Mentoring Program Update
A message from Scott Wilson regarding the VBA mentoring program
VBA Marketplace Updates
Looking for Northern-raised queens or nucs? Supplies are limited but you might want to check with suppliers listed on our revamped Marketplace listings (on the top menu). We're rearranging things a bit to emphasize northern honeybee providers. We've also separated the listings so beekeeping equipment has its own listing.
And we're working on establishing a web store so you can buy VBA hats and books in addition to paying your membership dues online.
The Bee Informed Loss and Management Survey is live April 1st – 30th, 2018.
The BIP annual survey of honey bee losses is now live. If you have an interest in participating please click the link below.
More:Survey
A new app listens to the problems of bees
You might expect to hear an angry buzzing when honeybees have been disturbed. But some apiarists reckon they can also deduce the condition of their bees from the sounds they make. A steady hum could be the sign of a contented hive; a change in tone might indicate that the bees are about to swarm. That intuition is about to be put to the test. Soon, beekeepers will be able to try to find out what is troubling a colony by listening to the buzz using a smartphone app.
More:APP
Research focuses on varroa mite control
Because developing varroa mites are sealed inside a capped brood cell with developing bee larvae, they are protected from miticides. Artificially forcing the colony to become broodless for a short period would eliminate those hiding places and could offer better mite control with a single miticide treatment.
More: Varroa
United States Honey Production Down 9 Percent for Operations with Five or More Colonies in 2017
United States honey production in 2017 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 148 million pounds, downUnited States honey production in 2017 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 148 million pounds, down9 percent from 2016. There were 2.67 million colonies producing honey in 2017, down 4 percent from 2016. Yield per colony averaged 55.3 pounds, down 5 percent from the 58.3 pounds in 2016.
More: Honey
