August06

RESERVATIONS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING AT MIDLAND MUST BE MADE BY SEPTEMBER 25, 2006 TO INSURE THE SPECIAL ROOM RATES.

For reservations call 1-800-825-2700 and mention the MBA for special room rates.

Check us out we have made some changes more information in the presidents column.

Several years ago we were talking with John Dusek from Fabers Greenhouse in St. Charles and developed a mutual interest in nectar producing plants for honey bees. The Mountain Mint pictured has been in use as a test plot for several years to offer better survival for the bees.

Last year we planted the first plot strictly for nectar production, It was planted in poor soil that had been worked (no fertilizer-no weed control -no water) we simply heeled in the plants and waited to see what would happen.

Our experience is that this is an idea that should be perused as it can help us.

Other varieties are also available and new plants will be added in the spring. John Dusek is a greenhouse owner and has been conversing with George Ayres to try and help us in the times between the clover blossom and the fall blossom season.

If you are interested in planting some of these plant contact John Dusek at Faber's Greenhouse phone - 989-865-9351 for September planting.

Rob is a past board member of The Indiana State Beekeepers Association and a frequent and popular speaker at garden clubs and conventions. He also is the founder of the Indiana Beekeepers School (see "American Bee Journal" - January, 2006).

He also will be there both days sharing his expertise on rearing queens for northern climates. He has had several articles published: Bee Culture - March, 2005 "Restoring Health"

America Bee Journal- April, 2005 "Commercial Beekeeping Without Treatments of any Kind"

Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) continue to be the worst pest of honeybees and cause high mortalities during fall and winter. The mites are largely resistant to Apistan (a pyrethroid), which has been used for more than a decade. They are also starting to become resistant against CheckMite+" (an organophosphate), registered as a Section 18 (emergency registration) In most states including Michigan for the last six years. Api Life Var (http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/sec18/pdf/0604.html) has become available (also Section 18) for varroa treatment since 2003. Api Life Var is composed mainly of Thymol and a few other essential oils, and its efficacy against the mites varies from 70% to over 90%, depending on weather conditions. Apiguard (http://www.vita-europe.com/products/apiguard.htm ) is

very similar to Api Life Var, with its main ingredient as Thymol and has a federal registration (Section 3) since spring of 2006.

However, anticipating a shortage of this drug, Michigan has applied also for a Section 18 for Api Life Var. Formic acid is also registered as Section 8 with the trade name "Miteaway" (http://www.miteaway.com/) from Brushy Mountain bee supply. We encourage beekeepers to rotate pesticides (CheckMite+, Api Life Var/Apiguard, Formic acid) as well as combining with other integrated pest management (IPM) tactics.

IPM stands for integrated pest management and basically calls for 1). Knowing what mite level causes economic damage (damage threshold), 2). Knowing what mite numbers, if not treated, would lead to that level

(economic threshold), and 3). Using a variety of tactics to delay or avoid the use of chemical treatment. The end result is less chemical use, but it does require that we know what mite levels are in our

colonies (sticky traps), and what are the economic threshold. Keith Delaplane and his Associates have used 3000 mites per colony for bees in Georgia. This means 100 mites per day for "natural drop" (mites that are dropping to a sticky trap naturally, about 1/30 of total mite population). In Michigan I would say we have a much harsher winter and I have used the "magic number" of 30 mites per day natural drop. We usually keep the sticky traps for 3 days to get a more reliable reading since mite drop is a random event and shorter periods will give you more variable numbers. IPM also calls for using other methods, such as using resistant bee stocks (Russian bees, SMR bees, or hygienic bees), screened bottom boards, drone brood trapping of mites to delay or eliminate the need of chemical treatments. IPM will also delay the onset of resistance development in mites and help reduce residual chemical levels in honeybee colonies.

The SMR (suppression of mite reproduction) bees that started here by our very own Roger Hoopingarner and John Harbo is changing name. For many years scientists thought that the bees were suppressing mite reproduction because if you uncap brood and count mite moms and mite babies, most mite mothers were either sterile (no kids) or died outside the cocoon. Only recently (working with Marla Spivak) that they realized that the SMR bees are actually super hygienic - they are also removing mite infested pupae (just as the hygienic bees), but only those that are reproducing! So mites that are not reproducing are left alone, creating the elusion that the bees were suppressing mite reproduction ... so from now on the bees will be called VSH - Varroa Suppression Hygiene, instead of SMR.

