Vermont Beekeepers Association

Apiology

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

A model of infection in honeybee colonies with social immunity

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) play a significant role in the pollination of various food crops and plants. In the past decades, honeybee management has been challenged with increased pathogen and environmental pressure associating with increased beekeeping costs, having a marked economic impact on the beekeeping industry.

More: Infection

Testing the effect of pollen exine rupture on metabarcoding with Illumina sequencing

Pollen metabarcoding has received much attention recently for its potential to increase taxonomic resolution of the identifications of pollen grains necessary for various public health, ecological and environmental inquiry.

More:Pollen Rupture

A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

Honey bees, Apis species, obtain carbohydrates from nectar and honeydew. These resources are ripened into honey in wax cells that are capped for long-term storage. These stores are used to overcome dearth periods when foraging is not possible.

More:Honey Storag

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

Beekeeping in Vermont

VBA's Testimony on H.205 - Feb. 20, 2019

VBA's initial testimony on H.205 - Regulation of Neonicotinoid Pesticides - is presented here for your review. (PDF file.)

VBA member Chas Mraz reports the committee was receptive to working with VBA to improve the bill. The board of directors will continue to meet on this issue and will publish their suggestions when finalized.

VBA member Bill MAre's testimony is also provided for your review.

Details: Last Updated: 21 February 2019 21 February 2019

WCB Organizational Meeting

Forty people attended Saturday afternoon’s organizational meeting of the new Windham County Beekeepers!

Great discussion, great plans and a great start for what looks to be an important addition to local ag!

Congrats to Jeff Battaglini and Lesley Weisbrot for organizing this and to all who attended! (Jeff and the crowd pictured.)

Details: Last Updated: 17 February 2019 17 February 2019

Beekeeping in Oaxaca, Mexico

Help Oaxaca Escuela Secondaria Tecnica No. 14

Paul Yanus passed this note along concerning an effort Mike Palmer is supporting.

"Mike Palmer is trying to raise money to help Oaxaca, Mexico students buy beekeeping equipment that he personally saw that was needed by them.
Mike writes “The school is trying to educate these children, with few resources. The bee boxes are rotten. The extractor is a rust bucket. They’re handling Africanized bees with falling apart bee suits and veils with rotten screens.

Details: Last Updated: 14 February 2019 14 February 2019

Risk Management Programs

Vermont Beekeepers 2019 Crop Year

Jake Jacobs, Crop Insurance Education Coordinator at UVM's Department of Community Development and Applied Economics presented at the VBA's 2019 Winter Meeting.

She provided us with the attached handout describing how beekeepers in Vermont have a number of options available to help manage risk.

Details: Last Updated: 17 February 2019 17 February 2019

Legislation: H. 205 - ACTION REQUESTED

Regulation of Neonicotinoid Pesticides

Here is the link to the new bill introduced on 02/12/19. It affects Vermont Beekeepers. Please read it and use the VBA forums to post your thoughts. There is a forum post already created specifically for this bill.

The VBA wants to hear from you and your responses can help us draft a position paper. (VBA members, login to the VBA website and join the discussion here.)

The Board of Directors will be meeting Tuesday, February 19, to discuss H.205.

Details: Last Updated: 17 February 2019 17 February 2019

NEW: Windham County Beekeepers Club!

The Vermont Beekeepers Association welcomes the new Windham County Beekeepers Club!

The club's inaugural meeting is this Saturday, February 16 at the Moore Public Library in Newfane, VT and is open to all.

Let's make a point of attending and welcoming this newest addition to our fold! Visit http://windhamcountybeekeepers.com/ for more information.

Details: Last Updated: 11 February 2019 11 February 2019