Bees for Development Journal Edition 79 - June 2006

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INSIDE INFORMATION

IN

This edition of Bees for Development Journal is packed full of fresh news and articles, with an Asian flavour this time. On pages 4 and 5, read the amazing story of Mr Miao and the fantastic honey harvests he achieves as he moves his bees from east to west during the year.

High honey yields are described also at the AAA Conference that has just taken place in Australia. There is a report of Varroa causing problems for beekeepers in Kashmir, and further south in India - a new project to find out more about honey hunters and the bees they plunder. Meanwhile the debate on cement hives rumbles on, and it seems that UK

THIS ISSUE...

Joyatn Ravishankar

dean fricras

Bees/orDevelop

afi!

beekeepers are getting enthusiastic about top-bar hive beekeeping. Enjoy this edition a beekeeping world tour in just 16 pages!

Niwla Bradheav Bees/orDevelopment Journal Editor Nicola Bradbear PhD, Co-ordinator Helen Jackson BSc Published quarterly by Bees for Development with readers in more than 130 countries

UU

Subscription

UK20

(€30, US$35) for one year, four issues, including airmail delivery.

Jyothi Ravishankar described the

Subscriptions commence on the date received.

Receive BfDJ by post or download

it in

SR

benefits of cement hives in B/DJ 75,

PDF format.

and our cover picture shows one of his cement hives in use by a very young

Subscribe through the secure order and payment system at www.beesfordevelopment.org or see alternative methods of payment on page 15.

beekeeper! See next page for the continuing debate about using cement hives.

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Readers in developing countries

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CONTENTS

page

Inside information

2

AAA

2

Bees/orDevelopment Trust

Defence of cement

3

We are grateful to the many individuals, beekeeping associations, groups and companies who support our work.

Please encourage your friends and colleagues to help.

Varroa destroys Apis mellifera

3

Honey flows in China

4

or Candle Currency see

BfDJ 67.

Donations At www.justgiving.com/bees: at our secure website www.beesfordevelopment.org; PayPal; by cheque or CAF cheque for Sponsored subscriptions and donations from UK tax payers are eligible for Gift Aid. This means a further 28p website. or download one from our Aid form Gift a We can send 1 donated. please you every

Bees for Development Trust UK Charity Number 1078803

The Asian Apicultural Association AAA was established

in

1992 to encourage friendly exchange of information between

beekeepers and bee scientists in Asia. A Conference is held every two years and in March, the 8th AAA Conference took place in Western Australia see pages 10/11.

elt,

MAF “Ocran®

Practical beekeeping New online

-

top-bar tips

BfD brochure

6

Look and Learn Ahead

7

Notice Board

7

Apiculture and poverty alleviation

8

Darwin Initiative Award

9

AAA Conference

in Australia

AAA Membership rates: Individual US$20; Institutional US$100; Sustaining US$300

10

News around the World

12

Bookshelf

14

Safari Safari Safari!

16

Professor Siriwat Wongsiri from the Centre of Excellence in Entomology, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

Other new appointments are Dr Jun Nakamura as AAA Secretary General, and Dr Sureerat Deowanish as Treasurer.

6

EU honey ‘legislation

AAA News of Professor Matsuo Matsuka, who Bees for Development acknowledges the continued support retired as AAA President at the Conference, and sends congratulations to his successor,

6

Bees/orDevelopment Post

Troy, Monmouth

NP25 4AB, UK

Committee and Local Representatives: details on the BfD website (see right) or contact AAA. Ms Hitomi Enomoto - Co-ordinator

Phone Fax

AAA Office, Honeybee Science Research Center, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan

E-mail

+44 (0)16007 13648 +44 (0)16007 16167

Tel/Fax: +81 427 398 685 E-mail: HSRC@agr.tamagawa.ac.jp

info@beesfordevelopment.org Web

Bees for Development Journal is proud to be the official Newsletter of AAA

www. beesfordevelopment.org

Bees/ov Development Journal 79

LETTERS

IN

DEFENCE OF CEMENT

Jyothi Ravishankar, Karnataka, India am writing with regard to the letter from Mr Bola Adepoju, Nigeria published in BfD/ 78. Mr Bola Adepoja gave eight reasons why cement hives are not to be recommended. |

REASON1

In India in the summer the temperature is 37°C. My cement hive box has been tested for six years during this temperature. have not had a chance to test it in other countries, which have different

|

temperatures.

