Bees for Development Journal Edition 5 - March 1984

Information Sheets on

Tropical Apiculture published by International Bee Research Association, Hill House, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9 ONR, England

NEWSLETTER FOR TROPICAL APTCULTURE

written by Dr. Nicola Bradbear, Information Officer for Tropical Apiculture Newsletter No. 5, March 1984 The purpose of this Newsletter is to provide beekeepers

.

in developing countries with ur to date information on what is happening, in the world of I want future editions of the Newsletter to be as helpful and veekeeping. intere:ting as possible, and I would be pleased to hear your views on it, your likes and dislikes, and what you would most like to read about in future editions.

I will be very grateful if you can find a few moments to complete and return to me the questionnaire which is on the last page of this edition. iI would also welcome any piece of beekeeping news or infsrmation you have for future editions of the Newsletter.

My post as Information Officer for Tropical Apiculture is funded by the Overseas Development Administration, UK, to provide an information service for beekeepers in developing countries, so if you have any specific problems with your beekeeping and the information you require is not available locally, then write to me and I will try to help pince my last Newsletter IT have been very »usy both here at Hill House you. and visiting beekeepers and beekeeping institutes.

In August I attended the International Beekeeping Congress organized by Apimondia, in Budapest, Hungary.

At this conference I met beekeepers from many different parts and learnt about beekeeping in their countries, and some of the constraints wiich they face.

The six main sessions for tne conference were beekeeping economy, bee biology, bee vatholosy, honey flora and pollination, beekeeping technology and The wost popular subject for discussion equipment, and the use of hive products.

Was varroa disease and its treatment, and more papers were given on varroa than on any other subject.

There was also much debate about the problem of the "africanized bee" in Southern and Central America, and it was useful to hear from commercial beekeepers how they can now successfully manage these bees and oktain very ;:ood yields of honey.

The 36 000 beekeepers of Hungary annually produce 15 000 metric tons of The main nectar sources are the forests of Robinia pseudoacacia (also honey. lmown as false acacia or black locust) from which the bees produce a very licuid, mild tasting, golden honey. After the conference I vigited the Hungarian Forest Research Institute at God61l16 where researchers are selecting

ee Species of Robinia to produce a maximum period of nectar flow throughout the summer months, combined with good quality timber.

The Institute is also selecting other species of trees and shrubs to continue the nectar flow after Robinia has finished flowering.

At the Bee Breeding Research Institute I met Professor Ordsi~P4l, a famous bee scientist who has been responsible for the

identification of

6

of the

8 known

species of bee louse (Braula spp.) and Prof. Ordsi-P4l requires more samples of

their world distribution. bee lice, particularly from Africa (see page 7).

In December I traveiled to India and visited the staff of the Central Bee Research Institute at Pune, who had just moved into their splendid new head-

mapping:

The new building incorporates laboratories, a large library and quarters. office facilities, and also houses the branch of the IBRA library for tropical Asia.

Research work is concentrated on building up information about beekeeping in India and developing beekeeping management appropriate for different areas of the country.

I was pleased to meet Dr. Kehirsagar who has made an excellent study of the bee diseases present in India (published in Bee World 63, 162-164, The Institute has proved that many different Indian crops benefit 1982), from bee pollination; another research topic is the identification of plants valuable for filling dearth periods in the annual nectar flow.

Also at the Institute honey processing equipment is evaluated and distributed to village The Central Bee Research Institute has associated institutes co-overatives. and stations in different parts of India, and these are organized by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

Khadi is a type of handwoven cotton cloth, and this word was chosen by Gandhi to symbolize the rural crafts that can create employment in villages.

Gandhi felt that such low-capital, labour intensive work organized at village level could produce a self-reliant communit~.

In 1934 he created an association to promote this idea, based at Wardha in central India. After the independence of India, the government established the Khadi and Village Industries Commission to continue witn this work, and the Commission now has under its wing 19 village industries including beekeeping, and organizes beekeeping in 33 000 villages throughout India.

While in India I also visited the original centre established by Gandhi at Wardha, now developed into The Centre of Science for Villages.

This Centre encourages the application of useful new technology where it is appropriate to village crafts, for example recycling waste cotton, using solar energy, improving sanitation, finding economical methods of house construction, and so on.

