Bees for Development Journal Edition 22 - March 1992

|

|

THE JOURNAL

roapagonar

Beeke eping evelopment

NUMBER 22

MARCH 1992

;

17a

e

:

md

*

as

of

:

eT

Ae

|

WEST AFRICAN SEMINAR + CHIKA HIVES SOUTH SEA ISLANDS BOOTS - EARTH SUMMIT +

INTERNATIONAL BEE RESEARCH

ASSOCIATION

BEEEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

INSIDE INFORMATION A recent vis itor to this office seemed somewhat hesitant to discuss his beekeeping. After a cup of tea he decided to confide in t s. “The truth is” he admitted “I keep bees in Langstroth hives!”

Perhaps it is time for me to emphasise that this journal advocates only one type of beekeeping: Appropriate

beekeeping!

Appropriate here means beekeeping at a level of technology appropriate to available resources. Amongst resources include materials, equipment, time and know-how.

The most appropriate hive for a particular situation might well be a log hive, a top-bar hive, a Langstroth frame hive or |

Producti

|

|

|

Beekeeping and Development is edited by Nicola Bradbear with assistanc le from Helen Jackson.

Four edit ions are published each year.

4000 cop ies of each edition are printed and distributed to beekeepe rs, projects and associations in 174 countries worldwid e.

We appreciate receiving translations of Beekeeping an i Development, our information leaflets or our informati on charts.

We are regularly requested to supply information in languages other than English, and rely on the kind support of our readers around the world to help with this.

Contributions Your contributions are invited. We welcome articles on techniques found to work well, on your events and activities,

Advertisements in Beekeepi ng and Development reach a very wide audience. Various sizes a ‘ailable. Write for rates.

Advertisements

Sponsors

Feedback

We have received sponsor ship from: CTA, FAO, Oxfam, Traidcraft Exchange, The Vorshipful Company of Wax Chandlers, UK beekeepin groups and a number of individual donors. This support is a knowledged most gratefully.

Our aim is to make this journal as useful as possible for our readers, so let us know your views on Beekeeping and Development and of any particular subjects you would like to see discussed in future editions.

The International Bee Res earch Association is a scientific, charitable trust providing information on every aspect of bees and beekeeping to all wh »need it.

,

|

Reproduction Items appearing in Beekeeping and Development may be reproduced providing that appropriate full acknowledgement is given and copies are forwarded to the Editor.

|

timber Our visitor worked in an area with plenty of timbhar sna all af the facilities for making and using Langstroth hives, the equipment was well suited to the bees and the clim ate, and together they yielded highly economic returns of ho ney and beeswax. He left our office happy in the knowledge hat he had been practising appropriate beekeeping all the time!

Translation

n

and news items of interest or concern to readers. Please include illustrations or photographs.

|

one of many others, depending upon the ci ‘cumstances. On pages eight and nine of this edition you will find details of the chika hive, a hive made from mud block: 3 in Ethiopia, and very appropriate in a region where houses a re already made from this chika ecause of the scarcity and axpense of

Unless otherwise stated $ refers to US dollars. refers to pounds sterling. inch = 2.54. cm |

IBRA- International Bee Research Association NGO - non-governmental organisation

[BRA

Contact International Bee Resea rch Association, 18 North Road, Cardiff Fi 3DY, UK. Phone: 44 (0)222 37240 ', Fax: 44 (0)222 665522

SUBSCRIPTIONS Readers in some co dntries face difficulty in obtaining foreign currency to pay their We a ‘e making every effort to help you. Beeswax Barter provides a way to pay subscriptions.

P for Beekeeping and De velopment without involving a cash transaction: conditions are shown below. Readers in A sian countries may pay in their own currency to their local AAA chapter (listed in Edition 20 page 8).

Beeswax RATES S 11.00 20.00 5 kg One s ubscription to any destination Ten ubscriptions t one postal address 50.00 100.00 25 kg eveloping cou try 2.00 4.00 I kg Back issues, per co y Subse riptions com ‘ence on the date they are received by IBRA. Each subscription covers fo ditions, and i cludes airmail postage and packing. See page 13 for methods of payment.

Group s or individua is who are unable to pay may request a sponsored subscription: please rit to Nicola Brad bear. ,

Wy

»

Apimondia Geld 1989

BEESWAX BARTER

World Viston Award for Development Initiative 1990

Our cover picture shows

a well-established

colony of Apis mellifera adansoni which has built its nest underneath the branch of a tree, about 10 m above the ground

Photographed in The Gambia. Who says :

Apis mellifera always dark ark spaces?5

TWO

7

.

nest in enclosed,

Conditions |.

Beeswax must be reasonabl 7 clean and of good quality 2 Beeswax must be presented in solid form and not as scraps of wax or pieces of comb.

Beeswax from any species o “Apis will be accepted as long as the species from which it is collected is 3 clearly marked on the parcel Inside the parcel state your iame and address, the weight and origin of the beeswax, and the number of 4. subscriptions you are payin On the outside ofthe parcel state "BEESWAX RAW FOR IBRA" and the weight of beeswax in kilogra ms.

5.

Any parcel containing comb adulterated or very dirty wax or otherwise unusable wax will be destroyed on arrival at IBRA It will not be returned to the sender, and will not be accepted for barter.

6.

Payment in beeswax is only available for subscriptions to developing countries and cannot be used for any other subscription or pu rchase from IBRA 7.

Arrangements for and costs of carriage of beeswax to IBRA are the responsibility of the sender and IBRA will not be responsible for a 1y postage or other costs whatsoever. Proof of postage is not accepted as proof as receipt 8 Ensure packaging used is a equate to endure the effects of travel

BFEKEE PING AND DE.

