July 2016 - Nav view search

Reading More & Meeting More = Learning More
Seasonal Apiary
Advice
From Torsten
The
Macarthur Beekeeper
July 2016
Word from the President
A friendly reminder: New parking
regulations are enforced for the Center.
All parking is to be at the designated car
park only. The small gate at the front
cottage can be used. This is also for field
days. Working Utes for field days are
permitted in limited numbers, on the top
area but only on gravel surfaces. We will
use the top gate only. Parking at market
days is as per previous arrangement
(follow the direction of Center’s staff)
Macarthur Beekeepers is the center for
backyard beekeepers of this region. We
offer interesting club meetings every 3rd
Wednesday each month
Please enjoy this month’s
The
Macarthur Beekeeper
Visit us www.macbeekeepers.asn.au Why
not: Visit us, Like us, Share us and Comment
on: https://www.facebook.com/MacarthurBeekeepers-Association
Views expressed in the news letter do not necessary
represent the views of the committee, the members, or
the industry.
.
Page | 1
Winter is a good time to
make
plans
for
the
upcoming season. What's
my plan for the upcoming
bee year? Good time to
read
and
do
online
research. It is still important
to check your hive from the
outside to see activity
(nectar
and/or
pollen
coming in) If the weather is
cold and you don't get much
happening carefully check
that your hives are not
running empty. You can do
this by lifting one end of the
hive and remember the
weight in it. Subsequential
checks will show you if
weight is reduced meaning
less food for the bees. On a
warm day you can also
have a quick look into the
top box to see if there are
enough supplies.
Meetings & Events
Please keep checking Macathur Beekeepers Web site for Events updates:
Macbeekeepers.asn.au
July 2016
Field Day at Apiary 2nd July 2016 9am weather permitting
Committee Meeting 6th July 2016 Cancelled
Club Meeting July 2016 Guest speaker: David Wilson ABA
Secretary
August 2016
Field Day at Apiary 6th August 2016 9am weather permitting
Committee Meeting 3rd August 2016
Club Meeting 17th August 2016 Guest speaker: Steve Craig
from Blue mountains honey on Spring Preparation
Coming Events
19th October Club meeting guest speaker Hayley Pragert | Bee
Biosecurity Officer
River Fest 27th August, Fishers Ghost Festival November, Xmas
Party November 16th , Tocal October 29th Excursion with
Anthony.
Australian Honey a Safe Product
The Australian honey industry has been aware of the
natural plant alkaloids (PAs) in honey for many years. It has worked to remove the risk of identified plant
toxins by managing out the supply of Paterson’s Curse honey from the Australian honey supply chain.
Modern Farming
Historical research from some time ago has identified honey from Paterson’s Curse
(Echium plantagineum) to contain natural plant alkaloids. I reduces crop productivity and is harmful to
some stock animals. As a consequence of modern farming techniques the amount of honey produced
from this agricultural weed has declined dramatically over the last decade. Farmer’s actions, such as less
to no fallow rotation of crops, better use of more selective herbicides and the major success of biological
control programs have reduced the presence of this weed to next to nothing. This has resulted in an
insignificant production of this type of honey in Australia.
Misleading Study
A recent study out of Ireland has driven an alarmist headline which ignores key facts. The study
is misleading in that it overstates consumption of honey and underestimates body weight creating
a misleading conclusion completely out of touch with reality. The Irish research uses a figure for the
average adult of 60kgs when considering toxicity. The Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the
average Australian male weighs 85.9kgs and the average female 71.1kg. Thus the research exaggerates
the toxicity likelihood.
No Health Risks
No new studies have been done surrounding the health risks of PAs in the global food system. It should be
noted, that there is not one single case documented of human health being unfavorably affected as a
consequence of the consumption of honey containing very low levels of alkaloids. It should also be noted
that the alkaloid found in Paterson’s Curse is mainly echimidine, which has been shown to
have significantly less toxicity than the other plant alkaloids found in European plants.
Despite this, there remains no scientific evidence illustrating that consuming such honey leads
to unfavorable clinical human health concerns. Australia has a rigorous risk averse food safety system
and consumers of Australian honey have nothing to fear and they should continue to enjoy our great
Australian honeys.
Source file: The Australian Honeybee Industry Council see also: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/australian-honey-how-much-is-it-safe-toeat-20160121- see also: http://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-honey-could-be-making-us-sick-20160120 also:
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/chemicals/patersonscurse
Patterson's Curse
The Outlaw
Echium plantagineum, is native to western and southern
Europe (from southern England south to Iberia and east
to the Crimea), northern Africa, and southwestern Asia.
Paterson’s curse is valuable to the honey industry. It
flowers early in the apiarists’ season, providing both the
large amount of pollen necessary to build up bee numbers
in a short time and a high level of nectar, which provides
an early flow of honey.
Echium plantagineum is a winter annual plant growing
to 20–60 cm tall, with rough, hairy leaves up to 14 cm
long. The flowers are purple, 15–20 mm long, with all
the stamens protruding, and borne on a branched spike.
All considered, what does it mean for us the backyard
beekeeper? The law says, it is a Category 1 Declared
Weed in terms of the Conservation of Agricultural
Resources Act, Act 43 of 1983. It must be removed by
landowners.
http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weeds/Details/102
Photographer: Jan Edwards.
Page | 2
-
Did you Know Australia's Food Standards
allows concentrations of toxins called pyrrolizidine
alkaloids (PA) of more than 140 times what the
European authorities permit?