Of course beekeeping is included amongst the projects at the Centre, and in particular the migratory behaviour of the rock bee (Apis dorsata) is being studied in an attempt to allow some management of this species.

He

Ke

*

WN °

Current Apicultural Research

edition of the Newsletter will contain an article about a current topic of bee research.

If you are a bee scientist working on a new idea then it may be possible to feature your work here.

To start the series we have an article about the work of a famous bee scientist, Dr. John B. Free, who leads the bee research at Rothamsted Experimental Station in the UK. From now on each

A

lure that attracts worker honeybees

colony of honeybees, members of the colony can communicate with one another by releasing chemical substances which have a particular odour.

These substances used for communication are known as pheromones and have

In

a

been discovered in many

of the honeybee pheromones is produced by a gland near the tip of the abdomen of the worker bee, and this is known as Nasonov pheromone, named after its discoverer.

The odour of Nasonov pheromone attracts honeybees and in this way individuals are able to locate the rest of their colony.

snecies, including

man.

One

Dr. Free and his team at Rothamsted haye developed a lure that can attract honeybees.

The lure has a similar composition to the Nasonov pheromone which consists of seven terpenoid chemicals: geraniol, nerolic and geranic acidg (E)- and (Z)- citral and (2,B)~farnesol and nerol.

To find the composition of lure most attractive to bees, the researchers Carried out experiments in a bdee-proof enclosure made of nylon mesh.

Inside the enclosure a machine slowly rotated wire cages containing polyethy-— lene blocks dosed with the chemicals to be tested.

Worker bees were put on the floor of the enclosure, and they were watched as they began to cluster on one or more of the cages containing the chemicals being tested.

Components

of the lure were tested singly and in various combinations, using either It very pure chemicals or less pure commercially available preparations. was found that a mixture of all 7 components of the Nasonov pheromone in equal proportions was at least as attractive as a mixture of the components in natural proportions, and when the mixture was made from commercially available components, it was quite as attractive to the bees as a mixture Made from

highly purified components.

4.

It has

that the presence of Nasonov pheromone at the hive entrance stimulates returning foragers to expose their Nasonov glands.

Geranic acid, (B)-citral, geraniol and-nerolic acid all increase Nasonov gland exposure, and if they are present in the lure, they incroese its effectiveness by stimulating bees to release their own Nasonov pheromone.

It was found that the removal of nerol and (E,E)-farnesol from a mixture of attractive to bees, and these two impure components made the lure substances were therefore not included in further exveriments in which the iure's effectiveness as a swarm attractant was tested.

This time empty hives were placed in the nyion enclosure and a swarm was placed in the centre of the floor. The lures were put in polyetnrylene vials (whose walls absorb the lure) and hung ivside the entrances of some hives.

A swarm was placed in the centre of the floor of the enclosure and the bees were then watched to see at which hives they fenned and released Nasonov pheromone, and which hive was finally chosen by the svarm.

From these experiments it was found that in 39 out of 40 tests bees would always choose a hive with a lure.

Increasing the number of lures in the hive also made it more attractive to bees.

It was found bees preferred previously-used hives containing two empty combs to new or used hives without Therefore a lure does combs, whether or not luves were present in the hives. not mask any attractive effect of combs or odour left in the hive vy the previous occupants.

Outside tests using the lure were 2lso done: pairs of Langetroth hives each witn two empty combs were placed 2m apart at 50 pleces in Southern Of the 12 kngland, with a lure inside the entrance of one hive of each pair. hives wiich were occupied by swarms, all were those which contained swarm lure.

It therefore seems that the lure developed by Dr. Free and his tean does attract swarms to unoccupied hives.

It probably works by making the hive easily discovered by scout bees.

Use of the lure may make it easier for beekeepers to attract svarms to their hives; this would be particularly valuable in tropical countries where beekeepers depend on migrating colonies to occupy their hives.

Other uses for the lure would be to trap honeybees been found

.

from places where they are not wanted (.g. food processing perhaps to encourage bees to collect water from a new source

artificial in

factories) or

and

to take

food placed inside the hive.

