Urban Beekeeping CHC Convention Report Fred Rathje Award Plants for Bees Call Mike at 1-866-948-6084 Today Or Email [email protected]

Urban Beekeeping CHC Convention Report Fred Rathje Award Plants for Bees Call Mike at 1-866-948-6084 Today Or Email Mike@Globalpatties.Com

February 2010 Vol 23 # 1 1 2010 www.honeycouncil.ca Canadian Honey Council

Urban Beekeeping CHC Convention Report Fred Rathje Award Plants for Bees Call Mike at 1-866-948-6084 today or email [email protected]

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One-piece plastic drone comb Canadian Honey Council HiveHiveLightsLights February 2010 Vol 23 #1 The Canadian Honey Council (CHC) is the national organization of the Canadian beekeeping industry Canadian Honey Council`s trade display at the joint ABF and CHC Convention in Orlando, Florida and Hivelights is the industry’s magazine. Our Photo: Geoff Todd association is an “organization of organizations”. The colour of the spine of Hivelights has One of the benefits of belonging to our member changed to blue for 2010 to match the international code for marking queens. organizations is that all members receive a copy of A quick way to remember the code: Hivelights magazine. In order to receive Hivelights Year ending in: you must be a current member of your provincial When White 1/6 association. International subscribers can receive our You Yellow 2/7 high quality magazine for a fee of $50 Canadian per Requeen Red 3/8 year. Get the Green 4/9 Schools, libraries, non beekeepers, university Best Blue 5/0 or government personnel can receive Hivelights magazine through special membership as “Friends of Table of Contents Canadian Apiculture”. Please contact the CHC office for more information. 3 Canadian Honey Council Activities...... Heather Clay 4 2009 CHC Directors Canadian Honey Council 4 CAPA Outstanding Service Award: Doug McRory Suite 236, 234-5149 Country Hills Blvd.NW 4 OAC Alumni Distinguished Extension Award Calgary, AB T3A 5K8 Professor Ernesto Guzman...... George Robinson Hivelights is published quarterly (Feb, May, Aug, 5 Provincial Reports...... CHC Directors Nov). Deadline for submissions are 6 weeks prior 9 Fred Rathje Award...... Heather Clay to publication (i.e. Dec 15th for Feb issue). For 10 Research Related to the Canadian Pollination guidelines on article submission and advertising rates Initiative (CANPOLIN) ...... Ernesto Guzman please visit our website at www.hivelights.ca 12 Urban Beekeeping ...... Allen Garr 13 North American Beekeeping Annual The opinions expressed in the articles printed in Convention Report...... Corey Bacon Hivelights are those of the authors and do not imply 17 Beekeeping Project in Armenia...... Peter Keating endorsement of the Canadian Honey Council for 19 Plants for Bees: subUrban Apiaries...... Douglas Clay the promotion of any product, goods or services 23 Integrated Management of Nosema mentioned unless specifically stated. & Detection of Antibiotic Residues...... Stephen F. Pernal, Abdullhah Ibrahim and Andony P. Melathopoulos 25 SBA Receives Multi-year Funding Editor...... Heather Clay 26 Classifieds Design and Production...... Cristian Campean Advertising enquiries...... Geoff Todd Publisher...... Canadian Honey Council Printer...... McAra Printing

Publication Mail Agreement number 40031644 ISSN 1489-730X Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Canadian Honey Council Suite 236, 234 -5149 Country Hills Blvd. NW Calgary, AB T3A 5K8 [email protected] www.honeycouncil.ca (403) 208 7141 www.saveourbees.ca

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WWWMEDIVETCA Canadian Honey Council AGM by member organizations. Small Hive Beetle Heather Clay, Chief Executive Officer, CHC The Quebec provincial apiarist has Sponsorship reported that the province has set up creamed organic clover sentinel hives and is monitoring the We are pleased to announce honey. The bottles were SHB issue. The beetle continues to that Odem International shrink wrapped with our exist in the border area but seems to has agreed to renew their logo pure honey 100% have limited reproduction. A research sponsorship for a second Canadian on the front. project has been initiated to examine year. This is a positive Rick Belt of Golden Acres the problem. The CHC is concerned indication that we are on Honey did the packing and that lack of treatment and no plan for the right track. Membership shipping and we thank him extensive inspections may affect our fees account for half our for his assistance. The honey national position on importation of funding and in order to continue samples were given out in return for a honey bees. doing the important activities needed completed questionnaire on US honey for our industry we are seeking more market preferences. Annual General Meeting sponsors support for the coming year. The CHC participated with the The CHC also prepared a new American Beekeepers Federation at Save our Bees has been slowly pamphlet with funding assistance from a joint North American Beekeepers gaining momentum. Donations are the Agricultural Marketing Program, convention in Orlando Florida. It was being sought through our website that gives information on honey for well attended by beekeepers from www.saveourbees.ca and we have health. It has been translated into Canada and the USA and included a growing group of fans on our Spanish for international markets. We visitors from Mexico, Chile, Australia, Facebook page. handed out hundreds of the pamphlets New Zealand, Bermuda, England, at the trade show in Orlando . A Italy, France, Ghana and the Virgin Membership sample is included in this magazine Islands. The general symposium Under the new structure of CHC we and you can order more from the research presentations were excellent are an organization of organizations. CHC office. with many top name speakers. National organizations with a vested ‘Sideliner’ beekeepers were able to interest in honey bees, in addition We also have a new colourful attend concurrent events for special to the existing provincial beekeeper exhibit (featured on the front cover) interest groups. It was sometimes organizations, are eligible for explaining what CHC does and the difficult to choose which session membership in the Canadian Honey importance of the honey bee industry. to attend as there were so many Council. Applications are subject Pierre the Bear is our mascot and interesting topics. to review by the CHC Membership he has made appearances at several Committee. Those associations that shows this year in SK, ON and AB. The ABF and the AHPA have agreed meet established criteria are then He was unable to attend the North to meet concurrently in Galveston considered for approval by the Board American Beekeepers Conference Texas, 4-8 January 2011 and the of Directors. because of new TSA restrictions for CHC has been invited. Given that travelers to the USA. the Mexican National Beekeepers Promotion Organization has committed to attend, CHC is currently finishing one Projects the CHC board is giving the idea of an project on marketing “pure honey All the projects undertaken by even bigger North American meeting 100% Canadian” at the North CHC have now ended. In the past to be held every 3 years some serious American Beekeeping trade show and we have received assistance from consideration. developing a Long Term International Agriculture Agri-Food Canada to Strategy (LTIS). This project which plan and implement a restructure was partially funded by Agriculture of our organization, to determine Agri-Food Canada allowed CHC the strategies for hive health, queen to have a presence at the Orlando bee importation protocols, to get convention where producer, packers, consensus on honey labeling, to importers and exporters were able to develop a long term international see and taste our quality product. strategy and to develop a C-BISQT Executive members of the National manual for on farm food safety. The Organisation of Mexican Beekeepers The trade show booth featured five board has decided to limit projects in Delegation at the North American types of honey- clover, buckwheat, the future so that the CHC can focus Beekeeping Convention blueberry, creamed canola and on resolving resolutions brought to our Photo: Geoff Todd

HiveLights February 2010 2010 Directors Canadian Honey Council CAPA Outstanding Service Award: Doug McRory Conseil Canadien de Miel

Chair Director Corey Bacon Dan Walker Saskatchewan Beekeepers Association Ontario Beekeepers Association B’s Bee Ranch 9327 Scotchmere Dr Box 84 Strathroy ON N7G 3H3 Kinistino SK S0J 1H0 ph 519-245-5361 ph. 306-864-3774 fax 306-864-3260 [email protected] [email protected] Director Vice Chair Bruce Podolsky Tom Trueman Manitoba Beekeepers Association Maritime Beekeepers Association Box 1 200 Etter Ridge Rd Ethelbert MB R0L 0T0 Aulac NB E4L 2V2 ph 204-742-3535 ph 506-536-2854 fax 506-536-3088 [email protected] The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists [email protected] awarded Doug McRory the Oustanding Service Award at their joint annual banquet. Later in the evening Secretary Director Paul Kozak, incoming Ontario Provincial Apiculturist, Lee Townsend Ted Hancock BC Honey Producers Association congratulated Doug for his 26 years of service. Paul Alberta Beekeepers General Delivery began work for OMAFRA immediately after this 443 St. Andrews Crescent Dog Creek BC V0L 1J0 meeting. Stony Plain AB T7Z 1W8 ph 250-440-5689 ph 780-968-4624 [email protected] [email protected] OAC Alumni CHC OFFICE Distinguished Treasurer Chief Executive Officer Extension Award: Gordon Marks Heather Clay Professor Bee Maid Honey Suite 236 Ernesto Guzman 147 Shoreline Drive 234-5149 Country Hills Blvd Winnipeg MB R3P 2E9 Calgary AB T3A 5K8 Five years ago, Professor ph 204-487-4535 ph 403-208-7141 Ernesto Guzman took up his [email protected] fax 403-547-4317 post in the Department of [email protected] Environmental Biology at the Director www.honeycouncil.ca University of Guelph. In that Jerry Poelman short time Ernesto has made Alberta Beekeepers Office Manager literally hundreds of presentations to Ontario beekeepers. PO Box 1887 He has run short courses on beekeeping for the public. Fort MacLeod AB T0L 0Z0 Geoff Todd ph 403-687-2244 ph 403-398-2914 He has spearheaded the province’s research on colony [email protected] [email protected] collapse disorder and other forms of colony loss. He has established the first molecular laboratory in the province dedicated to diagnosing, treating and preventing colony loss. He has developed an outstanding relationship Membership in CHC with the Ontario Beekeeper’s Association, and with the National organizations with a vested interest in honey bees, in addition to OMAFRA extension specialists. His service to this the existing provincial beekeeper organizations, are eligible for membership industry has been truly remarkable and selfless. Ernesto in the Canadian Honey Council. Applications are subject to review by the has the special ability to convey information in a way that CHC Membership Committee. Those associations that meet established makes it understood by any audience he addresses, and criteria are then considered for approval by the Board of Directors. he is a valued resource of the Department, the College Application form available from CHC office. and the University of Guelph. George Robinson, President OAC Alumni Association