EL

OPMENT

MAKE YOUR OWN BOOTS

by Abdalla Mohamed

Ali and Jacob Mogga

LIKE ALL AFRICAN HONEY BEES Sudanese bees are highly defensive, and sometimes we have to wear layers of protective clothing during routine apiary work. This necessity encouraged us to find ways of making protective clothing out of local materials. In addition to the bee suits and gloves we have also invented a way of protecting our feet and ankles with boots made easily from local materials. These boots are wol.. over our normal shoes or sandals when working with bees.

MATERIALS 1.

2

3.

4.

Synthetic woven material. In Sudan this material is used for cane sugar sacks, but it is often used elsewhere to make bags for rice, corn and other grains. Discarded sacks can often be obtained free.

Thread (preferably nylon).

A hand needle 7.5 cm long.

Scissors.

5. Marker pen or coloured chalk.

All of these materials are available locally.

The cane sugar bags are also re-used by sewing into school bags for children to carry their books and sometimes they are sewn into shopping bags. These bags are usually of rectangular shape, around 50 cm x 40 cm (Figure |) and are available at low cost in markets Two such bags would be needed to make a pair of protective boots.

These boots have proved very successful in protection of our feet during colony manipulation however strong and defensive the colony may be. If properly cared for they last for several months. They have also been introduced by Mr Mogga to a beekeeping project in Malawi, and were found equally suitable. hope this idea might be helpful for beekeepers who cannot otherwise afford expensive, locally made or imported boots.

(>_2 PRACTICAL -SBEEKEEPING

“

|

ADVANTAGES The material is readily available in the country.

2. These boots are very cheap compared with imported ones (Sudanese 30 to Sudanese 300). |.

3.

Every beekeeper can make his or her own within one hour.

folded for They are light and easily . transport 5. It saves hard currency for the country.

4.

METHOD 1.

Using a marker pen, draw the appropriate shape and size of the boot on the two bags (Figure 2). It is important to make this extra large to enable the boot to be worn over normal working shoes or sandals.

3.

Cut off the extra portion of the original bag (Figure 3).

Use the needle and thread to sew the pieces together. If available, this sewing can be done by machine.

4.

Arubber band or thick cotton thread is

2.

attached at the folded upper part of the boots to fasten them over the overall (Figure 4).

FIGURE

1.

AWOVEN PLASTIC CANE SUGAR BAG

FIGURE 3 CUTTING OUT THE BOOT SHAPE

len

||

Re

FIGURE 2. A BOOT SHAPE DRAWN ON ONE OF THE BAG SURFACES

35em-

om FIGURE 4. BOOT READY FOR USE AFTER SEWING

WHAT, AGAIN, ALREADY?!

A subscription paid for

Beekeeping and Development covers four editions of the journal. The journal is schedul ed for March, June, September and December every year. A subscription to Beekeeping and Development commences on the day w e Te cel subscription which means you will be sent the edition of the journal that is current at the time. For examr le if you are anew subscriber and you pay for the first time in May you will receive the previous issue dated March as your fil‘st edition. You will then be sent a subscription reminder with the December issue, as (although it is only seven months since you paid) this will be the fourth edition of the journal you have received under your subscription.

Beekeeping and Development is one of the four journals published by IBRA. The other three are Apicultural Abst ‘acts which gives summaries of published papers relating to bees, Bee World which carries interesting articles and reviews fo r beekeepers and scientists, and the Journal of Apicultural Research which publishes original research papers. You do not have t:> be an IBRA Member to subscribe to any of these journals. IBRA Members pay an annual subscription to support the ontinuing work of IBRA, and all Members receive Bee World.

Please write to us if you would like the rates for IBRA Membership and the other IBRA journals.

THREE

AND

DEVELOPMENT

WEST AFRICAN BEE RESEARCH SEMINAR

RST

THE WEST AFRICAN BEEKEEPING RESEARCH SEMINAR INTHE

GAMBIA

FROM 23"-" NOVEMBER

(2) AT THE FRIENDSHIP

HOSTEL BAKAU HOSTED

BY

A.B.E

eee West African beekeeping development stepped forward in November when the first regional Seminar took place in The Gambia. 59 people participated: for most it was their first opportunity to meet colleagues from neighbouring countries.

Background This Seminar arose out of discussions held at the Nairobi (1984) and Cairo (1988) IBRA Conferences on Apiculture in Tropical Climates. Within The Gambia, the Seminar was organised by AFET, the Association of Farmers, Educators and Traders. AFET is an NGO formed to link and assist Gambian groups and co-operatives, locally known as kaffos. AFET membership is 9300, of whom 70% are rural women.

Seminar The Seminar gets underway Delegates discuss lop-bar techniques

Delegates find some shade

under which

to

discuss the village beekeeping project

The six-day Seminar had been planned with thought towards the most useful way of encouraging effective discussion. Field trips on the first two days allowed everyone to meet: we visited projects, some already existing with various degrees of success, others still being planned We saw traditional hives, movable-frame hives, top-bar hives,

and also termite-eaten hives. We visited village blacksmiths making smokers, tailors making overalls, and hive-makers. Delegates from the other West African countries compared The Gambian beekeeping situation with their own. This fuelled further debate during the discussion groups and presentations held throughout the rest of the week

People of a wide range of expertise participated in the Seminar Some were beginner beekeepers who wanted basic technical information, others were experienced in practising and teaching beekeeping. Participants represented government extension and research, those working on aid-funded projects, and individual beekeepers. There was considerable enthusiasm: everyone was anxious to obtain as much information as possible from the Seminar.

Potential Papers discussing existing practices and the potential for beekeeping in West Africa were presented: these will be published in the Proceedings of the Seminar. Traditional beekeeping is widely practised but there exists relatively little documented material on this, or on the behaviour and biology of the native honey bee Apis mellifera adansonii. It is difficult to compare the extent and importance of traditional beekeeping in each of the West African countries. Those in which beekeeping is currently being promoted to the greatest extent include Ghana, GuineaBissau, Mali and Senegal.

