Honey Bees As Pollinators – a Topic of Postage Stamp Collections
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HONEY BEES AS POLLINATORS – A TOPIC OF POSTAGE STAMP COLLECTIONS Prof Wit Chmielewski Apiculture Division, Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, P O Box 4, Kazimierska 2, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland Tel: +48 81 8864208, Fax: +48 81 8864209, e-mail: [email protected] Honey bees (Apis L.) and beekeeping are very interesting and even fascinating thema of hundrieds of postage stamps of the world. A lot of them are related to pollination of agricultural and horticultural cultivars or plants living in wild nature (forests, meadows etc.). Majority of stamps issued in several countries show honey bees as visitors and pollinators of such economically important cultivated plants as rape (Brasica rapa), red clover (Trifolium pratense), sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), apple- and other fruit-trees in orchards, strawberry (Fragaria grandifolia), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia); forest- and park-trees (e.g. willows, Salix caprea; Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia parvifolia) and undergrowth plants (heather – Calluna vulgaris; Epilobium angustifolium, Vaccinium), weeds, herbs (e.g. Lavandula vera, Salvia), various ornamental plants and other melliferous flora (Antigonon leptopus, Astragalus sinicus, Bidens pilosa, Cassia alata, Columnea, Iris, Poinsettia pulcherrima, Ranunculus). Observations of mode of life of bees show that they are friendly not only for natural biotopes but also for artificial plant communities. Their presence on plant cultivars during their florescence period is an obligatory condition of high fruit and seed crops. Stamps showing honey bees as pollinators collecting nectar and pollen were issued mainly in the following countries: Belgium (1997), Botsvana (1985), Bulgaria (1987), Camerun (1986), China (1993), Cuba (1971), Cyprus (1989), Dominicana, France (1979), Germany /incl. former DDR/ (1990), Great Britaine (1963), Guinea (1985), Hungary (1983), Israel (1983), Japan (1985), Jordania, Korea (1979), Macedonia (1993), Mali (1987), Mocambique (1985), Nicaragua (1984), Oman, Poland (1956, 1982, 1987), Roumania (1959, 1987), Russia /incl. former USSR/ (1950, 1971, 1998), Singapore, Sweden, Syria, Tanzania (1986), Tunisia, Ukraine (1999), USA, Venda (1992), Vietnam (1993). Presentation of bees as pollinators of flowers in philathely and edition of „bee stamps” seem to be a good methods of popularization of beekeeping, propagation of their economical importance, biocenotical and ecological part of honey bees in nature and environment protection. Besides of that, almost all of these philatelic items are interesting works of art and have also a high educational and scientific values. Proceedings of the 37th International Apicultural Congress, 28 October – 1 November 2001, Durban, South Africa APIMONDIA 2001 To be referenced as: Proc. 37th Int. Apic. Congr., 28 Oct – 1 Nov 2001, Durban, South Africa ISBN: 0-620-27768-8 Produced by: Document Transformation Technologies Organised by: Conference Planners HONEY BEES AS POLLINATORS – A TOPIC OF POSTAGE STAMP COLLECTIONS Prof Wit Chmielewski Apiculture Division, Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, P O Box 4, Kazimierska 2, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland Tel: +48 81 8864208, Fax: +48 81 8864209, e-mail: [email protected] CURRICULUM VITAE ! 1. Last name: CHMIELEWSKI First name: Wit 2. Born: 17th January 1938, Głazów, Poland 3. Marital status: Married 4. Education: 1961, Msc., Agricultural University, Poznań 1971, PhD., Institute of Applied Biology, Poznań 1977, D.Agr. (Ass.Prof. - habilitation), Institute of Plant Protection, Poznań 1984, M. of Apiculture, Agricultural College, Apicultural Unit, Poznań Ph.D. thesis: „Morphology, biology and ecology of Carpoglyphus lactis (L.,1758) (Acarina, Glycyphagidae)”. D.Agr. thesis: „Formation and importance of hypopus stage in the life history of mites belonging to the superfamily Acaroidea”. 5. Employment: 1961-1962 - Research Institute of Forestry, Warsaw; Head of Res. Stn. 1962-1986 - Institute of Plant Protection, Poznań; Head of Acarology Laboratory 1987 - Res. Inst. of Pomology and Floriculture, Apiculture Div.; Ass.Professor 6. Publications: over 100 scientific papers, over 100 presentations on conferences, symposia, congresses etc., ca. 90 popular-scientific articles, co-author of 5 books related to acarology and apiculture. Total: over 330 publications. 7. Interest area: stored product and house dust mites, apicultural acaro-entomology (mites and insects associated with bees and hive products), biology, ecology, faunistics, prophylaxis and control, rearing (laboratory cultures) of acaroid mites (Acaroidea: Acaridae, Carpoglyphidae, Glycyphagidae, Pyroglyphidae); fossil mites, bees and other insects (amber inclusions); acarology and apiculture in philately of the world as a method of popularization of these fields of knowledge and sciences. .