of using oxalic acid that are widely described for autumn treatment are the vapourisation of the crystals by heat or the dripping of a sugar solution containing dissolved crystals directly onto the frames (further details of these methods will be included in next month's Newsletter). This is where my quandary begins. What is it about the British scene that prevents the relevant authorities here from issuing advice about the safe use of such treatments as has been done by similar bodies in other countries? To add to the confusion I read in the latest edition of the Beekeepers Quarterly that "Beekeepers in the U.K. have been informed that treating their colonies against varroa with oxalic acid is currently illegal (my italics) and likely to remain so until its use has been certified by the appropriate authorities" (p. 28). So, does "not approved" actually mean "illegal"? If so what are the consequences of using oxalic acid treatments? Can we expect to see beekeepers being prosecuted or having their bees confiscated? Does it make our honey unsaleable? Clarification is urgently needed.
2. Next Meeting
There is a change to the advertised programme for the meeting on the 9th. March. We had hoped to hear Pam Gregory telling us about beekeeping in Africa but unfortunately she will be away on one of her trips. However, as good luck would have it, the BBKA has initiated a project whereby members of its executive committee are visiting member associations up and down the country, to talk about current issues and future plans and to hear 'grass-roots' views. We are therefore being joined by Martin Smith for this event and, in the absence of the planned speaker, can give him full time to talk to us and answer questions.
So, all of us who have grumbled at one time or another about the activities and policies of the BBKA now have a golden opportunity to pass our message back to Headquarters. Penny Mungeam is gathering questions in readiness for the meeting so if you have a point to make in advance please get in touch with her (details on the back page). Of course we will also be able to be able to raise issues on the night as well - so come and help make a lively debate.
Advance notice: the following meeting is on 13th April when we will host Claire Waring, until recently the general secretary of BBKA.
3. February Meeting Report
At this meeting Celia Davis gave us an insight into drone behaviour in a talk she called "Mr. Bee". She wanted to go beyond the popular view of this creature as "the lazy yawning drone..." and draw our attention to its importance for the life of the colony. Her talk had five 'chapters': (i) why drones are important (ii) the life of the drone from egg to demise (iii) drone assembly areas (iv) mating and (v) the structure of the drone related to its function.
In the first section she demonstrated how drones maintain a varied gene pool, pointing out that they are more influential than the queen in doing this. Next she outlined the drone's life-cycle and showed how varroa affects it. In the third and fourth parts of her presentation Mrs. Davis gave some fascinating facts about drone assembly areas (over 200 colonies represented in one area studied in Germany! Average mating involves 13 - 14 drones ...etc.) and also explained the mystery of haploid & diploid drones.
Finally she identified the significant differences in physical structure between drones and workers, noting those parts that are missing, those that are underdeveloped and those that are 'extra'. Again there were some startling statistics, e.g. the drone has 30,000 plate organs (for scent detection) on each antenna, which is 10x more than the worker and is similarly well endowed with vision sensors and optic lobes in the brain.
By the end of her entertaining and informative talk Mrs. Davis had made at least this member of her audience look at the drone with new respect.
4. Those Busy Bees (Part 2)
Last month we printed the first part of Brian Gant's account of the social development of bees, suggesting that it is not as rigid as has been suggested. The second part below concludes his article. reprinted from Devon BKA's 'Beekeeping', July 2004, courtesy of BEES.
Seeley suggests we can usefully consider four phases in the life of the bee (see table below), but with substantial overlap between phases. There will also be much variation with the season of the year; I suspect that all of the experimental work behind these figures was done in the summer.
How are we to understand all of this? We have a pattern of organisation within a colony of perhaps 30,000 individuals that has no central organisation such as we accept in human societies. Each job will be performed most efficiently by workers who have specialised in that particular task. We see this operating in foragers, who normally operate on only one flower type, so making for efficient pollination; and that helps the plant as well as the bee. But with no means of communication within the hive, it would be difficult to recruit specialists to the spot where they are needed, and so we have the observed pattern of bees working in the brood nest, able to perform many different tasks in that area, and patrolling until they find a job waiting to be done.
This random performance of work can have odd results, as when work started by one bee is undone by another, though we are thankful when the queen cells started last week have disappeared by the next inspection. The little piles of used wax or propolis found on top bars and elsewhere suggest to me that a bee was on her way to do something when she became distracted by something else. An interesting exception to this random allocation of work is the occasional urgent need to summon defenders to repel robbers, and beekeepers, by the production of an alarm pheromone.
Some ten years ago Tofts and Frank suggested a simple way of thinking about the hive organisation. Each bee is born in the brood nest and immediately starts work there; as more bees emerge, she is pushed outwards and so undertakes other work in the brood area. This process continues as she comes into contact with the foragers and the entrance, and so begins to process nectar, and to fly before moving out further to the world of flowers, etc. The organisation of this is made more effective by the use of two dances. The dorso-ventral abdominal vibration (DVAV) dance or 'shaking dance', sends workers who are storing nectar on to the 'dance floor' where they come into contact with foragers performing one of the dances aimed at the recruitment of foragers. The 'tremble dance' is used by a forager who, on returning to the hive, finds difficulty in unloading her honey crop; it is a signal to say, "Come to the entrance to receive incoming nectar". The assumption underlying the proposal by Tofts and Frank is that each worker bee actively seeks work (if not resting), and patrols the hive looking for things to do, and in this she is aided by these two dances, which direct her to where she is needed.