Outcome Everyone agreed that West African beekeepers could benefit from greater cooperation. It was decided to form the Seminar’s conclusions into a written statement: The Banjul Bee Declaration, 1991.

Three important Resolutions included in this Declaration are: 1. To form a committee to co-ordinate future regional beekeeping activities. After democratic election, six members were duly elected. These are:

Benin:

Cameroon: Ghana:

Mali: Nigeria.

The Gambia:

Senou Jean Kokoye Shu Numfor Godlove Samuel Oppong Mahamadou Dicko John Dada

Dodou Darbo

2. To establish a regional beekeeping centre. The proposed centre should offer training, research and documentation

facilities.

3. To hold the second West African Bee Research Seminar in Ghana, in 1993.

Details of the full Proceedings of this first Seminar will be given in Beekeeping and Development when they are published.

FOUR

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

SENEGA HE GAMBIA

MAURITANIA

c

BURKINA FASO

COTE

D'IVOIRE

LIBERIA

Country {er = represented at the Seminar

CAMEROON

Beekeepers in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Céte

d'\voire, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Togo Where were you? If you wish to participate in

future West African beekeeping activities then contact the new Association

Latest news The newly formed Committee has already been active. The West African Beekeepers’ Association now exists. For further information contact Dodou Darbo, AFET, PMB 237, Serrekunda, The Gambia, West Africa

ORGANISING A SUCCESSFUL MEETING This Seminar in The Gambia provides an excellent example of enthusiasm by organisers and foresight by funding organisations in turning a good idea into reality.

Perhaps the key to success for any meeting, as was the case for this one, is that a few people are keenly interested to see that the meeting takes place. In this case there was co-operation and communication between Dodou Darbo (Chairman of AFET) and Bérje

Svensson (of Sweden) who together spent much time planning, writing letters and seeking support for several years prior to the event.

An important aspect of any successful event is to encourage the enthusiastic support of others. Many assisting hands are needed in the days leading up to and during a meeting: Delegates to meet, transport to arrive on time, catering to arrange, VIPs to placate, and dozens of other matters In The Gambia, the welcoming efforts of AFET personnel ensured a friendly atmosphere in which the Seminar could succeed. The local beekeeping expertise of Ole Hertz (from Denmark) was enlisted to arrange the technical aspects of the Seminar.

The host organisation could provide the administrative requirements and some, but not all, of the necessary finance. The meeting could only therefore take place with financial support from relevant and interested funding organisations, and by charging a registration

Traditional hives like The Gambia

Gus are widely used

un

fee.

Finance is needed to pay for mail shots and publicity, correspondence, telephone, telex and fax, and many other expenses. Other expertise may have to be paid for, for example the services of translators, and printers. Equipment may need to be hired (microphones, photocopiers, projectors, transport) All of these require arrangement and financial support.

This was provided in various ways by a number of interested organisations: DANIDA funded the host organisation directly, and IFS and CTA supported the participation costs of Delegates Other supporting agencies included ActionAid of The Gambia, Christian Aid, CRS, Future in Our Hands, Oxfam Dakar, and SNF. The message here is that successful meetings depend upon considerable effort by those who are involved in their organisation

Top-bar hive as used in The Gambia

Congratulations to all involved, organisers, funding agencies and participants, in bringing this first West African Seminar to fruition.

An apiary

of

top-bar hives

FIVE

BPFREE

PING AND

VELOPMENT

DF

NEWS AROUND ESPECIALISATION EN APICULTURA TROPICAL (SPECIALISATION IN TROPICAL APICULTURE)

BERMUDA A bee hive turned out to be one of the most popular exhibits in the New Invertebrate House at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. Maybe “popular” is not the right word. The hive is located near the entrance, but behind a corner so that visitors come upon it rather abruptly, finding themselves face-to-face with thousands of stinged insects. have watched many a fearless fellow recoil - caught between the double horror of being stung to death and looking like a coward - until he realises that the insects are behind thick glass, and he then proceeds with defiant valour.

We, the caretakers of these formidable creatures (the bees, not the visitors) have prided ourselves on the ease with which this exhibit runs itself. From the day we put the swarm in its new home, the bees were flying in and out through a hole in the wall, carrying back nectar and pollen. They gradually spread over the five frames we gave them, the queen was busily laying eggs and the growing number of her subjects even drove out the bees’ arch-enemies - wax moths and cockroaches - which tried to gain a cosy foothold in the midst of plenty. So much was there of bees and honey that - as is customary for beekeepers - proceeded to harvest what considered surplus, taking two of the three honey-laden combs, in an effort to prevent the bee population from overflowing its narrow confines.

But then disaster struck - catching me totally by surprise. One morning was alerted to the fact that dead bees had started to accumulate at an increasing rate and could only confirm bee inspector Kevin Monkman’s diagnosis the colony had run out of food reserves and was starving to death. We quickly started feeding sugar syrup, then opened the hive to clear away most of the dead bees, closed it again, and hoped for a recovery, which did not take long - thank God. Within hours the bees, which before had been cowering lethargically on the empty comb, awoke to buzzing life, ecstatically dancing to spread the good news. Undertaker bees started to lug corpses out of the hive, collectors brought in and stored syrup, bystanders fanned with their wings to thicken it, and cells were readied to receive new brood. almost cheered when saw the queen finally deign to lay an egg again.

‘_ |

ab

p>

|

At Merida in Mexico, the University of Yucatan is planning a new 10-month postgraduate course in tropical apiculture. The course will start in September 1992. The course is primarily to train teachers of beekeeping and will be conducted in

spanish.