There are two emerging technologies in the horizon. One is a fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae) that attacks Varroa (http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/041014.htm) Field trials are promising because spores can be "released" from strips up to 40 days (just like our chemical strips). The added advantage is that the fungus may be able to self propagate so no new treatment is needed. There are technical difficulties to overcome so it might take another ~-3 years to be in the market, if ever. The Spartan Mitezapper (http://www.mitezapper.com) is still in development.

The good news is that the right for exclusive production for Mitezapper is recently purchased by a developer in Detroit, who formed the Mitezapper LLC. I am working closely with the developer to bring the product to the market as soon as possible (optimistic estimate: spring of 2007) .

Another beekeeping concern is American Foulbrood, a bacterial disease on bee larvae that can also kill colonies. The pathogen (Paenibacillus larvae) for this disease has largely become resistant to Terramycin

(Oxytetracycline) but a new drug, tylosin (trade name Tylan) is already approved for honey bee use as a Section 3 drug:

Please note that Tylan should not be used prophylactically (for disease prevention) but rather for treating colonies with AFB symptoms. Do not use it in extended patties, but only dust with sugar as instructed by the label.

The small hive beetle, a recently introduced pest from Africa, is also present in Michigan, but so far does not cause large damages if it is controlled in the honey houses. I have seen beetles in a few colonies in the fall of 2005, so I think this pest is now established in Michigan. Do not keep unextracted honey in the honey house for extended periods of time (longer than 5 days) .

Michigan currently (2006) has 65,000 bee colonies, a large drop from the 97,000 in 1997, mainly due to more complicated management schemes to control the varroa mite. Pollination so far has not been affected because a large number of pollinating colonies come into Michigan from the southern States. In California, however, pollination price went up to $150 per hive last year due to a national average winter kill of 50%.For spring of 2006, I checked a few almond growers in the Fresno valley and the prices ranged from $130 to $160 per colony. I have been surprised (and troubled) by the lower prices quoted by some beekeepers and growers. I paid about $65 to get a 3-lb package, but some were still charging $35-45 a hive for pollination! I think beekeepers need to be better organized and also not undercut others just to get the business. At the current package bee prices, I do not see why not starting the price at $70 per hive plus minus $10 for strength and other considerations.

Inspections

All honeybee shipments entering California are subject to two inspections. The first is a cursory inspection at the border station. The second is a more detailed inspection, at destination. These inspections are necessary because hitchhiking pests - especially red imported fire ant (RIFA) and noxious weeds - are often found associated with bee colonies.

Certification Program

This year CDFA is pleased to implement a pilot voluntary apiary certification program. Shipments entering California with certification, issued by a regulatory official in the state of origin, stating that the shipment is free of RIFA and other pests, will be subject to less stringent border and destination inspection requirements than shipments without certification. Under this new program certified shipments will have a tolerance of five or fewer hitchhiking worker ants without being rejected at the border. Additionally, certified shipments that are pest free,

will be allowed to offload at destination without waiting for clearance from the County Agricultural Commissioner. Although this program is not mandatory,

beekeepers are urged to have their colonies inspected and certified to expedite entry. Contact your state apiarist to determine if they are participating in the pi lot program.

Inspectors at California's Border Stations will check the exterior colonies and pallets for RIFA, noxious weeds and any other significant pests, dirt and debris, or anything else that could harbor pests. If any' pests are found on uncertified shipments or more than five worker ants or other pests on certified shipments, the colonies and pallets must be cleaned prior to entering the state. Following pest management practices, obtaining certification, and taking care when loading the bees to assure they are free from soil, weeds, and other debris, will help avoid most problems at the border.

If no pests are detected at the border station, the shipment will be placed under a QUARANTINE HOLD NOTICE and allowed to proceed to destination where it will be subject to inspection by the County Agricultural Department. To issue this notice the driver must provide exact destination information about the shipment. This is required so that the appropriate county can be notified of the impending arrival of the shipment.

Drivers should be prepared to give the exact physical address of the location where the colonies will be placed (P.O. Boxes are not acceptable), the number of colonies, and the State of most recent origin. Township and range information may be substituted for a physical address. Apiary health certificates are not required to clear shipments at the border station.

The driver or owner will be instructed to contact the county inspector, via phone, at destination - Uncertified shipments may not be unloaded until permission to do so is given by the county inspector.

Please be aware that some sources of fresh water in certain locations used for watering bees could conflict with other users of the area. Some locations that have been used for years to place bees have now been encroached upon by residential developments. Some jurisdictions in California may consider bees that water in residential areas, such as in a backyard swimming pool, are a nuisance if they get complaints from fearful residents.

