News from the world of beekeeping – Items of potential interest 14 June 2019

The number of honey bee colonies fell by 16 percent in the winter of 2017-18, according to an international study led by the University of Strathclyde.

The survey of 25,363 beekeepers in 36 countries found that . . .

To continue reading: https://phys.org/news/2019-06-honey-bee-colonies.html

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Mites and insecticides prove killer combo for honey bees

Researchers from the Institute of Bee Health at the University of Bern and the COLOSS honey bee research association studied the “combination effect” of two stress factors: insecticides and a type of mite . . .

To continue reading: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/natural-science_mites-and-insecticides-prove-killer-combo-for-honey-bees/45009706

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Half a billion hoverflies migrate to the United Kingdom each year. The benefits to farmers are huge

Erik Stokstad

Each year, hundreds of millions of hoverflies cross the English Channel from continental Europe, according to a new radar-based study. Most migratory insects around the world are pests, such as locusts, but luckily for U.K. farmers, the hoverflies are friends.

“The potential benefit is quite large,” says . . .

To continue reading: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06/half-billion-hoverflies-migrate-united-kingdom-each-year-benefits-farmers-are-huge?utm_campaign=news_daily_2019-06-13&et_rid=79887736&et_cid=2859500

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B.C. celebrates Day of the Honey Bee

The spotlight was on the province’s honeybees and other native pollinators at the Parliament Buildings, as May 29, 2019, was proclaimed the official Day of the Honey Bee in British Columbia.

Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture, was joined on the steps of the Parliament Buildings by representatives of the BC Honey Producers Association, Capital Region Beekeepers Association and Worker Bee Honey Company. She announced . . .

To continue reading: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019AGRI0043-001098

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Bees buzzing in Colorado political circles

Joey Bunch

Bees are becoming a political buzzword around the Colorado Capitol, as activists look for more ways to preserve the flying insects that make plant pollination happen.

Advocacy groups organized by Environment Colorado say they will canvas door-to-door this summer to push for new state laws next year to curb pesticides that sting pollinators such as honey bees and butterflies.

The campaign kicked off on May 20 — World Bee Day — citing sharp declines in wild pollinators.

Environment Colorado says . . .

To continue reading: https://www.coloradopolitics.com/hot-sheet/bees-buzzing-in-colorado-political-circles/article_b69342d0-8320-11e9-9d27-2367317ca7a2.html

❀ 2019 California Spring Update

Many California beekeepers reported that the start of this year was the worst in 20+ years. Several factors contributed to this year’s issues, starting with the numerous fires last year causing nearly 3 months of smoke in the area. . . .

To continue reading: https://beeinformed.org/2019/06/12/2019-california-spring-update/

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Twice as many plants have gone extinct than birds, mammals, and amphibians combined

Erik Stokstad

When scientists talk about recent extinctions, birds and mammals get most of the attention. But the first global analysis of its kind finds that twice as many plants have disappeared than birds, mammals, and amphibians combined.

Researchers reviewed published research, international databases, and museum specimens such as grasses from Madagascar . . .

To continue reading: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06/twice-many-plants-have-gone-extinct-birds-mammals-and-amphibians-combined?utm_campaign=news_daily_2019-06-10&et_rid=79887736&et_cid=2854688

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Metallic green sweat bee is an important pollinator

Les Harrison

The warmer temperatures have brought out the blooms in both the landscapes and wild areas of Leon County and north Florida as a whole. Magnolias are blooming along with daylilies and many others which surround homes and businesses.

The higher temperatures have also reactivated the insect population. They, for the most part, are not nearly as colorful as the flowering trees and plants.

Some butterflies and moths aside, most of the insects doing . . .

To continue reading: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/home-garden/2019/05/30/metallic-green-sweat-bee-important-pollinator/1279050001/

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Book reveals wild honeybees’ biology, with insights for beekeepers

Krishna Ramanujan

While human relations with honeybees date back about 4,500 years, little has been known about how bees live in the wild.

Now, a new book describes the biology and behaviors of wild honeybees and takes lessons from nature to inform small-scale beekeepers on how to manage their hives to better face modern challenges.

The book, “The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honey Bee in the Wild” (Princeton University Press, 2019), by Thomas Seeley, a world-renowned authority on bees and the Horace White Professor in Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, is written for experts, beekeepers and biology buffs alike. Seeley’s fifth book on bees illuminates why wild honeybees across the planet are thriving while managed colonies are under threat. . . .

