Bees for Development Journal 100
AAA move
LETTER
The Asian Apicultural Association (AAA) has moved to its new office in ApiScience Information Services (ApiSIS). Our address:
A response to Varroa in tropical Africa
I would like to add to the comments made by Christian Akpoke in BfDJ 97. I strongly believe that our bees have the natural potential to resist, overcome or tolerate any abnormal condition or pest if managed naturally for the following reasons:
Asian Apicultural Association
ApiSIS, 5-6-3 Tamagawa Gakuen, Machida, Tokyo 194-0041, Japan
• I investigated the brood chambers of two colonies over a period of three years in the grounds of my home and not a single Varroa mite was seen.
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In June, seven members of A Thousand Flowers for Bees went to Kunitachi City in Tokyo, and with people of the city sowed sunflower and cosmos seeds in an unused former paddy field of about 1,000 m2. The seeds were purchased with the support of Isetan Department Store.
• I replaced two colonies in the porch that were lost to Varroa by one old colony from the grounds of my home, and the second by natural colonisation using the same empty hive but after full sterilisation with hot water. After a few weeks I inspected the brood chambers and discovered Varroa in both colonies.
Congratulations on 100 issues of BfD Journal. It is really a great achievement.
Hitomi Enomoto, AAA Co-ordinator
• Some months later however, I observed that the presence of the mites did not affect the population of bees. The new colony was strong and active. After a month, it was ready for supering. The old colony had already been supered before it was transferred to the porch for proper investigation.
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BfDJ is proud to be the official Newsletter of AAA
• In December 2009, I harvested 25.5 kg of honey from the old colony and by February 2010, I harvested 28 kg of honey from the same colony. The new colony performed beyond my expectations by producing 60 kg of honey per annum. • The strength and populations of the bees dropped drastically soon after the second harvest.
Conclusion It may be that the mites overcame the bees’ natural resistance only after honey harvest or that more honey than usual was removed which made the bees weak.
Mike Ukattah, Amachi Farms, Abia State, Nigeria
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Bf D Beekeepers Safaris
Rodrigues & Mauritius 13-24 November 2011 Trinidad and Tobago 9-19 January 2012 Turkey 7-19 July 2012 Details: www.beesfordevelopment.org
Cosmos is an easily grown annual with abundant, open flowers that provide useful forage for honey bees and many other insects 14
