Bees for Development Journal Edition 114- March 2015

Bees for Development

JOURNAL

114 – March 2015

• BURZYAN BEES • NOSEMA CERANAE • HONEY RETAIL TIPS • WAX MOTH – FRIEND OR FOE?

The Journal for Sustainable Beekeeping 1

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Dear friends We hope that you enjoy reading this new style Journal: let us know what you think of our new look. We are delighted to bring you fresh news of European, extensive, local style beekeeping - ancient methods still alive, well, and underway with European Apis mellifera mellifera, the European black bee, in Russia’s Ural Mountains. Author Rustem Ilyasov mentions many intriguing aspects, among them that these methods have been practised since 500–600 years BC.

use in agriculture, and further again by motor vehicle exhausts adding oxides of nitrogen to contribute more nutrients to these roadside verges. Many indigenous, herbaceous flowers, counter-intuitive as it may seem, need soil of low fertility to flourish well. When the nutrient level is too high, large and robust plant species out-compete the others. For these reasons, the biodiversity of roadside verges and odd scraps of land has gradually reduced and we are increasingly surrounded by green grass - just green concrete as far as bees are concerned.

This Journal comes to you from Monmouth, county town of Monmouthshire in Wales in the west of the UK. Although a rural area, bees and other insect pollinators do not have an easy time here – farming practices and land development mean that every year there is less floral forage available.

Bees for Development has long been working in countries distant to us, to ensure better policies for bees and beekeepers. By 2013 it was compelling to begin work closer to home, and thus the new campaigning organisation Bee Friendly Monmouthshire was formed.

Roadside verges and hedges used to be a great resource for bees, when verges were grazed by farm animals, or cut for hay and the mown grass and other plants taken away.

In fact the local County Council is legally required to show regard for biodiversity in all its actions, and readily adopted a new Pollinator Policy, reduced mowing, and created bee friendly plantings. During 2014 these activities proved an unexpectedly popular success - enjoyed by bees and taxpayers, and for which the Council received unprecedented public support. Win win win so far! We are continuing the campaign for a yet more Bee Friendly Monmouthshire.

Nowadays there are no roadside grazing animals, the public expects to see ‘tidy’ roadsides, and the habit has developed for Councils to cut these verges regularly: even when flowers are in full bloom! Thus in Monmouth town, the regime (until now) was to cut 13 times during the year. Cuttings are left in place, adding nutrients to the soil and making it more fertile. Soil fertility is increased further by the huge amounts of fertilisers we

Issue 114: March 2014 In this issue

Bees for Development

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Practical beekeeping – Honey packaging and labelling............... 3 Look & Learn Ahead..................... 5 Learning curve for beekeepers in Kajo Keji.................................... 6 News around the World................. 8 TECA discussion........................... 8 Fact Sheet – Wax moth................... 9 Burzyan bees in South Ural..........11 Practical beekeeping – The ‘new’ parasite...............................18 Bees for Development Survey......20 Bookshelf.....................................22 Notice Board................................22

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JOURNAL

114 – March 2015

• BURZYAN BEES • NOSEMA CERANAE • HONEY RETAIL TIPS • WAX MOTH – FRIEND OR FOE?

Readers in developing countries may apply for a sponsored subscription. Apply online or use the form on page 24

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(UK Registered Charity1078803) works to assist beekeepers in developing countries.

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Bees for Development Trust gratefully acknowledge Marr Manning Trust, E H Thorne (Beehives) Ltd, Size of Wales, The Waterloo Foundation, and the many groups and individuals who support our work. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to help.

See our website for how to become a Supporter.

Bees for Development

1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth, NP25 3DZ, UK T: +44 (0)1600 714848 E: info@beesfordevelopment.org www.beesfordevelopment.org 2

The Journal for Sustainable Beekeeping 1

Cover picture Beekeeper Syntimer Isyanguzhin, Inspector for Environmental Protection of Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve Russia, visiting the European black honey bees he has been looking after in this hollow tree hive for 10 years. He has another 30 colonies living in trees in the Reserve.

The picture was taken by Hasan Yagudin (retired) Deputy Director for Environmental Protection of the Reserve (Rustem Ilyasov). More on pages 11–17

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Practical Beekeeping

Honey packaging and labelling for retail Janet Lowore & Nicola Bradbear

Key words: food grade plastic, lot number, organic honey, tamper evident seal

Offering a well packaged product to customers is an essential part of honey retailing. Even if your honey is of high quality - and by this we mean that it has required moisture content, cleanliness, colour and flavour - it will not sell well if it is poorly packaged. Most liquid honey is retailed in glass or plastic jars, while honeycomb is sold usually in plastic trays. Liquid honey is sometimes sold also in plastic bags, sachets and straws.

popular with customers. They are also lighter weight - important if you are transporting your product over a distance. Poor quality plastic jars often leak and give customers a bad impression. Jars should be filled to within 0.5 cm of the lip. If they are under-filled the customer will feel that they are being cheated, while if the jars are over-filled the honey may spill out. All jars should be filled to a consistent level.

Glass or plastic jars

Tamper evident seals

Glass jars are considered to be the most desirable and attractive packaging for honey. However glass jars are not always available, they are heavy and break easily.

Plastic is a good alternative providing that high quality, foodgrade plastic jars, with well-fitting lids are used. The advantages of plastic jars are that they come in different shapes, and squeezy plastic bottles are

Tamper-proof devices are important to show that the container has not been opened since it was packed. Plastic lids often have a tearable plastic strip which has to be broken to open the jar. A honey packer who does not have tamper proof lids can stick a tamper proof seal from the lid to the side of the jar. This will tear when the lid is removed. Heat shrinking plastic security seals also work well.

The label The label is the most important part of the package. It needs to be informative, attractive and to meet legal labelling requirements.

Designing an effective label needs skill, creative ability and care.

Here are a few pointers: • The word honey must be clearly visible on the label. The name of a plant or blossom may be used if it is the primary floral source for the honey.

• Ensure that all legally required information is shown clearly.

This usually includes the net weight - that is without the jar - the geographic origin of the product, and the name and address of the packer.

• Keep other information to a minimum so that the label is not cluttered with tiny writing that customers cannot read.

• Make sure the spelling is correct, that the label is applied straight and uniformly across the jar, and always the same distance from the distance from the base.

The squeezy bottle is a successful way to package honey, and is convenient for the consumer 3

• Use the label to tell a story or explain why your product is special or unique.

• Provide important additional information, for example,

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Tamper evident seal!

Other labelling information Honey is a single ingredient product and it is not necessary to list the chemical composition for example types of sugars or vitamins.

Plastic wrap security seal

We all know that honey has a long shelf-life. Nevertheless, stating a ‘best before date’ is often a requirement and anything up to two years from the date of bottling is considered reasonable.

