Bookshelf

Bees and beekeeping: Science, Practice and World Resources

by E Crane

Oxford, UK; Heinemann Newnes (1990) 614 pp.

Available from IBRA price £85.00 (UK post free, overseas surface post £2.00 on this book only on orders received before 30 September 1990).

Eva Crane's latest publication provides the most comprehensive, singlevolume source of information on the scientific principles behind beekeeping, the techniques in use, and the resources on which honeybees depend worldwide.

For the first time we have a beekeeping text book written from an entirely global viewpoint without bias towards the beekeeping of any particular region. Beekeepers everywhere will find clear information relating to the type of bees they use and the beekeeping which can be practised in their region.

The book is arranged in six parts:

The bees used in beekeeping and background information (the basis of beekeeping and honeybees as individuals and as members of a colony); Beekeeping with movable-frame hives (equipment, management methods); Beekeeping with simpler and cheaper hives (traditional and other types of hives and their management); Maintaining honeybee health; Honeybees, plant resources and products from the hive; Beekeepers (covering legislation and further resources). Appendix 1 lists important world honey sources and their geographic distribution, Appendix 2 is a gazetteer of beekeeping. The book carries a bibliography and plant, geographical and subject indexes.

To demonstrate the comprehensive nature of this work take for example a single subject, say, foundation. A standard text will explain what foundation is, how it is made and used. Eva Crane’s text provides in addition the sizes of brood cells of different species and races of Apis (useful data not previously available in one table), addresses of suppliers of foundation of different sizes and the equipment for making it, discussion of the orientation of cells in foundation, the use of plain beeswax sheets in areas where foundation cannot be obtained, the use of waxes and materials other than beeswax for foundation, and even that the report, in April 1936, of rubber honeycomb from which the honey could simply be squeezed, was no more than an April Fool's joke!

This book amasses information reflecting over 40 years’ work by Eva Crane in painstaking compilation of material concerning bees. Much data has been gathered together into a useful format for the first time and Eva Crane has been able to draw on the expertise of many in obtaining any elusive facts she required. Indeed, Eva Crane has been fortunate in her opportunities to meet beekeepers in every comer of the world and useful accounts of their experiences with various techniques illuminate and add interest throughout the text. Each chapter has a happily short list of selected further reading, with all necessary references carried together in the final extensive Bibliography.

614 pages, 78 tables and numerous illustrations inevitably lead to the single drawback of this book: the high price which makes it beyond reach for many individuals. If you are in this position then try to obtain a copy through your library, or perhaps a beekeeping group could together purchase a copy. This publication summarises all developments in modern management of bees and must surely stand unchallenged well into the next century as the authoritative text on the science and practice of beekeeping.

Ecology and natural history of tropical bees

by D W Roubik

Cambridge, UK; University Press (1989) 514 pp. Available from IBRA price £50.00 (post and packing £3.00 to UK address, 4.00 overseas surface post).

A new compendium of current knowledge on the 300 or so bee genera which occur in the tropics. After an introductory section describing the reasons for studying tropical bees and their diversity and distribution, the book deals in detail with the biology of foraging and pollination, nesting and reproduction and community ecology. The biology of some bee species (honeybees, bumble bees, carpenter and leaf-cutter bees) that live in temperate areas is well known. But as Roubik points out, although probably tropical in origin, there are few studies of these bees in tropical habitats. The study of tropical bees allows. insight into the ecology and evolution of groups of organisms in both temperate and tropical regions. The book contains two useful appendices, the first a partial checklist of families, subfamilies, tribes, genera and subgenera of the Apoidea, the second appendix consists of black and white photographs of 255 bee specimens which could be helpful on the way to identification of a particular species. Interesting black and white photographs and drawings are also interspersed throughout the text. This publication will be of interest primarily to entomologists but it does carry information for those concerned purely with tropical beekeeping. Roubik informs us that while there are 800 kinds of stingless bees, at least seven species of Apis, and 30 forms of Bombus that produce honey in tropical latitudes, no more than 5% of these honey-making bee species are cultivated by beekeepers.

Education Resource Pack

London, UK; IBRA (1990) with financial support from the National & Provincial Building Society.

Available from IBRA price £5.50 plus post and packing (£1.00 per Pack UK, £2.00 per Pack overseas surface post).

Nicola Bradbear, Janice Goodwin and Helen Jackson of the International Bee Research Association have produced an Education Resource Pack for UK schools, conservation organisations and all those who wish to find out more.

Aimed at people with little or no experience of bees or beekeeping, it provides posters, resource sheet, GK contact addresses and information sources in a convenient format to Stimulate discussion and make study both topical and interesting. The contents are enclosed in an attractive laminated folder (generously printed and supplied by the National & Provincial Building Society) which should give each Pack many years of service in the classroom. Replacing expensive reference books with a cost-effective basis for group and classroom activity, the Pack provides entry at a new level into the fascinating world of the bee.

