Dlifarariit Conserving Biodiversity Hive Moving Experiment Drone

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Jacob Kahn dlifarariit Francis Ratnieks Conserving biodiversity Harris Burry hive moving experiment John Kinross Drone congregations Karl Showier Bee colourful Angus Stokes steps to better queens Eddie O'Sullivan Ed itoria

Big improvement congregations exist and that in the hive, everything parameters for Apis m.m. There was an encouraging queens will fly great perfect ... not this year, then it is unusual for other reception for first issue of distances to be mated at never? August was good at physical characteristics to 'Bee Improvement' congregations. the start and the heather be 'non-native'. magazine (BIM). It was looks a picture, what will the A wing morphometry regarded by some as Volunteers remainder of the season on sample which appears to be Editorial progress and a step forward Dr Francis Ratnieks has the moors bring us? 100% Apis m.m. is very for BIBBA and its aims. volunteered to be a unlikely to have any bees New BIBBA members scientific advisor for 'Bee NZ bee packages with yellow (abdominal) Good behaviour joined as a result of seeing Improvement' starting with Yet again, MAFF propose to stripes or spots, for Jacob Kahn the magazine. Show this the next issue. He has wide allow the importation of example. Consequently, second issue to your ranging academic and bees from New Zealand. those bee breeders who use Why breeding bees is different beekeeping acquaintances practical experience of bee Why? - because only wing morphometry as Dr Francis Ratnieks as a way of increasing breeding in several beekeepers who have lost an identifier for Apis m.m. subscription membership countries and is interested colonies to varroa may want are usually successful in Conserving biodiversity in the dark European honey bee and increasing the viability in the work of BIBBA. early queens next year. The producing bees with display Harris Burry of the magazine. This Harris Burry has also consequence of the most of the characteristics magazine was intended to volunteered to do some hybridisation of imported of Apis m.m.. Obtaining native bees bring news of changes and poof reading in future, to gentle queens with gentle Only by using bees from Albert Knight improvements in all areas eliminate spelling, native stocks is violent, known native stocks where of bee keeping. The omissions, thick finger and antisocial behaviour that will importation of other Apis Honeybee improvement in a nutshell emphasis remains on other typographical errors. persist in the gene pool of sub species has not John Dews breeding better bees. Items We thank them both. In our bees, forever. When will destroyed the genotype of of entertainment and particular we thank the they ever learn? Let us not native bees, can a true Big BIBBA Book Sale general interest are included contributors for their comtemplate the additional native bee be propagated. to make this a 'good read' articles. hidden dangers of new Just remember that many for most beekeepers. diseases... physical characteristics The great trishaw hive moving experiment Generally, all the articles in New contributors need to be considered when John Kinross the magazine will be new Are there any potential Why wing morphometry? naming a bee 'native'. and therefore previously not contributors out there? Many BIBBA members BIBBA has identified some 100 years of drone congregations published. All BIM articles Don't be shy .. Contact me accept that a purist, elitist UK areas where bees had Karl Showier are written by volunteers. for 'Guidelines for authors' attitude to native bees may wing characteristics of Apis Remember, you saw it here or read it on the BIBBA web have antagonised some m.m. Interestingly, most of first. What are you, the site at: beekeepers in the past. In the samples included some Gormanston 1998 reader of this magazine http://www.angus.co.uk/ turn some of these bees which were 'native' in Albert Knight really interested in? Let me bibba/ bim/ Even small beekeepers have respect of wing know. interesting contributions entrenched themselves in a characteristics. Bee colourful would be useful to add to Buckfast or New Zealand Angus Stokes Views the appeal of this camp, extolling the virtues New members One of the common publication.. of the hybrids and imported BIBBA like all associations History of the Galtee Group characteristics of the NZ queens. Let us face the needs new members, Michael MacGiolla Coda beekeepers I know, is that The weather problems. It is a fact that is preferably younger than they hold diverse opinion on One thing we can't control difficult for beekeepers to yourself. Steps to better queens many items which each is the weather. Talking to a produce native bees from Eddie O'Sullivan regard as proven facts. In Derbyshire farmer about local hybrid stocks. This is Book sale this issue there are two hay, he agreed the weather one of the reasons why Take advantage of the sale The Breton Black Bee Group diametrically opposed views could never be right. Too beekeepers seek the magic to fill the bookshelf or buy a Job Pichon on sale and distribution of wet and the hay couldn't be bullet of buying in queens gift for less than half price. queens. Readers may have harvested, too dry and the from outside their area. Status of beekeeping in India their own views on drone grass didn't grow, Even the founder of BIBBA Meet you at Conference? Dr. M. Muthuraman congregations. Is there any everything perfect and the moved his own bees from evidence that they do not selling price was low. He Lincolnshire to Derbyshire Angus Stokes Editor Bee Improvement exist? What evolutionary or said, "two things tha never back in the 1960s. The Old Manse Cover photo by Allier Knight: genetic fitness advantage However, it is not difficult to sees lad, a dead donkey or Great Hucklow Michael 'iii cGioila Coda checks a batch of Galtee queen cells would create bee behaviour a satisfied farmer" . I had to IMPROVE bees. Selective Buxton that seems at odds with agree. Well beekeepers are breeding from hybrids can Derbyshire SK17 8RF normal pheromonal the same. Satisfied produce a bee that has wing United Kingdom BIBBA contacts: attractions between sexes in beekeepers are about as characteristics of a native Tel: 01298 871262 Honorary Secretary, Albert Knight,11 Thomson Drive, Codnor, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 9RU the social insect world?. common as dead donkeys. Apis mellifera mellifera Fax: 01298 872823 Tel: 01773 745287 Fax : 01773 570461 How are drones supposed Too wet and the forage is specimen but this bee [email protected] to attract queens to drone poor, too dry and the nectar would always be a hybrid. If (\ Membership Secretary, Brian Dennis, 50 Station Road, Cogenhoe, Northants NN7 1LU congregations? Many flow is sparse, too hot and the wing characteristics for -{ I i l08 Internet: Tel:01604-890117 learned bee scientists the bees swarm, too cold discoidal shift and cubital (/ http://www.angus.co.uk/bibba/ Postal Book Sales,Alan Hinchley, Meadow Croft Apiaries, Belper Road, Shirland, Alfreton, Derbys. DE55 6AG support the view that drone and the honey is consumed index fall within the Telephone: 01773-832086

2 (c") 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 3 GOOD BEHAVIOUR? by JACOB KAHN "The Black Bee has an unreserved reputation for being bad tempered. One only has to look at some photographs to see that very little protection was used by beekeepers in the last century". (Albert Knight, 1998, Bee Improvement; 1, page 5)