February 2010 HiveLights 2009 brought a significant competition was really RegionalReports change to our industry something to see. There with the retirement of were competitors from our Provincial Apiarist outside the province. It is Doug McRory. Doug has good to see individuals, that Maritimes ABF meeting in Orlando long been a beekeepers’ are proud of their product , in January. Local honey beekeeper and represented go to the extreme to present Well as 2009 comes to a sales were reported to be us well in his position. it to the public. close and our bees are put strong with both wholesale The Ontario Beekeepers’ away for and retail prices trending Association is very grateful It has been a very the winter upwards. to Doug for his service pleasurable year, talking it is time to our industry and our and visiting with beekeepers to reflect I would like to thank association. The wisdom and from different parts of the on yet everyone for their support continuity Doug brought country. I would like to another over the past year and to as OMAFRA’s Technical wish everyone a healthy and year come wish everyone a healthy and Advisor to the OBA board profitable New Year. and gone. prosperous new year. has been invaluable. During It proved the Banquet at the 2009 Tom Trueman to be one AGM Doug was honoured Manitoba of many challenging years Ontario by many of his friends and for the beekeeping industry peers. It was great to see The MBA held its AGM in the Maritimes. All three The input costs of trying his colleagues from the west November with over 40 provinces reported high to keep our hives alive are there, Medhat Nasr and attendees. We elected 4 losses last winter which kept ever increasing with more Rhéal Lafrenière. As always directors for a 3 year term; beekeepers busy restocking treatments and an incredibly he graciously and humbly Welcome Allan Campbell, this summer. Reasonably high price for feeding bees accepted the gifts and Calvin Grysiuk, Murray favorable weather this for winter. The weather was accolades given to him from Lewis, and returning summer and fall seems to excellent for feeding and an industry he loves. We are Marc Nichol. All 3 of the have helped splits reach packing this fall. Nothing waiting for an announcement outgoing directors; Steve wintering strength and like last year when it in the new year as to who Olnick, Lorne Peters, even provided a modest began snowing the first of will be the new provincial and Paul Gregory have honey crop for some. Many November and it stayed apiarist. We have served on the board in maritime beekeepers took that way for most of been kept well various positions for many advantage of the EUR the winter. The bees informed during years. Lorne told me extension for Amitraz with looked good going the process of when he started his wife good results being reported. into the winter, but hiring a new was pregnant with their With mite levels under we have to wait and Provincial Apiarist. first child, now he has control and a mild fall, see in the spring. grandchildren. Manitoba’s wintering bees looked to be Beekeepers from A great number of new Executive: Chair in good condition. Hopefully across the province the media inquiries Todd Yakimishen, VP this is reflected with lower have reported Dan Walker to the OBA have Murray Lewis, CHC Bruce mortality numbers next seeing an increase come as a result Podolsky, KAP Allan spring. in sales of honey as more of of the Promotions and Campbell, Ex Member Chris the public hear of our plight Media Coordinator position Rempel. The Maritime Beekeepers and offer their support by created last year. We are in Association held their annual buying local. The media has our second year with this MB’s Food Safety meeting in Moncton N.B. on been very interested and position. committee met to discuss November 26 2009. PMRA supportive of beekeepers and our issues. The programs made a presentation with continues to inquire about The Royal Winter Fair is aim to put resources information on the proper our status. Much of the a huge gathering of the toward establishing and handling of pesticides. I was honey in Ontario has been farming community brought implementing food safety, also appointed for another sold between beekeepers, to the city of Toronto. There biosecurity and traceability year as the Maritime to ensure they have a good are 4 H youth shows in systems in key areas of delegate to CHC. Many supply of honey going into dairy, beef, swine, sheep etc. the food chain; also to maritime beekeepers are the spring. from small communities from increase the food safety planning to attend the coast to coast. The honey P pg 7

HiveLights February 2010

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February 2010 HiveLights knowledge capacity of the last few years, this year efficacy, techniques insurance program. all industry stakeholders. (2009) was the lowest ever. and timing windows of The committee Before the US products (namely soft The SBA hosted another looked at 2 areas; border was closed chemical treatments) under well attended, informative replacing old brood and varroa mites Saskatchewan’s climate and and educational AGM and comb with new arrived there were beekeeping management Convention in Saskatoon. foundation and 110,000 colonies, methods. Winter mortality During the convention Cash for Clunkers today the count is and improved wintering banquet the SBA board, - replacement of just above 70,000. techniques will also be special guests, CAPA non compliant Where do we go studied as well as other members (current and extracting Bruce Podolsky from here? Many important areas (ie. colony former) and beekeepers equipment producers are nutrition) under the from across the prairies had with stainless steel or hoping to retire in the next guidance of the Technical the opportunity to “roast” acceptable equipment. few years. What are their Adaptation Team Steering outgoing Provincial Apiarist This program will run for options? I’m sure every Committee in consultation John Gruszka. John has the next four years. In province has the same issue. with the Specialist hired retired after 32 years of the first year producers Have a look around the to run the program. The service to the Government can apply for $1000. The room during your meeting, steering committee has of Saskatchewan and the amount will double next there are very few young begun its search for a beekeeping industry in year if the producer has a beekeepers. We need a Technology Adaptation Saskatchewan. We would HACCP Based program healthy and sustainable Specialist to lead the team, like to again congratulate in place, like the proposed industry to attract the next which is scheduled to begin John and wish him the CBISQT program. We are generation of beekeepers. operation April 1st of this best in his well-deserved encouraging all producers to year. retirement. become CFIA registered. Saskatchewan Following the launch of On another positive note, This year (2009) 245 the government funded Saskatchewan beekeepers operations and 4445 hives in Good news and progress wildlife damage coverage that have witnessed the the province were inspected abounds in Saskatchewan program for Saskatchewan success of many breeders/ for AFB. It was found in going into winter. It beekeepers (which covers beekeepers in the province 16 operations. This is an is wonderful to have a bear damage compensation in regards to self-reliance improvement on last year provincial government in for equipment, honey, bees are starting to successfully (2008), when AFB was this province that finally and lost production), the duplicate this success. This found in 23 operations recognizes the value of the SBA has been continuing to is evident by the significant and the year before (2007) bee industry and backs work with the government increase in the amount of when it was found in 34 up those words with the of Saskatchewan on a death nuc colonies going into operations. This fall most development of loss insurance winter and the overall producers used Apivar or meaningful programs. program. The increase in total colonies formic acid for treatment SBA board has going into winter as reported of mites. The late honey Saskatchewan’s had several in government surveys. flow in September delayed application to consultations with While some beekeepers may treatments. Some producers Agriculture Council the government to not have the ability or desire only had 1 week of of Saskatchewan’s develop a program to be self reliance, if enough effective weather for varroa Canadian that is effective, others do, the province as treatments. We’ll have to Agriculture Corey Bacon affordable and a whole may see the real wait till spring to see if the Adaptation sustainable. It is possibility of self-reliance. colonies survive the winter. Program for a proposed expected that this program After Varroa, Nosema is a Technical Adaptation Team will be launched in 2010 and big concern. Nosema is a was recently approved. available for Saskatchewan Alberta stress disease. If you have The project is a three-year beekeepers for fall of 2010. a problem you may want to program budgeted at above The SBA board has also Greetings from an extremely look at the shelter in your a ½ million dollars. The had consultations with the cold Alberta! Nothing like winter and spring locations, project will be a combination Saskatchewan government a few days of -35 to -46 as well as the source of your of research with extension on a honey crop insurance to remind us what winter bees. to deliver the results directly program. Development will really is, but the fact that it’s to beekeepers. The projects continue on this program supposed to be +2 here in a Manitoba’s colony numbers proactive approach will focus as well following the have dropped drastically in on varroa mite treatments, completion of the death loss P pg 8