FAQs

What is a Lot Number?

it is common for honey packers to tell customers that crystallisation is a natural process and can be reversed by gentle heating.

A lot refers to the batch of jars packaged under similar conditions - perhaps all on the same day. It enables problems to be traced.

The lot number is a simple short code comprising letters and/ or numbers and is unique to the particular lot or batch. The packer records details (date, equipment used, origin of honey) of each lot number against this code in their record book. Lot numbers are not always a legal requirement: it

depends on the scale and type of business.

What is food grade plastic?

Food grade plastic is the type that can come into direct contact

The name of the honey – named after the place it comes from or the main floral source Attractive image

Name and address of the packer (this can be the beekeeper)

Lot number Net weight and best before date

Additional information to encourage customers 4

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Plastic boxes with clear lids are the best way to package and present honey comb with food without contaminating it or affecting the colour, odour, or taste. Examples include Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polypropylene (PP).

Can I call my honey organic?

Honey can be labelled as organic only if the beekeeper harvesting the honey has been inspected against a set of criteria by an accredited organic certification body. The certification process is expensive and worthwhile only if your customers are willing to pay

LOOK AHEAD MEXICO IX Congreso Mesoamericano sobre Abejas Nativas IX Mesoamerican Congress on Native Bees 20-26 April 2015, San Cristobal de las Casas Further details www.ecosur.mx/abejas RWANDA 5th ApiTrade Africa Event 2016 Further details will appear here SAUDIA ARABIA 13th Asian Apicultural Association Conference 2016 Further details will appear here SLOVENIA 1st Pan-European Honey Breakfast 21 November 2015 Further details www.czs.si

more for certified organic honey.

Packaging in difficult environments For beekeepers in remote, rural areas it can be difficult to obtain high quality packaging materials. It is common in these instances to see honey for sale in recycled plastic bottles or soda bottles. While this type of packaging is unsuitable for high-end supermarkets, it can be appropriate if your customers

SOUTH KOREA APIMONDIA: 44th International Apicultural Congress 15-20 September 2015, Deajeon Further details page 24 UK Ulster BKA 71st Annual Conference 20-21 March 2015, Greenmount Campus Further details www.ubka.org BBKA Spring Convention 17-19 April 2015, Harper Adams College Further details www.bbka.org.uk Scottish BKA Autumn Convention 12 September 2015, Oatridge Further details www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk Conwy Honey Fair 14 September 2015, North Wales Further details www.conwybeekeepers.org.uk National Honey Show 29-31 October 2015, Weybridge Further details www.honeyshow.co.uk

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are more interested in your honey than in presentation: then simple packaging is suitable.

Clean plastic bags are cheap and hygienic and suitable if nothing else is available. It is important always to ensure that whatever container is used, it is perfectly clean and presents no hazard to the product or to the customer.

Author details Bees for Development, 1 Agincourt Street, Monmouth, NP25 3DZ, UK

LEARN AHEAD

UK Strengthening livelihoods in developing countries through beekeeping 27 March 2015, Monmouth Sustainable beekeeping 28–29 March 2015 and 22–23 August 2015 Ragman’s Lane Permaculture Farm See www.beesfordevelopment.org/whatwe-do/training

BfD Beekeepers Safaris Vietnam 9–22 November 2015

Trinidad and Tobago 11-21 January 2016 Turkey 23 July – 3 August 2016 See www.beesfordevelopment.org Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @BeesForDev

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Learning curve for beekeepers in Kajo Keji This email exchange (July 2013 to November 2014) between Chris Douglas, of Lone Star - Africa Works and Bees for Development tells the experiences of supporting beekeepers in South Sudan.

Chris Douglas This year we launched a beekeeping programme in Central Equatoria State. We organised training on building top-bar hives, and delivered a ‘starter’ kit including bee suits and strainers. I believe beekeeping is vitally important for developing an ecologically and economically-sustainable agriculture sector in South Sudan; and a good way for communities (primarily in the “Green Belt” areas) to earn income. How can we share information and explore ways to advance beekeeping here?

BfD We are emailing you our Technical Bee Notes – a short, regular mailout with news and updates in the bee world. We encourage you to subscribe to Bees for Development Journal, where you can read articles written by other practitioners in the developing world. We recommend

also the TECA beekeeping exchange forum: www.teca.fao. org/group/beekeeping-exchangegroup.

Chris Douglas The outbreak of violence in South Sudan is very worrying.

Fortunately our beekeeper friends in Kajo Keji are unharmed, although scared, and the unrest has made things highly expensive in the markets and disrupted cell phone communication. We want to move ahead with our beekeeping work in the area, especially now when people need to see that good news and good works are still possible, even with violence in other parts of the country.

Moisture content of honey varies according to forage sources and humidity with the ripe honey? This will raise the moisture content. If there is crushed brood mixed with the honey this will affect moisture content.

Honey of 19% and 20% will not ferment readily but if exposed to more moisture will do so. If honey is stored in containers that are not air or water tight, moisture is absorbed from the air. Different honeys have different ‘normal’ moisture contents.

The content you measured may be normal for local forage sources and sugar compositions.

I have two questions. First, the moisture in the honey harvested by our beekeepers tested higher than I expected: 19 and 20%. Any ideas?

Secondly, I spoke with the State Minister of Agriculture who said he is interested in adding regulations/ laws concerning bees and beekeeping. Are there chemicals or practices they should prohibit or regulate, besides banning import of bees from other countries?

BfD HONEY Is there any chance that unripe honey has been harvested

PHOTOS © CHRIS DOUGLAS

Lone Star – Africa Works assists beekeepers in Kajo Keji, South Sudan

REGULATIONS should be introduced only to resolve problems so it is important to fully understand the threat you are facing. For example, if beekeepers do not use veterinary medicines for their bees, regulations concerning these are irrelevant. Banning the importation of bees, and of second hand equipment, would be useful to prevent the introduction of non-local genotypes, diseases and problems.

Another concern would be enforcement of regulations. Where resources are scarce, establishing a regulatory authority for beekeeping might not be a priority: other issues – education, market-related problems, promotion and training might be more important.

Chris Douglas Thank you again for the help. Until we can get more airtight buckets, we are covering the mouths of the jerry cans with plastic sheeting in addition to the screw-on cap, for an extra seal.

Honey harvest in Kajo Keji begins in March and ends in May.

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Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

The hardships of the conflict in December 2013 and the disruption of unusually heavy rain last summer caused delays, and beekeepers did not build as many hives as they wanted to. Does it make sense to build more hives now (January), or is it unlikely that they will be colonised and yield honey by harvest season? Woven basket hives are straightforward: however it takes over two weeks to get the materials for new top-bar hives, and every day counts as we get closer to the honey harvest and crop planting season.