The develovment of such"artificial pheromones" opens up new possibilities bee management, for example, foreign queens may be more easily accepted by

a colony

if they

*To obtain

are

first

scented with artificial

pheromones.

lures please contact Dr. 0.7. Jones, Wolfson Unit of Chemical

Entomology, Southampton SO9 5NH, UK

taining A new Gipioma in

in

beekeeping

ana

fee

Hesearcn

at

univers

ese)

tt,

araculture

In October1984 a new course on apiculture is starting at the Bee Research Unit of University College Cordiff, UK, this one-year course is especially intended for beekeepers and bee scientists from tropical and subtropical

countries.

It will teach about fundamental honeybee biology and hopefully encourage the establishment of low cost, low technology village apiaries in tropical countries, and promote the fuller use and understanding of bees in world agriculture.

is suitavle for those with science deyrees or appropriate posts in government research or ths agricultural industry. iivery assistance will be given to obtain financial support for suitably qualified candidates who are unable to locate appropriate funding sources.

‘The subjects to be covered in the course are honeybee biology, honeybee managerient, and the marketing of bee products.

Full use will be made of the Department of Zoology's extensive facilities which include three electron microscopesy.

The course

nalytical laboratories, technical expertise in

and

s3ost

large self-teaching audiovisval laboratory, and branches of the biological sciences.

During the year Tiplomastudents will visit

in Europe,

farms, honey packers and fruit growers in the be able to work at the Bee Unit of Rothamsted

and commercial honey

students will Experimental Station with Dr. John B,Free

UK.

other centres of bee research

Some

who

is

Professor of

an Honorary

University Collerse, Cardiff.

Apicultural research

Universit: College, Cardiff also welcomes students from undertake apicultural research, If you aiready have a very

overseas

good

to

first degree

interested in carrying out further research, this could perhaps lead towards a higher degrec. and you are

For further information

on

the Diploma course

research opportunities Bee Research Unit, Department or

at Cardiff please write to Dr. 8.5.

Pickard of Zoology, University College, Cardiff CFl 1XL, Wales, UK.

SOURCE MATISRIALG FOR APICULPURE

leaflets were first published by IBRA in 1961 under funding International Development Research Centre, to provide information often sought by beekeepers in developing countries.

Demand for the leaflets has been so great that they are now almost out of “rinks and new editions are in preparation.

If you bave inform bion: to add, please send it to IBRA as Soon as possible.

The new editions of the leaflets will be available in French and Spanish.

English, These ten

from the

a

Uk

6.

News from around the

world

Pakistan A three~year

pilot project in apiculture

has been launched by the Sind

The aim of the project is to encourage beekeeping in Forest Department. rural areas and maximize the production of good quality honey, so that farmers’ The proincomes are increased and the need for imported honey is reduced. ject will encourage the cultivation of nectar bearing crops such as mango and mustard, and develop beekeeping management.

(Source: Business Recorder, Karachi, November 1983.)

Fuerto Rico

Festival is to take place in Lares, Puerto Rico, during More details from Associacion de Apicultores de March 30 — April 1 1984, Puerto Rico Inc., Apartado Postal 471, Lares, Puerto Rico 00669 The Beekeeper's

Trinidad Africanized bees first arrived in Trinidad in 1979 and they are now abundant in the country.

The Trinidad Ministry of Agriculture hes arranged a programme to try and reduce the aggressiveness of the bees by introducing docile European queen bees into the swarms of Africanized bees.

Even before Africanized bees arrived, the Ministry of Agriculture had begun preparatory work to deal with any problems which might arise, and a "yublic awareness" programme was started, giving seminars on the characteristics of the bees and showing a film "Killer Bee - Fact or Fantasy?"

Posters and booklets have also been distributed by the Ministry.

(Source: Trinidad Guardian, 7 February 1984 ) New

Director

Here at TERA we started the New Year with a new

Director.

After

35

years as Director of IBRA, Dr. Eva Crane has retired.

Dr. Crane has helped to make apiculture recognized as

During these years an important part of modern science and she has travelled widely, studying different methods of beekeeping throughout the worid; many of you must know her personally and yet more are acquainted with her many publications.