REASONS 2 AND 3 Do not relate

to my invention, so

|

cannot

comment.

REASON 4 The total weight of the cement hive box is only 19 kg (see picture right).

REASON 5

If

|

do

not think this is all that heavy.

the bees do not like the cement they will move out. This

happens in wooden boxes as well.

REASON 6 Cost-wise,

can only write about India where hive box costs a quarter the price of wooden box. |

a

cement

a

REASON 7 My invention will not destroy the soil. Once the cement box is constructed, then it is permanent. The forest is the gift of Mother If there is no forest then definitely the soil will be destroyed.

Bees can live only if there is forest. If we do not save the forest, then in Nature.

the future there may be no bee colonies. For example, during my childhood, there were many Apis dorsata colonies nesting on the

branches of trees. Because of the destruction of the forest, after only 50 years there are few of these colonies left. We must save the forest

Mer.

now.

REASON 8 Please study the cover picture: honey is stored inside the

=

BA

a

SYOTHT

as homes for the bees. Many people also live in houses made from cement. am surprised that Mr Bola Adepoju drinks water in the city where it will be stored in cement tanks!

yet

wax comb and does not touch the cement. The cement hives are meant

OO

|

VARROA DESTROYS APIS MELLIFERA Beekeeping in Kashmir Valley F A Shah, Apiculture Development Officer,

Kashmir, India

During 1986 Thai sacbrood, the dreaded bee disease caused by Thai sacbrood virus, exterminated almost all the Apis cerana bee colonies in

hives in Kashmir. This necessitated the introduction of Apis mellifera.

Since then the exotic honeybee has been harbouring Varroa sp. However, Varroa symptoms remained suppressed due to the simultaneous infestation by another ectoparasite, 7ropilaelaeps clareae. Both mite

Species reproduce and multiply on brood. The migration of bee colonies from Kashmir (a temperate zone) to sub-tropical areas during the winter period facilitated their uninterrupted multiplication. Tropilaelaeps clareae is a fast reproducing mite. It remained dominant. Beekeepers resorted to chemical treatments particularly with sulphur to control this mite.

Whereas Varroa sp remained untreated. This gave enough opportunity for the Varroa mite to multiply enormously, culminating in an epidemic in July 2005. Whereas Varroa sp remained untreated. In 2005, 35,000 out of 40,000 Apis mellifera colonies had died by the end of December.

Beekeeping in Kashmir has again been reduced to zero level, as was recorded in 1986 when Thai sacbrood killed ali the Apis cerana colonies.

Experience gained during the last 20 years has shown that Apis mellifera has been almost a failure in collecting surplus honey from /sodon rugosus, a bushy plant flowering from mid-August to mid-October,

probably due to meteorological conditions. This plant was extensively

exploited by the indigenous honeybee Apis cerana and constituted a major source of honey production in Kashmir.

Similarly Apis mellifera has shown its inability to defend its nests against hornets. As a result, good number of bee colonies are lost annually. a

Varroa and Tropilaelaeps clareae have never proved a serious threat to Apis cerana and beekeepers have never treated their bee colonies with

chemicals to control these mites. in view of this, the revival of Apis cerana beekeeping is being given serious thought by the beekeepers of the Kashmir Valley.

Korean haplotype of Varroa Honeybees in the State of Jammu & Kashmir have been infested by the Korean haplotype of Varroa. The impact has been devastating, reported

scientist Dr M K Khushu, with 80% of the honeybee colonies in the State completely destroyed during October to December 2005, with irreparable loss to bee farmers.

This is the first time the State has been affected. Colonies in the neighbouring States of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh had also been infested. Dr Khushu

explained that the infestation is caused by a mite, which is a new type of Varroa destructor identified by Dr Denis Anderson.