BfD BASKET OR TOP-BAR HIVES? One of the reasons why beekeeping is good for supporting livelihoods of people living in difficult environments is that special equipment is not needed. Look at the woven hives as an opportunity - a strength in local systems which affords resilience to beekeeping as a livelihood in hard times - do not think of them as a stop-gap because other equipment is hard to get. If it is possible and easy to make woven hives - do so!

TIMING Consult local knowledge.

Are bees still swarming? Is it possible that there might be some late swarms around? If so, use every opportunity you can to boost the chance of a honey yield (and much needed income) in the coming season. If the forage is available swarms can build up and create a

Basket hives woven from bamboo which grows abundantly in Kajo Keji good store of honey within a few months.

Chris Douglas I encourage the beekeepers to use woven basket hives as much as possible. Bamboo is abundant and costs only time. A top-bar hive can cost SDG250 (US$80; €70). This has meant undoing some of the damage done by the creeping donordependency culture, and some of it reminding people that just because something is “new” or “Western” does not mean it is always better.

I will talk to the beekeepers about

In the absence of airtight buckets, containers must be air and water tight so that moisture is not absorbed from the air. Jerry cans are sealed with plastic sheeting in addition to the screw-on cap

swarming. It has been harder than usual to reach my main contacts in Kajo Keji because of the disrupted phone networks. Bees are incredible creatures and I have stopped being surprised to hear what they are capable of, especially the ones in South Sudan that seem so healthy and active.

BfD We are always frustrated by inappropriate beekeeping projects (they do more harm than good) when the same money could be put to better use. If a poor farmer takes out a loan to buy an expensive hive and the bees abscond or never enter (which happens often) they are left burdened by a loan and with no productive means by which to repay.

Such projects make the poor poorer.

Some projects fail to understand that it is bees that produce honey and not hives!

Lone Star – Africa Works is an American non-profit company supporting rural businesses, conservation, education, farming and science in South Sudan. In partnership with the American Honey Bee Protection Agency, the beekeepers of River Nile International and Lulu Works Women’s Shea Cooperative, Africa Works is enabling honey and shea butter to be South Sudan’s first exports to the USA (expected April 2015). See www.lonestarafrica.com

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Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

TANZANIA Thank you much for the Resource Box which just arrived here in Mwanza. We are looking forward to offering training and getting beekeepers groups started in the rural villages in the Lake Zone.

Contact with other beekeepers and/or trainers in this area of Tanzania would be appreciated. It would be helpful in establishing a better network because we are very new to beekeeping. Please contact us via BfD.

PERU People living in a forest area of Iquitos have recently started keeping species of Melipona stingless bees.

The usual way of gathering the honey is to smash open the nests in the tree trunks – this destroys the nests. The honey is known to be of high medicinal and antibiotic value, but it is scarce. Raiding the nests is extremely detrimental but the financial gains for subsistence farmers are too tempting.

The project has been successful, but has helped only a few people in the many areas of the forest. The bees are easy to keep and require almost no equipment.

A ten year old boy has started working with a colony, under the guidance of a local beekeeper. In one village the women have become the beekeepers. The main requirement is to keep the hives clear of invading ants, cockroaches and flies.

Rachel Monger, Emmanuel International, Mwanza Ed: See page 24 for details of how to apply for a Resource Box

Training is provided by one person from Iquitos who visits the villages once a month, providing locally made simple hives and a few additional items including jars, labels and the syringes that are used to extract the honey.

TECA to discuss Varroa treatments

The beekeepers have formed an association to help each other when the project funding stops. If you can offer assistance, please contact us through BfD. Jann DiPaolo

PHOTOS © JANN DIPAOLO

Honey is harvested from the stingless bees’ ‘honey pots’ using a syringe

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From 20 March to 15 April 2015, the TECA Beekeeping Exchange Group will host a moderated discussion on the effects of anti-Varroa treatments on the health of bees. The discussion will be conducted

by Dr Giovanni Formato, Head of the Beekeeping Laboratory of the Regional Institute for Animal Diseases of the Regions Lazio and Tuscany, Italy (Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana).

Giovanni is a veterinarian and expert in bee diseases. He will present an overview of the pros and cons of different Varroa treatments and their effects on the health of bees.

TECA is FAO’s free online platform for the exchange of information and knowledge for small agricultural producers.

The discussion is organised within the framework of an agreement between APIMONDIA (the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations) and TECA. Charlotte Lietaer You are invited to join the discussion, share your experiences and/or post your questions on www.teca.fao.org/ group/beekeeping-exchangegroup

Factsheet

Wax moth Two species of wax moth, the Greater wax moth – Galleria mellonella – and the Lesser wax moth – Achroia grisella – occur worldwide wherever there are honey bees.

They are found in wild honey bee nests and in the apiaries and stores of beekeepers. Wax moths perform a valuable role as they completely destroy combs when a colony dies out. The resultant debris that they create is unlikely to harbour bee disease – this reduces the spread of infectious bee diseases. This is why wax moths are sometimes called The Beekeepers’ friend.

Wax moths may be found living inside hives, however strong honey bee colonies will not tolerate them.

The moths can be a nuisance if the colony is weak or there are many uncovered combs where the moths can lay eggs undisturbed. They are most often found in combs outside the hive, in stored honeycomb in supers, or in sacks of comb and cappings waiting to be rendered into beeswax blocks.

PHOTO © VITA (EUROPE) LTD

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Adult wax moth

Lifecycle

marks across the comb. Eggs are not visible.

The adult female moth lays her eggs in drawn honeycomb (rarely in foundation). On hatching, the larvae, which are very active caterpillars, tunnel through the combs leaving silken webs over the surface. After a period of pupation, adult moths emerge, mate and continue the cycle.

Adults may be seen when the hive is opened, and wherever there are adult moths, there are likely to be wax larvae in sealed bee brood or in unused brood combs.

The larvae burrow through the combs to feed leaving distinctive channels that show as diagonal

In beekeeping

PHOTO © KEREALEM EJIGU

Wax moth larvae tunnel through combs leaving silken webs

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Wax moths do not kill bees or bee colonies. They are a particular nuisance for frame hive beekeepers who store empty honeycombs and brood combs outside the hive for use in future beekeeping. These combs, unprotected by bees, are very vulnerable to wax moth infestation.

Wax moths are attracted to comb that has been used for brood where their larvae consume the bees’ larval skins and pupal cases left in brood comb. Pupae of Greater wax moth can damage wooden boxes as the mature larvae spin tough white cocoons, and gouge depressions in woodwork to attach them.

Avoidance The best way to prevent wax moth damage in beekeeping is through good management. Beekeepers should: • Keep honey bee colonies strong at all times, as these will cope with wax moth and discourage them from breeding.

• Not store drawn comb but harvest whole honeycombs, like those beekeepers who harvest from fixed-comb, or top-bar hives.

• Not store old combs and cappings, but render them into wax blocks (rendered blocks are unattractive to the moths).