It should be emphasised that this Pack is not particularly intended for practising beekeepers, but for all those outside beekeeping who would like to Start learning. The contact addresses and lists of places to visit are all within the UK.

Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Apiculture in Tropical Climates, Cairo, November 1988.

London, UK; IBRA with financial support from the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (1989) 549 Pp. Available from IBRA price £35.00 (post and packing £3.00 to UK address, £4.00 overseas surface post).

Containing all papers presented at the Conference and including speeches and resolutions. Sessions included: African honeybees; Africanized honeybees; Asian honeybees; Improving the quality Standards of honey and wax; Marketing; Appropriate beekeeping equipment; Management techniques and problems; Beekeeping in integrated rural development programmes; Education and training; Country reports; Crop pollination and forage; Pest control safe for bees; Encouraging women as beekeepers; The importation of honeybees; Mite Parasites of honeybees; Other pests and diseases; Bee products for the benefit of human health.

Varroasis of the honeybee

by FAO

Rome, Italy; FAO (1989). Available from IBRA price to be announced.

This is a new audio-visual programme consisting of 108 colour slides, a cassette with commentary (in English or French), a text of the commentary and further notes for extension workers. The programme is presented in two parts:

Part 1 is a non-technical description of Varroa disease, what it is and why it poses a threat to world agriculture, Part 2 is technical information, how to diagnose and combat Varroa using chemical or biological methods.

The slides and text together produce a most useful source of information about Varroa and how to cope with it. The slides are of the highest quality and together with well-thought-out graphics tell their story very clearly. The sequence of pictures of Varroa and their effect on bees will be helpful to beekeepers who have been unsure how to identify the mite, and will convince others of the importance of not contributing to the further spread of the disease.

The programme does acknowledge that not all beekeeping is in movable frame hives, but suggests that beekeepers should switch from fixed-comb to movable-frame if Varroa is to be controlled. This option is of course not open to all. Pictures of African beekeeping are used which may lead some to believe wrongly that Varroa is already present south of the Sahara.

This is an excellent programme which will be a useful aid in teaching. It should be used also in countries that are so far without Varroa mite: it provides compelling evidence against honeybee importation and the possibility of introducing this dreadful disease.

Information for beekeepers in tropical and subtropical countries.

Arabic versions of beekeeping Information Charts

The four Information Charts (Beeswax, Honey, Top-bar Hives and Pollination) have now been translated and printed in Arabic. This has been achieved under generous funding from the Near East Foundation (NEF), and through the efforts of Mr Salamma El Bably, NEF staff in Cairo, Sudan Bee and Agriculture Association (SUBA), NEF Western Sudan Beekeeping Project, Sudan Agricultural Research Council and Dr Amir Saad. All of this co-ordinated by Roger Hardister, Regional Program Director of NEF. The Arabic Charts have already been widely distributed throughout Egypt and Sudan, but a few copies are still available to interested agencies or individuals. Contact Mr Ali Mokhtar, NEF/ Egypt Assistant Program Co-ordinator, Cairo, Egypt.

In Sudan, Information Charts are available from the NEF Office and SUBA. In Khartoum contact NEF and SUBA through Mr Kamal El Faki, Assistant Program Co-ordinator, NEF. In Central Region, contact Mr Abdel Harnid Al Gaffar, SUBA General Manager, Kosti. In Western Sudan, contact Mr Ismail Mohamed Shareef, NEF, WSBP Co-ordinator, Soil Conservation Department, Nyala.

The Arabic Charts have already proved very popular, but NEF has no funds available for further printing. NEF would be pleased to co-operate with any organisation interested in funding a second printing: contact NEF at the above address in Cairo. Thanks to all concerned in this useful work.

Arabic editions of the Charts are not available from IBRA in the UK.

The original English versions of the Charts are still available, free of charge to institutes such as schools and agricultural colleges, and beekeeping projects in developing countries. Contact Nicola Bradbear, Advisory Officer for Tropical Apiculture, International Bee Research Association, Cardiff.

Please note: Information Charts are dispatched by surface post and may take some time to reach you.

Leaflets from IBRA

These leaflets are available free of charge to beekeepers in developing countries.

Leaflet 1 - Information obtainable from IBRA. An eight page leaflet detailing publications available.

Leaflet 2 - The management of Africanized bees. A four page leaflet available in English or Spanish.

African or Africanized? find out on page 12

Leaflet 3 - Varroa jacobsoni. A four page leaflet describing Varroa jacobsoni, its biology, how to detect its presence and methods to control it.

Leaflet 4 - NEW The Asian hive bee, Apis cerana. A new eight page leaflet describing the biology and distribution of Apis cerana together with Jan Olsson’s methods for the prevention of absconding.