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/australian-honey-how-much-isit-safe-to-eat-20160121-gmb0fx.html#ixzz3ybzrfCq9
Close To 700 Canberra Beekeepers Have Been Told To Register Their Hives
The ACT government will
maintain an official list of active hives to ensure diseases can be easily traced and maintained. Until now, there has been no
requirement to register. "Under this new ACT government scheme, if a disease or pest outbreak were to occur in the ACT or
regional NSW, registered beekeepers can be alerted so they can take necessary precautions." Planning Minister Mick Gentleman.
Beekeeping has become an increasingly popular activity in Canberra, with the association boasting close to 300 members.
Beekeepers must comply with a code of practice in residential areas and maintain records for the sale or disposal of their bees
or hives. The government's chief veterinarian must also be informed of any notifiable diseases. Source:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au
Flow
Hive
One
Day
Workshop The Sydney Metropolitan
Branch of the NSW Apiarists’ Association,
in conjunction with the Wheen Bee
Foundation, invites you to A one day
practical hands on workshop Where:
Wheen Bee Foundation Apiary 170 Old
Kurrajong Road, Richmond Parking is on
the street outside Foundation’s gate.
Date: Sunday 11th Sept 2016
9 am – 5 pm day. Cost: $175 Instruction
by: Bruce White
There are some great Flow Hive You Tube
Video Tutorials: Beginner Beekeeping Ep 14, they detail the difference between Flow
hive and Langstroth hives, where to situate
your bees, setting up a brood box and
installing bees. They include how to build a
box and make frames. These are in addition
to the flow hive videos on how to modify a
Langstroth hive to take flow frames and
harvesting honey.
Photo of Flow Hive by Anna Grocholski
Flowhive Workshop Sunday 29th May,
Our Club now has a box ready for Spring. There was a great
turnout. Learning how to modify a Langstroth box
Thanks to Anna
Grocholski for hosting
the event and to those
who participated. An
interesting time was
had by all.
Page | 3
Beekeeper Avoid Being Stung ! There are videos are on You
Tube as part of a beekeeping safety series published by and managed by
RIRDC. The titles are:
 Steps to take when stung by a bee
 How can reactions to bee Stings become more severe over time?
Bee Sting Therapy
Bee acupuncture or apitherapy, is an alternative healing practice where bee
stings are used as treatment for various conditions and diseases. It may not be good for beekeepers that
exposed to beestings and venom frequently. Bee sting therapy is part of apitherapy, which uses products made
by honeybees for medicinal purposes. That includes the bees' honey, venom, pollen, royal jelly and propolis
or Honeycombs. Apitherapy, which was first practiced in China, has developed as a popular alternative
healing method in many other cultures. From in Gaza, Palestine reports point to the use of bees to cure a
variety of diseases that are challenging to cure claiming bee sting therapy has treated chronic and fatal
diseases like autism, cancer and cerebral palsy. Poor access to modern health care as well modern
resistant bacteria strain pushes attention to seek alternatives. Varying and even conflicting views are held
by other segments of the medical profession. Practitioners are advised to be cautious when giving bee sting
therapy. Some patients may be severely and fatally allergic to bees without them knowing.
Source: http://www.parentherald.com
More Information on Apitherapy can be found at:
Risk Associated with Bee Venom Therapy http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4440710/
OZ Apitherapy : http://apitherapy.blogspot.com.au
Bee venom therapy supplies and books : http://www.beevenom.com
In Case You Missed The
ABA News Letter June/July2016 Topics: Beekeeper registration; AGM
The highlights from Mittagong. How the ABA has grown; 2016 winners of Col Pulling Award; Who’s Who
on the ABA executive; Grants: find out how the ABA can help your club; Photo contest winners: the Top
Three; Meet Bee Bio-security Officer Hayley Pragert; Honey Month gift giveaway Kind words and deeds
from ABA member; Quiz. 20 questions; 11 Answers. Find out about bio-active honey; Next GM in Mudgee.