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Beekeepers who store frames of drawn comb for any length of time often use treatment to keep the comb in good condition for re-use.

There are three main methods (see table right) *The information given here is brief. If these methods are selected for use, more detailed instructions must be sought to ensure proper and safe procedures are followed.

Never use paradichlorobenzene (PDB) crystals. This was used in the past and is recommended in old beekeeping books. It was effective but the chemical can accumulate in the wax, harm bee larvae and contaminate honey. No household moth killer or moth balls should ever be used as they are all based on chemicals that are highly toxic to bees, and may be carcinogenic to humans.

Treatment Type Biological* – the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis

Treatment Method Spore preparations are commercially available and applied with a hand sprayer.

Bacteria invade and kill all wax moth larvae Chemical* – The chemical fumes of sulphur is placed and strong acetic above boxes of acid drawn comb, then sealed.

Fumes sink and penetrate combs Physical – Place combs in a chilling or freezer or rely on freezing winter frosts in cold countries

Advantages

Disadvantages

Not toxic or dangerous to handle. Useful for small numbers of frames. No reported bad effects on bees

Not effective on eggs. Time consuming.

Expensive and must be sourced from a specialist supplier

Effective at killing all stages of moths

Fumes of both chemicals highly toxic for people (acetic acid must be very strong to work)

Works well - cold kills larvae and prevents eggs from hatching

Impractical for rural beekeepers in tropical countries PHOTO © KEREALEM EJIGU

Treatment for stored combs

Conclusion Wax moths are a normal part of beekeeping and all beekeepers should expect to see them from time to time. They do not kill bees.

They are a particular problem for frame hive beekeepers working with drawn comb yet are rarely a problem for beekeepers who harvest whole combs. Wax moth infestations rarely take hold in strong colonies where comb is regularly being re-built.

References BRITISH BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION (2012) Wax moth in the apiary. BBKA, Kenilworth, UK. CARON,D.M. (1999) Honey bee biology and beekeeping.

Kalamazoo, USA.

Wax moth larvae consume bees’ larval skins and pupal cases left in brood comb

Case Study from Ethiopia

All abandoned hives with combs are infested by wax moth. But we do not know if the infestation caused the bees to leave, or it developed after the bees absconded for a different reason. Strong colonies have no problem with wax moth. If a small colony has a wax moth infestation before peak flowering time, usually the colony expands as normal and overcomes the infestation.

Our recommendation concerning the management of wax moth in frame hives is to allow the hive volume to match the colony size. Only add supers if the colony is large enough and expanding, and reduce the volume of the hive as the colony reduces. There are no specific recommendations concerning wax moth in top-bar and local style hives as it is rarely a problem in these systems.

Tilahun Gebey, Director, Bees for Development Ethiopia, Bahir Dar

Before the introduction of frame hives to Amhara State, wax moth was not seen as a problem. This is not because of the hives themselves but how they are managed.

Beekeepers often do not remove honey supers from the colony during dearth periods, when the number of bees in the colony is reduced and the bees cannot cover all the combs. While these combs are exposed, and the bees are generally less active, moths can take hold and multiply.

Both top-bar hives and local style hives are used in Amhara. In these systems wax moth do not persist in the colonies because during harvest time whole combs are removed, leaving nowhere for the moths to live without coming into close contact to the colony which will deter them.

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Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Burzyan bees in South Ural R A Ilyasov1, M N Kosarev2, A Neal3 and F G Yumaguzhin4

Key words: Apis mellifera mellifera, Bashkir beekeeping, biosphere, Burzyan wild hive bee, European black bee, gene pool, hollow tree hive, Koloda beekeeping, Russia

Summary The hybridisation within honey bees in most European countries has led to loss of the European honey bee Apis mellifera mellifera gene pool. We believe that Russia still has pure populations of these European black bees. The most common honey bee, the Burzyan bee, is protected in the mountain forest zone of South Ural in the Shulgan-Tash State Nature Biosphere Reserve, the Altyn Solok Regional Nature Reserve and the Bashkortostan National Park. These bees nesting in hollow trees are of great interest for understanding the natural history of honey bees.

Evolution The European black honey bee race of Apis mellifera is evolutionarily adapted to live in the continental long, cold winters of northern Eurasia. This race survives in a few isolated reserves. The largest areas are in Russia: about 300,000 colonies avoided hybridisation in the South Ural area of the Republic of Bashkortostan; about 200,000 colonies in the Middle Ural area

(Shurakov et al, 1999; Ilyasov et al, 2006) and about 250,000 colonies in the Volga Region of Republic of Tatarstan (Krivtsov & Grankin 2004). We have information also about the large populations of this bee in the Altai Region of the Republic of Udmurtia. Of the European black bees in the South Ural, 99% are kept in frame hives in apiaries with 1% in natural and specially made tree hollows. The evolution of the European black bees was synchronous with the evolution of the widely distributed linden tree Tilia cordata and therefore the main forage crop for these bees is when these linden trees blossom (Kosarev et al, 2011).

Gene pool Scientists at the Ufa Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science have been monitoring the gene pool of the Burzyan honey bees for the last 20 years, using polymorphism of loci COI-COII of mtDNA and microsatellite loci ap243 and 4a110 of nuclear DNA. This extensive research confirmed the purity of the gene pool as a race of Apis mellifera

PHOTOS © RUSTEM A ILYASOV

The Burzyan honey bee Apis mellifera mellifera

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mellifera (Sattarov, 2000; Nikolenko & Poskryakov 2002; Ilyasov et al, 2007b).

In 2011, at the request of the Institute of Beekeeping and Shulgan-Tash State Reserve, bees from this population were classified as a separate type: Burzyan wild bee. This was registered in the State Register Patent No 5956 on 14 June 2011 by the State Commission of the Russian Federation.

History According to artefacts found at the Bahmutin culture burial site near Birsk, beekeeping in the southern Ural started 500-600 years BC among local Finno-Ugric tribes.

Later beekeeping was adopted by Bashkir ancestors, who drove away the Bahmutin people (Kosarev et al, 2011).

This beekeeping does not require iron tools, and skills accumulated were passed on through many generations of hollow tree beekeepers (Kosarev et al, 1999).

Boards with Tamga signs in a local museum Bashkir beekeeping flourished in the 18th century. It took longer to develop than in Belarus, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and central regions of Russia, however the Bashkir beekeepers developed

Tamga sign on a tree

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more perfect, convenient and reliable tools and accessories.

With special land tenure rights, the Bashkirs managed to avoid compliance with requirements of the Russian Forest Service, which

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

in 1882 banned beekeeping in state forests “because of the risk of forest fires”.

In the 19th century, due to deforestation and destruction of cultural traditions by the migrant population, Bashkir beekeepers developed Koloda beekeeping.