This story is not yet complete. For the last 40 years we have known that queens mate with many drones and this leads to 'patrilines' within the colony, subgroups of workers with the same mother but different fathers. It is possible that this system has come about because different patrilines have different specialities within the colony.
Now that the honeybee genome has been recorded we can expect the variations between these lines to be identified with particular behaviours.
Further reading
For more recent work there are short sections in: 5. A Response to Bulk Purchase of Bayvarol
I write with reference to the report of Committee Meetings contained in recent Newsletters concerning the Bayvarol Scheme organised by the Association some years ago. Please allow me to set out the facts.
The Scheme ran from 1995 to 2001, commencing at the time when the Varroa mite was invading the country rapidly. I was the Member of the then Committee who proposed the Scheme and eventually organised it. The remit was to provide a service to any beekeeper who wished to make use of it as cheaply as possible. The Committee gave its full support to the Scheme.
The result was that during the time the Scheme was in operation, enough Bayvarol was sold to treat 2000 colonies. This in itself was enough to justify the Scheme considering the effect this would have on the mite population. However, in spite of the fact that our sale price was much less than the price offered by the bee equipment suppliers, the Association made a profit of about £500 - not bad for a Scheme now being described as 'not a good omen'!
The Scheme was closed when Apistan came on the market in competition with Bayvarol. That would have needed the Association to stock both treatments. The Committee, being wise to the possible risk, decided to end the Scheme.
Peter Woodcock
6. Round and About
Ludlow & District BKA: Beginners Day on Saturday 2nd April from 10.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m at the Bishop Mascall Centre, Ludlow. Details: Andy Vanderhook Tel: 01299 841379
Stafford Bee Group: Thursday April 7th: 7.45 p.m. County Staff Club, Eastgate Street : The Antibiotic Properties of Honey - Ruby Smith. Details: Tony Burton Tel: 01785 663340
North Shropshire BKA: Tuesday 15th March 7.30 p.m. Honey Show - Judge Tom Nisbet: The Raven, Tilley. Details: Mike Harris Tel: 01939 232302
Oswestry BKA: Saturday April 30th at 3.00 p.m. Invitation of Mr. & Mrs. Morgan, Reservoir House, Llanforda. Demonstration & talk by Mr. G. Critchley, Mold. Thank you to those members who responded to the petition to our M.P. over the cuts to the NBU. Hopefully our protest, combined with those of others, will have some effect. Note also that subscriptions are now due. Please pay promptly to Dr. A. St. John Taylor at Oswestry. Remember that Insurances are only effective for paid up members. (G. Jones, Secretary)
Montgomery BKA: Wednesday 16th March, 7.30 p.m. Talk for beginners - Jim Crundwell : Plas Dolerw, Milford Road, Newtown.
7. Committee Report
As briefly reported last month, the Committee met in early February. The following items were discussed:
Bank Account: Our application to open an account with the Alliance & Leicester Bank is being processed. The treasurer anticipated that confirmation of the transfer would be received before the next Committee meeting.
Young beekeepers: A prospective new member had telephoned asking if the Association welcomed young beekeepers to meetings. The Committee confirmed that we welcome members of all ages but it was unanimously agreed that they should be supervised at all times by adults from their own family - particularly on apiary visits.
Bulk purchases: With further reference to the bulk purchase of Meliose Beefeed (briefly reported last month), the Chairman gave the following information: price for a full tank (1400 kg) is £700; deposit on tank is £50 and delivery £50 by own transport. A forklift is obviously required to move the tank, which must be placed on a platform in order to enable containers to fit underneath. Peter Woodcock had offered to store the bee-feed and oversee its distribution to members. Discussion took place and it was unanimously agreed by members that the Association was not prepared to support this idea. (N.B. please see letter from Peter Woodcock above. Ed.)
Constitution: It was agreed that a review of the Constitution should be considered by a small sub-committee consisting of John Perkins, Peter Hampson and Roger Evans. Further discussion of any recommendations would take place in the Committee with a view to ultimately putting any proposed amendments to the Annual General Meeting in October 2005 for decision.
Events Co-ordinator: Chris Perkins was elected to replace John King in this post. He will collate the Show dates throughout the county and also contact the National Trust with a view to encouraging our involvement in any public events arranged at properties in Shropshire.
2005 Programme: The current programme card expires next month. John Perkins will work with Brian Goodwin in scheduling events for the new one.
Website: Peter Hampson advised that this is now ready to be trialled. Committee members will review it in readiness for a full-scale 'launch'.
Flower Show: A request had been received for stewards to attend at the Flower Show in August. Chris Perkins put his name forward.
Honey Sales: John Perkins asked if the Honey Sales receipts from The Shrewsbury Flower Show could be reported at the next Annual General Meeting. The Chairman confirmed that the figures would be made available at the next AGM to be held in October 2005.
Phase
Activity
Age in Days 1
Cell cleaning
0-2 2
Brood nest work
2-11 3
Food storage
11-20 4
Foraging
20+
There is always something new to learn in beekeeping.
Detailed descriptions of the older work are given in:
Ribbands, R 1953. The Behaviour and Social Life of Honeybees. Bee Research Association
Seeley, T 1985. Honeybee Ecology. Princeton University Press
Seeley, T 1995. The Wisdom of the Hive. Harvard University Press
Winston, M 1987. The Biology of the Honey Bee. Harvard University Press
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