Bee Tidings is a cooperative publication of the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension and the Nebraska Beekeepers Association. The newsletter announces events of interest to beekeepers, provides timely advice, and summarizes current research that beekeepers can use.
The Nebraska Honey Producers and the Nebraska Beekeepers Associations have begun the new millennium by becoming one organization. The decision to unite was made at the November 1999 joint meeting of the associations in Grand Island, Nebraska. The Nebraska Honey Producers Association voted to disband and forward their membership records and treasury to the Nebraska Beekeepers Association. In discussions leading to the decision, the officers of the Nebraska Honey Producers Association applauded the Nebraska Beekeepers Association for their initiatives in promoting honey, bees and beekeeping, and they encouraged their members to become active members of the Nebraska Beekeepers Association.
Membership in the Nebraska Beekeepers Association is $12 per year and includes a monthly newsletter, The Beeline. In addition, Bee Tidings, a quarterly publication of the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service, will be distributed by the Nebraska Beekeepers Association to all association members. One $12 subscription provides an association membership and both newsletters. The Nebraska Beekeepers Association holds regularly scheduled meetings the second Saturday of each month at the Gretna Public Library from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. The Beeline is sent out each month prior to the meeting and includes details about the upcoming meeting. All current subscribers to Bee Tidings have been given membership in the Nebraska Beekeepers Association and will receive both newsletters. Future subscriptions and renewals to Bee Tidings should be sent to the Treasurer of the Nebraska Beekeepers Association.
| Nebraska Beekeepers Association Officers for 2000 | ||
| Warren Nelson, President Jane Nelson, Secretary 2839 N. 46th Street Lincoln, NE 68504 Phone: (402) 466-8173 Email: wnelson193@aol.com |
T.O Davison, Vice President Melba Davison, Program Chair P.O. Box 206 Brock, NE 68320 Phone: (402) 856-3055 Email: melba.davison@ne.usda.org |
Dennis Stenner, Treasurer Michelle Stenner, Editor 13401 S. 34th Street Bellevue, NE 68123-2330 Phone: (402) 293-0973 Email: stenner@radiks.net |
While seeking ways to recover varroa mites from bees for laboratory assays, Paula Macedo, a University of Nebraska Graduate Student, found a new way to check colonies for varroa that is more efficient than ether roll. In addition to being more efficient, it is not necessary to kill bees to conduct the test.
You will need the following:
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Retain the metal ring that comes with the two-piece lid, and discard the center portion. Cut a circle of #8 mesh hardware cloth to fit inside the ring. Collect 200-300 bees in a wide mouth pint or quart canning jar. Add powdered sugar to the jar through the #8 mesh lid (enough to coat the bees, 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp. should be adequate). Roll jar around to distribute the sugar. Allow the jar to sit for a few minutes while you collect additional samples. Then invert the jar and shake to recover the mites. The bees will remain in the jar, and the mites and sugar will pass through to a piece of paper. The sugar will make it difficult to count the mites. You can pour the sugar and mites into another jar with a fine mesh lid. Shake again and allow the sugar to escape. Then, dump the mites on a clean sheet of paper and count them. A brief shaking will usually recover 70% of the mites. If you persist a little longer you can recover 90%.
We can think of three possible reasons for the efficacy of this technique:
Powdered sugar applied to a colony will dislodge a few mites from their host bees, but it is not highly efficient. Furthermore, the mites will eventually recover and return to their hosts. However, when bees are isolated from nest materials, the mite recovery from exposing them to powdered sugar is impressive. In fact, if you are willing to collect the adult population of a colony in jars and subject them to powdered sugar shaking, you can lower the mite infestation comparably to a chemical treatment. Continue shaking until mites cease to fall, and then return the bees to their colony unharmed. In future studies, we will examine the efficiency of the technique in bulk bee cages. One limitation to using this technique is that it is only efficient when brood is not present. When brood is present, 70 - 80% of the mites will be in sealed brood cells.
We know that the method is a safe, inexpensive, and highly efficient way to check adult bees for mites. We hope that you will find creative ways to use the technique to lower varroa mite infestations and reduce the frequency of chemical treatments. Dare we even dream of eliminating them altogether.