For further details contact: Carlos Echazarreta, Departamento de Apicultura, Facultad de Medicina y Veterinaria Zootecnica (FMVZ), Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Ap Postal 4-116D, 97100, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

|

|

|

|

BE! ATE During 1992 we plan to update the previously published World distribution honey bee diseases

of major and pests. Please let us

know of any new data positively identifying the presence, or indicating the absence of t

following honey diseases and pe

|

|

Amoeba, Ameri: foulbrood, bee chalk brood, Eu foulbrood, sacb

But the most revealing step the bees took, to me, was that at the height of famine they began to rip open cells in which their pupae were developing. do not know whether they were actually feeding on their own brood, but whatever they did killed the offspring, and the net effect was that the starving hive was prevented from growing even larger. For the first time grasped the meaning of the time lag in growth - those predictions that say that even if the world’s population stopped growing right now, resource use would still continue to increase for many decades.

This is because a child, no matter how demanding he may seem at times, requires only a fraction of the food, fuel and space of an adult. A fast-growing population, therefore, which is made up of more children than adults, is a time bomb that explodes when the combined needs of adolescents have grown to the point where they run into resource limitations such as food or fuel shortage. |

|

Wolfgang Sterrer, Natural History Museum Source: Monthly Bulletin, Department of Agriculture August 199]

EGYPT An Arabic language review of scientific papers concerned with the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni has been prepared. The life cycle, diagnosis and control of the mite are discussed, and a list of 154 references provided. Prepared by Professor Mustafa Hussein, Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

|

Tropilaelaps clarea

AHOY THERE!

youre not Dang THAT ,

Varroa

jacobsoni.

Send to Nicola Bradbear, IBRA, 18 North oad, Cardiff CF] 3DY Source: Bee Craft, Dece

SIX

be

|

_

BEEKEEPIN

.

AND

DEVELOPMENT

VENEZUELA

os

ye

—

Varroa jacobsoni, the mite parasitic on honey

bees has een detected in Portuguesa and Barinas, two of the most important states for beekeeping. Colonies are being treated with the acaricides OMITE 6-F and Asuntol

f

Source: Professor Rafael Thimann

“THE WORLD

IRAN

«| $s

Khuzestan Province is located in south-west = § Iran. Khuzestan has a sub-tropical climate, ay iv ‘_ A ranging from 1°C on the coldest days of A beekeeper winter to maximum temperatures of 51°C in in Pakistan evhibuls dus smoker which is operated by batteries instead of high summer There are plenty of water bellows resources nerby and agriculture has expanded Each November large numbers of beekeepers migrate their bees from northwest and central parts of Iran to this Province. Most return home in mid-May although some colonies are left until the end of June to forage on clover

LC

2

HAWAII The Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association is a worldwide network of associates working together on nitrogen fixing trees These valuable, multipurpose trees provide forage, fuelwood and timber, and are widely used for reforestation and soil and water conservation.

The goal of the Association is to get information and technical assistance to people in developing countries in an affordable and useful manner.

More information from NFTA, PO Box 680, Waimanalo, Hawaii, 96795, USA.

THAILAND A new species of mite has been described and named Euvarroa wongsiri. It was collected from Apis adreniformis in Uthai Thani, Chiengrai, Thailand, and resembles Euvarroa sinhai, a mite found on Apis florea in south east Asia.

Source: International Journal of Acarology, Volume 17, No 4. In press

5 x

s |g ~

Containers of

wy

,

(with

to

cold cloth inside water drowning) are placed daily in each

meen

bee hive.

M

T Sadeghi : Well shaded hives in Khuzestan Province, [ran

yse PeS L W

The IDB, July-August 1991

TRIES

Some beekeepers with only a few colonies maintain them in Khuzestan Province all summer During this time they help bees to regulate colony temperature by placing the hives in absolute shade with plenty of cold water flowing near the colonies, and with small jars of cold water placed inside each

The InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) has approved $500,000 from the Fund for Special Operations for small-scale beekeepers.

The project will be carried out by the Centro Cooperativista Uruguayo, a private non-profit organisation that promotes co-operatives It will provide financing and technical assistance to some 300 low-income beekeepers in the eastern and southern coastal regions of Uruguay.

The project will provide credits to purchase beekeeping equipment and queen bees for 200 new and 100 already established beekeepers who are members of farm co-operatives and rural development groups. Two-thirds of the beneficiaries will be women, with the remainder young people.

The project will also provide training and technical assistance, including a plan for locating groups of beekeepers to maximise their use of natural resources.

In addition to the loan, the Bank approved a technical co-operation grant of $120,000 to strengthen the organisation and provide additional technical assistance.

ET

In late April the temperature begins to rise and colonies must be kept in the shade.

URUGUAY

|

.

&

SEVEN

nie,

BEEKEFPING ANP DEVELOPMENT

|

;

|

THE CHIKA HIVE

|

An Ethiopian apiary where chika hives are in use

2PRACTICAL “<

SBEEKEEPING

It was an Ethiopian beekeeper who first had the idea to make hives here from mud, combining the basket beekeeping practised nearby or inside houses in Tigray and Eritrea with the movable-comb idea of frame hives.

MOULD FOR SIDE WALL BOTTOM PART

The hives are constructed in a way similar to a wooden top-bar hive. Each wall is formed separately, and is made from a dried mixture of straw and mud, formed into shape using wooden moulds.

-

of

Ethiopia is losing 20 000 hectares of forest every year and timber is therefore a precious and expensive resource There is a long tradition of using mud blocks to build houses, and this idea has been adapted in making the chika hives.

»

440M

|

30 CM

The 26 top-bars are made from bamboo.

This hive is very cheap and easy to construct, and can be achieved by anyone who has access to the wooden moulds.

Chika is made using mud from riverbanks or the type of soil used traditionally for plastering houses. Wheat straw or teff straw are mixed with the soil, together with water.

For the next four or five days further water is added and mixed in. When the mixture is at the right stage of plasticity it is formed into the separate walls of the hive using wooden moulds.

The price per hive including the wood topbars, chika blocks and materials is 45 Birr (12).