Koloda uses handmade hollows inside tree trunks, made high up in a tree (Kosarev, 2014). Trees with Koloda were considered by Bashkirs as personal property and were marked with Tamga, the distinctive signs of tribal affiliation.

Every beekeeper knew his mark and did not touch the property of others. Trees with Koloda and Tamga were kept by families for generations (Yumaguzhin, 2010).

Hollow tree apiculture In the second half of the 20th century Bashkir beekeepers began using movable-frame hives.

Nevertheless despite the hard labour, hollow tree apiculture still continues in remote areas of the South Urals. Inspections of hollow tree bee colonies requires work

A Koloda hollow tree hive. The beekeeper is using the Lange platform and Kiram belt as high as 16 m, and because they are located away from populated areas, the beekeeper has to travel on horseback 40-50 km each day (Yumaguzhin, 2010). Tools used by Bashkir beekeepers

Hollow tree hive

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are mostly homemade and are similar to those used in other countries. However tools unique to the Bashkir beekeepers are the Kiram and the Lange. A Kiram is a braided leather belt up to 5 m in

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

length used for climbing trees. A Lange is a small portable platform, which is fixed on the tree trunk with a rope (Kosarev, 2014).

In later centuries, when there were enough natural hollows in trees with bees, Bashkirs, like beekeepers around the world, in autumn would harvest all the honey from a colony and the bees that were left without reserves died. In spring, beekeepers would check these tree hollows, clean them and make them ready for fresh occupation by a swarm.

This killing colony system was used until the 19th century and in some areas until the 1950s.

The advantages of this system were considered to be that new comb was created every year, tree hollows rotted less, bees were rarely ill, their body size did not decrease and there was no inbreeding.

When the number of natural tree hollows declined sharply, beekeepers were forced to treat the wild bees with more care and

Kiram (a braided leather belt up to 5 m in length used for climbing trees), Lange (small portable platform which is fixed on the tree trunk with a rope) and a smoker fixed to a saddle leave sufficient honey for winter survival. As a result, colonies lived longer in the same place - up to 25 years!

Climbing the tree

14

In addition, Bashkir beekeepers began to keep wild bee colonies continuously for long periods in the same tree trunk hollow since

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

they had learned how to remove combs without damaging the colonies. But non-stop keeping of bees in the same hollows led to the decay of the nest more quickly than keeping bees in different hollows every year. Therefore wild beekeeping without change of nests reduces the service life of the hollows (Kosarev et al, 1999).

Wild bee colonies in the Ural area have many natural enemies that weaken the family and cause their death. These enemies are: brown bear Ursus arctos, European hornet Vespa crabro, forest mouse Apodemus uralensis, greater spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major, pine marten Martes martes, red wasp Dolichovespula rufa, red wood ant Formica rufa, and wax moth Galleria mellonella.

They also could not avoid recent honey bee diseases and parasites, such as Varroa destructor (Ilyasov et al, 2014), Nosema apis, Chalkbrood Ascosphaera apis (Ilyasov et al, 2014), American foulbrood Paenibacillus larvae, and

Working at hive level European foulbrood Melissococcus pluton (Kosarev, 1987; Bakalova, 2010).

populations of hollow tree bees have cyclical swings dependent on solar activity (Kosarev et al, 1999).

These problems are more severe in modern, movable-frame hives than in hollow tree hives. The

Biosphere

Harvesting honey

15

Currently, black European bees

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

exist in the southern Urals in the Shulgan-Tash State Reserve where they live in natural and handmade tree hollows. The Reserve was established in 1958 and it covers an area of about 22,000 ha. The bees live in the regional Altyn Solok Nature Reserve (90,000 ha) established in 1997, and the Bashkiria National Park (82,300 ha) formed in 1986 (Kosarev, 2008).

At the end of 2014, these three national parks had about 1,200 trees with Koloda handmade hollow tree hives but only 300 were occupied by bee colonies, while about 4,000 colonies were kept in apiaries in movable-frame hives. In 2012, these Reserves, together with others, were listed as specially protected areas, and acquired the status of biosphere with UNESCO, called Bashkir Ural complex, and a total area of 346,000 ha. The Altyn Solok Regional Reserve is protected by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Bashkortostan. To preserve the Burzyan honey bee, it is planned to expand the Shulgan-

Apiaries in the Shulgan-Tash State Nature Biosphere Reserve Tash State Reserve in a north-west direction through undeveloped territory between the Nugush and Uruk rivers (Kosarev et al, 2002; Yumaguzhin, 2009).

The staff from Shulgan-Tash,

Natural environment of the Burzyan honey bees

16

Altyn Solok and the Bashkiria National Park, together with local beekeepers, are constantly taking measures to increase the bee population and to carry on selection work to improve

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

immunity, winter hardiness and productivity of the Burzyan bees.

This policy of state protected reservations allows us to save a unique population of these Apis mellifera mellifera bees in Eurasia, in the face of new threats from hybridisation and habitat destruction (Yumaguzhin, 2009; Kosarev et al, 2011).

Author details Ufa Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Institute of Biochemistry & Genetics, 450054, Russia 1

Shulgan-Tash State Nature Reserve, Bashkortostan Republic, Irgizly, Zapovednaya 4, Russia 2

c/o Ufa Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Institute of Biochemistry & Genetics, 450054, Russia 3

Zauralski Branch of Bashkir State Agrarian University, Bashkortostan Republic, Sibai, Pushkina 4, Russia 4

References BAKALOVA,M.V. (2010) Symbionts of honey bee in colonies of State Nature Reserve Shulgan-Tash.

Russian Journal of Beekeeping.

Vol 2: 12–13.

A hard working, hollow tree beekeeper preparing his horse for the trip ILYASOV,R.A; POSKRYAKOV,A.V. et al. (2007) Saving Apis mellifera mellifera L. in the Udmurt Republic. Russian Journal of Beekeeping. Vol 6: 13-14.

KOSAREV,M.N. (2008). Saving of gene pool of Bashkir bees. Russian Journal of Beekeeping. Vol 7: 8–10.

KOSAREV,M.N. (1987) Burzyan wild bees and Varroosis. Russian Journal of Beekeeping. Vol 9: 12–13.

Aspects of Yumaguzinski Reservoir.

UfaGilem: 114–124.

KRIVTSOV,N.I. (2011) The breed of bees for the northern regions of Russia. Materials of the International Conference Honey World, Yaroslavl, Russia: 25–26.

KRIVTSOV, N.I.; GRANKIN, N.A. (2004) Dark European bees breeding. Rybnoe: GNU NIIP. Pp 140.

BRANDORF,A.Z.; IVOILOVA,M.M. et al. (2012) Population genetics differentiation of honey bees of Kirovskaya oblast. Russian Journal of Beekeeping. Vol 7: 14–16.

KOSAREV, M.N.; SHARIPOV, A.Y.A. et al, (2011) Saving of gene pool and breeding of Burzyan wild bees. Materials of International Conference - Honey World, Yaroslavl, Russia. pp 38–39.