Source: Bee Culture February 2006

Bees/v; Development Journal 79

CHINA

HONEY FLOWS UPWARDS ACROSS CHIN

Jin Tang-Dong, Cixi Beekeeping Association,

Zhejiang Province, China

prefers to maintain two queens in a hive bottom box, as this can enable rapid growth of the honeybee population. The two queens are in two compartments, separated by a board in the middle of the bottom box.

Simultaneously, a soft, nutritious patty made from pollen (collected from tea tree flowers), honey, effective microbes and water are placed on the top-bar of the frame to stimulate the colony's build-up. middle of February, the newly emerged bees are old enough for outside work when the greengage trees on nearby hills are in bloom.

The greengage flowers are very captivating and attractive for the bees. in the

Although they cannot produce a surplus of honey, they provide the basis for the year's haney flow.

By the middle of March, Miao's colonies have become stronger and the first super is added on to the bottom box, separated by a queen excluder. At this time, bees from both areas of the bottom box work

4

PHOTOS

a

«-

LOU JIAN NENG

together in the super. Soon the colonies are reaching their maximum strength. Miao will then determine when it is time to leave for the next

eine Bisp

Mr Miao has been beekeeping for 38 years

The Yangtze River, the longest river in China, originates from the western-most Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and eventually flows down into the East China Sea. However, the other way around, there is a buzzing flow of honey across China, which starts on the coast of the East China Sea,

horizontally traverses the mainland of China, and ends on the Plateau, with a journey 3,450 km long and 3,500 m in altitude. For beekeeper Miao and his bees, the theory of 'upward honey flow’ is ingrained. Year

station of the honey flow.

Honey flows

China's climate is hot and humid in the south-eastern areas, but becomes cooler and drier toward the north-west. There is a great biological diversity over 10,000 varieties of flowering plants that are utilised by bees. The honey flow moves with the blooming of nectar plants in a north-west direction. Around 20th March, Miao and his bees leave the greengage location, cross the Yangtze River and arrive in Wuhu of Anhui Province. Miao sets up his tent and solar equipment near the north bank of the river and begins to live a nomadic life. The

climate here is suitable for agricultural crops. Brassica (rape) is the

after year, Miao has been pursuing this upward flow of honey for fun and profit.

The starting point Every year the honey flow available for Miao and his colonies starts at

home. This is the beginning of February, when the greengage trees

come into bloom. Miao's hometown lies in the north coastal part of Cixi City, Zhejiang Province.

Cixi is named ‘The bee village of China’ and faces the East China

Sea. Miao has been successfully working with his bees for 38 years.

He has a large operation of

220 colonies with 440 queens.

Annually, from November to March, he conducts bee colony wintering and in spring rebuilds his apiary, located at the foot of a hill within a small distance of the town.

3

Despite the outside temperature ranging from 0-15°C, Miao becomes busy with his colonies in early spring, to be ready in time for the honey flow from greengage. During the first 10 days of January, Miao sets free all the caged wintering queens to start developing colonies. Miao

and his bees arrive in Wuhu of Anhui Province. At this location.

Miao harvests 15,000 kg of honey.

In March, Miao

Bees/v; Development Journal 79

CHINA

Honey flow ends on the highest plateau The terminus of the whole honey flow is located on the furthest west part of China: the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Qinghai Province. At the end of June, Miao restarts his journey toward the westernmost and highest nectar location, with an elevation of 3,500 m above sea level. Miao

finally arrives at the Gobi area, where no beekeepers had ever been prior to Miao's arrival three years ago. There the temperature ranges from

25-28°C

in

daytime to below 0°C at night. This is conducive for honey

plants to secrete more nectar. In addition to the unique climate, vast areas of flowering plants, as well as low human population and no

pollution, provide the most excellent base for honey production. Both honey and royal jelly harvested here are very popular at home and abroad.

At the Plateau, Miao's first crop reaches as much as 15,000 kg of honey from the Brassica flowers stretching to the horizon. After the Brassica, another nectar source that dominates areas around the Gobi comes into bloom. Miao does not know its name, but it serves as the last important

source of income for Miao's operation during the year. Honey from this grass-like plant seems to have the same quality as black locust in colour and taste. Miao thinks it will become a popular monofloral honey in the future:

it

has tremendous potential for increased honey

production.

