Archive for the ‘Beekeeping’ Category


Worrying News

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

News just in provides compelling evidence that Bayer’s neonicotinoid pesticides are a significant cause of bee deaths in Britain and elsewhere, supporting the case that beekeepers have been making for years.

The British Bee Keepers Association must now climb down from the fence and clearly state their opposition to the use of these deadly chemicals on agricultural land, or face even more derision and condemnation from beekeepers and other associations both in the UK and abroad.

A key study, published in a respected scientific journal, demonstrates that neonicotinoids are routinely found in lethal doses in samples of dead bees, in seed planter exhaust, in fields where seeds had been planted and in dandelion flowers growing nearby. This shows clear pathways by which bees are being poisoned and removes any last shred of an excuse for the BBKA to continue to toe the pesticide industry line that these substances are ‘safe if used correctly’.

If you keep bees within flying distance of agricultural land where maize, oilseed-rape (Canola) or other crops are grown using clothianidin-coated seed, YOUR BEES ARE IN DANGER. Likewise, all other pollinating insects – including endangered bumblebees – that live on or near that land will be poisoned, as will the birds and reptiles that feed on them. There is also growing evidence of possible long-term effects on human health.

SUGGESTED ACTION

Read the paper here – http://tinyurl.com/776y97v

PLEASE write to the BBKA and ask them to put their weight behind efforts to ban these deadly toxins from our countryside, while we still have some bees left.

Send an email to bbka@britishbeekeepers.com asking the BBKA to STOP supporting the pesticide industry and to work to have neonicotinoids banned in the UK. (More BBKA email addresses below)

If you are a BBKA member, pass this email around your local association – the more people who understand what is going on, the better. Make sure this issue is discussed and a resolution is passed to BBKA HQ.

If you are a gardener, look out for neonicotinoids in household sprays and compost: the common ones are Imidacloprid, Clothianidin, Thiamethoxam and Fipronil (also found in pet flea treatments). Return all such sprays to the shop and tell the manager why you will not buy them. Make sure your local gardening club / allotment association are aware of the dangers.

Gardeners may also be interested to know that Glyphosate (Roundup) has recently been shown to be much more toxic that Monsanto would like you to believe. In this report, Don Huber, Emeritus Professor at Purdue University and senior scientist on USDA’s National Plant Disease Recovery System, links glyphosate to reduced nutrient availability in plants, increasing plant diseases, the emergence of a new pathogen, animal illness and possible effects on human health.
See http://www.i-sis.org.uk/USDA_scientist_reveals_all.php

EXTRACT FROM THE PURDUE PESTICIDE RESEARCH PAPER

“Our results demonstrate that bees are exposed to these compounds and several other agricultural pesticides in several ways throughout the foraging period. During spring, extremely high levels of clothianidin and thiamethoxam were found in planter exhaust material produced during the planting of treated maize seed. We also found neonicotinoids in the soil of each field we sampled, including unplanted fields. Plants visited by foraging bees (dandelions) growing near these fields were found to contain neonicotinoids as well. This indicates deposition of neonicotinoids on the flowers, uptake by the root system, or both. Dead bees collected near hive entrances during the spring sampling period were found to contain clothianidin as well, although whether exposure was oral (consuming pollen) or by contact (soil/planter dust) is unclear. We also detected the insecticide clothianidin in pollen collected by bees and stored in the hive.”

“These findings clarify some of the mechanisms by which honey bees may be exposed to agricultural pesticides throughout the growing season. These results have implications for a wide range of large-scale annual cropping systems that utilize neonicotinoid seed treatments.”