California law (Section 29046(a), Food and Agriculture Code) requires that bee colonies be "posted." This means that each location where bees are placed must have markings that designate the person or persons responsible for the bees. This requirement can be met by markings on boxes or a conspicuous sign that includes a name, address and phone number where the owner or his/her representative can be easily reached.

Roger Hoopingarner, Editor

There was a recent article in the June issue of the American Bee Journal that showed what is the population problem with varroa mites. The article was by David VanderDussen, the developer of Mite-A-Way II®. The essence of the article was that the population of varroa will double every 22.4 days (approximately 3 weeks). This is true as long as there is brood present for the foundress mites to lay eggs upon. Thus, if you sample your colony and estimate that there are 300 mites within the colony at this date, then three weeks from now there will be 600. Then the problem is one of how many three-week periods are there left in the season? Probably at least three from the date I am writing this; the last week of July. So there will be three more doubling periods or 2400 mites at the end of brood rearing. Maybe this number is not to the absolute critical level of 3,000, that many research scientists use as the action level, but getting close enough that the colony may experience difficulty, or death, over winter.

The author also shows how the varroa resistant strains (such as the Russian bees) can change this equation by slowing up the doubling time by effectively reducing the reproductive rate. That is instead of each female varroa producing 2.2 offspring (on average) each time that they enter a brood cell the number is closer to 1.0. The end result may be that eventually you will have to treat with a miticide to reduce the population, but it will take significantly longer. Maybe you only have to treat every other year, or even every third year.

I would like to add that it still is important to sample your colonies as not all queens (Russian or otherwise) of a given stock have the same degree of resistance. If you have purchased resistant stock do not assume that you have enough resistance that you will not have to treat this year.

I have sampled the Lonesome Hive twice this summer. The first time, in mid June, I left the sticky board on 3 days and I had zero mites. My eyes are not great any more so I looked very carefully with a good magnifying glass several times as I could not believe what I was not seeing. A month later I had one mite in 24 hours. Still a fantastic number! What am I doing? Nothing, only the package of bees this year came from California and I think the breeders there have been selecting for hygienic behavior for a long time. There may be other selection going on as well, but the end result seems very good. The bottom line is that I should not have to treat with anything this year.

As I sit here writing this in what has been a warm, humid spell, I am reminded that often our honey comes very close to having too much water. The absolute limit for No.1 honey is 18.5 percent, and for long-term stability that may be too high. Honey in combs sitting in a Michigan building for any length of time will pick up moisture. So be careful and either extract the supers as soon as you can, or keep the storage room heated and run a dehumidifier. Honey will pick up moisture when the Relative Humidity is above 50 percent, and will give up water below that figure.

For many of us the main honey flow is coming to an end, as clovers become seed laden. However, if your major honey plant is star thistle (spotted kl1apweed) then the flow should continue for a while. For some, purple loosestrife will become important until frost. Later in the month the goldenrods will begin blooming, they will bloom earlier in the month if your bees are in the north. I say "they" because there are many species of goldenrods, though only a couple are very common.

NHB-Sponsored Mite Control Research Project Completed; More Projects Underway for 2006

Longmont, Colo. - A research project titled "Microbial Control of Varroa with the Fungus Metarhizium Anisopliae" was recently completed, but did not produce any measurable results.

The National Honey Board (NHB) provided funding for the project through its research program. Rosalind James, PhD., at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service in Utah led the project with assistance from Jerry Hayes, •

Chief-Apiary Inspection section at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer

The project's objective was to test the viability of the fungus Metarhizium Anisopliae as a control for the Varroa mite. Two field trials were conducted, each one varying the application methods and the season.

None of the experiments gave any measurable level of mite control. Although the fungus Metarhizium Anisopliae is capable of infecting mites in the laboratory at hive temperatures, poor infection rates occurred in the field. The spores survived very poorly in the hive, and may have been a major cause for lack of efficacy.

Another possible reason for the poor field control may be that the treatments failed to get the spores into direct contact with the mites, a condition required for infection to occur. The mites are protected from exposure to spores when they are in

the brood cells. Also, when varroa are on the bodies of adult bees, it may be difficult to get the spores directly in contact with the mite cuticle.