HiveLights February 2010 few days accomplished a lot, and I management of single brood B.C. queen breeders Terry is bizarre look forward to working chamber hives. We hope to and Elizabeth Huxter have at best. I hard on behalf of Albertan see you in Edmonton. completed a queen rearing do take and Canadian beekeepers on project sponsored by the comfort the CHC board in the next BCHPA, BC Bee Breeders in year. British Columbia Association and Investment knowing Agriculture Foundation of that my Alberta had a cold start to Beekeepers in British B.C. In this project they Lee Townsend hives, winter with a lot of records Columbia enjoyed a mild selected and bred from along being set in December. The late fall but are now feeling queens that demonstrated with a good number of majority of the honey bees the brunt of a cold winter. resistance to varroa mites other beekeeper’s hives in going into winter have been Although our autumn and made the queens Alberta, went into winter in in good condition, with both temperatures were mild, available to B.C. beekeepers. extremely good shape. It’s the varroa and nosema levels many parts of the province Elizabeth Huxter is now been another busy year in being remained very dry. This hoping to launch a second Alberta. Between drought, lower made for a drab fall as tree project in which she will fluctuating honey prices and than they leaves did not develop their select for Varroa Sensitive a number of new projects were the usual colours. Beekeepers Hygiene stock. coming out of the Alberta past two had ample time to prepare Beekeepers Commission years. their bees for winter so B.C. is also very fortunate office, it has kept us all busy. The bee hopefully the colonies will to have Dr. Leonard Foster One of these programs was health survive the harsh weather performing research on the Overwintering Insurance program we are experiencing now. honey bees at the University Program from AFSC. There Jerry Poelman in December has been colder of British Columbia. I am are still some issues to iron Alberta than normal in this El Nino not sure I can accurately out with the program over has really helped our cycle. tell you what Dr. Foster the next few years (biggest producers in its first year. is researching because it being Alberta Beekeepers This program is part of Dr. Strong lobbying by is advanced beyond my that move their colonies Nasr’s research project that British Columbia Honey understanding. I believe he to BC do not qualify for helps beekeepers monitor Producers Association is trying to find pieces of the program), and it’s the their colony disease levels. (BCHPA) second protein ( protein Commission’s hope that At the same time the Alberta vice-president markers) that are this can all be worked out Agriculture department gets Allen Garr associated with for the winter of 2010- a good understanding of the has convinced specific genetic 2011. The premium rates overall honey bee health our provincial traits in honey vary across the province status in our province. government to bees. If, for depending on the average follow other example, he can wintering loss numbers, Honey prices have remained municipalities find a protein but at a $120/hive payout firm going into winter. proclaim May Ted Hancock that is part of the on this winter’s losses, it Although sales have been 29 2010 The gene(s?) needed should reduce the burden slowing down, honey is Day of the Honeybee. by bees to exhibit resistance of any higher than average being sold for $1.40 to $1.80 Our association plans to to foulbrood, then he can losses this winter. I’d also per pound. The price varies celebrate the day with tell which bees carry the like to thank Dave Tharle depending on the quality of events around the province resistant gene by looking and Todd Eastman from honey and what containers to bring attention to the for the related protein the Commission’s Labour were used to transport the importance and value of marker. By analyzing a Committee. They put in a honey. A premium is paid for honey bees. honey bee’s antenna it substantial amount of work clover honey in new barrels can be determined which regarding the POLO office that is then exported out of The BCHPA is planning proteins are present in and Filipino workers coming Canada. Alberta beekeepers to hold an Integrated Pest individual bees. Dr. Foster’s to Alberta this past year. are hosting their annual Management seminar in lab at UBC is receiving I know everyone in the Integrated Pest Management conjunction with their research assistance from province that uses foreign (IPM) meeting on February semi-annual meeting in Liz Huxter in Grand Forks workers appreciates the 9 and 10 in Edmonton. The Kamloops next March. We and Dr. Stephen Pernal at committee’s hard work. It focus is on the diagnosis and are also planning to sponsor the federal research lab in has been a pleasure to serve control of nosema. There will a number of queen rearing Beaverlodge Alberta. on the Alberta Beekeepers also be an emphasis on using workshops around the board this past year as we’ve miticides, as well as the province next summer.

February 2010 HiveLights CO-OP Honey Packer a consumer newsletter away, delivered right to your that is sent via e-mail to door. At the recently held Annual This past fall Bee Maid all who subscribe. The General Meeting of Bee teamed up with Brandon newsletter contains valuable Bee Maid is proud to Maid Honey Limited, Neil Boone, Editor of Flavours information about honey announce the continuation of Specht from, Eatonia SK magazine and CBC radio and bees and offers a wide apicultural research funding was elected Chairman personality, for our Bee range of new ideas for the and has just recently called and Ron Bacon of Maid brand use of honey from recipes for this year’s submissions. Kinistino, SK was campaign – “Are to shampoos. If you would Bee Maid will consider elected as Vice- You Up for the like to subscribe to this free project proposals in any area Chair. Joining Challenge?” newsletter please visit our of apiculture or pollination the Executive this Brandon is a real website at www.beemaid. research. Preference will coming year are honey fan and com. Bee Maid is now be given to the area of Elmer Zumwalt of appreciates the featuring Members and their honey, and the production Beaverlodge, AB magic of using families in this newsletter, of pure quality honey in Gordon Marks and Lorne Peters honey in recipes. another affordable approach the Canadian beekeeping from Kleefeld, MB. Mr. Bee Maid Honey lovers to conveying the message industry. In recent years, Bill Bygarski, Jr. stepped were invited to submit their that Bee Maid is truly 100% Bee Maid has contributed down as Chairman of the favorite honey recipe. The Canadian. in excess of $40,000 Board. Bill was a Director promotion concluded on to apiculture research for the last nine years and November 30th, 2009 with When visiting the web site, in Canada. For more Chairman of the Bee Maid Brandon now having the please remember to visit information please contact Board for the last six years. difficult task of selecting the Bee Maid’s Bee Store that Guy Chartier at (204) 786- Thank you to Bill for all winner. can be accessed under the 8977 ext 234 or by email at the years of dedication and Beekeeping tab. Your Bee [email protected] service to Bee Maid Honey. Bee Maid regularly produces Supplies are only a click

Ontario Beekeeper’s Association. In queen bee breeding and integrated pest Fred Rathje Award 2000 he joined the team at Rutgers management, including giving classes Heather Clay, CEO Canadian Honey Council, Calgary AB University New Jersey as an Assistant to those who are anxious to learn from Professor in Entomology the best. Each year he uses his network The Canadian Honey and began an integrated in the research world to bring top Council has a prestigious pest management speakers to Canada for an Integrated award for a person who approach for beekeepers Pest Management Program conference has made a significant, in the Mid Atlantic in Edmonton, Alberta. positive contribution for States. An opportunity Tthe betterment of the for a return to Canada In addition to his work with Alberta honey bee industry of arose in 2002 when he Agriculture, Medhat is Vice President of Canada. At the CHC accepted the position of the Canadian Association of Professional annual general meeting Provincial Apiculturist Apiculturists and a member of the in Orlando Florida, the for Alberta. Canadian Honey Council Hive Health Board of Directors committee and he works closely with selected Dr. Medhat His passion for other apiculture research institutes, Nasr to receive the Dr Medhat Nasr with the apiculture and commercial and hobby beekeepers in award this year. Rathje Award dedicated research Canada and the USA. He was recently Photo: Heather Clay has resulted in awarded the Distinguished Achievement Dr. Nasr is a PhD graduate of approval of formic acid for our industry, Award by Alberta Beekeepers. University of California, Davis where recommendations for oxalic acid in the he gained experience in commercial Canadian climate and the establishment In his gracious acceptance of the beekeeping, queen bee breeding and of a successful tech transfer program Rathje Award, at the North American instrumental insemination. He has in Ontario that has become the envy Beekeepers Conference in Orlando, worked with great enthusiasm for the of other provinces. Medhat won the Medhat mentioned that he has not been honey bee industry for over twenty Award of Excellence for Research and back to Egypt since he left for California years. His first position after arriving Technology Development from Ontario and that we have become his family. in Canada in 1990 was as a research Ministry of the Environment in 1998 for It is with great pleasure that CHC assistant at the University of Guelph. the development of the IPM Program. acknowledges the work of this dedicated Three years later he accepted a position He believes in a sustainable industry professional and our special family as Tech Transfer Apiculturist for the and has spent many hours promoting member.