EIGHT

fq

30 OM

vv

iY

WOODEN TOP-BAR 55 CM X 3 20M

co

55 CM

+ 650M

BEEKELPING AND DEVELOPMENT

1

=

BACK WALL

2= SIDE WALL FRONT WALL BEE ENTRANCE 5 = SMALL BOTTOM PART 6 = SIDE WALL SUPPORT 7 = LONG BOTTOM PART 8 CORRUGATED IRON AS ANT PROTECTION 9 = BLOCKS OF “CHIKA" 1,3 AND 7 CAN BE MADE WITH ONE WOODEN MOULD 2 AND 5 CAN BE MADE WITH ONE WOODEN MOULD ONE WOODEN MOULD FOR 6 ONE WOODEN MOULD FOR THE BLOCKS, USED ALSO FOR STOVES AND HOUSE BUILDING. BETWEEN THE LAYERS OF BLOCKS ALAYER OF “CHIKA" IS ALWAYS USED. 3 = 4 =

=

/

|

Ato Molla Eshete and Ato Mamush “”

MOULD-FOR BACK WALL FRONT WALL - BOTTOM PART

Asfaw helped to develop this concept with Reinhard Fichtl at Holetta Bee Research and Training Centre.

German Agro Action financed the mud-hives programme. Reinhard

42 CM

Fichtl provided the information used in this article.

60 CM

THE GROOVES ARE 1.5 CM DEEP

5C

>< 4.5 0M

NOT IMPORTANT

190M

45

CM

=F

16 CM

,

MOULD FOR BLOCKS

ty

35 CM

x

TREE OF LIFE

MOULD Fi R SIDE WALL

SUPPORT

1992 IS 5 CM

A CRUCIAL 23 CM

16 CM

THE DEPTH OF THE MOULDS 'S

|

|

|

|

YEAR FOR THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD. SEE PAGE 15!

NINE

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR

NO DISEASES

CHEAPER HIVES

would like to let all our friends in the beekeeping world in on the current best kept secret - our Island of Vieques in Puerto Rico has been successfully quarantined to protect our honey bees.

The Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico in a timely and far-sighted attempt to “prevent the introduction into the Island of Vieques of diseases and dangerous pests of honey bees (Apis mellifera)” signed into Law the Domestic Quarantine Act 5 in February 1988.

Hurricane Hugo hit our Island with ravaging winds on 18 September 1989 and many colonies were lost; however, due to very hard work, their numbers have increased. Healthy queen bees, devoid of any chemical treatment, will be available in the market very soon.

Due to our climate, our bees work year-round.

Why do you not rest for while? Come and visit the most beautiful Island in the Caribbean! See for yourselves our mite and disease-free bees.

Manuela Santiago Collazo, Mayor of Vieques,

write to say that Beekeeping and Development is a very good paper to me. Why? Because edition 20 (September 1991) has helped me greatly in that the cover picture and its accompanying article on Guinea-Bissau gave me an insight to the use of local materials.

Before reading the article had been making hives with hard wood like “odum”" and “emire” at the cost of some 7000 Cedis (9) per hive.

Now make a hive using hardwood for the ends and rafia branches for the sides and base. The top-bars are also made of hard wood. This has reduced the cost by 75% and it is very light and portable. am teaching beekeeping in 10 junior secondary schools.

Last year only four of them could afford hives of the hard wood type. Since introduced the cheaper, improvised hives, the hive population in each of the 10 schools is now more than five per school.

|

a

Puerto Rico

I

|

|

|

|

give Beekeeping and Development a gold plus four stars.

1

O K Anno, Secretary, Begoro Beekeepers’ Society, Ghana

BANKERS NOT INTERESTED Issue No 20 of Beekeeping and Development (September 1991) made me wonder why beekeepers are underrated by the financial sector compared with other crop producers. that beekeepers in GuineaReading an article written by Angelo Isola was so amazed to learn Tabora Co-operative Society our as Beekeepers’ same beekeepers.

Bissau are treated in the way has been working under the same problems for many years. The bankers are not interested in the development of the beekeeping industry. Why is this? Is there no-one interested in honey production for our current generation?

We are lucky only in that we still get honey from some of our faithful members. However do feel that the situation must change in the near future so that the beekeepers are paid promptly these hardworking citizens is upon delivery of their honey and beeswax. To continue punishing like saying honey is not delicious!

Justin Madaha, Manager, Tabora Beekeepers’ Co-operative Society, Tanzania. |

|

“O”

level puptls

study apiculture as part of their

Mandiznidza

agricultural training

H

The First Conference of the Asian

ANTENNAE WAVING H H Mandiznidza is a high school teacher in Zimbabwe who is endeavouring to encourage beekeeping amongst the pupils in his school. He would like to make contact with other schools where beekeeping projects are in operation.

Contact Mr Mandiznidza at 4 Hawick Road, PO Pomona, Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe.

TEN

Apicultural Association is taking place as part of the International Symposium on the Asian Honey Bees and Bee Mites, being held in Thailand 10-14 February 1992. News from the Meeting will be given in the next edition of Beekeeping and Development.

BEEKEE PING AND DEVELOPMENT

ZOOMING IN ON......THE SOLOMON ISLANDS Location A chain of islands east of Papua New Guinea and extending south-east for 1440 km. Total land area is 30 000 km?. Six main islands the larger of which are up to 200 km in length, and many smaller ones, some no more than coral outcrops. The terrain is quite rugged, with foothills rising gently to a peak and then falling away steeply to the sea on the other side.

Bougainville

|

SOLOMON

(PAPUA NEW GUINEA)

Choiseul Shortland Is geeasury

|

7 °

300 000

(

<

|

Solomon Sea

Main agriculture

Honey bees

Ya

a

tor

EBquator

Guadalcanal

2,6

.

FIJI

NEW

HEBRIDES NEW

Frame hives (Langstroth). No other types of hive are in use.