still encounter far too often in company, yea, though a bee should be thrown, having a clearest picture in a chapter on our apiaries. hath stricken but your clothes, mask of iron wire, ... The hood "The Apiarian's Monthly Manual, Gilbert White implied that, especially in hot weather, you should fall below the shoulders, or Directions for the although the boy raided any were best be packing as fast as that it may be fastened round Management of Bees in every apiary, he only occasionally you can; for the other bees the body, to prevent bees Month in the Year." This chose to overturn stocks. This smelling the rank savour of the slipping beneath". chapter contains many very SC).KEJ, poison cast out with the sting, suggests to me that Gilbert "The bees somtimes excite each interesting descriptions of .mss, will come about you as thick as White may have underestimated other to anger ... The agitation practices current in his day, I hail. Thus the Psalmist of his The first issue of the new BIBBA the 'Galtee' jargon we use the the boy's intelligence, who may of the bees of the hive, on which shall confine my comments to magazine came through my term docile). have chosen to keep away from enemies, 'They came about me extracts from July to October. an operation is performed, soon October: Frames of brood and stores letter box while I was looking at (2) People vary greatly in their the more aggressive stocks. like bees-. In another passage communicates itself to the July: were fixed, which meant that three 18th to 19th century tolerance to bee stings. we read: "The collection of honey takes Thomas Wildman, whose book whole apiary; the smoke of linen the beekeeper was unable to beekeeping books, plus a (3) There are people who for "Whenever you have occasion to "It is generally from this month place this month. To those, who is mentioned in passing by GW, or of dried calf's dung must then carry out routine weekly or selection of Gilbert White's (GW) some reason rarely get stung trouble their patience, or to to October, that a hive shews suffocate their bees, no talks about the tolerance to be used. For ... smoking, it is fortnightly inspections of writings on the Natural History while working, or 'playing' in the come among them, being the strongest symptoms of particular instructions are stings in the context of proper to have one or two iron individual frames. Today it of Selbourne. apiary. offended it is better to be approaching decay. The necessary ..." remedies, being rather scathing stewpans ... to which ... a cover following are some of the most would not take long to establish guarded against them ... the Although there is no mention of Thomas Wildman (TW)1, Robert I use the word 'playing' of their efficacies: "Oil of olives, ... bored with holes is fastened striking signs. First, when few queenlessness, wax moth most secure way of all is to have deliberately deselecting Huish (RH)2and Thomas Nutt advisedly after reading the or any mild oil, is thought by with a hinge ... On altering your Bees are seen to enter the hive, damage, or other serious a net knit with small meshes, aggressive bees, it may be (TN)3 were themselves actively following passage in Gilbert many to be a cure for the pain position the smoking pan must with the load on their thighs. diseases. involved in beekeeping and it White's book: and inflammation arising from that a bee cannot pass through, be carried with you as the bees assumed, that such hives may Secondly, when at the hour of Our predecessors infrequently seemed a good idea to look the sting of a bee; but repeated and of fine thread or silk, large will not then approach you, often have suffered neglect, "We had in this village more exercise, which the Bees take in put their hands inside a hive, more closely at what they had to experiments have shown that it enough to come over your hat, fearing nothing so much as earlier in the beekeeping year, than twenty years ago an idiot fine weather from twelve o'clock when they were not extracting say on the subject of bee- fails oftener than it succeeds. It and to lie down to the collar of smoke." and .thus would have been boy whom I still remember, who to three, the Bees of any honey.This must have been part temper. The books byTW and seems probable, that the your doublet ... having also on a excluded as breeding stocks in from a child, showed a strong Thomas Nutt, who seemed particular hive remain tranquil. of the reason why beekeepers RH had an index, but the success sometimes met with pair of gloves,whereof woolen August. propensity to bees, they were relatively insensitive to stings, Thirdly, when on turning them often wore no protective editions of GWand TN, which I was rather an accident than a are the best". It was quite usual for the run of his food, his amusement, his appeared to have had the added up to examine them, the Bees clothing , as seen in old was reading, did not have an cure; for there are many people Much of the beekeeping calendar the mill beekeeper to destroy sole object... Honey bees, advantage of working with a show no signs of anger. photographs. index; so naturally I tended to humblebees, and wasps, were to whom the sting of a bee does of a hundred years ago dealt more 'sweet-tempered' strain: Fourthly, when ants and other bees during the honey extracting concentrate mainly on the first not occasion any pain or with the management of season, as indicated in the his prey wherever he found "Many nostrums have been strange insects are seen to enter two authors. This was not much inflammation: some men disdain swarms. Swarms were schedules for September, References them: He had no apprehensions recommended as cures-infallible the hive without opposition. of a drawback, G.W. was not a to use the least precaution, even desirable, unlike in modern October. Despite the 'charitable' 1. Thomas Wildman, A Treatise On from their stings, but would cures, of course- for the sting of Fifthly, when the food which has beekeeper, and since T.N. was when they are sure of many beekeeping, but you had to be determination of the dedicated The Management Of Bees, 2nd seize them nudis manibus, and a Bee, ... however, I myself been given to them, has not published last he often quoted stings." prepared and manage them beekeeper there was doubtless edition, London. 1770 ( a facsimile at once disarm them of their never make use of any of them; been deposited in the cells. from the earlier authors. well, and not all swarms were substantial destruction of bees, edition, 1970 ) weapons, and suck their bodies Robert Huish describes a specific for, if by chance a bee happens These signs announce the death The best way to pursue the for the sake of their honey-bags. case of tolerance to stings: nice to handle. Robert Huish of the queen, or that she is aggressive alongside quieter 2. Robert Huish, A Treatise On The to sting me, which is very rarely Nature, Economy, And Practical problem of temper was to look He was ... very injurious to men writes: incapable of further peopling the strains. "I have seen the head of indeed the case, though I never Management Of Bees, London 1817 at what the authors had to say that kept bees; for he would "...some persons keep their guns hive,- or that there is no brood,- In August the beekeeper is Bonner, who was very bald, and pistols loaded ready to as much as cover my face, nor 3. Thomas Nutt, Humanity To The about stinging. Although the slide into their bee gardens, and, literally studded with stings, and or that the moth has carried its instructed to look for signs with discharge them in the air, as even put on a pair of gloves, Honey Bee, Or Practical Directions amount of text on the subject sitting down before the stools, yet no swelling whatever took depredations so far as to render which to identify healthy soon as the swarm has left the when operating among For The Management Of Honey was somewhat limited the would rap with his fingers on the hive untenantable." colonies. (The fact that in July Bees, Wisbech 1839 place, nor were they attended hive. I am not, however, an thousands and tens of picture which emerged was the hives and so take the bees the author gave us the signs for with any great pain, but had any advocate for any of these thousands of Bees, I extract the August: nevertheless unequivocal, and as they came out. He has been other person experienced a colonies in decay is equally experiments: The best method is sting instanter, and never "Determine this month on the Jacob Kahn, not unlike the situation we have known to overturn hives for the twentieth part of those stings, helpful as we are expected to to watch the swarm in silence, afterwards... suffer the slightest hives which you intend as Bailyre Coti:age.Kiileagh, today. sake of their honey, of which he the consequences might have look for the obviously reverse in and after it has once collected to inconvenience." stocks, and to these hives Co.Cork. Ireland. was passionately fond..." been very serious. ( Bonner was a healthy colony). First of all it must be lose no time in hiving it. Many ... "Accidents may sometimes particular attention must be This boy wore no protective a well known beekeeper, from email: jacobkahn4tinet.ie emphasised that when we persons perform this operation happen, and the most cautious paid, to observe if the necessary If we now combine the clothing; he must have been not Scotland, during the first half of (Ph.o in Natural /1/story, describe stinginess of bees we without any safeguard to their and human apiarian may signs are shewn, which indicate comments from July and 5t, only insensitive to stings, but the nineteenth century). Andrews University.) do so from the point of view of person; I would, however, occasionally receive a sting; but a healthy and populous hive." August, a picture emerges which human beings who come into also 'unattractive' to bees as an illustrates most clearly the Thomas Wildman in an appendix always recommend some gentle treatment does not September: object on which to vent their contact with the bees either as to his book is quoting some covering being applied to the irritate Bees; and when not differences between our 'anger'. "In the beginning of this month beekeepers, casual bystanders, passages from an earlier book legs, the hands, and the face; ... irritated they have no beekeeping and that of one the humane apiarian will or passers-by. Consequently One cannot but wonder what written by Charles Butler in In all operations with the interior dispositions to use their stings." hundred and fifty years ago. ascertain if any of his people differ in the way they would have happened had he 1634. (There is no doubt in my of the hive or in the All the signs used in assessing a In all the above books, talk neighbours intend to suffocate would see bee-temper as a encountered, during his exploits mind that this is a description of management of swarms, the colony, were observed and about selecting bees for their bees. I invariably adhere to problem while overturning hives, a truly some very aggressive bees). head should be covered with a collected externally even at the breeding is somewhat arbitrary. the custom of purchasing these (1) Only some apiaries/hives are aggressive colony of the kind we cap, over which a linen hood point where the hive is inverted "If you are stung, or any in the Robert Huish gives by far the unfortunate victims, ..." genuinely good tempered (in to have a somewhat closer look.

,c" 4 _, 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association rc) 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 5 Why breeding different Dr Francis L. W. Ratnieks

As everybody knows, most must eat more, and it is minor product of plants, and breeding is modification of pollination. All domestic and being the progeny of in cows and not some trait animals and plants used in nowadays straightforward when nectar rich plants such the characteristics of the agricultural animals will approximately 10-30 males. in bees this is what would Summary agriculture are different for farmers to supply as oil seed rape, alfalfa, or harvested product. For readily breed in captivity Because of multiple mating happen in a breeding Hopefully that this article from their wild ancestors. abundant food year round oranges are grown this is example, the appearances, and it is a simple matter to and social life, the program. The chosen cow has given some insight into Selective breeding is used using feed concentrates, because the plant has flavours and textures of mate a particular male to a resemblance between would be mated, or more why the honey bee is to enhance desirable improved grazing, hay and another more important fruits and vegetables, the particular female, nowadays "parent" and "offspring" likely artificially different from most qualities and reduce silage. Cattle are also harvest-the nectar is amount of butterfat in milk, often via artificial colonies will typically be inseminated, by a bull organisms used in undesirable qualities. The housed better than in the incidental. However, growing the amount of cholesterol in insemination. In contrast, lower in bee colonies than whose daughters were agriculture with regard to goal is usually to increase past and can receive a plants that produce abundant eggs, the amount of fat honey bees will not mate in between a cow and her consistently above average breeding. yield or ease management. wider and more effective nectar could be of benefit to with beef or pork. The captivity and natural mating daughters. For example, the in milk production. In this Hybridization can be used range of veterinary care. a grower because the nectar characteristics of honey, can only be partially genetic relatedness between way, even though milk There is less need to breed to move genes from one Similarly, plants are given will encourage beekeepers to however, depend not on controlled and then only the workers in two colonies, production is a trait not the honey bee because stock to another and even fertilizer and protected from move hives into the area the type of honey bees that with difficulty because both one of which is headed by a expressed in bulls, the breeding cannot change the (in plants) among closely pests. As with well fed thereby providing free produce it but on the plants drones and queens can fly queen reared from a larva farmer could be reasonably end product (honey). related species. Some cattle producing more milk pollination. from which the nectar is several kilometres to mate. taken from the other sure the the bull was crops, such as maize, have or beef, a honey bee colony An important aspect of collected. There is no way Isolated mating stations set "mother" colony, is 0.15 passing on the correct Neither can bee colonies essentially no close wild given more food would breeding is to produce in which bee breeding could up in places where honey assuming that the queen in genes. Bulls live many years become greatly more and can be thoroughly counterpart and have been produce more honey. But animals and plants that do result in heather honey bees do not naturally live the mother colony had been productive through the use tested for their quality as developed by man through providing additional food well in the modified being produced from (on islands, desert oases, in mated to 10 males. If honey of food supplements. sires by measuring the intense hybridization and for bees is not simple. environment by taking anything other than heather mountainous areas, or in bee queens only mated with selection. In comparison, Honey bee colonies can be advantage of the increased flowers or orange blossom areas further north than one male the relatedness characteristics of their The honey bee is also more the honey bee has been fed sugar syrup to make food, fertilizer, and care honey from anything other bees live) allow queens to would be 0.375. And in non- progeny. Unlike honey bee difficult to breed because it semen, bull semen can be little altered by man. Queen honey. But the resulting provided. Bees live in an than citrus flowers. So this be mated to any drones social animals the relatedness functions as a society not stored for many years at rearing as normally "honey" is tasteless and environment which is major area of breeding-to provided. It is not possible between parent and offspring as an individual, because low temperatures, so that a practised, is more would be rejected by relatively little changed, in alter the product- is to ensure that a particular is 0.5. What this means is queens mate with multiple bull can sire thousands of significant as a means of consumers. By contrast, that they still have to forage essentially irrelevant in queen mates with a that "mother" and "daughter" males, and because mating offspring and can continue propagation to produce beef, milk, and eggs for themselves and so on. honey bees. I can think of particular drone or drones. honey bee colonies have itself is hard to control. doing so even after death. additional mated queens, produced through the use Therefore, there is less need one minor exception. The Although artificial much less in common than as a means of stock of supplementary feed are for selective changes to the appearance of comb honey insemination is possible genetically that mother and However, this does not daughter cows. Genetically selection. Although currently acceptable to the bees. However, the modern cappings varies and can be with bees it has not caught Money and mean that breeding honey on in a big way. This is "mother" and "daughter" bee selective breeding can be majority of consumers. environment has resulted in bred for. Cappings are bees should not be carried because it is a relatively colonies are about as similar resources used to enhance the If bees cannot be fed some changes relevant to snowy white rather than A final point worth making out. Careful selection of time-consuming process as cousins in non-social desirable qualities of honey concentrated food in the beekeeping and the dark if the bees leave an air is money and resources. In breeder colonies when and the resultant queens animals, who have a genetic bees, for example by form of syrup what about characteristics of the bees gap beneath the capping. If comparison to the amounts rearing queens can greatly are not, on average, as relatedness of 0.125. selecting for greater improving the pasture? kept. Although sugar syrup the honey touches the available for breeding other reduce undesirable qualities fertile or long lived as To give a concrete example hygienic behaviour or Although it is quite possible cannot be used to make capping the cappings agricultural organisms, the in bees, such as excessive naturally mated queens. It of how this may make reduced defensive to increase the number of honey it can be fed to appear darker. In the resources available for bee defensive behaviour, and is still possible to control selective breeding difficult behaviour, there are nectar rich plants in an area colonies to stimulate colony earlier part of this century breeding are very limited. can increase desirable the characteristics of bees consider hygienic behaviour. reasons why breeding this is not likely to be growth and prevent when comb honey was an This is because the qualities, such as by rearing queens from Research has shown that a honey bees is unlikely to economically worthwhile for starvation. Many commercial important product, snowy beekeeping industry is small productivity, hygienic selected colonies, but this bee colony is hygienic if only match breeding of maize, individual farmers. The beekeepers prefer to use white cappings was in comparison to the cattle, behaviour and other forms only controls the mother of a proportion of the workers cattle or other agricultural main problem is that honey Italian bees which are something that beekeepers poultry, wheat, maize or of resistance to diseases. the workers, the origin of are hygienic. Such a colony species in terms of its bees can fly as far as 12 km relatively non-frugal, selected for. But the current rice industries. There is their fathers being left could arise, for example, if a effect. to flowers and routinely fly converting food reserves into predominance of extracted little or no money to be mainly to chance. queen mated with 10 males, several kilometres. Any bees. This is good for honey honey in the market means made from breeding bees Bee colonies are not genetic 3 with hygienic genes and 7 Consider some of the ways farmer planting nectar-rich production because colonies that the appearance of the so large private companies individuals. Another without. If this "mother" in which the honey bee is flowers would be benefiting have more bees in them. The cappings is irrelevant to the do not get involved. difficulty in breeding honey colony is used in queen "different" with respect to not just his own bees, but price is greater starvation risk vast majority of Governments and bees is that the rearing then 70% of the selective breeding: all those in a huge if suitable management and beekeepers. international agencies do characteristics of resulting queens would not surrounding area, By feeding are not provided. provide some support but importance to beekeepers, carry the paternally-derived contrast, a dairy farmer Allied to this is migratory Control of mating not much in comparison to Environment and such as winter survival, hygienic genes. Then allow does not usually have beekeeping. Bee hives are It may be just as well that other agricultural species. selective breeding honey production, hygienic these queens to mate at problems with his simply transported to honey bees do not require Beekeeping simply does not One way of increasing yield behaviour and so on, are random with drones and it Dr. Francis L. W. Ratniek> neighbour's cows sneaking wherever there are flowers, as much breeding as other employ enough people or is to improve an organism's collective not individual can easily be seen why Department of A.nimai and Plant into his field and grazing on even as far as a thousand agricultural organisms produce a sufficiently Sciences, Sheffield University, environment, and this is a characteristics. Allied to this colonies headed by queens his improved pastures. miles in large countries such because they are not valuable crop. Western Bank, major reason for recent is the fact that queen honey reared from a hygienic colony Growing nectar-rich plants as the USA. particularly easy animals to Sheffield 510 2 T N , increases in agricultural bees mate with multiple will frequently not themselves for bees is also not an breed. For selective United Kingdom productivity. For cattle to males, resulting in the be hygienic. If we were e-m tih economically attractive breeding it is necessary to produce more milk they Harvested product workers in a colony typically dealing with milk production F.R.si:r•:ieks(ú;Sheffi :sícl.a~.ik proposition. Nectar is only a A second important goal of have control over mating or 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 7 6 © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association Conserving in the dark European honeybee Harris Burry