Australian Food Awards; BEES IN THE NEWS. What’s been making the headlines around the media; The
Inveterate Inventor: wire tensioning; Pollination conference. http://www.beekeepers.asn.au/
West Australian Beekeepers Gripped By Fear
Apiarists are preparing to battle the
Federal Government over its Biosecurity Act which is due to come into effect next month. The Biosecurity
Act will replace the 108-year-old Quarantine Act and aims to provide a strong and modern regulatory
framework for the management of biosecurity risks to support Australia's biosecurity system. But WA bee
and honey producers say while the new regulations will bring WA into line with other states and although
imports overall will be limited, West Australian authorities will lose their power to exercise extra controls and
keep items out of the state (as per the current Quarantine Act). WAFarmers bee keeping section president
Leilani Leyland said she was disappointed that she was only given 24 hours to make a submission to the
new determinations. Ms Leyland said instead of keeping out new pests and diseases, the touted Federal
Government legislation might actually increase the likelihood of letting threats into WA. WA's Department of
Agriculture and food executive director of biosecurity and regulation, Kevin Chennell agreed that WA's
biosecurity status needed to be protected. "There is at present, some degree of miss match between
between their import regulations and the ones we currently have to protect WA so we're going to work with
the Commonwealth on that, and they've agreed to work with us on it," he said. He said he only received the
new determinations eight weeks ago and legal council needs to be found to find out how the new Federal
act and WA's BAM act would work together. The WA bee and honey industry is hoping that changes to take
WA's exceptional biosecurity into consideration can be made by June 16, or that the start date can be
delayed for this new legislation. Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-20
Page | 4
Seen the Latest? It's called the Thermo-solar Hive, and
keeps bees inside and keeps the Varroa mites out and the
bees alive and thriving. Learn more about this interesting
invention Visit us on Facebook. Shared by Ed
What To Give The Beekeeper That Has Everything? Wood
Branding Iron with electric heater 220V-250W/500W
Adjustable temperature. “We bought one of these and the
supplier made a branding head with our registration Hive
Brand number. We are now using it to brand our hive number
on each of our frames etc. Takes a few minutes to heat up but
once it is hot does a pretty good job. Shared By Ed
Alarming USA Summer Losses Of Bee Colonies A survey (5,700 beekeepers managing nearly
400,000 honeybee colonies across the US)released by the Bee Informed Partnership, a collaborative organization
of honeybee researchers around the country, revealed that beekeepers in the United States lost 44 percent of their
colonies between April 2015 and March 2016 — the second highest annual loss reported in the past 10 years. Colony
“losses” refer to colonies whose bees died from any number of possible reasons, such as disease. They do not
necessarily refer to hives stricken by colony collapse disorder. The survey indicated that bee losses during the
summer were just as high as bee losses during the winter — an alarming finding, considering summer is the time of
year when bees should be at their healthiest. Source: ontariobee.com
The Australian Beekeeping Manual
by Robert
Owen. The book is aimed at both the novice and experienced
beekeeper in Australia and explains in detail the steps required to
manage colonies of bees. Supported by over 350 photographs and
drawings, each action to be performed is explained in detail with
photographs showing the steps as well as the final result. With
comprehensive manual that includes material not available in other
Australian, North American or European books and is the ultimate
Australian reference source. Robert Owen was introduced to the
world of beekeeping in 2002 and hasn’t looked back. At first
beekeeping was a hobby but it has now evolved into a family
business, Bob’s Beekeeping Supplies, that offers beekeeping
equipment and education. This book is the culmination of his own
years of expertise and experience and also draws on the individual
tales he has heard of the challenges and successes of managing
honey bees in various environments. A sponsored copy from
Exisle Publishing is now available at club library, or we have a few
copies for sale for purchase for $40 from Beekeeper Selection
®0450501330
Topics Coming Up In The August Issue
*Bees Pick Up Your Household & Garden
Sprays! *Small Hive Beetle - Part I *Beeswax Is Profitable *Club Grants 2016 *A Time Without European
Honey Bees? *Keeping Stingless Bees * A word from your Apiary officer on Seasonal Activity * and
much more
Australian Honey, Every Bit As Good As New Zealand’s Manuka Honey
Scientists involved in the massive five-year study are calling on beekeepers from across Australia to
continue providing honey samples from bees visiting leptospermum plants, and they have launched a
website to provide regular updates. Beekeeper and program spokes person, James Kershaw, said it’s
important that beekeepers don’t assume their honey is not wanted. Contact : RIRDC Senior Program
Manager Dr Dave Alden Ph: 02 6271 4128 Fax: 02 6271 4199 Email: [email protected].
Page | 5
Propolis
is one of the saleable products of beekeeping. It is a mixture of various amounts of beeswax
and plant resins collected by the honeybee from trees, grasses, from flowers and leaf buds. Since it is
difficult to observe bees on their foraging trips the exact sources of the resins are usually uncertain. Bees
have been observed scraping the protective resins of flower and leaf buds with their mandibles and then
carrying them to the hive like pollen pellets on their hind legs. It can be assumed that in the process of
collecting and modeling the resins, they are mixed with some saliva and other secretions of the bees as
well as with wax. These resins are used by worker bees to line the inside of nest cavities and all brood
combs, repair combs, seal small cracks in the hive, reduce the size of hive entrances. Propolis differs in
colour, odour and probably medicinal characteristics, according to plants it is sourced from and even the
season of the year. At warm temperatures propolis is a soft, pliable and very sticky substance. At less cold
temperatures, and particularly when frozen or at near freezing, it becomes hard and brittle.
The following uses have been found in literature: anti-asthmatic treatment in mouth sprays, support of
pulmonary system, anti-rheumatic, inhibition of melanoma and carcinoma tumor cells, tissue regeneration,
strengthening of capillaries, anti-diabetic activity, inhibiting plant and seed germination. Shared by Ralph
Source file : http://www.fao.org/docrep/w0076e Picture from the net
Is Langstroth Failing our Bees? In 1923, Dr.Rudolph Steiner (picture) the founder of
biodynamic agriculture, predicted that within a hundred years’ artificial industrial techniques used on honey
bees would lead to the species’ collapse ..." The 100 odd years old Langstroth hive system is the most
pragmatic, industrial, machine friendly systems up to date. But today the industry is confronted with ever
faster spread of bee ailments of wax born diseases and pest, landscapes without bee food , disappearing
Honey Bee Gene Pools at continental scale and weaker bee colonies, all leading to a serious decline of
colonies
and apiarists.