BBKA EMAIL ADDRESSES

PRESIDENT – Martin Smith – martin.smith@bbka.org.uk
CHAIRMAN – Brian Ripley – brian.ripley@bbka.org.uk
VICE CHAIRMAN – Dr David Aston – david.aston@bbka.org.uk
TREASURER – Michael Sheasby – michael.sheasby@bbka.org.uk
BBKA News and Year Book Editor – Sharon Blake m-s.blake@overstratton.fsnet.co.uk
Examinations Board Secretary – Val Francis valfrancis@blueyonder.co.uk
Public Affairs Director – Tim Lovett tjl@dermapharm.co.uk

TRUSTEES
Dr David Bancalari – david.bancalari@bbka.org.uk
Doug Brown – doug.brown@bbka.org.uk
Chris Deaves – chris.deaves@bbka.org.uk
Brian Dennis – brian.dennis@bbka.org.uk
Dawn Girling – dawn.girling@bbka.org.uk
John Hendrie – john.hendrie@bbka.org.uk
Roger Patterson – roger.patterson@bbka.org.uk
Julian Routh – julian.routh@bbka.org.uk
Michael Young – michael.young@bbka.org.uk

Let’s make 2012 the year that British bee keepers take positive action to clean up our countryside – for the sake of the bees.

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Posted in Bee Health, Beekeeping, Medications | 1 Comment »


Some thoughts on Bee Health issues

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

These are some thoughts from those who attended the BeeCare event in Brussels on 20th June 2011.

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Improvers Beekeeping Course

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Mendip Division of Somerset Beekeepers Association are running an ‘Improvers Beekeeping Course’.

Tutor: David Maslen Retired Seasonal Beekeeping Inspector

Start date: Friday 13th January 2012

Venue: Chilcompton Church Hall

Runs for 6 consecutive Fridays

Cost:  £30.00

Places are limited to 30 people so book early.

PLEASE NOTE:  Some basic beekeeping knowledge is essential for this course.

For more information or to book your place – Tel: 01761 417604

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Your Bees Over the Winter

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

Well, winter is now approaching fast and we are sure to get some really cold and inclement weather before too long.  Now is the time to get out to your bees and make sure they are secure for the winter months.  Mouseguards should now be fixed.  If your beehives are sighted in a damp area it may be prudent to remove the entrance block completely before fitting the mouseguard.  Some beekeepers raise the crownboard using some match sticks in each corner to aid ventilation, this I have done in the passed and it worked very well.  Check for food stores and give extra if in need, preferably Invert Syrup or Fondant at this time.  Make sure your Hives are stable and tie down with rope if in an exposed area, failing that a heavy stone can be useful placed on the roof.  If woodpeckers have been trouble in the past hang some old CD’s near the hive, not near enough to bang against the sides, their movement in the wind can deter the birds etc.  If the problem is bad, then drape some bird netting, as the type used to protect fruit, over the hive making sure that the bees can find their way through should they take a flight.  Also make sure that there is a suitable container of water nearby as the bees will need to drink throughout the winter months.  A shallow container containing pebbles or small stones is good and helps to avoid the bees drowning.  Don’t forget to be watchful and vigilant over the winter months and check regularly as the Beehives can be blown over by the wind or knocked by other large animals.  Fortunately, here in the UK, Bears are not a problem so simple methods/deterrents will work fine.
I wish you good luck for the winter.  Should you have any other concerns, please leave a post and I will endeavor to answer your queries.

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March Already

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Well, here we are at the start of  March.  The beekeeping season will now start to get into full swing from now on, weather being favourable of course! The brood nest will now start to increase and demands for pollen and water will likewise also increase.  If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to check on food stores in your colonies. As mentioned in a previous entry there are several ways to check.   From now on it may be better to feed sugar syrup, either a specialist type or home made.  You need a concentration of 1kg (2lb) sugar to 0.5ltrs (1pt) water.  I recommend at least 5ltrs(1gal).  Use a Rapid/Contact type feeder placed directly over the brood nest,  not the Ashforth or Miller feeder type at this time due to temperatures still being low and bees may not enter these feeders.

It is also worthwhile observing your colonies at this time of year.  On warm mild days at midday the entrance should be very active with bees taking quantities of pollen into the hive, this being a good indication that the colony has a laying queen and brood is being produced.  It is also worthwhile to note that also at this time bees will endeavour to clean the hive, so a number of dead bees may be noticed beneath the entrance, you should not be unduly worried by this unless extremely large numbers or weak and crawling bees are seen, then further checks should be made.

If you are in any doubt as to the health of your bees, collect a sample (30 bees approx) and get them checked for adult bee disease.

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