Good news for bees as numbers rise and mystery malady wanes
The number of commercial U.S. honeybee colonies rose 3 per cent to 2.89 million as of April 1, according to the USDA
via https://beevanegelist.com
Crowd Source Beekeeping© (Bluegrass Beekeepers)
Local is good. That’s why Crowd Source Beekeeping©, where we poll what we all are doing with our bees is so helpful. There is wisdom and guidance in our pooled answers to timely questions.
This past month (second week of July), we responded to 11 questions, here are the results. Not all 57 of those attending responded. All questions were prefaced with the phrase, ‘Raise your hand if you…”
- Inspected the lowest deep of at least one hive this week. 24
- Split a hive this past week. 1
- Fed bees this past week. 24
- Treated for varroa this past week 2
- Were stung this past week – no matter how lightly 9
- Saw robbing among your bees this past week 4
- Know your bees swarmed within the past week. 0
- Are reasonably sure that all our hives are queen-right. 36
- Took off at least one super this past week. 6
- Extracted honey in the past 10 days 8
- Saw hive beetles in any hive 25
Take away:
Most of us are:
- Sure all our hives are queen-right.
- Inspect at least some of our hives weekly, all the way down.
- Feeding some hives now.
- Infected with hive beetles.
- Unaware when and if our hives swarm
Some of us are:
- Seeing robbing.
- Taking off supers and extracting.
- Getting stung (Beekeepers get stung)
A few of us are:
- Treating for varroa now.
- Splitting hives.
Crowd Source Beekeeping is not meant to market any particular way to manage bees. Look at the number of responses to each question and decide whether you are in-step with what others are doing or whether you, for whatever reason, think or are doing differently. The key is to think and act mindfully about what we are doing.
Beekeepers Sweeten Solar Sites With the ‘Tesla of Honey’
By pairing pollinators with solar farms, Travis and Chiara Bolton are reimagining commercial beekeeping.
Source: news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/06/chasing-genius-solar-honey-pollinator-friendly-energy/
via @beevangelist
Probiotics could improve survival rates in honey bees exposed to pesticide, study finds
In a new study from Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson) and Western University, researchers have shown that probiotics can potentially protect honey bees from the toxic effects of pesticides.
Source: phys.org/news/2017-06-probiotics-survival-honey-bees-exposed.html
Mary Sheldon is doing a study involving whether there is an increase in pesticides in honey from urban beekeepers from companies spraying for “Zika mosquitoes”. She needs some samples from beekeepers. Below is the link for the application to get your honey tested. She needs about a pound of honey to test from everyone. There are only 20 spots available for the tests but the tests are free.
A third of the nation’s honeybee colonies died last year. Why you should care
An annual survey of America’s beekeepers showed from April 2016 to April 2017 about 33% of bee colonies were lost.
via https://beevangelist.com
Nearly $1 Million in Stolen Bees Recovered in Fresno
Fresno authorities say they’ve uncovered the biggest beehive theft they’ve ever seen. They recovered nearly a $1 million worth of bees belonging to a dozen victims.Sgt. Arley Terrence of the F
Source: ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/05/19/nearly-1-million-in-stolen-bees-recovered-in-fresno/
Starting in March the Bluegrass Beekeepers Association will be having an early session for new beekeepers on the same nights as our regular meetings but starting at 6:30pm instead of 7:00pm. Experienced beekeepers will be on hand to answer questions.
If you are a newbee, show up and ask questions.
If you are an experienced beekeeper, you can help answer questions.
As part of a Friends of the Earth initiative, Costco has demanded that its suppliers end the use of bee-killing pesticides on garden plants sold in its stores.
via http://beevangelist.com
A vibrational pulse that was thought to be a “stop” signal between bees may actually be a startled response when they collide
Source: www.newscientist.com/article/2121275-honeybees-let-out-a-whoop-when-they-bump-into-each-other/
via http://beevangelist.com @beevangelist