Apiology

The study of honeybees...

The biology of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida, Coleoptera: Nitidulidae): Gaps in our knowledge of an invasive species

Small hive beetles, Aethina tumida, are honeybee parasites native to Africa, where they are a minor pest only. In contrast, the beetles can be harmful parasites of European honeybee subspecies.

More: SHB

The Buzz about Honey Bee Viruses

High annual losses of honey bees, as well as range reductions and local extinctions of wild and native pollinator species, are concerning because bees are important plant pollinators [1]. Approximately one-third of the typical Western diet requires bee pollination, and honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the primary pollinators of numerous food crops, including fruits, nuts, vegetables, and oilseeds [2].

More:Honey Bee Viruses

Comparison of Productivity of Colonies of Honey Bees, Apis mellifera, Supplemented with Sucrose or High Fructose Corn Syrup

Honey bee colony feeding trials were conducted to determine whether differential effects of carbohydrate feeding (sucrose syrup (SS) vs. high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS) could be measured between colonies fed exclusively on these syrups. In one experiment, there was a significant difference in mean wax production between the treatment groups and a significant interaction between time and treatment for the colonies confined in a flight arena.

More:sugar syrup

Chalkbrood disease in honey bees

Chalkbrood disease is typically most prevalent during the spring, given that fungal growth is enhanced in cool and humid (poorly ventilated) beehives (Mehr et al., 1976; Gilliam et al., 1978; Puerta et al., 1994; Flores et al., 1996; Borum and Ulgen, 2008).

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Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Queen Reproductive Potential Affects Queen Mandibular Gland Pheromone Composition and Worker Retinue Response

Reproductive division of labor is one of the defining traits of honey bees (Apis mellifera), with non-reproductive tasks being performed by workers while a single queen normally monopolizes reproduction.

More:Pheromone

Catch the Buzz

General Beekeeping News...

Beekeeping in Vermont...

Tools For Varroa Management

A Guide To Effective Varroa Sampling & Control

The Honey Bee Health Coalition has released a reference guide to help beekeepers sample and control varroa mite levels in their colonies. Now that we are in the month of August, the traditional treatment month for Vermont beekeepers, the relase of this reference guide is very timely.

Click Here to Download: Tools For Varroa Management

Details: Published: 12 August 2015 12 August 2015

Food stressed larvae make poor adults

Inadequate access to pollen during larval development has lifelong consequences for honey bees, leading not only to smaller workers and shorter lifespans, but also to impaired performance and productivity later in life.

HopGuard II Approved For Use in Vermont

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture has received approval from the EPA for the sale and use of HopGuard II in Vermont. HopGuard II offers a relatively benign method of varroa control that can be used throughout the beekeeping season, following the manufacturers recommendations and directions.

HopGuard II is a product produced by BetaTec Hop Products.

The national distributor of HopGuard II is Mann Lake Ltd. Please visit their website to learn more or to place an order.

This video by BetaTec shows how HopGuard II is applied to a hive.

Details: Published: 28 February 2015 28 February 2015

Loss of Vermont hay fields limits food for bees

BETH GARBITELLI 12:13 a.m. EDT April 14, 2014

MONTPELIER – A slow change in agricultural practices is having an unintended consequence: limiting food for bees.

Since the 1980s, Vermont has lost more than 100,000 acres of hay fields that used to be full of bee friendly blooming alfalfa and clover. That means bees today aren’t finding as many flowering plants as they need to flourish. And while hay is still grown, it is often cut before it can bloom, making it more nutritious for cows but bad for bees.

Details: Published: 21 December 2014 21 December 2014

Studying Clover and Bees in Vermont

VBA is working with the UVM Extension to promote the use of more pollinator plants that would enhance food resources for honeybees and other wild pollinators. As part of this initiative, the VBA would like to promote hay and pasture crops that are more ‘bee friendly’ without sacrificing forage quality that dairy and other livestock farmers are dependent upon. However, there is a need to conduct field trials on farms to actually determine the feasibility of various mixtures and management practices that would help the VBA meet these goals while dairy livestock farmers still meet their feed goals. Read more about the project here:

Enhancing Nectar Production with Clover - Innovative Methods to Utilize Alsike and White Clover in Vermont Hay Fields

Details: Published: 08 February 2014 08 February 2014

VBA Membership Status

VBA Members: You now have the option of checking the status of your membership account, updating your membership information and renewing your membership in the Vermont Beekeepers Association online.

It's easy. Simply login to the site as you normally would and look under the User Menu on the right sidebar of the site's front page. You'll see a few new options:

Details: Published: 09 October 2013 09 October 2013

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