Vermont Beekeepers Association

Apiology

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

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

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

Beekeeping in Vermont

2020 Specialty Block Grant Program

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces the availability of grant funds for the purpose of strengthening Vermont’s specialty crop industries and improving the performance of Vermont specialty crops within local, domestic, and international markets. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture crops (including honey, hops, and maple syrup), and nursery crops (including Christmas trees and floriculture). Interested applicants must submit a pre-application by February 26, 2020. Read more.

Details: Last Updated: 18 January 2020 18 January 2020

Marketing Spotlight

There are many ways to market honey. For nearly a decade, Scott and Valarie Wilson of Heavenly Honey Apiary have hosted a beekeeping display at the Fair Haven Welcome Center. The themes vary with this year's theme highlighting the health benefits of products from the hive. Please stop by as you travel through the area and be sure to sign the guest book.

lantmans1219sm

Details: Last Updated: 12 January 2020 12 January 2020

2020 VBA Winter Meeting

Online Registration for Winter Meeting Closed

VBA Members may register for the 2020 Winter Meeting at the Vermont Farm Show. A reminder: the meeting is open to current VBA members. Join today!

Preregister and Win SABA Tickets

VBA Members who preregister for the VBA 2020 Winter Meeting will be automatically entered into a drawing to receive two free tickets to attend the March meeting of the Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association (SABA). All you need to do is preregister for the VBA meeting and attend. Yes, you must be present to win!

We thank SABA and Bob Sheedy, SABA's Seminar Coordinator for this generous gift!

VBA to Provide ASL Interpreters

The VBA is pleased to announce that we will have American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters available for the morning session (9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) at the Winter Meeting. For more information on this service, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

VBA Winter Meeting Agenda

The agenda for the meeting will be updated as new information is made available. The most recent version will always be available here. Mike Palmer will be the keynote speaker and there will be much to discuss! Please see the agenda for the topics already scheduled.

Please note: There is no charge to attend the meeting. Registration is free but the meeting is only open to current VBA members.

When you register online you will receive an emailed confirmation AND a copy of the latest meeting agenda. Please bring both to the meeting. The emailed confirmation will serve as your entry ticket to the meeting. When you register, you may include up to three additional attendees as long as they are listed on your family membership.

Please use the online tools to renew your membership. This action will facilitate a smooth meeting check-in process and allow more time for member interaction. You can update your membership status by logging into your profile and adjusting it here.

Volunteer at the VBA Booth

Greet Visitors, Talk Bees, Learn from Others, Have Fun

Vermont Beekeepers Association's (VBA) big, colorful, informative booth is one of the first things thousands of visitors see at the annual Vermont Farm Show.

We have a few openings for VBA members willing to volunteer at the booth. To sign up and learn more, login to the site and read here.

Details: Last Updated: 28 January 2020 28 January 2020

Announcing the 2020 Honey Contest

2020 Vermont Beekeepers Association Honey Show Rules & Judging Criteria have been posted. A reminder, the contest is open to current VBA members.

Read all about it!

Details: Last Updated: 12 December 2019 12 December 2019

Marketing Spotlight

There are many ways to market honey. Today VBA member Marc Beaupre held a pop-up shop at Lantman's Market in Hinesburg, VT.

Details: Last Updated: 07 December 2019 07 December 2019

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

Page 6 of 18

Start
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Next
End