Alongside morphometry allowing in bee pests and Shape of brood nest: weather. It was, and is, this What needs to be Breeder' No.9, 1996, p.44. south of England the shape ` ...most emphasis on breeding from came the awareness that diseases 2. to eliminate the conserved and why? was wider than tall i.e. a and for local strains of bee improvement in native source of hybridisation of In the ten thousand years horizontally elongated oval commercial which provides the stocks could be achieved the native honeybee. MAFF Look back to the days or so since A. m. mellifera as seen in a brood frame. traditional action from faster by starting from pure have always refused on the before modern transport completed its migration Another variation, which North suppliers BIBBA to conserve A.m. mellifera than by grounds that E.U. across Europe north of the could be much more local, persevering with breeding and postal services. ..., cause biodiversity in native and legislation providing for free Beekeepers then must have Alps over its range to was in timing of peak brood near-native honeybees. The from local near-native bees. trade between member kept in their skeps the same Ireland, Britain and production. He mentions genetic importance of this 'BIBBA This brought additional states did not permit such a honeybee as lived wild in Scandinavia and between several others. We are philosophy' has been well temptation to some BIBBA ban. The Republic of their locality, a local strain the Pyrenees and the Urals, indebted to him for pointing contamination enough understood to have members to abandon the Ireland has nevertheless which had evolved there it is certain that the much out those differences. produced some good BIBBA maxim, 'Make the effectively been banning the since arrival from further greater differences over this Awareness of them and the Middle of local results, notably the decision best of what we've got', in importing of foreign South after the retreat of vast territory, in climate, likelihood of yet more by one of the main British favour of, 'Make the best of honeybees since 1980, it the ice following the last ice terrain, forage, nest sites, makes possible the design strains...' suppliers of honeybees, what we can get', by should be noted. age. During that ice age predation, needs and of surveys to systematically Steele and Brodie, to obtaining pure-bred In 1992 Britain's Prime what is now the Dark opportunities for search for and record such endeavour to supply bees morphometrically checked Minister, along with others, Honeybee of Northern reproduction, than existed variations. We are not to any address from a local A. m. mellifera from afar. In signed the International Europe, Apis mellifera in the South of France must aware of anyone having breeder. This contrasts with 'The Bee Breeder' No.9, Convention on Biological mellifera, had been have initiated, by natural done this yet. It is a task South the practice of most 1996, on p.44 is given the Diversity, later duly signed confined to part of the selection, the evolution of a with considerable problems. commercial suppliers who result of an experiment by Parliament and in Mediterranean's northern much greater variety of send bees from one or which showed that moving December 1993 made part strains or ecotypes than All the variations described pure A. m. mellifera of E.U. Law in Document shore which became the qualities for survival and The BIBBA more sites to distant emerged in the South of by Beowulf Cooper were adapted to one area over a L309, reference South of France and performance in the area philosophy. addresses, even abroad, France. Some notable from observations on hive distance into another type 93/626/EEC. Article 22:1 of Corsica. It was able to you're working in." At the and in so doing cause examples of this have stood bees but there can be little of area does not prove the Convention states, 'The spread over its present founding meeting of the Constantly, from outside genetic contamination of out, such as the doubt that in most cases beneficial. provisions of this range only after the tundra organisation, now BIBBA, BIBBA , came carping from local strains of the native exceptionally long over these corresponded closely To be fair to BIBBA Convention shall not affect covering the South of the word 'conservation' in beekeepers and bee through cross-breeding. wintering capacity of the to the characteristics of the members it must be said the rights and obligations of Britain, Northern France (no relation to the native commercialists asking when This is true even if the bee East Russian strain and the wild native honeybee in the that to counter the any Contracting Party English Channel) and much honeybee, came first in the was BIBBA going to put on from afar is a strain of A.m. widely separated 'heather parts of Britain that he influences working against deriving from any existing of Europe to the east had list of aims set down. sale its better bee? This mellifera. Once this has bee' strains of Germany's visited, characteristics the BIBBA philosophy of international agreement become colonised by forest reflected attitudes been pointed out it needs Luneborg Heath, the evolved over many making the best of what except where the exercise with shrubs and flowering So from its earliest days circulating, then and now, to be said that where BIBBA Landes area of France, and millennia. It is these we've got would need a of these rights and plants such as we know BIBBA was the primary among many beekeepers members in places like northern Britain. Apart from variations in such steady stream of articles, obligations would cause a now. organisation for conserving about trying to find the best southern England have such obviously noticeable characteristics from one notices and correspondence serious damage or threat to biodiversity in our native bee, as if this would be only great difficulty in finding a differences there does not place to another, the in what is now BIBBA's biological diversity." The There are indications that, honeybee although, until one, which anyone could good local source of the appear to have been much existence of different magazine and in the ending of this section of before its migration recently, that was not buy, and showed a native bee it is not recording of less noticeable ecotypes, some very local, general bee press Article 22 is clearly northwards began, A. m. expressed in these terms. complete failure to grasp surprising if they buy in ones except for the which constitutes biological explaining the importance designed to supersede any mellifera may already have Instead we talked about what BIBBA was asking from further North endeavours of Beowulf diversity, or biodiversity for of breeding only from local previous agreements such evolved strains or ecotypes, selecting from bees of our beekeepers to attempt. Cooper whose findings are short; in the Dark European bees if at all possible. This as the General Agreement adapted to local differences locality for the Some who joined BIBBA The arrival of morphometry set out in 'The Honey Bees Honeybee Beowulf Cooper has not been practicable. on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in types of countryside in characteristics of the native with this attitude tended to gave us a tool for checking of the British Isles',1986. appreciated the importance and any obligations such as the South of France, during or near-native bee with retain it. the subspecies of a single One variation he described of these characteristics, Little help from those placed on member the thousands of years desirable qualities. Until the bee and of a colony, and was a continuous one, evolved through natural Government. countries of the E.U. by between its arrival there mid-1980's or later this The emphasis in the BIBBA even the degree of called a cline, from North to selection in the wild native For many years now previous legislation, such as and the end of the last ice meant selecting mainly on outlook then was on hybridity, if any. For the South, in shape of brood honeybee, as being of great BIBBA's Honorary that on free trade, where a age. References to the behaviour and colour. In breeding bees with local first time this gave us the nest. In the far north the significance in assisting any Secretary, Albert Knight, damage or threat to evidence for this are those pre-morphometry characteristics as well as ability to demonstrate, from shape was vertically breeding programme for has been writing to the biodiversity is involved. Its mentioned in 'The Dark days a number of us those for which relatively simple elongated, i.e. ovoid and native honeybees. In his A. m. Ministry of Agriculture, effect is to outlaw the European Honey Bee' by F. succeeded in this aim, often measurements, that the taller than broad; in the talks his usual way of mellifera is noted, such as Fisheries and Food (MAFF) importing of foreign Ruttner, E. Milner and J.E. in the face of great native honeybee is still with middle of Britain it was putting this was, "We don't good temper, low swarming asking that the importing of honeybees by Britain which Dews, and some details difficulties. Many failed, us. These were the positive spherical, i.e. round in need to worry about wild rate, dark colour, good foreign honeybees be for nearly 150 years, has extending to the present usually due to problems of wintering, no need for aspects of the new cross-section as seen in a colonies. Natural selection stopped for two reasons: 1. been damaging and further time are outlined by hybridisation. knowledge but there was a brood frame; while in the has given them the right feeding in general, working due to the danger of threatening the biodiversity Ashleigh Milner in The Bee in cool, dull, even drizzly negative one also.