HiveLights February 2010 bees, which is something that was not Research Related to the Canadian possible with previous techniques. Dr. Hamiduzzaman as well as two graduate Pollination Initiative (CANPOLIN) students, Pegah Valizadeh and Gün Ernesto Guzman, Professor, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario Koleoglu, will be fully involved in these studies that will be conducted within the Research Related to the Canadian studies. It is important to develop reliable next three years. Additionally, we have Pollination Initiative (CANPOLIN) techniques, capable of detecting low levels the collaboration of Dr. Paul Goodwin, an Conducted at Ernesto Guzman’s lab of infection and useful at quantifying expert on gene expression studies. infection levels, so that no tedious RThe activities associated with our microscopic counts are necessary. Varroa mite control in honey bee contribution to CANPOLIN started colonies using organic pesticides applied during May, 2009 and the following is a Study on causes of bee mortality. with different delivery methods. report of what has been accomplished. A study was completed to determine the In addition to the above, although not part effect of bee population size and food of the CANPOLIN initiative, we have reserves, as well as that of parasitic mites been working for more than five years on and Nosema infections on the survivorship this project, with the objective of using of over-wintered honey bee colonies. essential oils and other natural compounds Varroa mite infestations were the leading for the control of varroa mites. Several cause of colony mortality (associated to natural products, especially organic acids > 85% of colony deaths), followed by fall (formic and oxalic acids) and essential oils, bee populations and food reserves. The have shown promising miticidal effects. complete study will be published in the We have tested more than 20 natural first issue of Apidologie in 2010. products for mite control in the laboratory and in field settings. The two products Establishment of a honey bee diagnostics that provided the best results in terms of laboratory. low toxicity to bees but high toxicity to This laboratory will be part of the National mites were thymol and oregano oil. Several Bee Diagnostics Network. Funds to materials and solvents were also tested establish this infrastructure were obtained as candidate carriers for their ability to from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, release a natural, volatile acaricide at a Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and uniform rate, for different periods of time. from the Ontario Beekeepers Association Absorbent pads, gelatin, and powdered (OBA). The laboratory is fully equipped sugar were selected as acaricide carriers. for molecular and parasitological studies. Bands of Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae with Then, new formulations of thymol were The infrastructure will be invaluable for the technique mounted in the lab developed and tested in Ontario in studies and diagnostics of bee diseases, 2007, 2008 and 2009 (and in Alberta by parasites and pests. Besides the study Pathogenic effects of Nosema species an independent group lead by Adony and diagnosis of bee diseases this lab will and varroa mites and natural resistance Melathopoulos and Steve Pernal during have techniques in place by 2010 to detect in honey bees against these parasites. the spring of 2009) with good results. We Africanized bees in the event they ever These studies are in the planning stage have finished the fall 2009 study and we make it into Canada. and are intended to further investigate are now in the process of counting mites. the pathogenic effects (capacity to cause We expect to have the results by the Incorporation of high quality personnel. disease) of Nosema apis and N. ceranae, as spring of 2010. We want to confirm the A postdoctoral position was created and Dr. well as those of varroa mites on bees. The repeatability of previous results with the Mollah Md. Hamiduzzaman was hired to recently established bee molecular and new formulations tested. establish diagnostics techniques and studies pathology laboratory of bee diseases in the lab. This position at the University of is partially funded by CANPOLIN and Guelph will be a key partially funded by OMAFRA. infrastructure for the studies proposed. We Establishment of diagnostics techniques. have also developed Techniques to diagnose Nosema disease, new techniques to including a molecular technique to extract DNA from differentiate between Nosema apis and these parasites as well Nosema ceranae were established. This as methods to reliably molecular technique will be further identify Nosema species improved to use it in Nosema disease even from single infected

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HiveLights February 2010 11 in urban areas across our region. before all was said and done, those Urban Beekeeping who got involved included the Allen Garr, VP British Columbia But the current wave of change actually longshoremen’s supervisor, the Port Honey Producers Association, Vancouver BC started about 5 years ago in Vancouver Authority, the captain of the Chinese I still remember my first swarm. I was where the mayor and council were ship, the provincial apiarist, the local terrified. But not because of the bees; developing a sustainable food policy only bee inspector and the Canadian Food it was the neighbours’ reaction. It was to discover the dearth of pollinators that Inspection Agency who were concerned a hazard of urban beekeeping. Fifteen existed and the fact that beekeeping was that the bees may have been Africanized. Iyears ago keeping hives illegal in their city. in Vancouver was illegal. The next morning another ship was held I considered it a bit like The work done by staff there for a time out in Burrard Inlet while the running a grow-op. continues to be used as a hived swarm was moved. template by municipalities we I came home one afternoon have lobbied to amend their In spite of all that, interest in urban to discover my bees had bylaws. That was the case in beekeeping continues to grow. Last headed down the back alley Burnaby, Richmond, North spring and in the middle of a provincial and settled two doors away Vancouver City and Delta election campaign, I place 4 hives on in a huge cluster on a pear which have all agreed to the biggest living roof in the country, on tree three feet above my Allen Garr keeps bees on change in the past two years. the new Vancouver Convention Centre. neighbour’s car port. That the roof of the Vancouver While I was giving a talk to folks inside evening I quietly crept down Convention Center What hasn’t changed is the the building about this new exhibit the alley with a hive body, frames, a lid attention a swarm can bring. City who should turn up but a campaigning and a bottom board. Then I climbed up swarms set of a series of calls to the Premier Gordon Campbell who started on the car port roof. I was about to shake police, the fire department, local pumping my hand and telling the crowd the cluster into the hive when I heard exterminators or city hall. And because these bees would produce the finest a noise behind me. The cops, I thought. we agree to set up swarm lists of honey in the province. Those hives can My career as an urban beekeeper was available beekeepers as part of our deal be seen, by the way, on YouTube.com over. to legalize beekeeping in municipalities, in Vancouver frequently those calls As I slowly turned I saw my neighbours: come to me. kids, adults, some with video cameras, some in their parents’ arms all fascinated And just as frequently swarm gathering by the magic of swarm gathering. And turns into a kind of performance art all fans of my keeping bees, many with done in the presence of an audience. stories of their relatives, often uncles or grandparents who once kept bees. I gathered a swarm in East Vancouver while a woman a few feet away was Since then interest in beekeeping in being debriefed on her cell phone by cities throughout the Lower Mainland a CBC radio reporter asking her to has been booming. Ironically this is describe my actions step by step. A Vancouver Civic Centre West has a six acre taking place against a backdrop of swarm that settled on the trunk of a car green roof planted with more than 400,000 indigenous plants and grasses. The garden severe colony losses due to diseases. across the road from a school yard was roof also supports four hives of honey bees Actually I think news of that devastation cordoned off with “danger” tape as three whose honey is used by the Centre’s kitchen. has peaked peoples’ interest more than cops stood guard in two cop cars and anything. students looked on. My bees at Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Gardens had their own brush But it is also happening at a time when One swarm I gathered this year landed with celebrity. Two jars of the honey people are more concerned about the on the hatch cover Chinese freighter they produced and I provided to the environment and local governments are arriving from California and coming in garden’s shop was bought by Camilla, more involved than ever in promoting a to dock at the Port of Vancouver. When the Duchess of Cornwall when HRH green agenda. the longshoremen discovered the bees and Chuck were out here recently. they walked off the job at a cost of I’ve found that it is that green agenda $15,000 an hour while that portion of That was urban honey being poured that is opening the door to many the port went idle. over royal porridge. What better municipal council when I’ve lobbied publicity could you imagine to promote as a regional rep for the B.C. Honey I got that call late in the evening from increasing the number of pollinators Producers often with other beekeepers, the provincial emergency response that populate our cities and enrich our to change bylaws and allow beekeeping centre in Victoria oddly enough. And environment?

12 February 2010 HiveLights NORTH AMERICAN BEEKEEPING ANNUAL CONVENTION REPORT

Corey Bacon, Chair of CHC Board of Directors, Kinistino SK AMERICAN BEEKEEPING CANADIAN HONEY Canadian Association of FEDERATION COUNCIL Professional Apiculturists

The joint CHC/ABF North American Convention their entire raffle tickets and oversell the banquet, which was a success. In spite of economic recession, areas many Canadians were in attendance. of poor honey crops and high losses in Canada we estimate that close to 200 Canadians attended this year’s Many of the Canadian beekeepers I talked with in convention. In discussions with the ABF management Orlando were already anxious to proceed with joint and executive, it could not have gone much better from conferences on a regular basis, including the planned their perspective - though they realize there are always joint AHPA and ABF meeting in 2011 in Galveston ways to improve. Being coupled with the CHC allowed Texas. The only complaints I received or were made them to attract more beekeepers and displayers than aware of were regarding structure and time limits for they anticipated as well as, for the first time ever, sell out presentations and the lack of initiatives in Orlando to

Samples of Pure Honey 100% Canadian Photo: Geoff Todd

support the CHC and our work. In my discussion with Zac Browning outgoing Presdent of ABF it was recognized that opportunities for CHC convention events and fund raising by the CHC/CBRF (raffle tickets, trade show, sponsorship, auction, banquet, etc) that happen in Canada and other logistics need be addressed going forward to ensure CHC receives full benefits of joint conventions. They have committed to address these needs to help bring the CHC on board for joint North American meetings. Should a successful joint convention in 2011 of all organizations (including CHC) occur, the plan would be to join together every 3 -4 years. Consideration of conference locations in Canada and Mexico in the future would also be discussed. Dan Walker (left) from Ontario and Tom Trueman (right) from New Brunswick man the Canadian Honey Council Booth. Photo: Geoff Todd P pg 14

HiveLights February 2010 13 Canadian Honey Council Board with team ball caps. Photo: Garry McCue

Not only did we (CHC) have a productive board working relationship with their organization. meeting with clear directives going forward on most fronts through association resolutions, strategic priorities, We also had the opportunity to meet with the National committee work and director input, we also had the Beekeepers Organization of Mexico delegation to opportunity to meet with other organizations to establish discuss issues pertaining to labour and training, beneficial relationships. information exchange, technology/research sharing and formal relationships between our organizations; with the A meeting of the CHC executive following the AGM to main focus on labour and training. We will be looking at the potential for a memorandum of understanding and action plan between our associations going forward on training/labour issues.