An annual nationwide survey in USA found Summer losses of colonies from both
commercial and small-scale beekeepers of 44 percen t of bee colonies from April 2015
to April 2016. Beekeepers are working more hours and spend increasing amounts of
money to constantly replace their losses. When discussing losses of bee
populations, we mainly point to environmental factors like change of landscapes into
bee food deserts by modern housing estates, home use of pesticides and
herbicides and the agriculture obsession for monoculture and it’s pollination
practices. This in turn increases the industries demand on even more
pharmaceuticals and specialized breeding programs for queens. Condoning
feral bee colonies and focusing on honey bee strains and hive systems that only
suits industrial needs we could be exasperating the speed in which the industry
is already plum aging? Shared by Ralph, Source:
www.sciencedaily.com;
http://www.beesource.com ; http://www.theguardian.com
Page | 6
Capilano‘S Doing Sweet Soaring sales to Asia have helped Australia's
biggest honey packer, defy raw ingredient supply rises of more than
$1 a kilogram to deliver a 53 per cent surge in net profit. The
company's average cost of supplier honey rose to $5.64 a kilogram in
the six months to December 31, compared with $4.61 for the same
period the previous year. Despite the increases, Capilano's half-year
net profit surged to $5.5 million, an increase of 52.9 per cent compared
with the 2015 result. Capilano bought one of Australia's biggest
Manuka honey producers lock stock and barrels, KirksBees Honey.
"We … see a significant opportunity for Capilano to sell more of its
product through Asian websites direct to consumers," according to
Morgans analyst Belinda Moore, adding that that market delivered
higher prices and greater profit margin.
Source: http://www.afr.com/business/capilano-honey
Survival Without a Beekeeper Feral Bees are bees that continue to survive, make honey
and multiply without the interference and support of humans. How do they do it? Out there so forlorn
without a beekeeper.
They - keep some of their pedigree characters, -regress or, - develop new characters as they interbreedbreed with other wild bee strains. Harsh environmental factors as well as other interacting insects and
diseases determine they survival.
High mortality rates of not well adjusted (weaker) colonies are the norm. So is the reality of timely drastic
down sizing the colony ( less workers) in preparation for seasonal changes and survival thru food
shortages ( drought) or winter months. Feral bees have only one priority and that is to flourish (survive
and to multiply in the environment they are).
They are hard wired to build and maintain a calm warm atmosphere with a critically balanced amount
of bees with specific functions inside the colony. Combs full of nectar and surplus honey as we
measured it in kg / colony is not a priority to them. Their homes are made exclusively from organic
material (Wax) and therefore have a in build limited shelf live. It is made with a used by date. This
minimizes diseases and invigorates their natural behavior like the need to build with their own wax, to
forage for diversity of food and materials. A feral or wild bee colony’s vitality is not defined by how many
years a queen can live, but how well she reproduces new well adopted colonies of diverse genetic
characters.
Bees in urban areas stick to a flower-nectar diet, steering clear of processed sugars found
in soda and other junk food. This is good news for our Urban and rooftop beekeeper friends. For the
test the researchers analyzed the carbon isotopes in the bee samples to determine what proportion of
`
their diet came from processed sugars -- like table sugar and corn syrup
-- as opposed to flower nectar.
The researchers found that there was no evidence that urban bees consumed more processed sugar
than their rural counterparts. However, domesticated bees did show evidence of consuming significantly
more processed sugar than feral bees in both urban and rural environments, which is likely due to
beekeepers supplementing their bees' diet with sugar. Find out more : www.sciencedaily.com
Find out more in the
September Issue…
Bee Killers at home!
Page | 7
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We put beehives in city backyards, community gardens and on rooftops; from Bondi to Marrickville. Discount to members from
shop. Email [email protected] with your contact details, your location and an outline of the services you might be
interested in or call 02 9232 5600 or if it’s really urgent call 0411 191 232
Statewide Sleepers and Sleeper Fire Wood
For each member purchase Statewide Sleepers will sponsor a fixed sum to the club. Call Peter on: 0418 441 891
Address: 207 Barry Ave, Rossmore NSW 2557 www.statewidesleepers.com.au
It pays to belong
Amateur Beekeepers Association NSW
http://www.beekeepers.asn.au/
Unit 11, 71 Kurrajong Avenue, Mt. Druitt, NSW2770 Contact: Phone: (02) 9625 5424
http://hornsby-beekeeping.com
Licensed Plumber
call Lindsay Constance on 0417 952 585
The Australain Beekeeper Manual
CALL: 02 4998 3327
Call Anna on 02 401 999 812
email: [email protected]
The Quality You Need in
Design & Print
Call Russel on 02 9771 4711
[email protected]
Page | 8
02 9731 7488; Beekeepingiwoohoo.com.au
Advertise your company with us, by Sponsoring our Club
Ready
Free
to be a swarm collector on the
Macarthur Beekeepers Swarm List?
please see Ralph.
You will need to be:
to Members:
Biosecurity
Manual for
Beekeepers
Version 1.1
2016
o
o
o
o
Please see Anna
o
ABA - It Pays to
belong
If there's something
weird
and it don't look good,
something strange in
your brood?
Who You Gonna’ Call!
NSW DPI Bee Bio Security
Officer Ms. Hayley Pragert
0438677 195
Articles You May Have
Missed In June:
o
o
o
o
o
A member of Macarthur Beekeepers
A NSW DPI registered Beekeeper
Have current Public Liability Insurance
And preferably have gained some
experience with a fellow beekeeper in
swarm collection
We also recommend you get a Working
with Children Authority
Club Honey
Now available in 1 kg Tubs.
For sale! Contact Anthony on 0412 577 828 for
availability
Darker Honey More
Flavor?
Stressed Bees =
Colony Failure
Healthier Candles
From Bee's Wax
Fertilizers Affect Your
Bees
Bio-Security ! Part Ii
We Read Your
Smoke Signals!