8 (t) 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 9 continued from previous page ... CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY IN THE DARK EUROPEAN HONEYBEE obtaining native bees Albert Knigi~t

of the native honeybee and the honeybee as a wild regarding conservation of best for their area. This In the previous article to the problem of more being preserved, them to increase the doing so increasingly animal. Their view has biodiversity in A. m. encouragement to buy bees this magazine Harris hybridisation. especially if BIBBA use genetic base of their seriously, especially in always previously tended to mellifera where this is their from several far away Burry sets out the case what Micheal has done breeding stock. In this recent years. One might be that honeybees in the native honeybee. We can places can certainly not be for what I call the 'purist' It is only since Micheal and point to his methods. way we will do more have expected that a wild had escaped from take heart from the commended. It seems as approach of retaining the He started with his local towards preserving these government department hives and so were known example of the Irish sure a way as any to MacGiolla Coda has been such as MAFF would be about by beekeepers and in Republic where, at our produce an international native bee, and I must raising hundreds of bees that were good local strains than by aware of such E.U. Colleges of Agriculture Conference at Kildalton, Co. hotch potch of genotype admit that given certain queens of his selected native bees, and by condemning the practice legislation brought in over which made them the Kilkenny, in 1996 we mixtures rather than conditions, Harris is right. and improved strain of selection and mono- of offering native queens three and a half years responsibility of MAFF. The discovered that their discovering and conserving But the reality is quite local bee for sale, that straining his area with for sale to whoever previously. However, at the Agency scientists have been Ministry of Agriculture, Tea ecotypes suited to localities. different. BIBBA has been able to them, was able to draw wants to buy them. If annual Consultation sceptical about there being Gasc, has gone over to The trouble is it is so easy point to a reliable source in beekeepers all around beekeepers are not able Meeting with Beekeeping such a thing as a native using native honeybees for any individual beekeeper For many years of native bee that can be him, to join in and extend to obtain good docile Organisations conducted by honeybee and have great entirely at their research even if results are poor! I beekeepers who asked easily obtained. This has the mono-strained area native bees, then they MAFF in October 1997, to difficulty in realising that station, in their work on the suggest that if A. m. the question, "Where can resulted in a change of over several hundreds of will turn to sources that which BIBBA was invited for any "experts" on it in Britain benefit to fruit crop yields mellifera stocks of suitable I get queens of square miles. We know supply Italian or only the second time, the are members of BIBBA. of employing hive bees for German origin are hard to Apis attitude towards the MAFF officials there showed From BIBBA we stress to pollination. Also their find then officials or mellifera mellifera strain", native bee. For Micheal there are some areas Carniolan docile bees. no awareness of the them how little is known advisory service advises individuals of the G.E.D.B. were told by some BIBBA has shown hundreds of that have potential for This will perpetuate implications of Article 22:1 about A. m. mellifera in beekeepers to keep only should look for stocks from officers, to look at their beekeepers that the developing the local hybridisation and cause when these were raised Britain ( e.g. that there are the native honeybee. How similar areas of countryside own bees and those of native bee can be as strain of bee, and we the loss of good genetic with them. In the no records of its distribution far Irish beekeepers apply as near as possible in an beekeepers near them to docile as pure bred should give every A.m.m. material. correspondence following in the wild before the the principle, "Make the adjacent country from find suitable bees to Carniolan or New Zealand encouragement to enable that meeting they appear, arrival of Varroa) so that most of what you've got", which native or near-native breed from. The reality Italian bees. this to be done. Over the years the in effect, to be denying any the precautionary principle to preserve and benefit bees can be obtained and was that the majority of This has fired enthusiasm We need more bee 'purist' approach has primary responsibility for set out in the preamble to from local ecotypes may build up a register of such colonies were in fact for the native bee that breeders that are failed to make any acting on it. They claimed the Convention on prove to be less stocks and localities with that such responsibility lay Biological Diversity should encouraging. At least their similarities of climate, hybrids, and the was lacking before, when prepared to offer good noticeable impact on with the Department of the be applied. This states that Government's ban on terrain and forage for which beekeepers who had many found that black quality, docile native advancing the cause of Environment Trade and the in the absence of scientific importing of foreign they should be suitable, so asked for help turned to bees often meant bad queens for sale, to the native bee. The Regions (DETR) the address certainty if there is reason subspecies makes it easier that they can give members sources such as imported tempered bees. But is beekeepers that do not 'practical' way of making of which they gave us to to believe that a species or for them to breed out of G.E.D.B. advice New Zealand Italian this trend going to mean have suitable bees in available good native write to. subspecies is under serious hybridity. We can look appropriate to their locality. queens to obtain what one strain of native bee their area. At the same queens for sale, has threat then action should be forward to finding out more This would need they really wanted, which and the loss of good time we should urge enabled beekeepers who That address was already taken to protect it by the about progress and organisation, travel, time was docile bees that strains of local bee? I those beekeepers to keep do not have suitable bees well known to us since it is government within whose prospects in other countries and much trouble but could be handled with suggest that in fact it is alert for any reports of in their area to obtain over four years since Albert jurisdiction it lies. of northern Europe at the should give much better Knight first wrote there Correspondence on this has "Third International results, both for pleasure. This only made likely to lead to more potential local strains, them. about implications for reached a crucial stage but Conference on the Dark conservation of ecotypes matter worse by adding local strains of native bee and to develop and use conservation of our native the possibility of an European Honeybee" which and for beekeepers, if honey bee of the outcome favourable to the BIBBA is hosting at Askham achievable. However we in Convention on Biological native honeybee still exists. Bryan Agicultural Colleges, Britain just need to think Diversity. I have been in However, if we secure such York, in early September. about the problems of touch with English Nature a favourable outcome it will One piece of news already matching an area in the and the Joint Nature have taken five years or available from Germany south of England with one Conservation Committee more. There should be needs comment however. It further north containing the (3NCC) for about four more news on that in time comes from the newsletter native honeybee to begin to years, and latterly the DETR for the next issue of this of the G.E.D.B., the appreciate the time and New import threat - bee packages from New Zealand also, about how to get magazine. organisation founded there trouble involved! official recognition that the to foster use of the dark spread of varroosis in Problems elsewhere European honeybee by Britain has made the native in Europe? beekeepers. In several MAAF are proposing to because of the fear of objections against any of the Rio Convention on honeybee in the wild an issues of this newsletter allow the importation of importing Varroa, more imports of bees because Biological Diversity. endangered subspecies. I have heard a number of there has been given a list bee packages from New recently because of of the effect such imports We will be objecting to Considerable problems have biologists and even a of purveyors of dark bees Zealand from the 1st of Kashmir Bee Virus. All have on our existing this proposal of importing been encountered in Government spokesman from different countries January 1999. these appeals were indigenous population of packages of bees from attempting this. Both DETR claim that Britain is more including Britain, some of This is yet another ill ignored as I expect any Apis mellifera mellifera New Zealand, and we are and Conservation Agency them out of date. advanced in the study and advised move by MAAF. representations against colonies. We have considering what steps scientists had no experience Accompanying this list was conservation of its wildlife In the past beekeeping the import of packages pointed out that by we can take to involve in relation to honeybees than any other country. a short article or notice organisations have raised from New Zealand will allowing imports of other the European Parliament prior to BIBBA's approach That raises the question of exhorting German sub-species our to them. Apparently none in how other European beekeepers to buy from objections against be. in this breach of the such scientific circles has governments are behaving several on the list and to importation of bees, first BIBBA have made government is in breach Convention. Albert Knight ever taken any interest in then find out which was the