CALEDONIA

% Qe,

2

TONGA

Melliferous vegetation Albizzia falcataria, Avicennia spp, Cocos nucifera, Eucalyptus spp, Gmelina moluccana, Pterocarpus indicus, Vitex confassus.

Legislation The Apiaries Bill 1991 relates to the keeping of bees, disease contro! and importation.

Number of beekeepers 126

Number of Apis

mellifera

colonies

R AUSTRALIA |

/

Training The Government provides training courses, including one course specifically for women.

Honey bee diseases None.

Honey bee pests

Average annual honey yield per colony

Cane toads and lesser wax moth are pests of honey bee colonies.

Total honey yield 1037 kg (1990), 7211 kg (1991)

Honey imported 852 kg (1990), 26 kg (1991)

Beekeeping department Ministry of Agriculture & Lands, PO Box G13, Honiara.

Beekeepers’ co-operative Solomon Islands Honey Producers CoOperative Association, PO Box G13, Honiara.

Equipment Solomon Islands Timber Products Ltd.

Projects Between 1990 and 1991 VSA (Volunteer Service Abroad) and the New Zealand Government provided support and funds for training of Government beekeeping staff and to establish the beekeepers’ co-operative, which is now self sustaining.

mS

XY

752

60 kg

Cristobal

e

=f

:

NS?

San

3

aw.

*

N

Hon

|

TUVALU

3

Apis mellifera, originally of European origin introduced from Australia around 1960.

Ocean

Malaita

Co

“y

Beekeeping

Pacific

.

KIRIBATI" “PAPUA, solomon fey NEW GUTNEAr ISLANDS ”

Santa Isabel

Georgia

~

|

Ss

New

3

GNP $410 per capita.

9

wo

»

Island

'

Population

Banana, coconut, cocoa, sweet potato, taro, yam.

ISLANDS

|

Previous articles Newsletter 14: News

Around the World

Further reading

EVANS,B (1991)

Beekeeping Handbook:

A guide

on

how to keep bees in the Solomon Islands.

Agricultural Information Section, Ministry of Agriculture & Lands, Solomon Islands. ISBN 982 151 007 8.

FORSTER,S; GALVIN,

|

D (1988) Notes on honey

Forestry Note, Forest Division, Ministry of Natural Resources, Solomon Islands.

sources of Kolombangara for beekeeping.

island Bee News. Newsletter of the Solomon Islands Honey Producers Co-operative edited

by D Galvin. PO Box G13, Honiara, Solomon Islands.

More articles and papers are held in the IBRA library.

The assistance of Rex Ramoiau and Bryan Evans in providing this information is gratefully acknowledged.

ELEVEN

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

BOOKSHELF For example, it certainly adds strength to arguments that honey is an important dietary component to quote that honey at times forms 82% of the total calorific intake of Mbuti hunters in Zaire. But the main purpose of this book is to explain the various ways in which bees are vital: how bees benefit people, how bees benefit trees and how trees benefit bees. This information is necessary for everyone making decisions concerning tree planting.

The behaviour and physiology of bees edited by

L } Goodman and

R C Fisher.

CAB International, Wallingford, UK (1991) on behalf of the Royal Entomological Society of London and the International Bee Research Association. 362 pp. Hardback.

Available from IBRA price 49.50

IBRA Members - postage

(special offer for free on this book).

Biologists have for many years used honey bees as experimental animals on which to study behaviour and the physiological mechanisms which may underlie its expression. In July 1990 researchers from Europe and the Americas participated in a Colloquium in London organised jointly by the Royal Entomological Society of London and IBRA. This book is based on the papers presented at the Colloquium, and will be of interest to research entomologists and other scientists. The book is arranged in four parts: The environment within the hive - its regulation and the interactions between bees; Communication and foraging - new studies on the dance language of honey bees, and explaining how foraging behaviour might arise; Vision and olfaction - how these affect bee behaviour; Learning - different approaches towards an explanation of how bees learn.

All community forestry programmes should make provision for bees and beekeepers and this book provides the information they need in selecting worthwhile and suitable species.

Useful lists of trees that in addition to producing pollen and nectar also have other purposes are listed according to the vegetation zone in which they thrive.

“Get yourself a fruit garden and a hive of bees” Hive made from palm trunk in Guinea-Bissau. (Picture from Bees and Trees}

Beekeeping handbook produced and

published by Beekeeping

Section, Department of Crop

Bees and Trees

Production and

by B Svensson.

Working Paper 183, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden (1991) 80 pp.

Available free of charge from the International Rural Development Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7005, Uppsala, Sweden’.

Also available from IBRA price 6.75.

Honey hunters and beekeepers.

Astudy of traditional beekeeping in Babati District, Tanzania reviewed in *

Beekeeping and Development issue 20 is

now also available through these

methods.

TWELVE

*

This new publication contains much useful information for those who would encourage beekeeping as part of community forestry activities. Readers of this journal know that bees and trees are important - they form such an everyday part of our lives - but it can be difficult to quantify this importance. Bdrje Svensson has endeavoured to give statistical or factual support for the arguments he proposes: evidence is provided in a series of fact boxes interspersed throughout the text.

Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, Botswana

(1991 3rd edition) 80 pp.

Available from

IBRA

price

6.00.

A new edition of the useful and popular handbook first produced in 1980 by the Botswana Government Beekeeping Section.

The new edition has been updated by Khaliso Kepaletswe and gives more emphasis to the use of protective clothing. Straight-sided topbar hives are still recommended as the most practical for Batswana beekeepers. This book remains one of the best available for African beekeepers, giving exactly the type of practica! information on handling bees which is difficult to find elsewhere.

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

Natural medicine from honey bees (Apitherapy) by

J

Kaal

Kaal’s Printing House, Amsterdam, Netherlands

vw \ 8‘

ALSO ON THE SHELF

(1991) 93 pp.