FARHUTDINOV,R.G.; ILYASOV,R.A. et al. (2014) Biological stimulator for honey bee colony productivity with fungicidal activity. Biomics.

Vol 6 (2): 68-72.

KOSAREV,M.N. (2014) Wild bee beekeeping in the present: methodical recommendations for beginner wild beekeepers. Ufa: Informreklama p 50.

ILYASOV,R.A; FARKHUTDINOV,R.G. et al. (2014) Influence of acaricides amitraz and fluvalinate on average daily egg and total honey productivity of honey bee colonies. Biomics. Vol 6 (2): 73-76.

KOSAREV,M.N.; YUMAGUZHIN,F.G. et al. (1999) About dynamics of the number of bee colonies of Bashkir population, occupancy of hollow trees nest and hives Koloda in State Nature Reserve Shulgan-Tash. Materials of International Conference: use of biologically active bee products in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. M Ufa: 118–121.

SHURAKOV,A.I.; ESKOV,E.K. et al. (1999) Preservation of the gene pool of the dark European bee and the general ways of developments for beekeeping of the Perm region. Perm Pedagogical University, Russia.

KOSAREV,M.N.;YUMAGUZHIN,F.G.; et al. (2002) The expansion area of the Nature Reserve Shulgan-Tash – is a way to saving the gene pool of native wild bees in the South Urals.

Proceedings of the Environmental

YUMAGUZHIN,F.G. (2009) The question about the expanding area of State Nature Reserve Shulgan-Tash. Orenburg State University, Orenburg, Russia. Vol 6: 461–463.

ILYASOV,R.A.; PETUKHOV,A.V. et al.

(2006) In the Urals preserved four populations of dark European bee Apis mellifera mellifera L. Russian Journal of Beekeeping. Vol 2: 19-20.

ILYASOV, R.A.; PETUKHOV,A.V. et al. (2007b) Local honey bee Apis mellifera mellifera L. populations in the Urals. Russian Journal of Genetics. Vol 43 (6): 709-711.

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NIKOLENKO,A.G., POSKRYAKOV,A.V.(2002) Polymorphism of loci COI-COII of mitochondrial DNA of Apis mellifera L. in South Urals . Russian Journal of Genetics. Vol 38 (4): 458–462.

SATTAROV,V.N. (2000) Population genetics polymorphism of Bashkir honey bees Apis mellifera L. PhD thesis.

YUMAGUZHIN,F.G. (2010) History and current state of wild Burzyan bees. UfaGilem: 07.

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Practical Beekeeping

Beekeeping with the ‘new’ parasite Wolfgang Ritter

PHOTOS © W RITTER

Key words: Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, Nosema sp, pathogen Until a few years ago the occurrence of diarrhoea and crawling bees in spring was regarded as typical for Nosema infestation. Since the turn of the millennium, this has changed fundamentally. Today, Nosema is rarely accompanied by diarrhoea, but crawlers can still be found, and now throughout the year. A ‘new’ Nosema species originating from Asia has everywhere replaced the former one. The fact that the Nosema pathogen is now classified as a fungus and no longer as a bacterium is of less practical importance.

Host change in Asia Nosema apis is the original parasite of the Western honey bee Apis mellifera. It multiplies in the cell walls (epidermis) of a bee’s midgut and obstructs protein production.

The Asian honey bee Apis cerana is exclusively affected by Nosema ceranae.

In China in the 1970s Nosema ceranae was found for the first time in newly introduced Apis mellifera honey bees. Since 1998, this ‘new’ parasite has spread all over the world, and within a short time has nearly eliminated Nosema apis.

According to our examinations in Southern Germany, the replacement took place within one to two years from the beginning of 2003. In places with higher bee density, change was more rapid.

Similar but genetically different Under the microscope with 400x magnification, the slightly rounder and generally smaller spores of the Asian Nosema can be distinguished from the spores of the original endemic species, but only after meticulous measuring of a large number of spores followed by statistical evaluation. A clear identification is possible only with molecular genetic methods with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This method enables easy

At 400x magnification, the slightly smaller spores of Nosema ceranae (4.4 x 2.2 μm, left) are only distinguished from those of Nosema apis (5-7 x 3-4 μm) after meticulous measuring recognition of multiple infections.

Nosema ceranae can be identified in other bee organs, such as the Malpighian tubules and different glands. As these examinations are not available for Nosema apis, it is unknown whether this is typical for the ‘new’ species, and is of any practical importance.

Temperature survival Both Nosema species multiply best at the normal brood temperature of 34°C. Above 37°C, Nosema apis can no longer develop, whereas Nosema ceranae still completes its full cycle. Many spores can survive above 60°, when Nosema apis has been killed. Below 34°C, Nosema ceranae develops less favourably.

After 24 hours of frost, the majority of spores are dead, while Nosema apis maintains its pathogenic power for longer. This is why we can store Nosema apis deep-frozen spores for years for use in examinations.

Clinical symptoms Traces of diarrhoea inside and in front of the hive are typical for Nosema apis. Weakened bees often crawl at the entrance hole.

18

Gradually the colony became weaker and most often died.

Also with the ‘new’ Nosema ceranae, crawling bees are seen in front of the hive, but visible diarrhoea occurs rarely, and spots of excrement are infrequently found. The colonies are weakened throughout the year and do not develop properly. The total losses with empty hives (after all the ill bees had left their colony) experienced in Spain and other Mediterranean countries have not so far occurred in Germany.

Obviously, this is due to Nosema ceranae’s poor tolerance of cold and its better multiplication capacity in warmer climates.

Perennial symptoms Nosema apis multiplies mainly only in older bees. Strong infestations

by Nosema spores therefore appear in spring and to a lesser extent, also during harvest, at the time of rearing longer-living winter bees.

Problems with Nosema mostly occur after years of poor forage conditions and with long-living bees. In general, this seems to

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

be true also for Nosema ceranae.

However, this species can multiply well in shorter-living summer bees, and thus causes typical symptoms, especially crawling bees, throughout the year.

Increase bee turnover With Nosema apis it was important that the bees in the hive are not too old and that infested ones are replaced by younger ones as soon as possible. As Nosema ceranae causes damage more rapidly, you should ensure that there is a regular bee turnover throughout the year: • Colonies should be placed where the bees can leave their hive for honey flow as early and as frequently as possible.

• Colonies should not be placed on the ground to avoid ill bees, especially crawlers, getting back in to the hive.

• Colonies should be offered good foraging possibilities, as often as possible, thus preventing summer bees getting too old.

For examination the intestines are extracted together with the last segment of the abdomen. Top: infested. Lower: healthy transparent midgut (Source: Ritter,W. (2012) Bienen gesund erhalten (Keeping bees healthy). Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany. In German)

Nosema apis

Nosema ceranae

Optimise food supply Sufficient food supply has always been important for bee colonies.