h 0 tshe John E Dews BIBBA BIG BOOK SALE No honeybee colony is conditions, and should be behaved and productive there is a low population. exactly like another; assessed at every colony black bees. These stocks Failing that, the co- brood rearing, inclination inspection so that at the should then be assessed operation of all local to swarm, foraging end of the year the most for morphometry and beekeepers should be Most of our titles have been reduced to vigour, consumption of consistently good stocks behaviour. Queens sought to create a stores, stinginess, will be identified. Once should be raised from the monostrain area. susceptibility to disease, this technique has been best stocks. differ from colony to tried it becomes Progeny testing. colony. The starting point automatic and is Distribution of It is important that all ! half price or less for selective breeding lies recorded in a matter of breeding stock. members of a breeding in the observation of seconds, e.g. a score of The easiest way is to group keep records of these differences. 3244 indicates that the produce queen cells for the behaviour and (€) Breeding means stock was slightly jumpy, introduction by the productivity of queens propagating from the rather runny on the receiving beekeeper into supplied to them so that Title Old price New Price Postage best to replace the worst. the quality of the breeder The pure bred native or queens can be assessed. Dark European Honeybee 7.00 3.50 70p the near native bee can Imports of bees into the be selected with a good area should be Breeding Better Bees 5.50 3.00 70p chance of improvement, discouraged as they will whereas the mongrel or Breeding ruin your breeding Breeding Techniques & hybrid bee has so much means efforts. genetic variation that Success will come if there Selection for Breeding 8.00 4.00 1.40 improvement is difficult if propagating oi? 1/ is at least one person in not impossible. The the breeding group who Honeybee of the British Isles 12.96 6.00 1.40 native bee can be to replace the worst can learn the techniques distinguished quite easily of morphometry, queen Better Beginnings 5.00 5.00 70p from hybrids by cell production, assess morphometry, i.e. the behaviour and teach Seeds for Beekeepers 3.50 3.50 70p measurement of certain other members of the parts of the body, a group how to make up a Pedigree Bee Breeding 5.20 2.00 70p technique now being three comb nucleus and used by ordinary introduce a queen cell. Raise Your Own Queens 1.60 1.00 70p beekeepers in this Detailed information on country. all the above is to be Queen Raising Jenkins Way 2.60 1.00 70p found in "Breeding Better Colony assessment. combs, gave no stings three comb nucleus hives Bees" obtainable from Mating in Miniature 4.00 2.00 70p Four aspects of colony and no followers. Other prepared three days in BIBBA. behaviour are assessed factors such as honey advance. The Jenter Bee Breeder magazine for potential breeder production, swarminess system of queen cell BIBBA will give support queens; jumpiness - and disease resistance production is to any group of back copies (state year) 1.80 0.50 70p jumping up from the are also taken into recommended. beekeepers wishing to combs when being account. breed native bees. For Bee Breeding & Q. Rearing 3.00 1.00 75p handled, calm behaviour Pure matings. further advice contact the on the comb (not runny), A local breeding When good native bees Secretary, Albert Knight Elements of Genetics 6.60 2.00 1.00 stinginess and following group. already exist locally, on 01773 - 745287. (a pa rticular nuisance to Selection for improve- there is the prospect of National Hive Drawings 2.10 1.00 50p neighbours). It has been ment is achieved more achieving pure matings. The above notes were prepared found simplest to assess rapidly when a large In this case a mating for the benefit of beekeepers attending a demonstration of Hive Record Cards F3 0.90 0.50 70p and score on a four point number of stocks is apiary could be set up at colony assessment in the North scale: available for assessment, an isolated place such as York Moors National Park. 4 - exceptionally good so that it is better for a the following; as near to Hive Record Cards Fl 1.60 1.60 70p 3 - acceptably good number of beekeepers to the coast as possible 2 - tolerable work as a group. In the since the cool sea air 10 Simplified Record Cards 1.30 1.30 70p 1 - unacceptable initial selection process favours the native bee, or ALL PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM: These aspects of they should look for hives in hilly country with Alan Hinchley, BIBBA Postal Sales, Meadow Croft Apiaries, Belper Road, Shirland, Alfreton, Derbyshire. behaviour may vary with that have reasonably suitable valleys where All orders must be prepaid, cheques payable to BIBBA. the environmental or hive DE55 6AG Telephone: 01773-832086

12 © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association ic, 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 13 The Great Trishaw Hive Moving Experiment

In the summer of 1981 cover, watering-pot with and it was very hard snugly round the hive. cycle - the type that had really mean, the sliding I am reminded of a we were living beside the which to water the bees, work up hill. You do have to remove a triangular piece of cloth bottom of the chair Newcastle on Tyne River Parrett in Somerset a bolt of cotton cloth, a the lid to get it on but to stop skirts getting would be removed and a beekeeper who in 1911 and on the other side of cot bed, bedding and last We started early one some beekeepers don't covered in chain oil. The really large puddle took his hives to the the river was a gleaming but not least an overcoat. Saturday morning in May. find this a problem with weather was fine but chosen by the carriers. Cheviots in 11 hours. yellow field of oil seed He should make up his The hive I had made a tame bees. I don't like windy. I wore my bee However we only needed After leaving them there rape. Our local doctor, a mind that he is not to few years earlier at the many beehive wheel hat without the veil, and one rest stop to open for heather for 11 weeks beekeeper, had already take a Pullman car ride. Sparsholt under John barrows as I'm always didn't really need it as and then shut a gate he went to fetch them placed two hives there Indeed he should be Cossburn's eagle eye is a scared they will collapse the bees were calm. for before we were on and with his patent cart and and I had helped him lift prepared to be up at all Langstroth Jumbo. No on me. The Robson passing wasp cyclists and then inside the field of weighing machine. He them into the field from hours of the night or heavier hive exists, carrier, from the Scottish cars a large notice saying rape. then a return via then weighed them with his car. It was an day." unless it is the Modified borders, folds up and "DANGER LIVE BEES" the bridge to find a few the help of his son, a enjoyable evening but The problem seems to Dadant and a comparison can, with a modification was taped on the back. cows closely inspecting young lad who weighed the placing took ten have been that often the of the two hives is given be used as a table with the Trishaw before exactly 11 stone. So did minutes and the drink in hive wagons had to be in Len Heath's "A Case of the hive roof for serving First stop was the bridge. remounting and returning his honey-full hives. the pub afterwards about trans-shipped on to Hives" (BBNO, 1985). out tea en route. We left Alas it was too narrow for home. Shortly after this There is a photograph of two hours and somehow another line and the the tea at home as it the Trishaw to navigate. the Trishaw was wrecked the boy standing on his I thought the time levels poor attendant had to The route we were taking seemed an unnecessary so we had to use the going down hill with the father's weighing should have been bribe the railway officials to the oil-seed rape field luxury for such a short Roberts Hive Carrier, vicar and two machine on the open cart reversed. It is no use to get them hitched to was about two miles. It trip. which successfully got churchwardens aboard. with the hives piled up on having a hobby if you the_next train or the sounds easy but there the roofless hive up the One of the latter steered the other end. In only use it as an excuse troublesome bees would was a narrow bridge to The other item of bridge, but then we had through a hedge, beekeeping things do not to visit the pub. Also the be put on a lone siding. get over the 12 ft wide equipment is a metal to lift it a further two feet knocked down an upright usually work out as easily doctor's large estate car, river. This involved sack barrow. This fits to get it over the anti- railway sleeper and as this, but remember it was in need of a service At least we didn't have lifting the hive up steep easily onto a Trishaw and cycle metal poles at each pitched the vicar and his is a hobby for most of us and I don't think the these problems with our steps and over the pillars can be used for taking end of the bridge. This fellow warden into a and if you can avoid a car health of his bees had Trishaw. Our vicar had placed along the hives to the hive down narrow was a struggle and the bank of nettles. The journey, there are other been improved by carbon been in India and avoid the cyclists paths, albeit at an angle photographer was asked Trishaw was a write-off methods. monoxide fumes. borrowed two of these knocking down foot which can upset the to help- so that it didn't and the angry cottager machines- one was passengers. Our area of bees. The weight of the get photographed. turned out to be the local Bibliography The wonderful set of permanently living in our Somerset is plagued by barrow helps keep the Somerset County Heath, Prof. Len "A case of volumes "Bee-keeping barn- for fund raising. wasp like swarms of trishaw on the road. The cow ruts on the Councillor in charge of Hives'. BBNO,1985 yellow helmeted cyclists Finally the hive was lifted Herrod-Hempsall, W New and Old described the sponsored cycle ride other side of the river road safety. "Beekeeping new and old with Pen and Camera" by for the church took one at summer weekends ho on and lashed down with meant that the route to described with pen and camera" W.Herrod-Hempsall state afternoon a year and the cover the lanes with their elastic cycle pannier the oilseed rape field was What had we learnt from cols 1 and 2. BBJ 1930/36 that young William Trishaw was gathering machines all trying to straps. To block the Root A.1 and ER. "ABC and XYZ not suitable for our sack our experiment? Small of Bee Culture" Ohio, 1913 experimented with taking dust in the barn. I had outdo each other to get entrance I used the barrow. (We now use a time beekeepers do not his bee box by bicycle, better describe it as it to their destination first. bathroom loofah and collapsible canvas barrow need to use cars. Bees pony cart and even took bears no resemblance to The ordinary sit-up-and - some masking tape. which may have been travel easier at a slower note of bees in other the speedy rickshaw that beg cyclist, of which I Provided you remember useful though it too likes pace, The weather is countries carried by is used in Singapore and have been one for years, where to find it next day smooth running and important. Never move elephant (India), camel other Far Eastern cities. tends to get bypassed on before getting into your comes to the fore inside your bees on a cold wet and river-boat (Egypt). It is made in Madurai, both sides with ribald bath then this is Kensington Town Hall at day. Windy days are also Root in the 1913 edition Southern India, with remarks. It was time for recommended. The lady the National Honey Show not recommended though of "ABC and XYZ of Bee large cycle wheels, a long some revenge. next door was surprised for carrying books.) once we were inside the Culture" describes how chain, a silly little cab one day by seeing a rape field, the wind was moving bees by rail the with sunshade, one Two other items of naked beekeeper The secret about the effectively blocked. Do attendant (presumably an ineffective break, but a equipment must be retrieving a loofah from Roberts Hive Carrier is not leave your bees too employee of Root) has to large foot area for the mentioned before I his bee shed, but it only like the Sedan chair of long on rape. They need carry: passenger. There was describe that journey. happened once and she old. the leader has to inspecting regularly and "A big stout hammer, also a sensible number of Firstly we had a Robson shouldn't have been describe the pot holes new supers added if spikes, nails of various bars for straps and the "Hive Carrier", made by looking anyway. and not suddenly decide necessary. sizes to repair breaks in machine would go my son a few months to put everything down the framework that may steadily on the flat, earlier at his school So at last we were ready where there is a puddle. The final count in honey occur en route; also a dangerously downhill as woodwork class. It is a to start. My wife Ladies who were mean is interesting. We had a saw, a small jimmy pry, a the steering was bolted ash platform for accompanied the Trishaw with tips used to find this full 100 lb of honey off barrel of water with definitely left-handed, two people to lift and fits on her ancient lady's with Sedan chairs, and if that hive in a short time.

14 © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 15 One Hundred years of Drone Congregations Karl Showier The overlooked observations of Sladen, Latham and Digges.