If you need a print out of
the newsletters please see
Anna.
News From The ABA
For the latest news from
Amateur Beekeepers Association Of NSW and our fellow clubs
across the state go to : http://www.beekeepers.asn.au
Native Bee Site One of the most comprehensive Native Bee web site
is : http://www.zabel.com.au It is a fascinating site to visit
Page | 9
New to Beekeeping ? We recommend: Bee Agskills
A 114 full-colour A4 pages Book.
basic guide to the skills and practices of bee keeping Easy to follow for those new to bee keeping, or like
to test their skills. It contains step-by-step instructions, diagrams and full-colour pictures. Some of the
information includes: how to maintain hives, use a bee smoker, catch a swarm, remove and extract
honey, health and pests in the hive, buying equipment, and working safely with bees.
Order by phone Call 1800 025 520 (international 61 2 49398888) Order by fax Fill out the order form
[Cat No.: B121 price: $25.00] and Fax to 02 4938 5549 (international 61 2 4938 5549) Order by mail
Fill out the order form [Cat No.: B121 price: $25.00] and Mail to: Tocal College, CB Alexander
Campus, Paterson NSW 2421
From Our Committee
A special Thanks to our guest speaker Lamorna Osborne. We have had
very positive feedback to your visit. It was an extremely interesting topic.
We would like to share with you this research information from a scientific briefing in London organized
by the Soil Association, Dave Goulson, professor of biology at the University of Sussex. And encourage
you to check your garden chemicals, your seeds and your fertilizers for bee killing chemicals:
Neonics Killing Bees from Wildflowers
New British research finds that neonicotinoids
brought back to honeybee hives in pollen also come from wildflowers. When neonicotinoids are applied
to seeds, concentrations end up in the nectar and pollen and honey. Mixtures of neonicotinoids and
other pesticides are also found in the pollen and the nectar of wildflowers growing in arable field margins
and hedgerow flowers such as hawthorn, wild rose, blackberries and honeysuckle at concentrations
that are sometimes much higher than those found in the crop. Both previous and ongoing field studies
have been based on the premise that exposure to neonicotinoids would only occur during blooming
periods of flowering crops and that it may be diluted by bees also foraging on untreated wildflowers. But
exposure is likely to be higher and more prolonged than currently recognized because of widespread
contamination by farmers of wild plants growing near treated crops. To combat bee decline, the UK
government’s pollination strategy has focused on creating safe havens for bees by increasing flower
habitats next to fieldspray drift, ground and water contamination make the very wildflowers that were
designed to protect bees are actually killing them.
The best bee genetics for more productive hives If apiarists apply genetic selection
techniques similar to those used to breed sheep and
cattle, researchers say hives can become far more
productive. The genetics of queens can be recorded by
measuring the traits of bee hives as a whole.
"Surprisingly it doesn't seem that many people keep
records of production, or they don't do it in a consistent
way," Dr Banks University of New England director of
animal genetics and breeding . “The main traits
investigated so far are the weight of honey produced in
a season, aggressiveness, their size, which is an
indicator of how robust they are, and also traits related
to disease resistance,". "If we can identify queens that
have got better genes, we can produce better hives." Livestock are prized for their genetic qualities and
can make breeders a lot of money. “If you don't make improvements, you'll actually go backwards as costs
rise" he said. Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news
Participating in Chalk brood Research By Jody Gerdts Reprint Nov2015
“I am writing to you to request your
participation and assistance with chalk brood research that I am conducting as part of my PhD Studies with La Trobe
University in partnership with the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) . The new Australian study
will test how much bee behaviour changes chalkbrood infection levels within a hive. The project will investigate colony
resistance to chalkbrood through hygienic behaviour as well as innate larval immunity to infection, and identify lines of honey
bees that exhibit good hygienic behaviour. For more information on Project Design , Project Aims, Participant Requirements
of this meaningful and valuable project contact me on 0427075662, or email [email protected] , or Bee Scientifics 4
Quick Street Bendigo, Vic 3550 Australia
Page | 10
Reducing your carbon footprint ? – Do you own
beehives? Qantas does! The airline has installed
beehives at its Mascot head office and
produced more than 600 kilograms of HangerHoney. The honey is served in Qantas lounges
and on board in business and first class. Urban
Bee Hive owner Doug Purdie said, having the
hives near the planes did not affect the
bees. Read more: http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/
Honey Poisoning has been reported in Southwest China . The report of
a rare case of
fatal honey poisoning caused by Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF). It is also used in
alternative medicine in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Three male
workers were delivered to the emergency department with symptoms of food poisoning after
ingestion of wild raw honey. Pollen analysis indicated that the suspected honey was heavily
contaminated with TwHF pollen. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial for such
poisoning. Pollen analysis may become mandatory in the near future for Country of Origin
prove, but it may also serve as a practical approach to help diagnosis honey of potentially
poison plants. Picture: http://blog.daum.net Source: http://apitherapy.blogspot.com.au/2016/05 by Beekeeper Selection ®
London Pollinator Project
Tripterygium Wilfordii
Did you miss the Call for
Australian Leptospermum
honey?