Gordon Marks (right) from Manitoba socialising at the CHC booth with David Hackenberg (left), Ron Althouse and Stephen Page. Photo: Geoff Todd ensure office resources and direction are clear, progress/ action plans is undertaken within developed time frames on issues/resolutions and further committee/board meetings time schedules are established. Corey Bacon with the National Beekeepers Organization of Mexico’s We met with and addressed CAPA on CHC and president Porfiro Galindo. our activities as well as continue to develop our close Photo: Geoff Todd

14 February 2010 HiveLights Corey Bacon (Chair) with Heather Clay (CEO) Photo: Garry McCue industry and ideas pertaining to a closer semi formal/ formal working relationship amongst all three groups. A formal invitation was also offered by outgoing ABF New ABF President David Mendes (Sporting a Canadian Honey Council President Zac Browning for all N American groups Cap) enjoying the presentations. to join in discussions/negotiation to host another joint Photo: Geoff Todd convention between our three national organization Members of the CHC executive also met for a joint coupled with the AHPA in Galveston, Texas (Jan 4-8) supper meeting with members of the ABF board and 2011. The Mexican organization committed to a formal the Mexican National Organization delegation. The discussion and indicated they would participate in the Mexican organization provided information on their 2011 conference. CHC will give it strong consideration.

Heather Clay and Corey Bacon (centre) with the Mexican delegation, extreem right is Sasha Wasylenchuk from Saskatchewan. Photo: Geoff Todd

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16 February 2010 HiveLights a total number of 150,000 bee colonies. Beekeeping Project in Armenia The majority of beekeepers own Peter Keating, Apilac, St Prime, QC from 30 to 50 hives. There appears to be no active apicultural branch in In the fall of 2009 I had the chance zinc. Armenia has a continental the government so this data is hard to work on a beekeeping project in climate with summer temperatures to verify. There are no extension Armenia. This project was CESO- ranging between 25o and 35o, and services for education of beekeepers SACO funded to assist in technical winter temperatures as low as minus and no diagnostic services for disease. Itransfer to beekeepers in a developing 15o Celsius. The climate allows for a Most beekeepers suspect they have some diseases and often treat prophylactically.

The beekeeping assignment was based in Meghradzor village (alt. 1,800 m.) close to the town of Hrazdan which is some 40km from the capital city of Yeravan. In the village of Meghradzor (population 3,000) there are approximately 20 beekeepers. The beekeeping family with whom I stayed were Artyom Mikaelyan and his father Pavel. They jointly run a small business called Bee City. They own and operate a store in Hrazdan that provides beekeeping supplies and they also manage 100 colonies for the production of honey and royal jelly. They have plans for increasing the number of colonies to supply the market for honey and also royal Hives at Geghard Monastery. Photo: Peter Keating jelly. Bee City has also contracted a company to produce plastic cell country. Armenia, a small country of variety of agricultural crops from the cups which they use, and also sell to 30,000 sq.kms, (Quebec has 1,365,128 staple potato to the grapes used for other beekeepers. During my visit in km2) is nestled in between Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. It is an ancient country settled since the Neolithic period and the first nation to adopt Christianity. Its strategic location has caused it to be fought over many times, a fact that has endowed the country and its people with a long and often sad history. Noah’s mountain, Mount Ararat, was at one time in the country of Armenia until the land was taken by Turkey. Armenia has been independent from the USSR since 1991. Many wars and conflicts coupled with a genocide has created a small population of 3 million Armenians living in the country and a much greater number living outside of it (a Diaspora of 8 million). BeeCity owners Pavel and Sirarpy Mikaelyan. Photo: Peter Keating A land locked country with arid making some high quality wines. October there were no stocks of honey mountains and bountiful valleys, and very little royal jelly available, due it possesses a variety of natural There are supposedly 3,000 resources such as gold, copper and beekeepers throughout Armenia with P pg 18

HiveLights February 2010 17 alfalfa, strawberry, raspberry, linden (basswood) and thyme. Judging by the number of fruit trees that I saw there must be a good amount of nectar available from them also.

The beekeeper stays with the colonies during this period for security reasons and also to extract the honey. Queen rearing and royal jelly production start in the month of May. The collected royal jelly is stored in small refrigerators that are brought to the yards along with tents and generators.

After the summer flow is over and the crop is extracted (in the field) the colonies are moved closer to home for an autumn honey crop. The autumn crop is most likely to be extracted at home as the colonies are closer to the extracting and packing facilities. Artyom and Pavel Mikaelyan in spring bee yard. Mount Ararat in background. to a poor season. and 34 hives, they said that we must All the honey is sold retail and as have very few flowers for our bees! 2009 was a poor year all the crop had Beekeeping is similar to most The spring locations help the colonies been sold. Most customers purchase beekeeping in Europe and cannot develop for the honey crops. As in sufficient for the family needs for the be compared to North American Canada the dandelion is abundant at coming year. beekeeping. The most common hive this time and it also flowers a second style is a Dadant which is large and deep, and difficult to move. The bees are not what one would expect for the area and I suspect that a lot were imported from Russia. The bees are dark and resemble what we Canadians purchase as “Russian”. As it was late when I was in the country I was unable to open many hives but did notice that the colonies were small and the beekeepers had removed the frames that the bees were not covering. All the beekeepers visited had put blankets in the empty spaces in the hive and also on top. In most areas it appears that the beekeepers place the hives in the cellar of the house in November for the winter.

Once winter is over, in February or March and the temperatures are Meghradzor village nestled in the mountains. Photo: Peter Keating around 10o, the beekeepers move their hives out of the cellars to spring time in the autumn. It should be noted that at present there locations at lower elevations further is no demand for pollination services. south. These locations may be 200 Later the colonies are moved to km from the village. The locations are summer locations which may also I thank the Mikaelyan family and often communal and may contain up be communal and would contain a other beekeepers for their hospitality to 400 hives. When I mentioned that few hundred hives. The main flowers during my visit. in Canada our yards were between 16 according to local beekeepers are

18 February 2010 HiveLights better to use ‘natural’ plants as many Plants For Bees: subUrban Apiaries popular flower varieties have been Douglas Clay, Research Scientist, Calgary, AB hybridized for attributes that are valued by the gardener consumer, e.g. disease Common Name: vegetables and fruit However ants, wasps, native bees, resistance, flower size or color, and (squash, berries, etc.), flowering trees bumblebees, butterflies, moths and bigger, longer blooms. Unfortunately (apple, caragana, etc.), and ornamental even bats all do their part. Without such hybridization can reduce the flowers them there would be limited production production of nectar and pollen and C of seed, fruit, and vegetables. It is often sometimes leaves the resulting plant Range and Distribution: morphologically altered to such an Many Canadian ‘gardens’ are seasonal in extent that the pollen and nectar, even design and thus the plants that are used if produced, become unavailable to the to populate them can come from almost bees. any climatic zone. Annual plants do not need to be resilient enough to survive our Urban farming winters. Urban and suburban gardens Urban farming can be taken up as a are generally composed of decorative business, a source of family food, or flowering plants and trees. More recently a community cooperative project for the phenomenon of the downtown nutritional, social and environmental urban vegetable garden is growing in benefits. The trend to industrial popularity. agriculture has triggered a movement towards urban gardens for local, safe, This wide diversity of plants provides nutritious food. forage for honey bees, from the first flush of dandelions and crab apples Honey bees are an important to the last gasp of petunias and asters. component of urban farming but the In addition, an enormous volunteer activity of beekeeping is not welcomed labour force waters and fertilizes everywhere. Many urban beekeepers the gardens, controls the weeds to face a number of obstacles in starting reduce competition and removes spent up their enterprise including in some flowers to extend the growing and municipalities bylaws and policies that honey harvest season. may ban beekeeping1 altogether.

Ecology Urban beekeeper Jean Paucton removing In 2003 the City of Vancouver Every garden needs pollinators and frames from the hive atop the Paris Opera. established a ‘just and sustainable food honey bees are among the best. Photo: Franco Zecchin. policy’, this led to several high profile urban agriculture projects e.g. Maple Community Garden operated under the ‘City Farmer’. By 2005, pressure from local beekeepers and community gardeners encouraged the City to reverse its bylaw that prohibited operating an apiary. The rationale was:

“Urban hobby beekeeping provides increased biodiversity and pollination for horticultural plants in backyard, community and public gardens. Hobby beekeeping is considered to be part of a broader Urban Agriculture strategy currently being developed under the umbrella of the City’s food policy mandate.”

1. Ontario has a regulation under the Ontario Bees Act that effectively bans urban beekeeping – ‘No person shall place hives or leave hives containing bees within 30 metres of a property line’.