The mystery of where the They are best pictured as Congregations today To a large measure the less 106) believed in a single and Latham's observations. the second 1913 edition "...soon the loud humming queens of Apis mellifera an invisible box with a The regular observations literate beekeepers were mating but pointed out that It is therefore important to (page 36) to read: of the well fed drones mellifera went on their definite edge that in an commenced in Europe and excluded from this debate. the Rev.Mahin (no citation quote them in full: Sladen ...if drones are plentiful, attracts the young queen ... mating flights puzzled open field can be moved in the USA after the Second given or initials given) who lived in East Kent, UK, the queen is closely she enlarges her circles and beekeepers until after the about by air currents. The World War show how Dr Edward Bevan, The thought that mating was describes how he found followed by a crowd of passes over them instantly, Second World War yet the numbers of drones common congregations are. Honeybee its natural accomplished at Ion congregations at ardent suitors. The they are in full pursuit." In clearly described gathering can be so few The late Beowulf Cooper, history, physiology and distances from the hive, Ringwould, between Dover excitement brings more his own Beekeeping in observations of Sladen in that only a skilled observer (The Honeybees of the management,_1838, and that drones gather in and Deal. "The hum of drones, probably attracted Britain,_1948, Manley states 1902, answered the would notice their British Isles 1986), lists 60 summarised the different certain places, as do male drones flying in the air can by the scent emitted by the very clearly drones only question and should have presence. On the other congregations in Great arguments to that date. bumblebees, to await the often he distinctly heard, others, and the air grows alight at the hive entrance, stimulated much wider hand the number may well Britain and Ireland. In the Leaving the question of the coming queen. especially in open country thick with them. A comet- a view held by SV.Herrod- discussion. Digges (1904) run into many thousands so course of our studies my mating of the queen on the where the ground is high or like flock of drones is Hempsall and in modern observations too were that the air is filled with an wife and I have found wing as then unresolved. Anti-drone sentiments were rising. In such a spot, on formed with the Queen as times by Professor Morse at overlooked as were those of oppressive roaring noise. several in close proximity to Bevan cited the 18th expressed by Frank three or four successive the nucleus, and it darts Cornell. In the USA Alan Latham as late as 1946. Large numbers of drones Hay-on-Wye between century Irish dilettante, C.Pellett, as late as the warm and sunny days in the about in an erratic manner, Latham (Alan Lathams' bee The development of lures may then be easily visible in Brecon and Hereford. The Arthur Dobbs' contributions 1945 edition of his Practical early part of July, 1902, I assuming all kinds of book_1949, page 45) using artificial queen the air and resting on most accessible one being to the Transaction of the Queen-rearing,1918, but found it quite easy to strange shapes. One of the described a congregation substance (9-ODA) now foliage, indeed drones can in western Herefordshire at Royal Society as to the with the caveat that in large attract swarms of drones to swiftest and strongest he saw as a boy in about permits beekeepers to be seen flying towards the the well signposted dolmen multiple mating of queens US apiaries there were a virgin queen, that was drones succeeds in seizing 1885 at Norwichtown, confirm casual observations congregation in neat Arthur's Stone_on the hill but offered no contra more than enough drones placed in a cage on a post the queen and he flys away Connecticut. In my first and has added considerably formations hedge hopping above the village of opinion. to mate any number of about Oft above the surface with her". After mating the years in beekeeping there to our knowledge of the over the fields. Dorstone. Here the drones queens. On the other hand of the ground between 1 queen may rest on a blade was a meadow not far from mating behaviour of the display can be seen easily Writers in the late 19th Anna B. Comstock, How to and 3prn. The drones were of grass or a leaf to my hives, during the middle honeybee. In this paper I The use of artificial lures in the meadows adjoining century were on the whole keep bees 1905, wrote a attracted also by the cage recuperate. However Sladen of the day I would near the have examined a number of The use of lures carrying the road. "anti drone" and having deeply sympathetic account alone after the queen had who was a leading queen humming of drones in flight classic beekeeping manuals artificial queen substance imbibed Darwinism believed of the drone and believed been in it. The drones that breeder was not alone in above that meadow. This to see how skilled [90DA] will bring drones Drone congregations in that the fastest and the drone's loud hum was had been attracted by the reporting what we would led me to believe that beekeepers responded to down from their normal history strongest drone mated with an attractant to the young queen or cage themselves now call drone drone-bees congregate in the question of honeybees flight level at about 20-30 In I772 the Rev. Gilbert the queen leaving the queen, she did not mention became attractive to others congregations the Rev some area in the air, mating behaviour before feet above the ground. The White described a swarm- weaker and slower fliers any drone gathering places. so that the air soon became Joseph Digges, Ireland, and usually over an open field, and after Sladen. lure is only attractive to like noise beside trees near behind. I find in this an Anna was a writer who full of drones chasing one then Alan Latham, and circle about in that drones within a his home at Selbourne, implied assumption that the might well have seen and another in little swarms, Connecticut, USA, published area. I do not say that this What are drone congregation's area and Hants, he was puzzled by Queen was always faster described drone assemblies which formed, darted about what they saw. Digges, is always the case, for congregations? even then they cease to be this phenomenon. It has and more active than the as she was a first class and broke up with great The Irish Bee Guide,_1904, mating of drone and queen Congregations are places at interested in it when a become traditional to generality of drones. Frank observer and writer without suddenness; sometimes a made no reference to a may occur much closer to a distance from apiaries queen enters the attribute to this site the first Cheshire in the first volume, a commercial interest. swarm of drones would fail place of congregation, for the hive; but I feel it is the where drones gather congregation's flight space. record of a drone 1886, of his great to the ground. When one gets the feeling that he custom to congregate thus between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., Drones flying to and from a congregation. Beowulf summation of late 19th The British writers several virgin queens were took their existence for and the virgin queens tend on warm afternoons in congregation or even at its Cooper believed this to be century bee knowledge, R.O.B.Manley and William exposed a short distance granted. In paragraph 21 to fly to that spot, attracted June, July and August, in very edge will hover about the oldest recorded and still Bees and Beekeeping,. Herrod-Hempsall were both from one another, the he wrote: "....meanwhile by either scent or instinct. lowland Britain when it is a lure but not show any real functional congregation as believed in one mating for keen observers of the drones generally paid upon the open flowers Latham then goes on to possible to see mirages on interest in it. In a he observed it in July 1973. life and that the fastest and honeybee but made no attention to one only. On around, or resting on sunny describe the nervousness of roads, trees shimmer in the congregation drones fly to Scanning the old bee books, fittest won the bride. comment on drone one occasion the favourite leaves, are countless drones during their flight distance and most people and fro in the one finds notes that gatherings. was a newly-hatched queen drones, observing each with hours. wear sun-glasses. At the congregational area and indicate the existence of George Neighbour, The too young to fly, and even his magnificent eyes of congregations, drones also gather into 'comet' congregations and of drone Apiary,_1878, who was also The ignored the cage that had contained 26,000 hexagonal lenses, Note on making a simple gather from apiaries up to formations of a dozen or comets but these were not anti-drone, recognised that observations of Sladen this queen proved for a the timid virgins drone lure 10 miles away. It is to more insects. These comets then associated with queen pairing took place some Digges and Latham,. short time more attractive movements. Soon the loud In the current 1998 season these "congregations" rise and fall breaking up mating. The "scientific" distance from the apiary. The detailed observations than all the full-fledged humming of the full-fed I have developed a simple queen bees come to be and reforming with rapidity, beekeepers and He was writing after 1859 of F.W.L.Sladen, published queens that were exposed. males attracts the young lure on the end of a mated and as current some gyrate in a circular entomologists of the 17th when it was possible for in the first edition of his The attractiveness of a queen, and she enlarges telescopic fishing rod called German research shows up motion and others so that and 18th century were him to cite examples in book Queen Rearing in queen was increased by the circles of her flight and a "roach pole". This rod to 50 times over a number from a distance they appear seeking answers to the apiaries of the effect on the England,1905, page 33 association with the drones, passes over them, instantly extends to 7 metres. At the of days. It is also clear that as solid bodies. On nature of queens and local bees of the seems to have been ignored and also by raising her 20 they are in full pursuit..." tip of the rod, which has no drones are not interested in introducing a lure within a drones and the manner of introduction of the Italian both in the United Kingdom or 30 feet by means of a Manley who revised the running gear, I screw in queens outside the congregations area it their sexual lives. They Alp or Ligurian bee at a and the United States. kite. It is clear that the editions of the Guide after place one side of a standard congregation area. becomes a centre of were uncertain if the bees' distance from that under Beowulf Cooper who scent of the queen 1921 altered the paragraph electric cable jointing clip Location of interest for the drones who eggs were impregnated observation. assembled so much of attracted the drones, and it in the 1932 edition deleting and on its other side a 20 Congregations then form 'artificial' comets directly by the drones, like importance about drone seems to me likely that "upon open flowers around, mm hook of plastic coated These gathering places, that sweep away from the fish; if mating took place In the USA Professor congregations in the UK ardent drones attracted the or resting on sunny wire dipped in a minute which are used year after lure over the field. Drones did the queen and drone A.J.Cook, Michigan State and C.Zmarlicki and Morse, other drones by emitting a leaves..." which was quantity of 90DA. The year are frequently higher are able to hover near the mate in the hive or behave Agricultural College, in the Journal of Apicultural scent themselves". inconsistent with his own great advantage than the surrounding land lure and fly backwards for like the social wasps on the 1888 revision of his The Research "Volume 2, 1963, This important and careful view that drones do not so they stand out clearly. short distances from it. ground or on plant foliage. Bee-keeper's Guide,_(page failed to note both Sladen's observation was altered for alight, instead substituting 16 © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 17 The F.I.B.K.A. Annual Summer Beekeeping Course Gormanston 1998 Bee colourful Angus Stokes