Available from IBRA price 6.25.

a

Mr Kaal discusses "a Wy propolis, venom, royal jelly, pollen, honey and apilarnil (homogenised drone larvae). For each substance he describes the chemical composition, its use within the hive and its possible therapeutic value to humans.

Abstracts from recent, relevant research papers are also presented.

~

Beekeeping for beginners

by A Richard Northern Bee

ooks

Heben Bridge UK (1991) 77 pp.

bystanders: the important thing to realise is that Africanized bees require very different handling from bees of European origin, and this film will help to demonstrate these different techniques.

BEEKEEAING FOR

Other recent additions to IBRA’S book catalogue include: IBRA Bibliography No 38.

Drifting behaviour in honey bees

by A Matheson.

Abstracts of relevant papers, arranged according to theme. 21 pp. to IBRA Members).

Price 5.00 (4.00

IBRA Bibliography No 39.

The honey bee tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi (Rennie), 1866-1991

by L Hall and F A Eischen.

Abstracts of relevant papers, arranged according to theme. 69 pp.

Price 15.00

(12.00

to

IBRA Members).

The beekeeper's handbook

by D Sammataro and A Avitabile.

A practical guide to American beekeeping.

148 pp. Second edition now in stock.

Price 12.50.

Available from IBRA

La pollinisation par les abeilles

price 9.50.

by

|

Philippe.

Information on all aspects of pollination.

A very clearlyworded, well illustrated and neatly arranged introduction to frame hive beekeeping. This new book is Andrew Richards intended for UK beekeepers, but would be of value to beginners wherever frame hives are in use.

183 pp. In French. Price 17.60.

Proceedings of the fourth international symposium on the harmonization of methods for testing the toxicity of pesticides to bees, May 15-18 1990, Prague, Czechoslovakia 143 pp. Price 13.50.

MAIL OR DER SERVICE

|

Prices sh own for books available from IBRA exclude post and packing charges (unless o therwise stated) The following must be added to all orders:

VIDEO SHELF The workable African honey bee

by R Meise

Overseas orders (surface mail) .p&p 2.00 up to 1( ).00 3.50 10.01 tc 20.00 4.50 to 30.00 5.50 to 50.00 30.01 7.50 to 100.00 50.01 :

Forty minute VHS tape.

Available from David Miksa, 13404 Honeycomb Road, Groveland, FL 34736, USA price $29.95.

A review copy of this video has been kindly

sent to IBRA. Unfortunately this tape is not compatible with UK video players and have not been able to view it. However the film's producer, Bob Meise, is an American/ Brazilian beekeeper who is very experienced in working with Africanized honey bees. For 10 years he has been successfully beekeeping with Africanized bees, even providing them for pollination services.

In the video Dr David De Jong demonstrates and describes how to work with Africanized bees without endangering beekeepers or |

UK orders up to 10.00 10.01 to 20.00 20.01 30.01 50.01

to 30.00 to 50.00 to 100.00

|

p&p 00 2.50 3.50 ......

5.00

6.00

Surface mail rates do not include insurance.

Orders over 100.00, or to be sent by air mail including insurance, prices on request. (No insurance available to Afghanistan, tran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria.)

IBRA cannot be held responsible for damage to, or loss of goods in-transit.

Please quote Beekeeping and Development when you order.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

Cheques and bank drafts made payable to IBRA_ In sterling or US dollars.

Bankers: National Westminster Bank plc, 117 St Mary Street, PO Box 117, Cardiff CFl 1LG, UK. Account No: 85015415. Bank sort code: 56-00-41.

Girobank/Postgiro/ecp. Account No: 291794408.

Credit card. Access/Mastercard/Eurocard/Visa. Please quote name on card, full address, type of card, card number, expiry date on card, and your signature for authorisation.

Don’t forget - you can order fast by fax. Our number is 44 (0)222 665522

|

|

i

\

{

t t

|

!

THIRTE BN

BEERPPING AND DEVELOPMENT

THE EARTH SUMMIT For the first time ever heads of government will come together to hammer out a global strategy to the linked challenges of poverty, inequality and environmental destruction. The Earth Summit (official title of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development) will be held in Rio de Janeiro from 1-12 June 1992, It will be the largest United Nations Conference ever held and could well be the most significant - a turning point in history.

Groups around the world are focusing on the Earth Summit as an unprecedented opportunity to move from dealing with the symptoms of crisis to tackling the underlying inequality between North and South in access to the planet's limited resources,

Global warming, deforestation and protecting other species are all on the agenda.

So too are ways to promote genuinely sustainable development by setting in place those policies and technologies which will meet our needs today without damaging the prospects for future generations.

The time for talking is over, and progress will depend on how much pressure world leaders come under from voters back home.

And that is where you come in.

THE TREE OF LIFE A special Tree of Life is being assembled in Rio de Janeiro during the Earth Summit.

=

“stexcursse

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development is expected to produce the following: 1. An Earth Charter . this will embody basic principles which must govern the economic and environmental behaviour of peoples and nations in the future.

|

|

2. Agenda 21 this will be a blueprint for action in all major areas affecting the relationship between the environment and the economy up to the year 2000 and well into the twenty-first century.

It will address a number of topics, including the following: protection of the atmosphere protection of land resources conservation of biological

|

diversity protection of freshwater resources protection of oceans, seas and coastal areas environmentally sound management of biotechnology

and hazardous wastes.

3. New and additional financial resources if the South is to play its part, it needs some of the wealth held by the North.

4. Technology transfer again, a switch from the North to the -

will be made up of millions of pledges in the shape of leaves from people all around the world.

It

The Tree of Life will provide a powerful and positive reminder to world leaders that much is expected of them at the Earth Summit.

THE GLOBAL FORUM This will take place in Rio at the same time as the Earth Summit. Environment and development non-governmental organisations and activists from around the world will meet: it is estimated that 15 000 people will attend. The Tree of Life will be assembled in Flamengo Park and will provide visual and symbolic focus of all the Global Forum's many different activties.