In many countries, commercial enterprises offer restoratives for Nosema control. We have not tested all of them. The effects of some have been controversially discussed.

Disinfect combs and comb equipment

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Unlike endemic Nosema apis, De imported Nosema ceranae appears throughout the year and is able to multiply in short-living, summer bees

Nosema spores can be found everywhere in the bee colony. Bees pick them up during cleaning and distribute them. To support selfhealing, the number of pathogens has to be reduced, therefore eliminate as many sources of infection as possible: • Combs of dead colonies are treated with 60% acetic acid over absorbent materials, such as sponge cloth and felt plates (for 10 combs you need 120 ml of 60% acetic acid).

• Deep-freeze food combs for at least 24 hours.

• In winter, expose storage combs directly to frost.

To disinfect combs, place a sponge cloth impregnated with 60% acetic acid between the supers Author details OIE, Reference Laboratory at CVUA Freiburg, Am Moosweiher 2, D79108 Freiburg, Germany BfD acknowledges www.diebiene.de as the original source of this article 19

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

Bees for Development Survey In January 2015 we sent a survey to 2,549 recent users of Bees for Development’s Information Services. The questions concerned BfD Journal, Resource Boxes and our website Information Portal. We used the online Survey Monkey service and by 3 February had received 583 replies. We do not have email addresses for all of you and so we sent a survey by post to those whose Journal subscription is due for renewal. We thank all of you who responded.

If you have not yet completed the survey – there is still time!

Winners The names of everyone who responded so far have been entered into a draw to win a BfD T Shirt. The first 40 winners are: Anamaria Marques Vincenzi (Brazil), Sobere Traore (Burkina Faso), Gerard Nduwayo (Burundi), Nyonta Emmanuel, Eric Fongoh, Apella Magellan, Michael Tchana (Cameroon), Cheng Lihong (China), Paul Mulala Bahati (DR Congo), Denbeshu Debeko, Amene Haileselassie (Ethiopia), Abraham Allotey, Peter K Kwapong (Ghana), Janice Frasier (Guyana), Balazsi Tomori (Hungary), Arumainayagam Raja Samson (India), Reza Shahrouzi (Iran), Agape Adams (Jamaica), Stephen Mutai, David Njuguna, Dickson Omandi (Kenya), Zakhifa Omorbekova (Kyrgyz Republic), Catherine Chunga, Victor Mhango (Malawi), Marie Lefrancois (Martinique), Elsa Joubert (Namibia), Aliyu Bamall. Mulero Emmanuel, Tobias Ukeh (Nigeria), Prasad R Attygalle (Sri Lanka), Fasili Masalu Boniphace, Martin A Chang’a, Joyce Kombe, M K Tarishi (Tanzania), Gladstone Solomon (Trinidad & Tobago), Dickson Biryomumaisho, Tommy Ojan Egits, Edepu Dan Egoriait, Mark Rutaro (Uganda), Kenneth Zalimba (Zambia).

An additional ten T Shirts are available to be won by those who received the survey by post.

Have you read or downloaded articles from the Information Portal?

Yes, I have read them online 60.2% Yes, I have downloaded them 38.3% No, but I plan to read or download articles 16.5% No, the article I wanted was not available 2.9%

Facts

and projects

• People from 84 countries responded • Uganda and Kenya are equal with their respondents: 53!

• Women respondents: 13% • Roles of respondents: 44% beekeepers, 35% working in training/advice, 31% project/ NGO workers • 89% of respondents read BfD Journal • 15% of BfD Journals are read by more than 100 people

Survey Results What happens next?

We have listened to what you have told us. We will make changes to what we deliver, and how. We will consider: • Offering BfD Journal in electronic form • Increasing articles about experiences from beekeepers

• Providing more information about generating income from beekeeping • Adding video content to the Information Portal • Increasing the diversity of materials in Resource Boxes

Comments “A big thank you to BfD. I was able to start up my mobile honey business resulting from information accessed through BfD Journal”.

Emmanuel Ngolobe, Uganda “I would like so much to receive information in Spanish”.

Cayo Cesar Alarcon Duhart, Chile “Next week I will retire from the government. I will continue working and will fully utilise the Information Portal and share the knowledge to farmers in western Nepal”.

Birendra Bahadur Hamal, Nepal

Should we change Bees for Development Journal style and format?

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% More More diagrams and personal images, and stories and interviews less text

20

More experiences from beekeepers and projects

Larger font size

More academic content

More practical information

Other

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

“Thank you for sending BfD Journal, I am very grateful. I need a Resource Box containing picture cards to train those in rural areas who cannot read or write”.

Akinrotimi Odedele, Nigeria

How often do you look at Bees for Development Journal?

Around once a week 47.3%

“I would like to receive BfD Journal in Swahili because I use them also to teach and advise beekeepers who do not know English language”.

Prisca Ntabaye, Tanzania

Around once a month 41.2% Less than once a month 11.5%

Information Portal 66% of respondents said they used our online Informational Portal - online articles, reports and topics concerning beekeeping worldwide. Use the ‘search’ facility to find your area of interest:

Have you read or downloaded articles from the Information Portal?

www.beesfordevelopment.org/ resources-for-beekeepers/ informationportal Yes 89.6%

Resource Boxes 33% of respondents have requested a Resource Box of training materials. These provide community beekeeper trainers with materials for their work. The Boxes include issues of BfD Journal, training modules, picture cards, posters and booklets dispatched in a strong box for safe-keeping.

40% of Resource Box users told us that each Box benefits more than 50 people:

No 2.0% Not Sure 8.4%

How often do you use the Resource Box contents?

www.beesfordevelopment.org/ resources-for-beekeepers/ resource-boxes

I used it once 9.8% I use it regularly 76.7% I have displayed the contents where they are seen by many people 10.5%

VITA BEE INITIATIVE AWARDS Highlighting the work of beekeeping groups Combating health threats to honey bees Publicising good practice See www.vita-europe. comnews/honeybeehealth-initiatives-awardlaunched-vita

Other 3.0%

How do you use the contents of the Resource Box? I use the contents for training purposes 71.0% I use the contents for my own use, as a beekeeper 4.3% Yes, on my mobile/cell/smart phone 6% I make the contents available as a resource for others to use 15.9% I display the contents to provide information to others 8.0% Other 0.7% 21

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

BOOKSHELF

Prices in US$ and € are approximate

Mating biology of honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Gudrun Koeniger, Nikolaus Koeniger, Jamie Ellis, Lawrence Connor 2014 155 pages Hardcover £21 (US$32; €28) Published by Wicwas Press ISBN 9781878075383 Beekeepers are always fascinated to learn about the mating behaviour of honey bees, and researchers have worked over centuries to unravel the secrets. The facts about mating – that it takes place away from the colony, high in the air, and that virgin queens make mating flights, to visit drone congregation areas – have always made this marvellous topic captivating.