This event in the beekeeping When you see it disappearing Showier who had a his B.& K Father, Son or Holy Ghost as When you take a visitor to my admiration for the didn't even consider english occupied hives were was pointed out when I visited calendar is rather unique, Its on the back of a lorry'. It seems book stand, as well as his fish- the apiary on a cold wet colourful hives in Greece, together with the BIBBA party oak and mahogany. painted with a colourful popularity cannot be doubted the candidate got no marks for ing rod for drones and Tom Ke- day, there is often very judging by its attendance this this obvious answer. hoe with his equipment stand. two years ago. the immaculate varnished protective layer where they year of about 250 beekeepers, I One of the attractions must be Claire Chevasse who passed the At Gormanston the college little to see. Through the hives I had seen in Cuprinol technical support stood. The area around the believe its appeal is in its flexi- the meeting of like-minded peo- Lecturer's examination, Liam grounds are magnificent, great eyes of a visitor, the Denmark and the gleaming immediately confirmed that entrances was not painted bility, one can attend lectures ple, and meeting old friends and Rice, P.J.Curran, Sally Perceval- sweeping acres of green sward beehives may lie white WBCs in an allotment Garden Shades did not until dusk, so that bees and workshops with a view to making new ones. BIBBA were Maxwell, Georgie Penruddock, with some fine stands of trees. camouflaged amongst the of a nearby town, finally contain any insecticides and were not wading through Some of these such as the Yews sitting one of the examinations, well represented at the Summer Gavin Doran, John Cunningham, summer greenery and shamed me into doing were suitable for beehives. coloured chemicals on their these are Beginners, Intermedi- course, some of the most promi- Fionola Walsh, Brian Milward, are the finest examples I have little evidence of the something about the ate, Senior and Lectureship ex- nent members of F.I.B.K.A. in- Terry Clare, Eugene Grant, Barry ever seen - a continuous giant Only the Fencelife and return from foraging. No ill working of busy bees, aminations. Alternately one can volved in running the course Lynch, John Summerville, Hous- mound which looks to be im- appearance of the firewood Woodworm killer were to be effects to bees were noticed attend any of the lectures or were members of BIBBA. These ton Wilson. pregnable, yet an entrance collecting stores of pollen collection I called my avoided. Ronseal didn't or expected, when painting workshops just for interest included: Obviously one topic of conversa- about the size of a doorway and nectar. The hive apiary. This decision seem to know, but would occupied hives. alone, knowing that something Outgoing President of F.I.B.K.A. tion was Varroa, with its discov- allows access to its interior, woodwork can look really coincided with an awaking send me a technical new will be learnt. Michael O'Callaghan ery in Ireland recently. Certainly there one finds it has a walkway drab and tatty after a life and new awareness that leaflet... still waiting ... If you like the weathered The wide spectrum of lectures Incoming President of F.I.B.K.A. it is a worry, and with a climate right along its length. It is in fact of casual creosote external woodwork in woodwork look, the paler and workshops give a good John O'Donoghue that brings more wet summers a double row trained to inter- treatment. What you see modern houses and choice for those who do not Current Vice Pres of F.I.B.K.A. than dry ones, commercial bee- twine above to create an avenue The choice was made from shades of silver birch, wish to sit for exams. There are David Lee keepers such as Michael Moyni- of enormous proportions. as a trustworthy old home gardens has the colours willow and seagrass would also other attractions that can P.R.O. & Life Vice President of han are already beginning to The organizers of this event are for your favorite queen is changed in recent available on the give pale colours and tempt one to play 'hooky. These F.I.B.K.A. Dan Deasy calculate the cost of treatment to be congratulated on achieving probably no more than years. Look shelf; iris, sage, protection. If you still like include swimming and golf, or Summer Course Convenor for 800 hives. On a private visit such a high standard. This is the firewood to the eyes of a around. The terracotta and obvious white and put up perhaps following Carl Showier Micheal Woulfe following the week at Gor- second year I have attended and non—beekeeper. The truth peeling forget-me-not. with blistering of traditional with his fishing rod looking for Outgoing Editor of An Beachaire manston I saw his efficient set I know I have added to my is that many beekeepers polyurethane The four finishes paints, try snowdrop. drone assemblies in the Eddie O'Sullivan up near Dungarvan. The neat knowledge of beekeeping, also I in the UK use equipment finishes that ... many a grounds, which I might add Incoming Editor of An Beachaire and clean processing rooms, have come away with informa- were easily proved to be successful. Jim Ryan large and airy with the gleaming tion on polishing old furniture that is well past its sell by prevailed have applied by So what are the perceived There were trade stands of bee- Education Officer extracting and bottling equip- and making polish, thanks to date and many a hive given way to hive would brush. The benefits for using coloured keeping equipment and books, Brendan Coughlan ment. The towering stacks of Charlie Robinson and John would be better used as interesting and brush cleaned in wood finishes? and also a honey show. The Course Lecturers and Examiners supers all treated with creosote Donoghue, and not only making firewood than a royal vibrant colours be better cold water. ♦ Workers orientate week ended with presentations Redmond Williams, and looking fairly new, yet many beeswax candles and other palace for this year's achieved using There is very easier so less drifting; of prizes for the honey show and Dennis Ryan, Gerard 'Donaghue were 30 years old Michael told models, but how to present newly crowned princess. new brush-on used as little odour therefore less fighting, the certificates gained in the me. The business is now man- them packaged in an attractive If beekeeping is a woodwork associated with examinations. One amusing Other BIBBA members present aged by son Michael, father pro- way, thanks to June Hughes. firewood less population comment by the adjudicator for were Micheal Moynihan the com- viding a helping hand, as does There is such a lot to Gor- shoestring hobby then it is protection. these products. inequality in hives, the beginners exams. was the mercial beekeeper who gave an his grandson Michael when manston that it is my intention likely that all sorts of Creosote seems than a royal Solvents are morphometry samples answer by one candidate to the interesting talk on his life's work school holidays come along. to be there again next year. ancient boxes may be unknown to definitely non- more accurate and question, "How do you know with bees, Micheal MacGiolla With three Michael's around it Albert Knight pressed into service when anyone under 25 palace for PC these days, possibly less robbing? when one of your hives is being Coda and Jacob Kahn who ran a can be confusing, but can be one swarm too many is years old. because of the • Virgin queens orientate robbed". The answer given was, workshop on Morphometry. Karl overcome by referring to either collected in May. The this year's destructive quicker and perhaps weeds in the garden start Visits to two effect they have mate sooner to flourish and your major DIY stores newly on the outer ♦ Colourful hive summertime is taken up confirmed that I layers of the appearance, beating nature into was way behind crowned atmosphere. aesthetically pleasing submission. Well, this is the times. Why Transformation to some. true of my lifestyle. not have coloured princess' of the hives was • Protection from Perhaps you are different? beehives I instantaneous. weather and rot by use On a predetermined mused? The It seemed of modern continued from previous page ... weekend each year, do range of coloured unnecessary to environmentally continued these you service your hive woodstains and do any friendly materials their lures using anchored undertaken by David C. of this fixed lure is that it observations at the Clifford woodwork by cleaning finishes that strenuous meteorological balloons or Cramp in 1993 at the makes it possible to and Arthur's Stone sites as them externally, fixing claimed 'to do preparation as The colourful hive kites but both balloons and congregation above our observe drones as they fly well as adding other loose joints and coating exactly what it said on the the hives were simply woodwork looks splendidly kites are difficult to control apiary at Clifford in about and below the lure. It locations in the with a soaking from that tin' was enormous. Two weathered, rather than cared for, revived and as they swing in any air Herefordshire. David now becomes clear how neighbourhood. It is already good old 10 gallons of major contenders emerged; covered in algae. The modernised. A happy sight movement. The telescopic Cramp's detailed report manoeuvrable a drone is in clear that the number of creosote you bought for a Cuprinol Garden Shades texture of the weathered even on a dull day. I rod with its fixed lure can formed a thesis presented flight including the ability to drones seen over the last few shillings many years and Ronseal Garden wood showed through the wonder what the bees see? be carried about the field. to the University of Wales fly backwards. In earlier two years has reduced. ago? Woodstain, both sporting coloured stain and gave a Now the roofs and stands When not in use it College of Cardiff,1993. Our seasons I assembled a lure own observations appeared Possibly due to poor availability of 12 colours. pleasing matt effect. need tidying... telescopes into a sealed rod Even the names sounded using as a an 9ODA carrier in The Bee Breederissue 9, weather conditions in June This summer which we are Wiping the wood surface about 1.3 m long. good: lavender, sunflower, a 5cm long birds feather 1996 and included sightings or declining drone still waiting for, on a dull with a cloth eliminated runs wet day in July, my view holly, black ash, snowdrop, flying on a 30 cm nylon made at the Franciscan populations from loss of and drips when the Progress report on of the apiary was the terracotta, silver birch, iris, fishing line from the end of College, Gormanston, colonies through varroa application was over locating drone same as that of the casual forget-me-not, willow, enthusiastic. an extended fishing rod, County Meath, Ireland and infestation or beekeepers congregations visitor. I decided that my seagrass, rich plum, jade this fluttering lure seems to at 'Arthur's Stone', cutting out drone brood. Check out the colours on trusty creosoted mist, evergreen, harvest Enthusiasm grew as each have not great advantage Dorstone, Hereford. In Karl Showier, Hay-on-Wye, via the BIBBA Internet site at My wife, Betty, and I Hereford, HR2 5BG woodwork was a disgrace. gold, rich jade, deep blue, tatty brood box and super over a fixed one. Some 1997 and 1998 we have http://www.angus.co.uk/ investigators have raised continued the observations Returning from travels, blue mist and bilberry. I was transformed. Some bibba/bim02/colours 18 © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 19 Galtee Bee Breeding Group. -the first five years. First steps to better queens and other Irish news Eddie O'Sullivan M Mac Giolla Coda

