Vermont Beekeepers Association

Apiology

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

Altering social cue perception impacts honey bee aggression with minimal impacts on aggression-related brain gene expressionGene expression changes resulting from social interactions may give rise to long term behavioral change, or simply reflect the acti

Gene expression changes resulting from social interactions may give rise to long term behavioral change, or simply reflect the activity of neural circuitry associated with behavioral expression. In honey bees, social cues broadly modulate aggressive behavior and brain gene expression.

More:Bee Social Cue Perception

A pan-European epidemiological study reveals honey bee colony survival depends on beekeeper education and disease control

Reports of honey bee population decline have spurred many national efforts to understand the extent of the problem and to identify causative or associated factors. However, our collective understanding of the factors has been hampered by a lack of joined-up trans-national effort.

More: Colony Survival

Etruscans Transported Bees by Boat to Reach the Best Flowers!

The discovery of an ancient Etruscan honey harvesting workshop at Focello in Italy, and the analysis of charred remains unearthed at the site, has let archaeologists to propose a remarkable hypothesis. Of all the Etruscan techniques, skills, and social norms discovered to date, Etruscan bee boats are a unique beekeeping and honey manufacturing system and a testament to humanity’s obsession with honey.

More:Bee Boats

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

Beekeeping in Vermont

Looking at Mites

Peter Hadeka tells us "I placed Formic Pro, 2 pad dose, on 9/7. Cleaned IPM boards. Slid out today and saw many, many mites dead.

"These hives tested only 2% to 3%, but when multiplied by thousands of bees they add up. I was always under the impression that Formic didn't really kill many phoretic mites.

"I guess it does !!!!"

Fred Putnam responds by saying "Besides killing mites in capped brood, Formic kills phoretic mites (the few that are running around unattached to a bee) and ectoparasitic mites (the bulk of the emerged mites that are attached to the bees.)"

Still time to test and treat. Please watch Fred's Mite Management, Counting & Treatment video for details.

Details: Last Updated: 13 September 2020 13 September 2020

If You Missed our Mite Management Workshop...

VBA Recording Secretary and Certified Beekeeper Fred Putnam presented a Zoom workshop on mite management techniques yesterday. Despite some technical difficulties we recorded it and have made it available on the VBA website. The workshop included a pre-recorded video at one of Fred's apiaries demonstrating an alcohol wash. We've edited the recorded workshop to include the original video so the replay is of a higher quality - we encourage you to view it if for no other reason than to learn how to do an alcohol wash.

The documentation mentioned in the workshop is also available at www.vermontbeekeepers.org/mites.

Details: Last Updated: 23 August 2020 23 August 2020

VBA Statement on American Foulbrood

VBA Recording Secretary Fred Putnam wrote the following document that describes how the Vermont Beekeepers Association is addressing American Foulbrood in Vermont.

We want to address concerns about American Foulbrood (AFB) in two ways:

The broader perspective about AFB in Vermont along with what is being done specifically.
Provide information to help you identify AFB in your own colonies.

Details

Last Updated: 12 August 2020 12 August 2020

Read more ...

AFB Reported in Bristol

Brooke Decker
Pollinator Health Specialist
State Apiculturist
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

American Foul Brood Announcement

August 12, 2020

American Foul Brood (AFB) Paenibacillus larva has been confirmed at an apiary located in Bristol, Vermont.

The multiple hives and associated equipment have been destroyed by fire by the beekeeper. The remaining colonies are under quarantine and enhanced inspection protocols.

Beekeepers should remain diligent in their hive inspections. Weak, declining, or dead-out hives should be closely examined for scale and clinical symptoms of AFB, before being reused.

Samples of comb, bees, brood or larvae can be sent to the USDA Beltsville Laboratory in Maryland, for analysis.

Enhanced cleaning protocols should be adopted after inspections of colonies suspected of any disease or pathogen, especially AFB. Regularly sterilizing your hive tool, gloves, smoker, and clothing is a recommended best practice for all beekeeping operations.

Any suspect findings of AFB must be reported immediately to Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets-

Brooke Decker
Pollinator Health Specialist / State Apiculturist
802-272-6688

Details: Last Updated: 12 August 2020 12 August 2020

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