The authors of this new book are the world’s experts on this topic - and modern technology has permitted the secrets to be investigated and understood. With help from excellent photographs and images they explain all about honey bees’ wonderful and complex behaviour - in a way that is readable, comprehensive and destined to make the interested beekeeper even more fascinated.

Beekeeping Volume 1 – Ron Brown OBE BSc

Edited by John Phipps 2014 112 pages £9.95 (US$15; €14) Published by Northern Bee Books ISBN 9781908904645 Ron Brown was a true Master of Beekeeping - he was clever, thoughtful, imaginative, enthusiastic and a wonderful communicator of knowledge. This paperback republishes some of Ron Brown’s articles written for Beekeepers’ Quarterly magazine between 1993 and 2006.

Ron first encountered bees when he was living in Zambia during the 1950s. He realised the intelligence of a colony that he rescued from his garage, and was smitten for the rest of life. Living in Central Africa he had no access to beekeeping equipment and invented (so he thought) the top-bar hive – later to discover that Thomas White Woodbury of Exeter in England (near to where Ron eventually lived) had been using much the same equipment in 1859. These articles are full of interesting facts, practical tips, recipes and anecdotes that will appeal to anyone who, like Ron, is smitten by bees!

Notes from a clifftop apiary

Rowland Molony 2014 92 pages £8.50 (US$13; €12) Published by Northern Bee Books ISBN 9781908904607 Roland Molony keeps his bees on his allotment on the cliffs above Lyme Bay in the southwest corner of the UK. He believes that bees benefit from living by the sea: on shore winds are mild and pleasant, severe temperatures never last too long and the early morning sunlight warms the colony and encourages foraging. The book is a light hearted collection of well observed anecdotes – most with a connection to bees in there somewhere!

A practical guide to producing heather honey

Tony Jefferson 2014 46 pages £8.95 (US$14; €12) Published by Northern Bee Books ISBN 9781908904614 Heather honey is highly prized, and highly priced. The author of this new book, and generations of his family before him, focus all their beekeeping efforts on harvesting this special honey during a few weeks of July and August. There are two types of heather honey.

Bell heather flowers from July in the UK and provides a dark-coloured, ruby red, liquid honey.

Ling heather flowers August onwards and the honey is dark brown to ruby red and more thixotropic than bell heather honey. Tony Jefferson has won many awards for the heather honey his bees produce. This guide discusses the whole process including moving colonies to the moors where the heather grows, how long to leave the colonies in place, harvesting and processing the honey and what to do after cropping.

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Permission is given on the understanding that BfDJ and author(s) are acknowledged, BfD contact details are provided in full, and you send us a copy of the item or the website address where it is used.

22

Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

NOTICE BOARD

swienty

FUNDING FROM FAO TeleFood Special Fund Beekeepers’ groups and associations may apply for project funding of up to US$10,000. Request documents should include a brief description of project objectives, proposed food production or income-generating activities, work plan, number of participants, detailed list of inputs with cost estimates and reporting arrangements.

See www.fao.org AWARD A professional development programme that strengthens the research and leadership skills of African women in agricultural science, empowering them to contribute more effectively to poverty alleviation and food security in subSaharan Africa. See www.awardfellowships.org GRANT Non-profit or cultural organisations can apply for funding from the Commonwealth Foundation to support activities including training courses, workshops, conferences, exchanges and study visits to promote international or intercultural exchange, co-operation and sharing of skills, knowledge and ideas between people from developing Commonwealth countries. Conditions apply.

See www.commonwealthfoundation.com ECOLOGISTS IN AFRICA The British Ecological Society offers grants for innovative ecological research. Deadline 27 March 2015.

See www.britishecologicalsociety.org WOMEN CONSERVATIONISTS WWF-US supports women conservationists in the Congo Basin for short-term training and academic/technical degrees in conservation. Applicants must be citizens and permanent residents of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo or Gabon. Deadline 1 May 2015.

See www.worldwildlife.org DAY OF THE BEE Dia do Apicultor in Brazil is celebrated on 22 May - the same day as Saint Rita of Cascia, known as the patron saint of beekeepers.

Day of the Honey Bee in Canada 29 May. National Honey Bee Day USA 22 August with the theme Ban Ignorance - Not Honey Bees.

PHOTOS VITA Europe has a gallery of images of bees free to use for educational purposes. Register at www.vita-europe.com 80 YEARS ON Agromisa is a non-profit organisation in The Netherlands that supports small-scale farmers and organisations by providing practical information on sustainable agriculture.

Visit www.agromisa.org AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL The oldest English language beekeeping publication in the world. See a digital copy and subscribe at www.americanbeejournal.com BEE CRAFT UK Beekeeping Journal for beginners and seasoned apiarists View a digital copy and subscribe on line at www.bee-craft.com BEE CULTURE The magazine of American beekeeping. 140 years experience. Today’s techniques. Tomorrow’s ideas. US$15 for a digital subscription. See www.BeeCulture.com ULUDAG BEE JOURNAL News, practical information and research articles. Published quarterly in Turkish with English summaries.

See www.uludagaricilik.org

Specialist for beekeeping, honeyhouse and honey processing - worldwide.

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Refractometer Measures water content in honey.

Range: 12-25%.

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Bees for Development Journal 114: March 2015

SUPPORT FOR TRAINING BfD Training Booklets and Training Cards are for use by beekeeper trainers in Africa

SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE

Each booklet provides one day of training on one topic. The cards provide pictures and plans illustrating techniques discussed in the booklets. These are included in our Resource Boxes for training events and workshops.

This Journal is available for resource-poor beekeepers, projects, schools and groups in developing countries Supported with funds raised by Bees for Development Trust

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TRAVEL AWARDS

APIMONDIA 44th International Apicultural Congress 15-20 September 2015, Daejeon, South Korea

The Local Organizing Committee is pleased to offer support for people from developing countries to enable their participation in the 2015 APIMONDIA Congress. We invite (young) beekeepers, professors, researchers, graduate school students and scientists from developing countries to apply

The APIMONDIA Federation Award

This Award is designed to facilitate a small number of participants who are actively devoted to bees and honey related industries. The Award will be given on the recommendation of the Apimondia Federation Executive Council

The South Korea Scientific Committee Award

This Award is to encourage participants to present papers during the Scientific Programme of the Congress Applicants for this Award must submit an abstract of the paper that they will present during th Congress, before 20 April 2015

The South Korea Organizing Committee Award

The objective of this Award is to encourage (young) beekeepers, scientists, honey traders, researchers and development workers (excludes exhibitors in ApiExpo) In total 50 grants are available on a competitive basis: Deadline 15 May 2015.

For more information see

www.apimondia2015.com 24