Constitution, aims, The breeding zone Morphometry and very serious business the I have made the effort with the would take the frame and brush chose June for holidays in in the plant world and what their work involved can add Jenter Kit but alas so far without some melted beeswax onto the Ireland must be very advantages or otherwise were. and work Originally confined to the the international success. Let me explain. I greatly to the enjoyment plastic cells and put it into a hive disappointed because the month We walked only about a mile programme. Galtee/Vee Valley our scene bought the kit in July last year containing another Galtee showed none of the sunshine for along this country road and back operation has gradually and excitement of modern and it is an updated version of This bee improvement .Since the Galtee Group queen. So we must wait for which it is famous. At this stage again to where the cars were expanded so that our beekeeping. What a the one I had many years ago another day or so to see if there it is difficult to predict what kind parked but it took about two and group was formed at a commenced its evaluation breeding zone has been pleasure it is to see a and which I mislaid. In this new will be any progress. It was of honey harvest we will have, if a half hours. Time meant meeting of local beekeepers and selection programme in extended westwards to perfect frame of capped one there is a plastic square pouring rain here all day today any. It is turning out to be nothing to us on that lovely at Glengarra Wood on the 1992 season, consisting of cells about a include the valleys of the worker brood as a result of so we could not open any hive another year of good intentions afternoon as we enjoyed the Monday, 30th, December considerable progress has quarter of an inch in depth but but perhaps tomorrow we may which will not be fulfilled. 'Get fresh country air while we Funchion and upper crossing a selected queen, 1991. Present at that first been made especially in the without a bottom. This fits into get the chance to inspect the thee behind me, Satan' I hear listened and learned from each Blackwater between the by means of instrumental meeting were John field of morphometric the main piece which holds the frame again. If I could get them my conscience saying as I look other. When we did reach the Nagles and Ballyhoura insemination, with drones cell plugs. I attached the kit to a Carrigan, Redmond assessment and the to build up the cells at all I feel out the window at the rain starting point we were in for Mountains. as far as from unrelated lines. What new bar frame containing sure the hardest part of the job pouring down on the garden another pleasant surprise. Some Williams, David Lee, and identification and evaluation Mallow, and eastwards a wonderful thrill it is to foundation and on the day I would be over. outside. Surely there cannot be of the group had arranged for Micheal Mac Giolla Coda. To of a number of important along the Suir valley as far open a full colony of bees intended to give it to one of my much more up there and in a cups of hot tea for all and as we simplify the working of the behavioural characteristics strong colonies I found a swarm When we looked in again after few days the sun will shine as the River Anner and the for an audience without the sat on the grass in the field group a set of provisional of our local strains of native in the apiary. It had come in about two days the queen had through and let nature and the beside the road eating valley between Slievenamon need for protective rules and guidelines were bee. Our work has been from somewhere else and laid in all the comb except the beekeepers get on with the work sandwiches and drinking tea, the and the Commeragh clothing. One of the most settled on the side of a brood drawn up. A working widely acclaimed area of the kit, so we decided to before the season has passed information on various aspects Mountains, and southwards exciting experiences which chamber which I had stacked put on the little excluder and put away again. of nature continued to flow programme for the throughout Britain as well through West Waterford some of our members had with some empty supers her in behind it. To our surprise through the crowd until it was evaluation, recording, as France, Germany, and and East Cork as far as this year was on the playing awaiting tenants. I hived it in she laid up every cell and now Many of you may have heard of time at last to part and make culling and selective Switzerland. Through our the brood chamber and set it on Ballynoe and Killeagh. It is fields of Gormanston we have reached the stage of Galtee Cheese. Yes, I thought our separate ways home. breeding of the local bee membership of BIBBA we a stand in the apiary and then I giving the cells to the cell that would catch your attention. hoped to extend this College when as part of the strains was agreed on. The have forged links with Black got the idea that this would be rearing colony. I think the "What has cheese got to do with Now comes the sombre note to general demarcation line as retinue headed by Karl aims of the group included Bee improvement groups in the ideal way to get the Jenter hardest part is over and we will beekeeping"? I can hear you all temper the pleasantries of which far as Waterford Harbour Showier with a drone lure Kit drawn and ready for the the conservation, many other European wait now and see how many say. Well, nothing, I suppose, I have spoken. I mentioned last on the east and from attached to the top of his queen rearing. I put the frame cells will be accepted and built. I but Galtee cheese is made in a time that Varroa had not been restoration, study, countries with whom we Mallow westward through long fishing rod fluttering in into the brood chamber with the will let you know next time how town called Mitchelstown which found in Ireland yet. Well I am selection, and improvement can exchange experience Killarney to Killorglin and the breeze we were swarm and brought a feed to it goes. Did any readers is only a few miles along the afraid that I spoke too soon of the native strains of the and knowledge. The them later that evening as I had experience problems with this Castlemaine Harbour. Very bombarded by sex-crazed road from the headquarters of because two cases were Dark European Bee in our success of the Aer Lingus given them a full box of new version of the Jenter Kit? the Galtee Bee Breeders Group. confirmed about a week ago in many of our queens have drones. Our elation and own locality including the Young Scientists foundation including the Jenter Mitchelstown was chosen as the County Sligo in the west of already been distributed all excitement knew no bounds Galtee/Vee Valley and morphometric project on frame. They drew the comb The weather is letting us down meeting place for the group's Ireland. The samples were taken along the general area as in two particular areas alright but I did not see much very badly this year. March was Hedgerow Walk in May and in from apiaries about thirty miles surrounding areas. The the bees of Ireland has about a half mile apart we work on the plastic cells in the almost summer-like and the spite of what I have said about apart and belonging to two adjacent to this line. gained tremendous publicity group membership at encountered two separate kit. colonies were sparked into the weather they chose a different beekeepers who had no present consists of Gerard for Irish beekeeping and I decided, after a few days, to brood rearing and expanding beautiful sunny Sunday connection with each other. One Future aspirations drone assemblies and for O Donoghue, Burnfort, our native Irish bees. the first time we had the take it to the queen from which rapidly. Then came April with afternoon for the outing. At two sample contained deformed Any beekeeper within the I wanted to breed and duly put Mallow; David Lee, privilege of seeing queen gales and rain and a week of thirty about twenty members bees which seems to indicate Kildorrerey; Dennis Ryan, general area of this Health and her in behind the little excluder. very heavy frost which knocked and friends had gathered in the that the mites were present for bees being mated. By the way, the swarm had filled everything back again. May was car park of the Deer Park Hotel Mylerstown, Clonmel; demarcation line is some time. It has arrived now welcome to apply for productivity the remainder of the drawn not too bad. We got some very and a convoy of cars set off to and we must learn to live with it Redmond Williams, Cahir; comb on both sides of the frame fine days which enabled the membership of our bee Prior to 1990 the main Rewards and travel about three miles out into and try to keep it under control Michael Reidy, Ballylooby; criteria for propagation with syrup and were almost bees to gather from the the countryside to a lovely bye- as far as possible. Tests are improvement group and encouragement Ml. Mac Giolla Coda, were honey production and ready to cap it. When I checked whitethorn and sycamore. road which was chosen for the being taken from all the known take part in the very The progress which has next day for eggs I found none, Indeed a lot of supers were Burncourt; Liam Rice, freedom from disease. For walk. We parked the cars and colonies in the area in an effort worthwhile work being been made by the Galtee but all the syrup had been taken needed to keep ahead of the set off to admire the great to measure the extent of the Ballynoe; Jacob Kahn, many years we had been Killeagh. So far no undertaken and in the Bee Breeding Group in the out of the comb and the cells colonies during that time and variety of wild flowers, shrubs infestation but I have no further especially monitoring the cleaned up. I let the queen many hives boasted of two full and trees along the way, led of information since the first assistance has been programme of evaluation course of the past five and selection which is being incidence of chalkbrood and years has been rewarding locked up for another twenty supers by the end of the month. course by none other than announcement. I live about two obtained from any other acarine. Over the past five four hours but without success. Now we are into the last week in Michael MacGiolla Coda himself hundred miles south of the drawn up at present for the and encouraging for each beekeeping body with the years while maintaining I removed the excluder then and June and since the first of the who has a vast knowledge of outbreak so maybe it will take next five years. individual member. Already exception of BIBBA which emphasis on these very let her have the run of the comb month we have seen nothing but this area of nature. It was most some time to reach my area but The most important aspect we have bees which are for a few days but still she did rain and more rain. So much so interesting to hear him talk as all our readers know only too has given us a great deal of important economic advice, and encouragement of the work envisaged for reasonably docile and a real not lay an egg on any part of the that it is very likely that all the about the different species as he well we must be extra vigilant qualities more and more comb. Almost two weeks have beautiful whitethorn honey will stopped every few yards to from the beginning. We are the immediate future will pleasure to work with. We from now on once it was found consideration has been gone by now since I started and be eaten up because they could select yet another plant and tell in our country at all. Beekeeping especially grateful to Albert undoubtedly be the have been further identification and selection given to temperament and encouraged by the many I have made no progress with not get out to forage even us whether or not it was of in Ireland will no doubt undergo Knight, Paul Arthur, Adrian though the blackberry had swarming tendency. messages of gratitude from egg-laying. Yesterday a benefit to the honey bees as a big change and whether for and Claire Waring for the of bee strains for Varroa colleague suggested that she begun to flower. Anyone who well as naming its near relations better or worse will depend on satisfied beekeepers in help they have given us tolerance. It is in every Drone every Irish county, as well from the start. It is Irish beekeepers interest to as many parts of Great therefore one of the rules support this work as a congregations Continued from previous page that there can be no room for complacency and that our bees would revert to their former unacceptable level of Britain, who have of our group that each matter of urgency, so that Bee breeding or bee aggressiveness if we do not continue to practice our agreed programme of evaluation, recording, culling, and selective breeding. As far as bee requeened their aggressive member affiliates annually by the time the mite is improvement as we now improvement goes we feel that we have made a good start. We have learned much from our experiences during the past five years but we realise colonies with our Dark that there is much more to learn, and that there is a long, long way to go to reach our eventual goal of a uniform, docile, productive, low swarming, to BIBBA as well as to his/ found in this country, we prefer to call it can be one may have identified certain of the most enjoyable and Galtee Queens. disease resistant bee, which is also ideally suited to our cool damp oceanic climate. In the absence of any national programme of research into her local Beekeeping Varroa tolerance of Irish bee strains, we intend in the coming years to devote as much attention to this aspect of bee improvement as our very strains of bee which rewarding facets of the Association. limited resources will allow. manifest some degree of beekeeping hobby. Conclusion CONTACTS: The Secretary, Dennis Ryan, Mylerstown, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Chairman, Micheal Mac Giolla Coda, Glengarra Wood, Burncourt, Co. Tipperary. tolerance to this disease. Generally regarded as a We are fully aware however INTERNET Website address: http://homepage.tinet.ie/»eduard/ Email address : [email protected] 20 ij 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association © 1998 Bee Improvement is a publication of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association 21 Derbyshire wee Read Crafty! Beekeeping `An Read Centre Beachaire' specialists in The Irish QUEEN Bee Craft TM; ourtonJ, JOURNAL OF'THE BRITISH RFFXEEPIRS' ASSOCIATION REARING EQUIP- Beekeeper Monthly Q Practical ! MENT Topical ! Published monthly. Catalogue on request • Beginners & Experts I UK subscription £10.00 (Sterling) per annum. Queen bees available C~7 Competitions & Reviews ! :Republic of Ireland IR£9.50 per annum post paid. Thorne agent The leading UK monthly beekeeping journal Ben and Justine Gillman, Details from Mrs 5 White, Sample copy from: Nether Cottage, Nether Lane, Hazel- 24 Dogger Lane, aA r oo Hon. Manager, Graham Wells-next-the-Sea, O Third party IC1 wood, Duffield, Derbyshire DE56 4AP OO Insuranca Q Norfolk NR231r3E O Hall, Weston, 38 Elton U.K. Park. Sandycove, Co. Tel/Fax: 01328 711681 IQaattP Tel: 01773 550 513 Dublin, Ireland. li 1. •

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