South.

5. Strengthening institutional capacities and procedures.

6. A convention on biodiversity and a framework agreement for a convention on climate change.

LOOKING AHEAD |

|

|

|

|

|

|

Please note that if you want details of an event to be advertised in this column it is important that you send information to the Editor well in advance of the planned

CHINA

date.

XIX International Congress of Entomology, 19 Zhongguancun Lu. Beijing 100080, China.

Telex: 222337 ICCST CN; Fax: 861 2565689.

BRAZIL United Nations Conference on Environment and " Development The Earth Summit”.

1-12 June 1992, Rio de Janeiro.

Further details from: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Case postale 80, Conches, Switzerland The Global Forum 1-12 June 1992, Rio de Janeiro.

|

|

|

(

|

Further details from: 92 Global Forum, Hotel Gloria, Predio Annexo, 366 Rua do Russel, 632, 22212 RJ, Brazil.

CARIBBEAN —

Regional Beekeepers’ Meeting.

This Workshop is now anticipated to take place during the first quarter of 1992. {ts purpose is to bring together beekeepers operating in the Eastern Caribbean to discuss topics including production, commercialisation and promotion of beekeeping in the region.

Further details fri m: jorge Murillo-Yepes, PO Box 612, Saint George's. Grenada.

FOURTE BW

XIX International Congress of Entomology.

28 June-4 July 1992, Beijing.

Further details from: Secretariat.

MALAYSIA 14th Commonwealth Forestry Conference “People, the Environment and Forestry - Conflict or Harmony”.

13-18 September 1993, Kuala Lumpur.

Further details from: The Secretary General CFC-14, Forestry Department Headquarters, Peninsular Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Salahuddin. 50660 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Fax: 60

3

292 5657.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Fifth International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates.

7-12 September 1992, University of the West Indies.

Further details from: International Bee Research Association, 18 North Road, Cardiff CF] 3DY, UK.

USA International Workshop on Non-Apis Bees and their Role as Crop Poilinators.

August 1992, Logan, Utah.

Further details from: Dr John D Vandenberg, USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 843222 5310, USA.

|

|

|

|

BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT

PLEDGING FOR THE PLANET You can pledge to take on one or more of the following actions. The first six relate directly to the Earth Summit, the last two provide an opportunity to get more involved in practical initiatives and to help raise more pledges for the Tree of Life within your local community.

1.

5. Forests

Energy.

will use 10% less fuel at home during the next year. Governments of rich nations should agree to cut carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels by 20% within 15 years. |

2. Debt

will write to major banks urging them to write off debt owed by poorer countries.

Governments of rich countries should agree to cancel debts owed them by poor nations. [

3.

Transport

will not, as far as possible, buy any products made from tropical hardwoods. Governments should commit themselves to new policies to protect the forests. |

6. Fair trade

7.

will increase the amount of time or money give to environmental and development organisations.

4. Recycling

8. Spreading the message

will recycle as much waste as possible at home and/or will help to organise recycling at work or at schoo!. Governments should agree to double the amount of paper, glass. metal and plastic that is recycled.

I

|

Pledging for the Planet

Acting locally

will walk, cycle or use public transport rather than private vehicles wherever possible.

Governments should agree to greater investment in public transport systems.

I

TREE OF LIFE

will try to buy products that are made without exploiting the people who produce them, or damaging the environment.

Governments should agree to policies that promote fair trade. |

|

|

personally will raise 20/50/100 pledge leaves June for the Tree of Life in Brazil before 1992. (All pledges should be written on a leaf-shape outline drawn on a rectangular card as shown below.) |

|

Pledging for the Planet, an independent initiative, is working with the One World Group of Broadcasters and organisations world-wide to raise public awareness of the issues relating to the Earth Summit in June 1992.

MUST ARRIVE BY 15 MAY 1992 This pledge will be taken to Brazil. Fill in your personal pledge and what you expect governments should be doing at the Earth Summit.

Pledge to

Governments should

Name Town (no address/postcode)

Country

Pledge distributed by Beekeeping and Development, published by the International Bee Research Association.

L_—

The Earth Complete the leaves with a black pen. Post to arrive by 15 May 1992. Pledges will be flown to Brazil.

Summit takes place in June 1992. Each leaf will be fixed to a branch. The Tree of Life will be the centre piece of activities organised by environment and development groups at the Earth Summit.

FIFTEEN

REMEMBER TO MENTION BEEKEEPING AND DEVELOPMENT WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS

FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON APICULTURE IN TROPICAL CLIMATES TRINIDAD & TOBAGO,

BeeScience

7-12 SEPTEMBER 1992

G new scientific journal about bees Volume 18

30

2 e Four Issues

($20) Surface ($40) Airmail

Conference Sessions will cover all aspects of beekeeping in the tropics and subtropics: there will be oral and poster pre sentations, informal sessions and workshops.

Wicwags Press Dr.

Full

det ails regarding the submission of presentations are

the Second Announcement. Opportunities will be provi ded to see beekeeping in both Trinidad and Tobago.

Lawrence J. Connor, Editor

For Information and Free Catalog Write P Box 817- R e Cheshire Connecticut 06410-0817 USA Phone or Fax 203-250-7575 «

There will be trade exhibits and other displays.

Co nference Secretariat, International Bee Research

ssociation,

18

North Road, Cardiff CFl 3DY, UK.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS 31 MARCH 1992

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

Tree of Life/Pledging for the Planet Project PO Box 134

|

|

|

London WC2

UK

|

|

|

|

|

|

Beekeeping and Development is published quarterly by the International Bee Research Asociation, Telephone 0222 372409 International 44 222 372409, Fax: 0222 665522 International 44 222 665522 See page 2 for subscription details.

Environmentally Friendly Paper.

18

North Road, Cardiff CFI 3DY. UK.

ISSN 0256-4424