Queen Mary
University of London is to launch a competition : The
London Pollinator Project. It includes university bees
with weather-resistant number tag on its back, which
will allow the public to track the bees and let
researchers uncover how successful urban gardening
efforts have been. A new website launched will help
the public learn which flowers are most beneficial for
bees and the best gardening methods to improve their
chances of spotting a busy bee carrying a QMUL
identification tag. Prizes of £100 will be awarded for
the best photo of a QMUL-tagged bee on a flower, for
the highest number of QMUL-tagged bees spotted
and for the best photo of a London bee-friendly
garden. “ .. the London Pollinator Project will
encourage the public to plant flowers in our urban
spaces that will help supply the right nectar and pollen
resources for our threatened urban bees, and
hopefully increase urban pollinator populations if a
large enough effort is made across the city,” university
project coordinator Clint Perry says.
Source:
http://www.beeculture.com Shared By Ralph
Leptospermum polygalifolium
If you would like to know about this medical honey, and if you can benefit from the present market
demand for medical honey, here are the contact details again: Nural Cokcetin Professor Liz Harry
Project Coordinator Principle Investigator University of Technology Sydney University of Technology
Sydney University of Technology Sydney 0405 284 718 0404 643 181 or 02 9810 6461
[email protected]
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Warre Hive
What is it?
The Warre’ hive (sometimes called the "vertical
top bar hive") is named after a French abbot who
developed a simple hive that could easily be
constructed by the common Joe, (Henri or
Jean). On the surface, the hive looks a lot like the
Langstroth hives, but the boxes are smaller, the
wood is thicker, and there's an insulated "quilt' and
a ventilated roof area. In addition, beekeepers
usually use top bars instead of framed foundation.
Good News!
Macarthur Beekeepers are going to set up
a Warre hive in the apiary coming spring
2016. If you are interested in making and
working on this new project, please contact
Torsten our apiary officer.
What is the difference to my hive?
A Warre’ hive is managed in a completely different
way to a conventional hive. Warre’ beekeepers
believe that the natural Heat- Scent – Oneness of
the colony within the hive is of utmost importance,
and that every type of manipulation by the
beekeeper requires the bees to work harder to
maintain the
So beekeepers avoid the re-arranging of frames
or brood combs or opening up of brood boxes
since that moves scents around, and they strive
not to take the top off the hive more than once a
year.
How does it work?
Warre beekeepers understand that the larger a
hive is, the harder the bees have to work to keep
out wax moths and diseases, so they add extra
boxes at intervals throughout the spring and
summer. The difference is that they put the
additional boxes on the bottom. The bees barely
notice the intrusion, and the Heat- Scent –
Oneness stays un-interrupted within the hive.
In autumn the beekeeper opens up the hive more
fully for the first time. Over the season, the bees
have filled up box after box, naturally moving their
brood nest into new boxes below and replacing
brood above with honey. The beekeeper is able
to remove whole boxes of honey comb off the top,
which is the most man handling (intrusion ) the
colony will ever experience.
Read More at : http://www.waldeneffect.org
Shared by Ralph
True or false Qiz Questions
1) Dark Honey Has more Flavor than
light honey?
2) Chalk Brood is the same as Chilled
Brood?
3) Proplois is made from Nectar
4) Mated Queens in transport are
temperature sensitive
5) Bees have 5 eyes?
6) Keeping drone brood in the hive has
advantages?
7) Household sprays do affect bees?
8) AFB is the most serious bee disease
Share your answerers in the next meeting with
a new member
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T
The first step is to identify if you indeed
have the problem. Usually the
beekeeper discovers the hive has no
worker brood, only drone cells. These
are raise cells in a comb that house
the male bees. How do you tell if you
have a layer worker (or workers) or an
unmated queen, the method used by
the layer gives you some clues to what
you are dealing with, here is a quote
from Roger A. Morse (Author), Ted
Hooper
–
The
IllustratedEncyclopedia of Beekeeping about
the issue: “Sometimes it’s difficult to
see the difference between a drone
and a virgin Queen from the evidence
provided by the brood. This is
practically when the queen is
producing all drone brood. The
workers will lay a number of eggs on
the sides of the cells.
The queen on the other hand will carefully lay only one egg per cell.” You will often notice a number of
eggs stuck to the sides of the cells in the honey comb, this is because a layer worker’s Abdomen can’t
reach to the bottom of the cells. Just adding new queen is probably a waste of time and money, as the
bees in the colony think everything is all ok. Here’s another suggestion: “The only other really
practical method, in my opinion, is to add a frame of open brood every week until they rear a queen.
Usually by the second or third frame of open brood they will start queen cells. This is simple enough
when the hive is in your backyard. Not so easy in an out yard 60 miles away.
Michael Bush – The Practical Beekeeper. If method one fails you can always try this method: *Take the
hive over fifty meters (160 feet) away. *Add a new hive in the location of the old hive with laying
queen or queen cell. *Shake or brush the original frames from the layer worker hive you moved out
onto the ground. *The field bees will return to old location with the new queen. *The theory is that
the old laying worker bees will not be able to locate the old hive. The layer workers have probably never
left the hive. The best prevention is to discover quickly when your colony has this issues. Regular checks
on the queens performance will help you work this out. We recommend you check your hives at least
on a monthly basis. More during the swarming season. “Prevention is better than a cure if a colony
from any cause becomes queen less, give it a laying queen. A virgin or unsealed brood of the proper
age to raise a queen at once. when one is raised see she becomes fertile. A.I. Root – ABC and XYC
of Bee Culture. -Shared by Ed; Source:
http://kiwimana.co.nz/ Visit us on face book and be one of the 1st to read the latest news.
