cd; ,•„1.4:" 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.