To continue reading: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/05/book-reveals-wild-honeybees-biology-insights-beekeepers

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Grant to help Minnesota’s backyards become more bee-friendly

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota lawmakers are taking a more aggressive approach to the state’s dying bee population.

As part of a new spending plan, nearly $1 million in grant money will be set aside for homeowners open to transforming their lawns into a pollinator-friendly habitat.

The University of Minnesota will receive $900,000 over the course of one year that will go towards helping homeowners . . .

To continue reading: http://www.fox9.com/news/grant-to-help-minnesota-s-backyards-become-more-bee-friendly

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Save the bees (& time & money) with a bee lawn

WASHINGTON — Flowering “bee lawns” that attract pollinators are a compromise between fastidious turf management and the more casual yard approach. They add biodiversity to the landscape and need less maintenance. That makes them cost-effective, too.Bee lawns are turf grasses blended with low-growing perennials that bloom again after mowing. They’re cared for like typical lawns, making them

To continue reading: https://www.morningagclips.com/save-the-bees-time-money-with-a-bee-lawn/

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City of Oshawa designated a bee-friendly city

Frazer Snowdon

The city of Oshawa is tapping into its inner bee and bringing more pollinator gardens to the city. The effort has beelined it to the top at Bee Canada, earning it the title of a bee-friendly city.

“This seemed to be a natural step forward . . .

To continue reading: https://globalnews.ca/news/5340378/oshawa-bee-friendly/

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Michigan to allow commercial solar panels on more farmland

LANSING, MI (WILX) – Michigan officials have decided to allow solar panels for larger commercial solar arrays to be built on more farmland around the state.

“My administration understands and is committed to helping meet the growing demand for clean, renewable energy sources in our state. By preparing for and investing in renewable energy, we’re protecting . . .

To continue reading: https://www.wilx.com/content/news/Michigan-to-allow-commercial-solar-panels-on-more-farmland-510765541.html

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Summer reading to prepare for Great Georgia Pollinator Census

Merritt Melancon

In three months, an army of citizen scientists across the state will undertake a first-of-its-kind pollinator count across Georgia.

To prepare for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census this August, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is offering a few summer reading suggestions for citizen scientists of all ages.

“This is a great opportunity to learn more about our Georgia insects,” . . .

To continue reading: https://www.jacksonprogress-argus.com/features/summer-reading-to-prepare-for-great-georgia-pollinator-census/article_58a3cf3c-8893-11e9-a6ae-cb4884571d82.html

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Miller’s Honey has long local history

John Miller

BLACKFOOT — When you go back through the history of Miller’s Honey — dating back around 125 years — Bingham County has played a big part in that history.

It’s a history that has a trail reaching from Utah to Idaho to North Dakota to California, involving sons and cousins and other members of the Miller family tree.

It started in 1894, in Providence, Utah, when Nephi Ephraim (N.E.) Miller traded five sacks of grain for seven boxes of bees.

“The bees did okay,” . . .

To continue reading: https://www.postregister.com/chronicle/news/miller-s-honey-has-long-local-history/article_325d2c7d-c05e-55c8-a885-964c8f90948e.html

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80,000 HONEY BEES RELOCATED FROM MEDFORD FAMILY’S YARD

MEDFORD, Ore. — Throughout the United States and Europe beekeepers have been reporting annual hive losses of 20 percent or higher. One in four bee species in the U.S. is at risk of extinction.

On Wednesday, a local Medford couple had a tree that has been in their front yard for decades removed due to an upcoming road widening project. That tree is also home to around 80,000 honey bees. Instead of killing the bees or destroying their habitat they contacted an arborist that worked with a beekeeper to relocate the entire hive; an 8 ft. 500-600 lb. hive. . . .

To continue reading: https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/80000-local-honey-bees-relocated-510870391.html

❀ FROM CATCH THE BUZZ:

The Number of Honey Bee Colonies in Europe Fell By 16% in the Winter of 2017-18

The survey of 25,363 beekeepers in 36 countries found that, out of 544,879 colonies being managed at the start of winter, 89124 were lost,… Read on » 2. Can Honey Bees Count? They Can Match A Character To A Quantity. So….