WA’s Karri Forest In Full Bloom For First Time In Decades Karrakup beekeeper
Mike Spurge said it was an extremely unusual event: "It hasn't flowered like this for 40-odd years or more;
nearly 50 years that it's been over the whole forest," he said. "It's flowering right through the whole 12month period this year which it used to do back in the 1960s”. Due to the infrequent flowering of the karri
tree, its honey is highly sought-after and can sell commercially for between $16 and almost $30 a kilogram.
It isa very mild flavour, light typical eucalypt from Western Australia. It is said to candy reasonably nicely.
“"The combination of high prices and good volume means it's a big of a game changer for the industry with
everything that's happening on the world stage." Source: http://www.abc.net.au
UK Government Rules Against Neo-Nicotinoids
These pesticides are harmful to bees and
were banned from use on flowering crops by the EU. Now even the so called emergency applications”
have been rejected. The Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) said the application contained
“insufficient information to ensure that use will be limited only to those areas where there is a danger or
threat to plant protection and [did not] offer adequate assurance that the use will be controlled in an
appropriate fashion”. Have you checked YOUR garden chemicals yet? Source: http://www.beeculture.com
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More from the AHBC below. Varroa, closer than we thought.
AUSTRALIAN HONEY BEE INDUSTRY COUNCIL INC
ABN: 63 939 614 424 Email Address: [email protected] Web Site: www.honeybee.org.au
APIS CERANA AND VARROA JACOBSONI IN TOWNSVILLE – NO. 2
To date no further Asian bees, Apis cerana, have been found in Townsville.
Further examination of the original comb has revealed three (3) more Varroa jacobsoni in worker
comb making five (5) in total.
The V. jacobsoni mites detected in Townsville are on Asian bees, A. cerana. It is currently believed
that these forms of varroa mite do not readily transfer between host species – that is, if the mite is
found on Asian bees, it does not readily move to European honey bees.
On Monday 4 July, 2016 a Movement Control Order for an area of 10kms around the Port of
Townsville was issued.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, QDAF, are in the final stages of
preparing the Response Plan. This will be submitted to the Consultative Committee on Emergency
Plant Pests, CCEPP, this coming week.
The Queensland Beekeepers Association (QBA) President, Robert Dewar, and I will arrive in
Townsville this coming Monday. The QBA conference is on Wednesday and Thursday and the
AHBIC AGM is on Friday.
QDAF have organised a meeting for local beekeepers on Tuesday evening. This is what they have
included in their invitation:Beekeepers are invited to attend an information session in Townsville on Tuesday night to hear the
latest information about the varroa mite detection and response activities.
Biosecurity Queensland officers will provide details of surveillance activities underway, and how
beekeepers can protect their hives from varroa mite and other biosecurity threats.
Industry representatives will also make presentations at the meeting.
Date and time: 12 July 2016, 6.30pm – 7.30pm Venue: Mercure Townsville, 166 Woolcock Street RSVP not required
Surveillance activities update
Biosecurity Queensland is implementing a quarantine and surveillance program within a 10 km radius
of the Townsville port after confirming detection of varroa mites (Varroa jacobsoni) in an Asian honey
bee (Apis cerana) hive at the port.
The hive has been destroyed and no further feral Asian honey bees or varroa mites have been detected
to date.
Restrictions have been imposed on the movement of bees, bee hives, bee products (excluding honey),
and used bee keeping equipment from the Townsville area to prevent any possible spread of the mite.
Officers are currently focusing their surveillance efforts within a 2 km radius around the site of the
detection. Biosecurity Queensland is working with the Federal Government to conduct this surveillance.
A range of methods are being used to conduct the surveillance including sweep netting flowering plants
and setting feeding stations to attract any foraging bees.
Biosecurity staff are also checking catch boxes and sentinel hives that are set permanently around the
port as part of the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program.
The department will continue discussion through the National Consultative Committee on Emergency
Plant Pests to determine required ongoing response activities for the varroa mite.
It has previously been determined that Asian honey bees cannot be eradicated from Australia. While
response activities are focused on eradicating any varroa mites, this will involve destroying any Asian
honey bee nests that we find.
While Asian honey bees have been established in parts of Far North Queensland centred around
Cairns for some years, varroa mites are not known to be present in this population.
Varroa mites are a serious pest and a threat to the local honey bee industry. Certain species and
strains can infest European honey bees, killing off hives and severely affecting honey production and
pollination services.
Asian honey bee are the natural host of this species of varroa mite.
If you know of feral bee hives in the Townsville area, or see Asian honey bees or suspect your bees
have been affected, call the Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
Follow Biosecurity Queensland on Facebook and Twitter (@BiosecurityQld).
Further information will be sent out as it comes to hand.
Trevor Weatherhead Executive Director 10th July 2016
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Bee Health In New Focus In
Victoria It is estimated bee pollination
contributes over $1 billion in value to Australian
agricultural production every year, but bees are
constantly at risk of disease and pests. Jessica
Hartland (the first bee biosecurity officer at
Agriculture Victoria) said her job would involve
working to outline best practice for apiarists, as
the demand for bees continued to grow with the
expansion of the almond industry in north-west
Victoria. "Almond pollination is one of the biggest
livestock movements in Australia, where there's
approximately 150,000 bee hives needed for
pollination," she said. “"We're encouraging people
to have hives, but also how to keep hives. "Making
sure that they're following the code of practice that
we have and also being on the lookout for
practicing good biosecurity." When the experts are
changing their habits what does that mean for you
and
me
the
backyard
beekeeper?
http://www.abc.net.au
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Your Story or Photo Here!
