Bookshelf

The behaviour and physiology of bees

edited by L J 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 (special offer for IBRA Members postage 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.

Bees and Trees

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, Sweden’.

Also available from IBRA price £6.75.

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. Börje Svensson has endeavoured to give statistical or factual support for the arguments he proposes: evidence is provided in series of fact boxes interspersed throughout the text.

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.

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.

Beekeeping handbook

produced and published by Beekeeping Section, Department of Crop Production and 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 top- bar 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 practical information on handling bees which is difficult to find elsewhere.

Natural medicine from honey bees (Apitherapy)

by J Kaal.

Mr Kaal’s Printing House, Amsterdam, Netherlands (1991) 93 pp. Available from IBRA price £6.25.

Mr Kaal discusses 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 Books Hedben Bridge UK (1991) 77 pp

Available from IBRA price £9.50.

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

VIDEO SHELF

The workable African honey bee

by R Meise.

Forty minute VHS tape.

USA price $29.95

A copy of this video has been kindly sent to IBRA. Unfortunately this tape is not compatible with UK video players and I 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 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.

ALSO ON THE SHELF

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. Price £5.00 (4.00 to IBRA Members). 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.

La pollinisation par les abeilles

by J Philippe.

Information on all aspects of pollination. 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.

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