Vermont Beekeepers Association

Apiology

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

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

Functional Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly

Honey, propolis, and royal jelly, products originating in the beehive, are attractive ingredients for healthy foods. Honey has been used since ancient times as part of traditional medicine.

More: Propolis

What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD

You may have noticed that cannabidiol (CBD) seems to be available almost everywhere, and marketed as a variety of products including drugs, food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and animal health products.

More:Cannabis

A mathematical model of honey bee colony dynamics to predict the effect of pollen on colony failure

The decline in colony populations of the honey bee, known as the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), is a global concern. Numerous studies have reported possible causes, including pesticides, parasites, and nutritional stress.

More: Pollen Model

Beekeeping in Vermont

VBA's Greenwood Named to DEC Position

VBA Past-President Kim Greenwood has been appointed by Governor Phil Scott as deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Greenwood, who currently serves on the VBA's Advisory Board has been with the department since 2015.

Kim lives in Duxbury with her husband Ian Ormon, where they run Camel’s Hump Honey. The complete announcement is available here.

Details: Last Updated: 12 October 2019 12 October 2019

Beekeepers to Benefit from Block Grant

Montpelier, VT | October 7, 2019 – The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces grants totaling $305,929 for eight projects to benefit Vermont fruit, vegetable, and value-added producers and increase consumer access to locally produced food. These grants, funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), were awarded to seven agricultural organizations to undertake a range of technology development, research, education, marketing, and program-building projects. The grants will leverage an additional $203,468 in matching funds.

Of particular interest to Vermont beekeepers is a grant for the University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to improve available resources for pest and disease monitoring, diagnosis, and education for Vermont beekeepers and the Vermont Apiary Inspection Program ($52,000).

Read the complete announcement here.

Details: Last Updated: 09 October 2019 09 October 2019

The Vermont Certified Beekeeper Program

Beekeepers Helping Beekeepers

Continuing education looms as a priority in the beekeeping community. The Vermont Beekeepers Association offers two options to satisfy this need, the Mentoring Program and the Vermont Certified Beekeeper Program. The two programs go hand in hand but are different in organization and focus.

This excellent article in October's American Bee Journal, by Melissa Moore, describes the VBA's program.

Details: Last Updated: 08 October 2019 08 October 2019

Vermont Names Pollinator Specialist

The Agency of Agriculture is pleased to welcome Ms. Brooke Decker as Vermont’s Pollinator Health Specialist. This is Vermont’s first, full-time, pollinator health position and was created by Act 35 in the 2019 legislative session. In this role, Ms. Decker will develop comprehensive strategies to improve the health of Vermont’s pollinators. Ms. Decker will guide the state’s apiary regulatory program, as well as collaboratively develop outreach & education materials and state policy to protect and improve the health of all pollinators in Vermont.

Details: Last Updated: 03 September 2019 03 September 2019

VBA @ VT Fresh!

VBA's Scott and Valarie Wilson, along with Bill Mares, provided honey tasting samples during this event in support of the VBA and beekeeping.

The Vermont Fresh Network’s signature event is the Annual Forum dinner, which brings over 75 chefs and food producers to the shores of Lake Champlain to present the best meal of the summer at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn.

Now in its 23rd year, the Annual Forum Dinner took place on Sunday, August 4th.

Details: Last Updated: 04 August 2019 04 August 2019

VBA's New Recognition Program

The Vermont Beekeeper’s Association created the Vermont Beekeeper Recognition Program (formerly the Beekeeper of the Year Award) to recognize and celebrate the bbeekeeper contributions of Vermont beekeepers and others who support beekeeping in Vermont and have provided outstanding service to the VBA. The intent is to recognize lifetime achievement rather than contributions in a single year and to encourage and retain membership in the VBA or other supporting entities.

The nomination form is available to current VBA members and describes the categories of recognition. You may submit as many entries as you like and entries will be retained for two years.

Deadlines for nominations:

April 1 for Summer meeting recognition categories: (Outstanding efforts on honeybee education, Mission superhero)
November 1 for Winter meeting recognition categories: (Beekeeper of the Year, Outstanding efforts by a Mentor and Mentee, Friend of the Bees)

Complete category descriptions along with the online nomination form are available on the VBA website in the Members Only area. (Login required)

Details: Last Updated: 01 August 2019 01 August 2019

Summer Meeting 2019

A very few scenes from the 2019 VBA Summer Meeting in Townshend on the 13th.

From left: Dr. Humberto Boncristiani, VBA Recording Secretary Fred Putnam presents Cheryl Dorschner with the new VBA Mission Superhero award for her work organizing the VBA booth at the 2019 Vermont Flower Show, Windham County Beekeepers President Jeff Battaglini (holding the mic) and WCB Raffle organizer Jill Dean at left, and Bill Mares and Scott Wilson's arm presenting Dannah Beauragard with her Vermont Certified Beekeeper patch. A good day all around!

Details: Last Updated: 16 July 2019 16 July 2019

Special Subscription Offer

VBA Members may take advantage of a special subscription offer to the Mother Earth News arranged by the Windham County Beekeepers (WCB).

WCB arranged this for the recent VBA Summer meeting in Townshend. To take advantage of this discount, please login to the site and look under Publications in the Members Only menu.

Details: Last Updated: 16 July 2019 16 July 2019

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