Trade Marking Honey Dr. Lamoorna Osborne, our ABA president presented at our June
meeting a talk medical Honey. One of the many highly informative points was on trade marking
honeys by name or their attributes. NZ honey from the plant family Manuka is an industry trailblazer
for medical honey. In Australia we are gearing up to match the product with Leptospermum Honey.
The result of the search into trademarks, revealed that a trademark grants the owner rights to use
that mark/brand in the country(ies) registered for the use applied with the classes of goods and
services designated. There are some rules. A few are that marks cannot be offensive, they cannot
be descriptive and they cannot inhibit others using a common word in the industry that would
otherwise be commonly used. i.e. APPLE is okay for a computer company. It would not be for a
fruit orchard.
Manuka is naturally occurring and is a common name of a variety of plant. A trade mark of
MANUKA covering honey, would most likely be deemed to limit others using that commonly known
word, therefore would not be able to be registered.
Trade marks with other words or imaged as well as MANUKA may be able to be registered as they
are more distinctive and individual, giving an argument of not limiting others use of the key element
MANUKA. (As of the end of June 2016, a quick search of MANUKA in Australia’s trade marks
register resulted in 84 hits. None seem to be MANUKA exactly. The closest is with a “+”. )
Burgundy and Champagne etc. are geographical references. They are things that if endorsed can
stop others using them for products not made in that designated area. i.e. we now need to say
‘Sparking Wine’ instead of ‘Champagne’ unless it is made in the champagne region. This should
not be applicable for MANUKA.
A trade mark to ‘certify’ something, i.e. that it is tested or known to be of a particular composition or
standard, such as the low GI tick, is a type of trade mark called a CERTIFICATION mark. Within
AU and NZ, MANUKA HONEY has been attempted to be registered by Manuka Honey Appellation
Society Incorporated as a ‘certification mark’ in class 30 (honey). Note: only honey - not other
classes. Both these AU and NZ marks are applications - they have not been accepted.
Other than that, please be mindful that a domain name or a business name is not a trade mark and gives no
formal Intellectual Property protection. Only a trade mark registration gives its owner the exclusive right to
use the mark in the classes registered (goods and services).
Article by Anna Grocholski
NB You don’t need to trademark your honey name for selling to family, friends or in the local market/shop.
In The Flower Garden
Part I Some common weeds can serve a valuable purpose in
the garden, providing us with free bee food, soil enrichment, and food for bees.
Chickweed has been used in folk medicine for skin conditions, indigestion and a variety of other
conditions, such as cough, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, stomach ulcers and as a "blood cleanser".
Today, chickweed is rarely taken internally. It's more common as a topical remedy for skin conditions
such as: *Eczema *Rashes, burns, chapped skin *Inflammatory skin conditions *Insect bites, stings,
wounds *Diaper rash *Itchy skin * Chickweed should not be used internally by pregnant or nursing
women or children. If it has flowers, it is good for insects.
Clover growing in the yard or garden can enrich its neighbors by pulling nitrogen from the air and
placing it in the soil, where other plants can use it. In fact, some gardeners buy seeds of this nitrogen
fixing plant and use it as a cover crop. Meanwhile, pluck a few blossoms for a quick nosegay, and
discover how delightful the honey fragrance of clover is. Clover snatches nitrogen out of the air,
bringing this most essential fertilizer down to earth by means of nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in nodes
along the roots -- all at no cost to you, in terms either of money or of maintenance. If you're interested
in cheap, low-maintenance alternatives, this sounds like magic, doesn't it? At the very least, I'd say
any homeowner would be lucky to have such a plant, instead of turf-grass. You may also be
wondering about clover's ability to aerate the soil, thus reducing concerns over soil compaction. Bees
love clover. Clover Honey is highly sought after. Mixing clover and grass together in the same
lawn provides the best answer for most people and beekeepers.
Due to the lack of supporting research, it's too soon to recommend above plants for any health
purpose. If you're considering using it, talk to your doctor to weigh the potential risks and benefits.
For more garden tips see August 2016 issue Source http://landscaping.about.com
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What’s flowering in your apiary now?
This beautiful photo of a honeybee on Lavender, was taken by
Ricarda Engelhardt In their back yard.
Share photos of your apiary,
garden or local woodlands
and show us what is
flowering at the moment.
Or invite us around to take
some photos for you.
Recognise the Salvia from
Dalys?
Monsanto Developing Genetic, Pesticide-Free Control For
Bee-Killing Varroa
Many of the existing treatments against varroa are mite-targeting pesticides that can
damage the bees or their honey. Monsanto scientists think they can help solve by tailoring
a treatment . . . that uses the language of DNA to target genes unique to only the varroa
mite. The agriculture biotech giant thinks it can do it by simply feeding the bees a sugar
solution full of Ribonucleic acid (RNA), a polymeric molecule implicated in various biological
roles in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. If introduced , RNA matches
existing RNA messages but was made to look like some viruses, the cell’s defenses would fight it
off like a virus. The cell would [also] destroy the RNA messages it was making naturally that
matched the virus-mimicking RNA, essentially “silencing” a particular genetic trait. This could avoid
non-target effects by acting only on genes unique to the pest, weed, virus or bacteria it wants to
kill. And, the company and scientists say, RNA molecules biodegrade in the environment, unlike
some synthetic chemicals. Source: https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/
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For the Kids
For Bee joke answers, look on
the next page.
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