To obtain a copy of the research project report, call NHB at 1-800-553-7162. In 2006, NHB is funding five production research projects to study a variety of

colony health issues. Funding for the projects totals $47,190. NHB began funding

production research projects in 2004 to help beekeepers maintain colony health, without

adversely affecting their ability to produce quality honey. Since 2004, NHB has funded

NHB conducts research, advertising and promotion programs to help maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets for honey. These programs are funded by an assessment of one cent per pound on domestic and imported honey.

As some of you well know, the Michigan bear population is on the increase along with the corresponding damage to our hives. The DNR is promoting the increase and to my knowledge, has not increased the number of bear hunting permits in the lower peninsula to account for the increased bear population. To date, Michigan has no compensation for damage, unlike some states, such as Wisconsin.

The purpose of this letter is to share some ideas for bear control. Short of staying up and waiting for the bear to show up in your beeyard and shooting it, I have experimented with different systems and have found some good products. (By the way, it is legal to shoot any animal that is destroying your personal property, including livestock. The DNR requires that you call them and report it and give them the bear. Don't be hornswoggled by government officials saying otherwise. I have a copy of the law on file.)

Premier One has a very good charger that has many good merits that make it well worth the cost. The unit is made in W. Germany and can be powered by solar, deep cell, or alkaline battery. By far, the alkaline battery is the best for us. It lasts all year, and the unit will put out .27 joules @ over 9,000 volts with a good ground. A good ground is important. We pay about $40 for a new battery for each of our chargers every year. We are running over 20 of these units at a cost of about $250 per unit w/ battery for a new one. Sounds a bit high? How about losing 20 hives in two beeyards in one week. That was last week Gune 06) for us and typical every year as bears move into new areas like fleas on a dog. I put up the fence and chargers. No more bears.

A three wire system with a ground about 4 inches off the ground, first hot wire up above that about 8 to 10 inches and then one more hot wire about crotch high (be carefull stepping over, ouch). I use tee posts with fiberglass rods in between. You don't need barbed wire, but we do use it sometimes for the ground wire about 4 inches off the ground. Attach a jumper from the ground strand to your galvanized ground post. When the bear sticks his head and touches the grounded ground wire and the hot strand, this unit will peg over 9,000 volts. It will peg over 5,000 from the hot wire to the actual dirt. A well grounded ground wire will up the charges substantially.

I have also been trying the black and white braided poly rope with tinned copper and stainless wires. It has better visibility for snowmobilers and deer. I like it so far. It should be available at a farm store or Premier One.

Anyway, contact Scott at Premier One www.premierlsupplies.com or call 800-282-6631. The unit to get is the Intellishock 20B. For a few extra bucks, order the 165 Amp Hour alkaline gel battery to go all ... year. The item number is #117310 for the charger. I don't get anything from Premier for recommending them. They are dedicated to controlling animals and have a great catalog worth asking for.

Put the charger inside a bee box right next to the ground rod and just clip on the lead wires, press the button, and sleep at night.

Beekeeping information from two masters ... the historical roots and incredible information on bees by L.L. Langstroth along with a modern update by Dr. Roger Hoopingarner.

Order today at $12.97 + tax (MI) with $3.00 P&H. You get 480 pages of great beekeeping information. Bee+ Books, 2712 Fontaine Trail, Holt, MI 48842. Or, www.beeplusbooks.com

1. There must be 3 unlabeled jars or containers for each class you are entering . •

5. All extracted honey will be checked by a polarscope for debris, foam, and crystals.

6. To qualify your entries must be in by 10:00 A.M. Saturday, October 28, 2006 -Dan Guthrie

MICHIGAN BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

In an attempt to lighten the burden of paperwork and check writing by the treasurer, a new system will be implemented for members to apply for, or renew Bee Journal subscriptions. Anytime you wanl to renew or order a subscription, you can use this form.

The backside of this form has your mailing label, which qualifies you for the discounted .Association price.

Please check the date near your address to prove that you are a' paid up member in the' Association. Please include' the part that shows your mailing label.

Please send your subscription order direct to the publication of your choice.

The Speedy Bee

P. O. Box 1317

Jesup, GA 31598-0998 13.60-1yr

American Bee Journal

51 S 2^nd St.

Hamilton II, 62341 18.00-1yr

Bee Culture Subscription

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Medina, OH 44258 19.00-1yr

You must be a paid up member in the Michigan Beekeepers Association to receive these

special rates. Take advantage of your Michigan Beekeepers Association membership to get these

Thanks to Gleanings, American Bee Journal, & The Speedy Bee for offering these special rates to our membership.