Although retired as Director,

Dr. Crane is still Consultant to

connected with IBRA in the Honorary office of Scientific

Like Dr. Crane the new Director, Dr. Margaret Adey, has a special interest in apiculture in the tropics and subtroxics, and before taking up her new post Dr. Adey will be here, she spent a month beekeeping in tropical Africa. writing about her visit in a future edition of the Newsletter.

Ts A

plant which repeis bees

In many countries honey is harvested from the rock bee (or giant honeybee) The nests of this bee are very large, and the bees can be Apis dorsata.

A recent article (T.R. Dutta, ferocious when their honey stores are raided.

R. Ahmed and S.R. Abbas, Bee World 64, 158-163, 1983) described a very special What is plant which grows in the Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal.

Special about the plant is that it appears to have a tranquilising effect upon rock bees, and when native people on the South and Middle groups of the Andaman Islands go honey Hinting, they use the sap from the plant to quieten down the bees.

Stems and leafstalks of the plant are squeezed so that the Sap comes out, and when the sap is then smeared over the body of the honey The mangled stem can also be used hunter, it protects him from being stung. to gently move the bees away from the honey storage area of comb which is Other The latin name for the plant is Amomum aculeatum. going to be cut. plant species are known to be used similarly by the Nicobar Islanders - do you know of any plants in your country which also have this effect on bees? eRe Can you_

help?

The Bee lice are tiny, wingless flies wnich parasitize honeybees. larvae of bee lice grow in the wax capping of honeycomb (they can digest wax ) Professor and the adult lice get their food from the mouths of honeybees.

Orési-PAl Zoltan is mapping the world distribution of bee lice and will be interested to examine samples of bee lice which you can send him; he parSamples of bee lice (either in ticularly requires samples from Africa. matchbox) should in a be sent, marked "sanple post", or alcohol dry ethyl kept to: Prof. Orési-P4l Zoltdn, 2101 Gédd1lé, Méhészet, Hungary.

APICULTURAL ABSTRACTS

Bahamas—Bangladesh-Botswana-—Brunei~Cyprus-Fi ji-Gambia-—Ghana-

Guyana-India-—Jamaica-Kenya—-Malawi-Malaysia-lHauritius-NigeriaPapua New Guinea-Sierre Leone-Solomon Islands-Sri Lanka-

Tanzania~Trinidad

&

Tobago-Uganda—Zambia-Zimba bwe

scientist currently involved with apicultural research in One of the countries named above, then did you know that you may be able to This quarterly Obtain free copies of the journal Apicultural Abstracts? journezi contains abstracts of papers on current research and technological

If you

are

a

The developments concerning bees and beekeeping throughout the world.

Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux makes available a certain number of copies

of this valuable journal to all these countries.

For more information Contact your Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux Liason Officer: you will Probably be able to find his/her address at your Ministry of Agriculture, but if not, a list of addresses of Liason Offices is obtainable from the Administrative Officer at IBRA.

8, NEW

Bibliographies

PUBLICATIONS

on Beeswax

receivedfar less attention than honey, and less is: known For this reason the five new publications by it. which cover Penelope Walker, many aspects of beeswax, are a valuable addition to the IBRA series of Bibliozraphies and will be of wide-ranging interest.

Beeswax has

and published about

Bach bibliography is divided into sections, and the list below gives examples of section topics. The Bibliographies can be obtained direct from IBRA (50% discount to IBRA members) and prices include postage.

secretion and use by bees or US$12.50 7 Includes beeswax synthesis, comb building (pheromonal factors, initiation, etc.), and encouragement of wax production by the 87 entries beekeeper.

No. 30

Beeswax:

No. 31

Beeswax:

No. 32

Beeswax: composition, properties, adulteration or usg14 7675 Covers wx from Apis and non-Apis bees, and includes adulteration and admixture with other waxes.

147 entries

No. 44

Eeeswax,

No. 34

processing 7 or US#12.50 separating combs from honey; rendering and refining beeswax, bleaching and sterilizing beeswax and preparing it for exhibition.

94 entries

uses and commercial aspects 7.75 Includes foundation, candles, cosmetics, standards and legislation.

149 entries

or uS#14

etc.,

interest or publications of nistorical about the and Early writings honeybee's production beeswax; history of beeswax, its production, uses 69 entries

Beeswax: -

and

=|

bidiLiograpny ot legislation

on

tc ieportation

of bees

and

relevant USf11 use of

and

trade.

control of disease

In recent years man has transported bees into many countries.

