Vermont Beekeepers Association

Apiology

Apiology – (from Latin apis, "bee"; and Ancient Greek -λογία, -logia) is the scientific study of honey bees.

Control of the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera) using nutraceutical and immuno-stimulatory compounds

nosema ceranae is a microsporidian parasite that causes nosemosis in the honey bee (Apis mellifera). As alternatives to the antibiotic fumagillin, ten nutraceuticals (oregano oil, thymol, carvacrol, trans-cinnmaldehyde, tetrahydrocurcumin, sulforaphane, naringenin, embelin, allyl sulfide, hydroxytyrosol) and two immuno-stimulatory compounds (chitosan, poly I:C) were examined for controlling N. ceranae infections.

More: Nosema

Mite bombs or robber lures? The roles of drifting and robbing in Varroa destructor transmission from collapsing honey bee colonies to their neighbors

When honey bee colonies collapse from high infestations of Varroa mites, neighboring colonies often experience surges in their mite populations. Collapsing colonies, often called “mite bombs”, seem to pass their mites to neighboring colonies. This can happen by mite-infested workers from the collapsing colonies drifting into the neighboring colonies, or by mite-free workers from the neighboring colonies robbing out the collapsing colonies, or both.

More: mitebomb

Colony Size, Rather Than Geographic Origin of Stocks, Predicts Overwintering Success in Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northeastern United States

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are key pollinators of agricultural crops. However, approximately 30% of managed colonies die each winter in the United States. There has been great interest in breeding for ‘locally adapted stocks’ which survive winter conditions in a particular region.

More:Local Stock

Varroa destructor: A Complex Parasite, Crippling Honey Bees Worldwide

Varroa is also a highly efficient vector of honey bee viruses and drives changes in virus distribution, prevalence, and virulence.

More:Varroa Vector

Effect of Bodily Fluids from Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Larvae on Growth and Genome-Wide Transcriptional Response of the Causal Agent of American Foulbrood Disease (Paenibacillus larvae)

Paenibacillus larvae, the causal agent of American Foulbrood Disease (AFB), affect honey bee health worldwide.

More:AFB

Efficacy in the Varroa Mite, Varroa destructor, within commercial beekeeping operations

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor and the associated viruses it transmits are responsible for most instances of honey bee colony losses in the United States. As such, beekeepers utilize miticides to control Varroa populations. Widespread resistance has developed to the miticides fluvalinate and coumaphos. However, Varroa has largely maintained susceptibility to amitraz despite a long and extensive use history.

More:Amitraz

Coronavirus stings world's top honey makers with China beekeepers locked down

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beekeepers in China, the world's top honey producer, are bracing for a bleak start to the key spring pollinating season as travel curbs aimed at containing a coronavirus outbreak keep them at home while their bees go without food for weeks.

More: CoronaVirus

Beekeeping in Vermont

The Beauty of Black & White

Black and white photography can force you to focus on the subject without the distraction often brought by color.

Details: Last Updated: 20 October 2020 20 October 2020

Winners Announced

Jarvis

VBA members attending our first virtual annual meeting last Saturday were eligible to be entered into two contests.

in the random drawings, Jim Jarvis won a one-year extension to his VBA membership for his honey label. (We requested members submit labels to share their designs. They will be posted in a gallery on the website shortly. Jim's label is at the right.)

Judith Graves is the winner of our other contest. She receives a pair of VBA beer mead glasses which will be shipped to her.

Congratulations to both winners!

Details: Last Updated: 19 October 2020 19 October 2020

VBA Updated By-Laws Approved

Members attending the Vermont Beekeepers Association's virtual "summer" meeting this past Saturday, October 17th, approved changes to the organizations by-laws to include, among other things, a new Member-at-Large director seat. That seat is being filled by new-to-the-board Laura Johnson.

The updated by-laws are available online for review.

The VBA's new leadership roles are being fulfilled by these volunteers:

President: Andrew Munkres

Vice President: Jeff Battaglini

Treasurer: Richard Roy

Recording Secretary: Fred Putnam

Membership Secretary: Darci Benoit

Director At Large: Laura Johnson

Immediate Past President: Jack Rath

State Apiculturist: Brooke Decker

Advisory Board Members: Bill Mares, Mike Palmer, Chas Mraz, Samantha Alger, Greg Smela, Kim Greenwood

Details: Last Updated: 19 October 2020 19 October 2020

Meet Laura Johnson

Laura Johnson is new to the VBA board of directors. She takes the newly-created Director-at-large seat approved by attendees to the October 17th meeting.

Laura is a native to Vermont, growing up in the Upper Valley of VT/NH. Her educational background includes a BA in Environmental Studies from St. Lawrence University and a MS in Horticulture from New Mexico State University.

Laura’s professional career includes 15 years of domestic and international work on diversified fruit and vegetable farms, as a teacher for English language learners, and in outdoor education. During two years of service with the US Peace Corps in Paraguay, her work focused on soil conservation and beekeeping. This experience opened a door of opportunity to work as a seasonal apiary inspector for the State of Vermont and led to her current career home in agriculture extension.

Details: Last Updated: 17 October 2020 17 October 2020

Meet Darci Benoit

Darci Benoit is VBA's new Membership Secretary seat. She was nominated to replace outgoing secretary Scott Wilson.

I started beekeeping in 2013 and made many many mistakes. Thankfully I learned from those mistakes by listening to the successful and helpful beekeepers around me in the bee clubs. I currently operate a small apiary at my home which partially supplies my bee themed gift shop - Bees on Broadway which I run part time when I am not working my "real job" as a paralegal. I live in Swanton with my husband of 15 years, our daughter, dog, 3 cats, 8 chickens and many bees.

Details: Last Updated: 17 October 2020 17 October 2020

Meet Jeff Battaglini

Jeff Battaglini is VBA's new Vice-President. He replaces Andrew Munkres who is VBA's new President effective October 17.

Jeff started his beekeeping journey years before he brought his first hive home. He noticed there were very few pollinators around the native Vermont landscape. So he started researching bees and talking to local beekeepers. He joined the Vermont Beekeepers Association (VBA) and all the local beekeeping clubs he could find. Jeff also started taking beekeeping classes and broke ground on his apiary site in October 2014.

Details: Last Updated: 17 October 2020 17 October 2020