P pg 21

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20 February 2010 HiveLights These beekeepers then helped Janice 4. Arrange for a succession of Globe thistle (Echinops), Goldenrod, Bobic, a beekeeper in Burnaby BC flowering – Bees and other pollinators Penstemon, Rose, Sunflower to successfully fight a bylaw against require food throughout the summer (Helianthus), Wallflower Erysimum( ), months, to do this your Zinnia. (Some commercial crops have garden patches will very attractive, long lived blooms that need to create a mosaic are not out of place in a garden, e.g. of habitats flowering canola, phacelia, sainfoin, etc.) sequentially through the growing season. • Fruit and vegetables: Blueberry (Vaccinium), Currant (Ribes), Melons Although there is (Cucumis), Raspberries currently great interest in native plant gardens, • Trees and Shrubs: Apple, Caragana, one should keep in mind Cotoneaster, Crab apple, Elder, that Apis mellifera is the Linden (Tilia), Maple, Snowberry European honey bee and (Symphoricarpos), Willow (Salix) it evolved over millions of years with European • Weeds: generally provided gratis in Bees on the Roof of the Royal York in Toronto. Photo: Nicole Feenstra plants. Generally disturbed areas, empty lots, alleys, and honey bees can harvest roadsides. beekeeping in her area. Many cities European plants more efficiently than in the USA have taken steps to native North American plants and the It may be possible to speak with your encourage urban farming by assisting pollen is more suitable for developing city garden department, university/ to find usable land. larvae. Thus beekeepers should always business campus, local cemetery, or confirm the suitability of native plants industrial park about planting honey Bees are being kept in many before planting for a honey crop. Bees bee friendly gardens. cosmopolitan cities in a wide range are looking for 2 key nutrients: of locations from the roof of the new Honey/Pollen Potential: Vancouver Convention Center to the • Nectar - composed of sugars, the Honey bees are the number one Paris Opera house to balcony gardens bee’s main source of carbohydrate managed pollinator in North America. in Melbourne. Recently the Royal which is used for energy, and With the increasing loss of native York Hotel in downtown Toronto has pollinators honey bees are becoming added 3 hives to their roof top herb • Pollen – which contains fats and more vital to the success of the garden. proteins that are used for growth, urban vegetable garden. The wide particularly of the brood. diversity of nectar sources in the Attracting bees to your urban garden urban environment makes it difficult In addition bees will need a source of to estimate how much honey a colony To attract bees to the urban garden clean water, if water is not provided might gather, or what the major nectar you need to create ‘bee friendly’ they will find it – either in the contributors might be or what flavour habitat: neighbour’s swimming pool or in the and colour will result. These factors old oil drum next to the local garage. that reduce beekeeper control coupled 1. Use no or little insecticides – To with the great diversity also means the avoid insecticides and still control Plants that attract bees yields are generally relatively stable pests try using cultural techniques or The internet has many regional lists and protected from the wild swings organic treatments. of plants that are attractive to honey often found in the rural environment. bees. The types of plants that are 2. Plant flowers or vegetables in attractive to honey bees include Generally most hives, in areas not clumps – Bees are more attracted flowers, vegetables, herbs, trees and over populated with honey bees, will to groupings of flowers of a species shrubs, etc. Some of the more popular2 produce between 25 – 45 kg (60 compared to a mix of species spread include: - 100 lbs) per year. Some individual over the garden. Plant your flowers in plant species will make significant patches at least a meter wide. • Herbs: Basil, Coriander, Fennel, contributions due to the availability Lavender, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, and abundance despite the relatively 3. Plant where bees will visit – Bees Rosemary, Sage lower amount of nectar produced prefer areas that are sunny with some shelter from the wind. The sunny side • Flowers: Aster, Black-eyed Susan 2. The underlined plant names have been featured in past years of a wall or fence would be best for (Rudbeckia), Coreopsis, Cosmos, Daisy, in the Hivelights series ‘Plants for Bees’. the garden. Dandelions, Giant hyssop (Agastache), P pg 22

HiveLights February 2010 21 References: Harmon, K. 2009. Urban Beekeepers Keep Cities Abuzz with Pollinators. Scientific American. March 31, 2009. (Available: http:// www. scientificamerican.com / article. cfm?id=urban-beekeeping-pollinators [accessed Dec 29, 2009].)

Bradely, S. 2005. Hobby Beekeeping (Urban Apiculture) in Vancouver. Policy Report - Social Development. City of Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Available: http:// www.vancouver. ca / ctyclerk / cclerk / 20050721 / documents / pe3.pdf [accessed Dec 29, 2009].)

Melathopoulos, A. 2009. Getting the Scoop on Chicago Honey Coop. Hivelights 22(1):10-12.

Allen Garr’s rooftop hives on Vancouver’s Convention Centre Flottum, K., W. Ringle. 2005. The per m2. These include: apple/crab a heavy spring nectar flow the urban Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute apple, blackberry/raspberry, cherry, beekeeper can consider taking two Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Bees cucumber/melon, dandelion, peach harvests: one in early summer (light in Your Yard and Garden. Rockport and plum. These plants generally coloured spring honey) and another Publishers, Beverley, USA. 168pp.

Flottum, K. 2009. DIY Backyard Beekeeping: A Guide for Beginners. (Available: http:// www.thedailygreen. com / environmental-news / latest / diy-backyard-beekeeping-47031701 [accessed Dec 2, 2009].)

Lovell, H.B. 1977. Honey plants. Gleanings in Bee Culture. Medina, USA. 96pp.

Ramsay, J. 1987. Plants for Beekeeping in Canada and the northern USA. IBRA, Cardiff, UK. 198pp

Skelton, J. 2006. Adventures in Urban Beekeeping – The Sweet Feats of the Toronto Beekeepers Cooperative. Briarpatch. June/July John Gibeau (left) president of Honeybee Centre, and Graeme Evans, Fairmont Waterfront’s 2006:14-17. (Available: http:// www. beekeeper (and director of housekeeping), harvest honey from hives on the hotel’s terrace while Evans wears the beginning of a bee beard. Photo: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun foodshare.net / download / Urbanbees. pdf [accessed Dec 2, 2009].) produce less than 50 kg/ha of honey. in late fall (darker summer-autumn Other plants that can produce honey); thus collecting two types of Somerville, D. 2005. Fat Bees Skinny significantly more honey per 2m (over honey for the table. Bees: a manual on honey bee nutrition 50 kg/ha) often contribute less to the for beekeepers. Rural Industries crop because they are less abundant. Research Development Corporation. These include: beans, currants, chives, NSW Dept Primary Industry. Barton, leeks, onion, squash, and turnip. After ACT, Australia: 142 pp.

22 February 2010 HiveLights Integrated Management of Nosema & N. ceranae spore levels far below untreated controls. By 27 May Detection of Antibiotic Residues levels in the untreated colonies Stephen F. Pernal, Abdullhah Ibrahim and Andony P. Melathopoulos naturally declined to below 600,000 Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge Research Farm, P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge, AB, T0H 0C0 spores per bee and were similar to those in the patty and syrup Nosema ceranae is a highly adapted untreated colonies. On 4 June, treatments. From 3 June onward, pathogenic fungus that has been the inoculated, untreated colonies spore levels in untreated colonies associated with the depopulation peaked at 4.7 million spores, while remained low and indistinguishable and death of honey bee colonies in heat treated colonies remained from those in other treatments. NEurope and North America. In intermediate to reduced levels Additional treatment effects will be 2009, our team evaluated methods observed in all remaining treatments. examined following processing of for disinfecting N. ceranae spores Over successive weeks, separation remaining sample dates from the fall on comb and also performed among treatments diminished until of 2009. experiments to evaluate the efficacy 16 July when spore levels in all of spring- and fall-applied fumagillin- colonies, including those inoculated A further observation from this study based therapies. We also continued and untreated, were at or below an was that the seasonal decrease in to examine patterns of N. ceranae average of 100,000 spores per bee. untreated spore levels during mid- abundance from selected commercial These spore levels will continue to summer was similar to that typically beekeeping operations. be monitored among treatments seen for N. apis in temperate climates during the late fall, winter and and does not mimic the absence of Comb Disinfection. The reuse of spring of 2009/10. seasonal trends reported from N. contaminated comb is a significant ceranae- infected colonies in southern avenue for spreading Nosema apis, In general, the acetic acid fumigation, Europe. a parasite very closely related heat and irradiation treatments to N. ceranae. While the mode of all suppressed spore development Samples from our fall-applied transmitting N. ceranae remains in bees for specific intervals of fumagillin treatment experiment are poorly understood, we hypothesized time, however only spore levels currently being analyzed and will be that methods previously in the irradiated treatment were discussed at a later date. Fumagillin demonstrated to kill N. apis on maintained at levels similar to non- residues in honey from previous comb would also be effective at inoculated colonies for the duration efficacy experiments are also being decontaminating N. ceranae. of the summer. analyzed.