This has caused two major problems: (1) the spread of bee diseases and (2) the presence of bees in areas wnere their type of behavioural characteristics are The importance of stopping the further spread of bee diseases unsuitable. has prompted the collection by IBRA of all known legislation which seeks to control bee disease.

I have prepared a bibliography from this information, and it is now published under the title Laws and regulat}]ions (world-wide . i relating to the importation of bees, the control and notification of bee diseases, and the registration and siting of hives. ;

This bibliogrephy gives details and a brief description of such legislation held in 42 countries, and also lists 15 countries which have no such legislation. Beekeepers will find the bibliography useful as a source of information about the legislation weich is in force.

Tdeaily all countries should have some legislation controlling the import and export of bees, and to prevent the spread of bee diseases, and it is hoped that this booklet will also be useful to those countries which have no such legislation, in providing a guide to the types of laws which they require, The bibliography (IZRA Bibliography No. 35) is available from IDRA, price 7.75 or US#14.00, with 5% discount to IBRA members.

9.

The Archaeology of Beekeeping by Eva Crane

This is the first book to explore the rich and fascinating heritage of The text is illustrated with many pictures ranging beekeeping archaeology. from mesolithic rock paintings, and scenes in Egyptian tombs, to lively photo-— They show the graphs of beekeeping operations taken in the last century. of and honey hunting beekeeping throughdiversity to be found in the history out the world, since the Stone Age.

The archaeology of beekeeping examines the history of man's association as shown by ancient objects that have been discovered and identified.

The identification of archaeological finds is helped by studies of objects still used by beekeepers and honey hunters in remote parts of the world.

with bees

The first direct proof that man took honey from bees' nests is provided For the earliest evidence of beerock paintings in Spain. mesolithic by made between 2400 and 600 BC in Egypt, illustrations on we itself rely keeping which show beekeepers at work, and honey being processed and packed In Greece, actual hives used in Ancient times have been excavated, the earlicst being Their successors were well described by Roman authors, and dated to 450 BC. to them can still be found in use in different parts of the similar many hives world today; most are horizontal cylinders of various types.

In Northern Europe, upright log hives came into use. where hollow trees At first an individual beein the forests provided nesting places for bees. in the colonies living trees; later on log hives keeper owned and tended bee were grovped together in apiaries.

possible early existence of hives wit!. replaceable combs, like those A final chapter explores a much used in modern beekeeping, is discussed. wider field: representations of bees in sculpture, glass, coins, jewellery, and so on, and also objects that were made in the Ancient World with honey The

and beeswax.

the archaeology o1 beekeeping » published by Duckworth, London, in 1983 Obtainable direct from IBRA, price has 364 pages, with 271 illustrations. if there is a library in your area, you Alternatively, post paid.

27.50, may be able to sce the book there.

African beekeeping in the past Many stories have been published about old-time beekeeping in tropical Africa, when beekeeping tribes used log or bark hives kept in trees for

protection against enemies.

with a lifetime's first-hand experience of tribal beekeeping was He was born and brought up in Jim Nightingale, who died earlier last year. he onwards worked with Kikuyu tribes and other childhood his Kenya, and from to be never write down what he knew, but in He could persuaded beekeepers. on and knowledjse 1980 he recorded bis experiences tape, at his home in Njoro.

One man

transcription of this recording is now published* by IBRA, as a It contains sections on the Kikuyu, Dorobo, memorial to Jim Nightingale.

Kamba, Tugen, Kalenjin, Pokot, Nykipia and Turkana tribes, and has a map GF. Townsend showing the location of the places and tribes referred to. and W.S. Robinson have contributed descriptions of Jim Wightingale's method of handling the tropical Africa! bees, and the honey they produce in traditional hives.

This unique book will be valuable to all those interested in beekeeping in tropical Africa. ot Kenya A litetime's recollections pcekceping by Jim Nightingale, direc from IBRA, Hill House, Available nterviewed by Eva Crane (40 pages). or.

12.

Gerrards Cross, Bucks. SL9 ONR, UK; price Us$23<50; post paid.