Beginning beekeeping workshops are designed to provide the information that new beekeepers need to start and care for a honey bee colony. In two evening sessions, participants will be introduced to bee biology and management. In a subsequent hands-on session, participants will learn how to assemble hives, open and examine colonies, see how honey and beeswax are harvested, and learn to prepare hive products for market.
| Lincoln, NE: | February 29 and March 1, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Lancaster County Extension Education Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln, NE. |
| Concord, NE: | March 7 & 8, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Haskell Agricultural Lab, Concord, NE. The Haskell Lab is located 1.5 miles east of Concord, NE (Dixon County). |
| Mead, NE: | April 8, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the University of Nebraska Apiculture Lab,
located near Mead, NE. (Link to Lincoln area map.) (Link to Mead map.) The Concord and Lincoln classes will meet together for the hands-on training. This session also includes a pot-luck lunch, and members of the Nebraska Beekeepers Association will be available to assist new beekeepers in assembling their new hives and in making their first colony examinations. |
| Cost: | $20 (includes two books and refreshments) |
| Equipment: | Supply catalogs and ordering information will be distributed at the classroom sessions, and trainers will assist you in selecting the equipment you will need. |
| Trainers: | Dr. Marion Ellis, Extension Apiculture Specialist Mr. Charles Simonds, Nebraska State Apiary Inspector Drs. Thomas Hunt and Barbara Ogg, Workshop Coordinators |
Improve your beekeeping skills at an advanced level. The program includes lectures and hands-on training in bee biology and beekeeping. The workshop is designed to provide a level of training that exceeds what is needed to successfully keep bees. In addition to practical beekeeping, participants will be trained in pollination biology, honey bee dance language, honey bee pheromones, accessing Internet resources, marketing, and in presenting beekeeping information to youth and public media.
On December 30, 1999 the Nebraska Beekeepers Association established a University of Nebraska Foundation Account known as the Nebraska Beekeepers Association Fund. This fund will be used for the benefit and support of the Department of Entomology, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It is designated for the support of graduate students with emphasis in teaching, research, or extension programming in beekeeping, including, but not limited to, fellowships, travel grants to scientific meetings and research support. This fund shall be used at the direction of the Head, Department of Entomology, IANR, in consultation with the Nebraska Beekeepers Association.
Donations or memorials can be made at any time by anyone, and they are tax deductible. The money is invested in a large pool of money managed by the foundation. The foundation takes 1.4% of the interest for operation expenses, and the rest is applied back to the endowment. The fund was initiated by a $2,000 contribution by the Nebraska Beekeepers Association. Initially the fund shall be considered expendable principal. The founders hope that it will grow and become expendable interest with the principal preserved. The fund is tax exempt, and donations are deductible from taxable income to the extent allowed by provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
Anyone can contribute to this fund. Unless otherwise specified in writing at the time a contribution is made, all gifts will be added to the principal of this fund. Contributions to the fund may be sent to the Nebraska Beekeepers Association or directly to the University of Nebraska Foundation. Be sure to clearly indicate that your gift is to the Nebraska Beekeepers Association Fund.
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University of Nebraska Foundation Suite 200 1111 Bldg., 1111 Lincoln Mall Lincoln, NE 68508-0650 Phone:(402) 472-2151 |
Dennis Stenner, Treasurer 13401 S. 34th Street Bellevue, NE 68123-2330 Phone: (402) 293-0973 Email: stenner@radiks.net |
Information about the Nebraska Beekeepers Association can now be found on the Internet. The association's web site includes information about the association and activities it sponsors. Pictures of recent activities are another feature that make this web site a great place to visit. The web site is maintained by Dennis and Michelle Stenner, and they welcome your photographs and contributions.
Bee Tidings is published jointly by University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension and the Nebraska Beekeepers Association four times a year. Your membership in the Nebraska Beekeepers Association for $12 per year includes a subscription to Bee Tidings.
| This newsletter was respectfully written by: | |
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| Your comments and suggestions about the newsletter are always welcome! | |