Our comb disinfection experiment Fumagillin Treatments. Sixty Nosema Phenology: In this involved artificially infecting frames colonies from a commercial component of the project we of comb with N. ceranae spores, beekeeping operation in northern surveyed the seasonal occurrence of placing these frames in brood Alberta were used to test four N. ceranae and N. apis spores in bees chambers, disinfecting them using fumagillin-containing treatments across different regions of Canada. acetic acid fumigation, heat or formulated either in bulk syrup, A more complete understanding of irradiation (Fig. 1) and comparing low volume syrup drenches, pollen the seasonal occurrence of these two the subsequent infection after patties or icing sugar dustings, species will help formulate a more establishing bees on the comb. against untreated colonies. effective strategy for managing both Treatments were applied twice Nosema species. Thirteen days after hiving package during the spring so that each colony bees on the comb (15 May 09), received a total cumulative dose of The phenology study began in 2008 spore levels within inoculated, 100 mg a.i. fumagillin, equivalent to and we continued to receive samples untreated colonies rapidly the spring label rate. from 11 participating producers in proliferated to 2.4 million spores 2009. Beekeepers were selected per bee while all other treatments At the commencement of experiment on the basis of having N. ceranae remained below a maximum of on 22 April 2009, colonies had identified within their operations 167,000 spores per bee. By 21 May, natural N. ceranae infections that by provincial apiculturists. These however, spore levels in the acetic averaged 4.3 million spores per beekeepers sampled apiaries on acid fumigated and the heat treated bee. Only one week after treatment a biweekly basis from April until colonies were similar to inoculated, application, suppressive effects October in 2009. untreated colonies whereas were evident and by 6 May all irradiated colonies still remained formulations of fumagillin were at levels similar to noninoculated, observed to equally suppress P pg 22

HiveLights February 2010 23 Analysis of our 2009 samples is infections during mid-summer also 2. Applications of 100 mg a.i. ongoing. Based on a final overview emphasizes the need for active fumagillin, irrespective of the of Nosema spp. infections from 2008, management of this disease during formulations evaluated, are effective it is evident that no one distinct the spring. Based on these findings at suppressing active infections of pattern is present among beekeepers. we encourage beekeepers to take N. ceranae over spring and summer Some samples indicate that N. ceranae samples from colonies that fail to months. may be present during the summer build-up and produce honey by mid- by virtue of the fact that unusually summer and have them inspected for 3. In northern Alberta, N. ceranae high levels of infection were detected the presence of N. ceranae. spore levels appear to naturally between mid-June and August. decline during mid-summer, similar High mid-summer spore counts are General Conclusions: to patterns historically seen for N. not typical with N. apis and suggest apis. Nevertheless, isolated survey N. ceranae. This will be confirmed 1. Irradiation is the most effective results suggest that some beekeepers with PCR analysis. method of disinfecting comb may experience persistent summer contaminated with N. ceranae spores. infections. The possibility of high N. ceranae

Figure 1. Treatments used in N. ceranae comb disinfection study: A. Acetic acid fumigation (Top, acetic acid in tray (120 mL of 80% acetic acid per box). Bottom, stacked boxes in fumigation chamber); B. Heat treatment in constant temperature oven (49° C for 24 h) ; C. Electron beam irradiation (10 kGy).

24 February 2010 HiveLights The Saskatchewan Beekeeper’s Wanted: Technology Adaptation Specialist Association Receives Multi-year Funding Project funded by: CAAP – ACS for their Technology Adaptation Team Employment Type – 3 year contract to commence April 1, 2010 Location – Prince Albert SK News Release – December 16, 2009 Salary – Negotiable and commensurate with experience and qualifications

The Saskatchewan Beekeeper’s Association has The Saskatchewan Beekeepers Association is seeking a motivated obtained approval for a $½ million, three year project individual to lead its new Technology Adaptation Team. You will be through the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan’s responsible for running research and extension program within the (ACS) Canadian Agriculture Adaptation Program mandate of the granted funding with a team of up to 2 summer staff. (CAAP). This project is a proactive approach to addressing resistant Varroa mites, high winter Duties of the Technology Adaptation Specialist will include, but not be mortality, and the questionable efficacy of alternative limited to: disease control treatments and techniques in - Efficacy testing of various mite treatments Saskatchewan’s climate. - Writing and presenting extension materials - Report writing The project is a combination of applied research - Cooperate and communicate with other research programs and extension. The applied research will assist in - Be responsible to a Steering committee as determined by the SBA determining the best application methods, timings - Must possess a valid Canadian drivers license and combinations of treatment methods to manage Varroa mites in Saskatchewan’s short treatment The ideal candidate will have very good communication skills, a post windows. In addition another component will graduate degree involving honey bee health, (a B.Sc. with work work on assessing better wintering techniques. equivalence will be considered) strong knowledge of honey bees, and Recommendations will be developed from the results beekeeping, and knowledge of efficacy testing for mite control agents. and delivered to beekeepers through the large Knowledge of beekeeping in the Prairie Provinces, and ability to adapt extension component of the project. new information to improve the project would be beneficial.

The project will start April 1 2010 and the SBA is Application Deadline – all applications to be received by Feb 12 / 2010 currently looking for a qualified person to run the Send applications to: Saskatchewan Beekeepers Association project. Box 55 RR3, Yorkton SK S3N 2X5 Email: [email protected]

There is hope for the bees MAQS™ moves a giant step forward by allowing beekeepers to not only treat DURING the honey flow BUT to target the after all Varroa directly were they live and breed. The MAQS™ is David Vanderdussen, NOD Apiary Products, Frankford, ON a single application treatment. The treatment period is only seven days, and upon completion the spent strip can either Varroa mites have and continue to be the biggest problem for be left in the hive for disposal by the bees or can simply be bees around the world. The Varroa mite has been identified as thrown into the compost. It is 100% compostable. a major contributing factor to the massive bee losses. MAQS™ has been shown to be exceptionally effective in Hard chemical pesticides have been tried and used for many killing Varroa under worker brood cap - while they are either years BUT there usefulness has run its course. Varroa have being born or mating BUT doing all this without causing any developed resistance to virtually all of the traditional hard significant damage to the pupating larva. chemical pesticides available to control them - one of the Trials have been conducted in Canada, Hawaii, Florida, Texas reasons identified for sudden colony losses. and three sites in Europe. BUT there is hope on the horizon. A small Canadian MAQS™ is a new formulation of Formic Acid and is “Patent company has developed, tested and trial run a new generation Pending”. Each MAQS™ strip is less than 6mm/ 1/4” thick so of Varroa mite control product. that it fits easily into the bee space. Each treatment consists NOD Apiary Products introduced MAQS™ - The “Mite of two strips placed either between brood chambers or on top Away Quick Strip™” to the world on September 16th in between brood and honey supers. No additional equipment Montpellier France at the 41st Congress of Apimondia. is required and excellent efficacy has been obtained in MAQS™ is the first truly new Varroa treatment in many temperatures up to 33C/92F. years. Many beekeepers have been forced by this lack of NOD is working to have MAQS™ available in Hawaii in available and innovative treatments to rely on using chemical October 2009 then available in January/February 2010 for treatments that have not only been hurting their bees but general distribution as registrations are obtained. contaminating wax and honey. www.miteaway.com

HiveLights February 2010 25 The proof is in the frame! Made from 100% Natural Vegetable Ingredients Above, picture taken February 14, 2008 (TX) Contains: Below, picture taken March 18, 2008 (TX) No Pollen - No Hive Products - No Animal Products - No Soy Products - No Chemicals Formulated to closely emulate the natural diet of Honeybees Available Dry and in Patties Available from: Ellingson’s Inc. – 1.888.273.2300 Cell - 1.320.760.6769 www.FeedBee.com

with queen rearing and royal jelly production experience. Monthly Classifieds: salary range $2,300 - $2,800, depending on experience. Send resumes to Manager, Honeyland Canada Inc. Help Wanted email: [email protected] or Fax 604-460-8887.

Help Wanted - Experienced Beekeepers: Prince(SK) Help Wanted - Full time, seasonal, Beekeeper: Carlisle (ON) 4 experienced beekeepers wanted from April to October 2010 March through October. Beeyard and honey house work. Heavy Wages $13.25 per hour lifting, No bee sting allergies please. Send resume to John Van Alten, Send resume to Happy Bee Honey Inc. Fax: 306-445-6555 Dutchman’s Gold Inc., 300 Carlisle Rd., Carlisle ON L0R 1H2 Email: [email protected] or email [email protected]

Help Wanted - 9 Beekeepers wanted: Aylsham (SK) Help Wanted - 9 Seasonal Workers: Langenburg (SK) Full time beekeeping help wanted April to October. Beekeeping Full time beekeeper required experience would be preferred. Starting wage $12.75 per hour. Beekeeping experience an asset. Apr 15 till Oct 31, $12.75 per hour. Contact Dan Valleau [email protected] Glory bee Honey, phone 306-743-5469 or email DennisGlennie@ sasktel.net for more information Help Wanted - Two experienced Apiarists : St Andrews (MB) Two experienced Apiarists for April - November, and July - Help Wanted - Seasonal Beekeepers:Nipawin (SK) September, 2010. Wages, $12.15+, depending on experience. Health Wanted: Experienced Beekeepers wanted for seasonal position in Insurance and Workers’ Compensation. Driver’s Licence required. Nipawin area of Saskatchewan. Pay based on experience, housing and Contact “Marg’s Honey” c/o Margaret Smith, 1051 Porcher Road, St. transportation. Contact Yves Garez ph: 306-862-5979 fax 306-862- Andrews, MB R1A 3N4, Phone / Fax Resume and cover letter 204- 5974 or email [email protected] 254-4509 or via e-mail [email protected]. Help Wanted - 12 Beekeepers : Shellbrook (SK). Help Wanted - Seasonal Beekeepers: Rocanville (SK) Need 12 willing beekeeping workers for Apr.-Nov. 2010. Seasonal Beekeepers Wanted for Saskatchewan operation. Pay starts at $12.75 with bonuses based on performance. March - Oct. Experience Preferred. Wage $12.75/hr based on Training is on the job. Accommodations provided on rental basis. experience. Contact Murray: 306-747-3299 or Contact: B.Strong Apiaries Ltd. email [email protected] fax: (306) email: [email protected] 645-4591 Help Wanted - Two Seasonal and Four Summer - Kinistino (SK) Help Wanted - 3 Experienced Beekeepers: Honeyland (BC) Help wanted (7-8 months from April to November). For March-November 2010. Preference will be given to candidates Two seasonal and four summer workers (2-3 months from July to