A

10,

Ih 9

CONFERENCE

TYA

—

NOVEMBER 1934

Apiculture in Tropical Climates will be held on 5 - 9 November, 1984, in the Kenyatta International Con~ ference Centre, Nairobi, at the invitation of the Government of Kenya.

Other sponsors are the Organisation of African Unity, and the International Bee Research Association which convenes this serigs of meetings.

The Third

International Conference

on

excellent opportunity for beekeepers from throughout the world to meet, share their expertise and discuss their If you are a professional beekeeper then why not apply to your problems.

The Conference

will provide

an

Communi+ employer or your government for funding to attend the Conference? cations on the following subjects in relation to the tropics or subtropics

are

invited: Apiculture and Apiculture and Pacific.

in African countries. bee management problems in tropical Asia, America bee management problems

and the

Hive products in the tropics and their processing and marketing.

Pollination, the protection of bees, and the need for integrated pest management.

Apiculture in integrated rural development

and the

special role of

women.

including opportunities for practical beekeeping and excursions to see beekeeping and the country around Nairobi, and post-conference tours will be available.

Arrangements are being made for group travel to the Conference from London, and from other centres where there is sufficient demand.

There will be other activities

full Registration Fee (which will include a free copy of the Proceedings) has been set at 125% US for those registering and sending the The fee Thereafter the fee will be 150% US. fee before 1 August 1984.

411 registration fees for Accompanying Persons will be 35% US, each. (other than ti:ose for Kenyan delegates) should be made payable to IBRA and The

sent to the

UK

address.

Ministry of Livestock Development, Beekeeping 68228, Nairobi, Kenya (telephone 010-2542-564324, telex Convenor: International Bee Research Association, Hill

Conference Secretariat:

Section,

PO

Box

22766 MIN AG).

House, Gerrarus Cross, Bucks, SL9 ONR, Uk (telephone 44-753-885011,

telex

23152 MONREF G 8390),

il.

Questionnaire To help make the Newsletter appropriate and

who

receive

it,

interesting to the people I also

please complete the following questionnaire.

Circle welcome your suggestions and contributions for future Newsletters. the correct answers and add your comments where necessary and then return to me, Dr. Nicola Bradbear, IBRA, Hill House, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. SL9 ONR, UK °

Your

name

Your address

Do you

°

wish to continue receiving the Newsletter?

Yes

2.

Do you

receive

more

/

No

the envelope correct?

Was the name and address shown on

Yes

4.

No

than one copy of the Newsletter?

Yes

3.

/

/

No

Which of the following categories do vou belong to?

/ bee scientist / teacher of beekeeping / project organiser / librarian / other (please specify)

beekeeper 5.

If

you are a beekeeper, how many years have you been beekeeping?

less than 6.

/ 1-5 / 5-10 /

1

Have you had any formal

more

than 10

training in apiculture?

Yes

7.

How many

colonies

0-5 / 5-10 8.

Where are

/

do you

10-20

/

No

look after?

/ 20-50 /

more than 50

the colonies you look after?

in the wild / in hives 9.

What

tipe of hives

do you have?

Traditional, fixed-comb hive (e.g. basket hive/log hive

/

mud

hive

| +

etc.)

! /

!

iMovable~frame hive surrounded on j (comb sides by wooden ifour

Top-bar hive

(comb hangs from

single

wooden bar

which can be lifted from the hive)

i :

frame, e.g. Langstroth / Dadant / Newton, hives)

please turn

over

page

12, 10.

How much

time do you devote to beekeeping?

Full time / Spare time 11.

How

readable do you find the Newsletter?

very easy / easy / difficult

le.

Do

you receive any other beekeeping journals or newsletters?

Yes

14.

/

No

If yes, what subjects

do

they cover?

Local beekeeping / National beekeeping 14.

/ very difficult

Which subject would you

like to

/ International

beekeeping

know more about?

practical beekeeping / apicultural research 15.

Which parts of the Newsletter do you find most

16.

What would you

like to

see

interesting?

in future editions of the Newsletter?

If you know of any other beekeepers in developing countries who do not already see this Newsletter but who would like to receive it, then please give their names and addresses heres

Thank you for your

interest.