Bee Tidings is a cooperative publication of the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension and the
Nebraska Honey Producer's Association. The newsletter announces events of interest to beekeepers, provides
timely advice, and summarizes current research that beekeepers can use. A newsletter subscription includes
membership in the Nebraska Honey Producer's Association (NHPA).
State Fair Bee Exhibit Draws the Curious
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The Nebraska State Fair's Bee Culture exhibit is a beautiful exposition of bees, bee products, and beekeeping. It takes many hours to prepare for this annual exposition, and many beekeepers volunteer time to staff the exhibit. Several people deserve special recognition and thanks for their generous contribution of time and ideas. Warren and Jane Nelson coordinated the sales booth and contributed countless hours to its operation. Dennis and Michelle Stenner set up the educational display and worked many shifts. Avery and Marilyn Schwer scheduled booth workers via many phone calls and also worked several shifts. Chuck Kadlecek packed the honey. Rich Suchan provided both the comb and extracted honey. He also generously donated supers of comb honey for the comb honey bites sold at the fair. Many beekeepers spent one or more days helping staff the exhibit.
Eating 25-cent honey ice cream cones and learning about bees are a special treat at the Nebraska State Fair. |
Youth Hive Products entry by Courtney Kadlecek, age 10, of Ceresco. |
Bee-Go-Round entry by Ken Chelton of Sprague |
Surfer Dude. A Youth Molded Beeswax entry by Christian Nelson, age 4, of Lincoln. |
Superintendent's Choice award-winning gift basket by Lesa Becker of Sterling. |
Beeswax ornaments were popular items at the sales booth. They are prepared at the Nebraska Beekeepers Association Annual Wax Workshop. |
A large thank you is due to all who entered the Open Class and Youth Divisions. In addition to competing for prizes, the entries contribute greatly to the educational value of our display.
Extra Light Extracted Honey
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Light Extracted Honey
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Light Amber Extracted Honey
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Amber Extracted Honey
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Dark Extracted Honey
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Creamed Honey
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Cut Comb Honey
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Section Comb Honey
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Beekeeping Photograph
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Art Designs in Beeswax,
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Art Designs in Beeswax,
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Beeswax Candles
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Gift Basket
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Beekeeping Craft
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Youth Extracted Honey
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Youth Beeswax,
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Youth Hive
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Youth Drawing or Painting
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Youth Beekeeping Craft
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| Best of Show Extracted Honey Michael Brewster, Firth |
Best of Show Beeswax Ken Chelton, Sprague |
Superintendent's Choice Lesa Becker, Sterling |
| Best of Show Youth Exhibit Andrew Becker, Sterling |
Open Class Sweepstakes Warren Nelson, Lincoln |
Youth Division Sweepstakes Lelani Stenner, Bellevue |
New Hive Beetle Found in the U.S. Causes Concern
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Much discussion of the small hive beetle has appeared in recent issues of beekeeping journals. We still do not know how much of a threat it poses, but it has clearly damaged colonies and stored equipment in the area of Florida where it was first found. The following summary is provided courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture:
In late May, 1998, a beekeeper in St. Lucie County, Florida, discovered beetles severely damaging beehives. The beetles are Aethina tumida Murray, known as an apiary pest in South Africa where it is called the small hive beetle. This the first record of this beetle in the Western Hemisphere. The adults (upper left) are broad, flattened beetles about 5-7 mm long and dark brown to nearly black in color. The larvae (upper right) are elongate, whitish grubs which under magnification can be seen to have rows of spines on the dorsum. Adults and larvae inhabit beehives, where they feed on stored pollen and honey. Combs are damaged and brood killed by the burrowing of the beetle larvae. In Florida bees have been observed abandoning combs that have been infested by the beetles. As an infestation grows, the honey ferments and bubbles out of the cells. The fermenting honey is said to have the odor of decaying oranges. Pupae are white to brown and are found in the soil beneath hives. In South Africa, development from egg to adult required 38 to 81 days, with five generations a year possible during the warmer months. The beetles are likely to be able to infest the nests of wild bees, as well as feral colonies of honeybees.
Detailed information on this pest is available on the Web in the July issue of Apis, the University of Florida's newsletter for beekeepers, at:
Annual Beekeepers Meeting November 21
The Nebraska Honey Producer's and Beekeeper's Associations will hold a joint meeting Saturday,
November 21, 1998 at the Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead. The meeting
will begin in the Research and Education Building (ARDC Headquarters Building) at 8:30 a.m. and
end at 5 p.m. It will be followed by a cookout at the Apiculture Laboratory. Lunch, breaks,
and dinner will be catered. Preregistration is required. (There are no restaurants here
if you do not preregister). To preregister, clip and return the form below by November 15.
Registration |
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Annual Beekeepers Meeting, |
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| Registration Fee ($7.00/adult or $10/family) | Quantity __________ | Amount __________ |
| Lunch ($5.50/person) | Quantity __________ | Amount __________ |
| Dinner ($6.50/person) | Quantity __________ | Amount __________ |
| (Make checks payable to Nebraska Beekeeper's Association.) | Total enclosed __________ | |
| Name(s): ____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ |
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| Address: ____________________________________________________________________ | ||
| City/State/Zip: ______________________________________ | Phone: __________________ | |
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To get to the meeting site from Lincoln, take Highway 77 north out of Lincoln. Just north of the unincorporated community of Swedeburg (four miles south of Wahoo), you will approach a green University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Development Center sign with a Nebraska Highway 63 sign. Turn east (right) onto Highway 63 and travel 6.25 miles. The Research and Education Building (ARDC Headquarters Building) is on Nebraska 63 on the south (right) side of the road. The building is situated behind a hill and is difficult to see from the highway. Please park in the west lot.
The program will feature Paul Jackson of the Texas A&M University Apiary Inspection Service. He will provide an update on the distribution of Africanized honey bees in Texas and their impact on beekeeping. He also will bring along his world renowned collection of bee smokers. Reed Koeppe will share his experiences with Africanized bees in Brazil as a traveler with the Partners of the Americas program. Shannon Wheeler, a University of Nebraska undergraduate student, will present her research on tracheal mites and the effect of carbon dioxide narcosis on the attractiveness of newly emerged host bees. Marion Ellis will review current research on varroa mite control and resistance. He also will review the biology of the small hive beetle recently found in Florida. The meeting is a good opportunity to learn what's new in beekeeping and renew friendships with other beekeepers. More details will be included in the November newsletter.
Bee Tidings is published jointly by University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension and the Nebraska Honey Producer's Association six times a year. A subscription includes membership to the association. Subscriptions are for one year and begin with the November issue.
To subscribe to Bee Tidings, send a $10 check made out to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln along with your name, address, and phone number to:
Your comments and suggestions about the newsletter are always welcome.