A team of scientists from RMIT University, Monash University and the University of Toulouse III has trained honeybees (Apis mellifera) to match a character… Read on » 3. Tariffs on Chinese Products Aid US Garlic and Honey Producers

Employees on the production line at Christopher Ranch in Gilroy, California — the local garlic industry is reaping the benefits of US trade tariffs… Read on »

Honey Program Non-Recourse Marketing Assistance Loan and LDP Program Overview

The Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill) authorizes nonrecourse marketing assistance loans (MALs) and loan deficiency payments (LDPs) for the 2014 through 2018… Read on » 5. An Invitation from the Team in Montreal for Apimondia 2019

Dear Apimondia Community, The Canadian Honey Council and its industry partners are proud to invite you to join the 46th Apimondia Congress, which will… Read on » 6. Farm Worker Scarcity is a Pressing Concern—and an Increasing One at That—For California Farmers and Beekeepers

Jamie Johansson California Farm Bureau Federation The study, a voluntary survey of 1,071 farmers and ranchers conducted in early 2019, reveals that 56 percent… Read on » 7. NEW! BIP Mobile Tech Transfer Team Program

Dear BIP Colleagues, Friends and Supporters, The Bee Informed Partnership is excited to announce the launch of the NEW BIP Mobile Tech Transfer Team… Read on »

Manuka Honey to Kill Drug-Resistant Bacteria Found in Cystic Fibrosis Infections

Swansea University Manuka honey could provide the key to a breakthrough treatment for cystic fibrosis patients following preliminary work by experts at Swansea University…. Read on » 9. Land in the USDA Conservation Reserve Program Provides Valuable Forage for Honey Bees. Honey Bee Colonies More Successful By Foraging on Non-Crop Fields

By: Kim Kaplan March 20, 2019 TUCSON, ARIZONA, March 20, 2019—Honey bee colonies foraging on land with a strong cover of clover species and… Read on » 10. Barkman Honey Starts ‘Project Re-Entry’ With Inmate Workforce Program

Barkman Honey starts ‘Project Re-Entry’ IN BUSINESS NEWS / BY: HILLSBORO FREE PRESS Since 1960, Barkman Honey’s company values of corporate, industry and community… Read on » ❀ FROM ABJ EXTRA:

Honey Bee Health Coalition Releases Information to Help Beekeepers, Veterinarians Manage Foulbrood

The Honey Bee Health Coalition unveiled a new resource for beekeepers today — an information sheet for hive management decisions related to American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB). An expert team of beekeepers, entomologists, apiary inspectors and federal regulators produced and reviewed Identifying and Mitigating Foulbrood in Honey Bee Colonies and Reducing the Use of Antibiotics: Information for Beekeepers and Veterinarians. The guide articulates what AFB and EFB are, how to test for them and what to do if a colony has either disease. “As an inspector in Texas, I found there . . .https://mailchi.mp/dadant.com/abj-extra-june-14-2019-honey-bee-health-coalition-releases-information-to-help-beekeepers-veterinarians-manage-foulbrood?e=d476a0d684 2. Bee Informed Partnership Mobile Tech Team Training Program Want to work part time with the Bee Informed Partnership? The Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) needs seasonal, trained beekeepers to provide assistance to our Tech Team members across the US. Join us for BIP’s new Mobile Tech Team Training Program where you will learn how to conduct comprehensive field assessments and sample honey bee colonies. To learn more about our Technical Transfer Teams Program click here. . . . https://mailchi.mp/dadant.com/abj-extra-june-12-2019-bee-informed-partnership-mobile-tech-team-training-program?e=d476a0d684 3. 2019 Canada PAm-Costco Scholar Fellowship Awards for Honey Bee Health Scholarship: In 2013 Costco and Project Apis m. (PAm) launched the first PAm-Costco Scholar Fellowship Program. Costco has an admirable commitment to sustainability, and is a champion supporter of honey bee research, recognizing it as an investment to ensure an ethical and sustainable food supply. Investing in research that has real and practical impacts on the sustainability of honey bee health, honey production and crop production is the foundation . . . https://mailchi.mp/dadant.com/abj-extra-june-10-2019-2019-canada-pam-costco-scholar-fellowship-awards-for-honey-bee-health?e=d476a0d684