26 February 2010 HiveLights Sept) are required in Northeastern Saskatchewan for two commercial WANTED: 2 Experienced Beekeepers for 2010 Honey Season, April honey operations. 15 to October 15. Must be experienced in Beekeeping. Wages starting at Experience and knowledge of bee colonies and honey production $12.75 per hour. Phone Wade at 306-768-3886 or email janzen.honey@ would be required. sasktel.net A valid drivers license is necessary and English speaking skills would be an asset but must be physical fit. Available to work evenings, Wanted to Buy weekends and some holidays is a must. The hours range from 36-60 hours per week and rate of pay between Wanted Honey - Borage and buckwheat honey. 100% pure honey. $8.50 to $12.75 depending on experience. We are just north of Toronto. Call Henry Nauta, Penauta Products Bacon Apiaries FAX resume with cover letter to 306-864-2451 Inc. Phone 905-640-1564 or fax 905-640-7479 Baconian Bee Farm FAX resume with cover letter to 306-864-3680 Wanted - Used Round Comb Honey Equipment. Supers, Frames, etc. Help Wanted - Seasonal Beekeepers & Unskilled labourers: Roblin (MB) Cobana/Ross Round Size. Full-time seasonal experienced Apiarists for April-October 2010 Best Price. We pick up. 403-599-3953. Summit Gardens Honey, Milo, 10 Positions available at Wendell Honey in 2010. Duties include Alberta. www.summitgardenshoney.com helping with spring check, hive management, and pulling honey, fall feeding and wrapping. Wages $12.50 to $17.00 depending on For Sale experience with Wendell Honey. Also: 6 Unskilled labourers for the honey house and the bee yards For Sale - Foundation - For all your foundation needs, any size wired (assistant apiarist) from April 20 to mid October 2010. Work is or without, organic or conventional, place orders by phone 780-835- physically demanding. No experienced required. $10.00 per hour. 2115 or fax 780-835-2873 or email [email protected]. Phone Tim or Isabel at 204 564 2315, email [email protected] or fax 204 564 2568 or fax resume to 204 564 2568 or mail Wendell Honey, Box For Sale - Queen Bees, Equipment, Wax spinner (Cowan), Dadant 1439, Roblin, MB. R0L 1P0 honey dryer (Will remove 1-2% moisture from barrel/hour), honey dryer (will remove 1% moisture from 8 barrels in 24 hours) gang drill, Help Wanted - Experienced Beekeepers Wanted: Porcupine Plain(SK) bottom boards, queens, cells. Full time beekeeping help wanted for active beekeeping season. (306)398-3633, (306)398-2795, [email protected]. Experienced beekeeper wanted for April to October 2010. Wages based on experience $12-15 per hour. Contact Brad Lechler 306-278- 2198, Porcupine Plain SK.

Help Wanted - 4 Beekeepers: Shellbrook (SK) Wanted 4 beekeepers for May to October 2009. Wages depending on experience.Contact Jason Rinas, Email: [email protected] or Phone: 306-747-2654

Help Wanted -15 Beekeepers Wanted: Nipawin (SK) Full time beekeeping help, April to October. Beekeeping experience would be preferred. Wages start at $12.00 per hour. Contact Mark Knox, [email protected] , 306-862-5657, Box 179 Nipawin,Sask. S0E 1E0.

Help Wanted - 6 Beekeepers: Mission (BC) 6 experienced beekeepers wanted from March-November. Preference will be given Use round comb section equipment by to candidates with queen rearing experience. Ross Rounds, Inc. and see how this low Must be able to operate truck and fork lift. cost investment can increase your profits. Wages based on experience. Golden Ears • 8 oz. Sells For Same As 12 oz. Apiaries BC. Contact Jean Marc LeDorze, • Minimal Labor [email protected] or phone 604-820-6924. • Bees Fill Completely • No Breakage And No Propolis Help Wanted - Skilled Beekeeper : Vanderhoof • Attractive Durable Package Comb Honey (BC) Beekeeper wanted aproximately April to October To purchase, contact your dealer. 2010 . Prefer experience in pollen traps, queen For more information call Has Come rearing ; class and field training important. toll-free: 877.901.4989 Independent yet team player. Valid driver’s licence required. Some heavy lifting. Room included. Full Circle. Wage $12 to $15 per hr depends on ability. Email only . [email protected] www.rossrounds.com Help Wanted - 2 Experienced Beekeepers : PO Box 11583, Albany, NY 12211 Carrot River (SK)

HiveLights February 2010 27

Fully reconditioned and #1 Quality Export Drums - Offering custom trucking across western Canada and western states. Office/Cory 250-499-5773 - Lee 250-499-5753 - Fax 250-499-5752

PLANET BEE HONEY FARM TOURS & GIFTS Retail / Wholesale & Distributor Pricing, 5011 Bella Vista Road Re-sellers Wanted Vernon, B.C. V1H 1A1 Phone 250 542-8088 Specialty Honey, Pollen, email: [email protected] Propolis, Royal Jelly, website: www.planetbee.com Filtered Beeswax

VANCOUVER ISLAND APIARY SUPPLY KIDS and HONEY An introduction to Honey for Children Beekeeping Supplies Equipment & Glassware Includes: The Story of Honey, Honey Facts & Recipes. Larry & Marilyn Lindahl 100 Copies - $175.00 plus $18.00 shipping (total $193.00) 6456 Cowichan Valley Hwy PO Box 1491 - Lake Cowichan BC V0R 2G0 -Canada Send cheque to Canadian Honey Council, Suite 236, 250-749-3800 - www.thebeestore.com 234-5149 Country Hills Blvd. NW, Calgary, AB T3A 5K8 or email orders to: [email protected]

PARADIS SOLD!VALLEY HONEY

Custom Pollen cleaning and drying services Fresh frozen pollen available Nutrition Purchase of Canadian Pollen

Call Danny or Ginette Paradis 1-866-624-8175 Tel. (780) 359-2772, Fax (780) 359-2773 PO Box 30 Watino, Alberta T0H 3R0

www.apinutrition.com email: [email protected]

MENTHOL BOARDS Russian Stock Serious Breeding For Improved Genetics Please order early Over 6 Years Of Selection Selection For Hygienic & Varroa Resistance HAMILTON BEE RANCH LTD. Eggs, Cells, Queens, Breeders, Wide Gene Pool–14 Families Closed Population Breeding Box 1169, Nipawin SK S0E 1E0 We Can Ship Aircargo To Major Cities In Canada Pilgrim Honey House – François Petit Phone 306-862-4194 Cell: 613-577-6790 Toll-free:1-877-249-9523 Fax 306-862-4193 [email protected] www.pilgrimventure.org/pilgrim_honey_house.htm Producers of Northern Blossom Honey GIVE YOUR BEES THE BEST NUTRITION! Bees require proper nutrition to produce new bees and to increase longevity. Here at Mann Lake we have been involved in bee nutrition for over 20 years - supplying the best feed products at the most economical prices available! Don’t be taken in by hype and high prices. Nutrition is based on good science. • Bee-Pro® gives your bees the best nutrients available for the production of larval food. • Bee-Pro® is a high protein pollen substitute which supplies the lipids, miner- als, and B-complex vitamins honeybees need to produce larval food. • Bee-Pro® is specially formulated for the commercial beekeeper feeding syrup as the source of carbohydrates in the bee’s diet. • Bee-Pro® can be fed in dry form in a feeder box placed in the yard or made into patties by mixing with high fructose corn syrup or sugar syrup and placed in the hive. • Bee-Pro® is free of all contaminants. Natural pollens may contain pesticide residue and disease carrying bacteria (foulbrood.) • Bee-Pro® can be used for building colonies in late winter or early spring, to prepare for pollination and to maintain or increase brood production prior to and after honey fl ow.

Save time and money with our pre-made supplement patties. They can go from box to hive in seconds! Feed your bees in early spring and fall to increase colony numbers.

Authorized Dealers: Manitoba Cooperative (204) 783-2240 800-880-7694 Alberta Honey Producers Mann Lake Ltd. (780) 962-5573 www.mannlakeltd.com