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Cae

ee

ee

Miao moves his bees six times every year to follow the ‘upward honey How’

major nectar source in spring. A few days after their arrival, the colonies reach their peak population of over 18 frames per hive, just as Brassica bursts into blossom. Every year at this location, Miao harvests a crop of about 15,000 kg of honey and 180 kg of royal jelly.

On 25th April, Miao moves northwards 500 km to Tangshan Plain within Anhui Province. In this plain there are large areas of black locust trees in

The honey flow described above keeps Miao with bees, and bees with flowers, from January to August. At the end of August, Miao ends his migratory beekeeping life and returns home.

Along this golden honey flow Miao experiences arduousness of beekeeping as well as great joy of harvest with an income of more than 200,000 RMB (US$25,000 €19,500).

Acknowledgements We are grateful to Mr Miao for his beekeeping story, and to Mr Lou Jian-Neng for his pictures.

bloom, distributed around villages. Black locust Robinia pseudacacia |s one of the major nectar sources on the honey flow route. It has good nectar secretion, producing excellent quality honey. Its blooming period is only about 10 days, and unfortunately, it usually happens to bloom when monsoons begin to sweep across the region.

The wind is a major factor affecting the secretion of nectar. Dry and hot winds from the south-west will not only cause flowers to wither, but also shorten their blooming period. However, Miao uses this source to produce at least 4,000 kg of this single-flower honey. It is water white in colour with the unique fragrance of the black locust flower.

On 3rd May the honey flow leads upwards to a new location in the northwest of China. To keep pace with it, Miao and his bees take a journey of 1,200 km to Yongshou, Shanxi Province. Yongshou is mostly

fo

mountainous and located west of Xi'an, which is one of the most ancient capitals in China and the starting point of the famous Silk Road to the West. The Chinese Annual Acacia Flower Festival is held at this time in

Yongshou. Here Miao may harvest 5,000-6,000 kg of black locust honey.

Miao always sells his bee products for a better price due to the Festival and Miao's reputation as a great, high-quality beekeeper.

June, Miao resumes his trudge of migratory beekeeping to the low reach of the north-west Yellow Plateau of China, over 1,000 m above sea level, in the territory of Ping Liang County of Gansu Province. The On 1st

Yellow Plateau is considered the cradle of Chinese culture. The complex landscape brings to this region ecological diversity, providing rich nectar resources for beekeeping such as black locust, purple flowered sweet clover, horse bean and thyme. After gathering nectar from these plants, Miao's dwindling bee colonies can be rebuilt and expand their population by 30-50%, ready for the final honey hunting move.

Royal jelly production

PRACTICAL BEEEKEEPING/HONEY LEGISLATION

EU HONEY

PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING

LEGISLATION THIRD COUNTRIES UPDATE The latest list of so-called ‘third’ countries -

those authorised fo import honey into the EU issued on 7 March 2006 is as follows:

Argentina, Australia, Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemaia, India, !srael, Jamaica, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Montenegro, New

Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Pitcairn Islands, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Vietnam and Zambia.

See BIDS 59, 63 and 72 and our Website Information Centre for more details

EU SUSPENDS IMPORT OF

BRAZILIAN HONEY

TOP-BAR TIPS

My first attempt was with bars 3.5 cm wide, and this was successful in the UK. understand that

Browsing through the new on-line BID brochure

African bees are smaller and need narrower topbars. By way of experiment am now using a

|

(see below) paused at the pages showing Senegalese beekeepers making top-bar hives. |

They appear to be using narrow bars with gaps in between, kept in position by castellated spacers (see picture above). for doing it this way?

Is there a particular reason

|

graduated range of bar widths from 3.175 cm at the front to 5.0 cm at the rear. shall monitor |

how the bees get on and shall measure the cell size to See if they adjust it to match the bar

spacing.

My own experience with the top-bar hive is that having the bars fitting closely together works

Last autumn, in order to produce a small harvest of extra propolis, took one top-bar out

well. The bees are always very calm, far more so than in hives with conventionally spaced frames,

temporarily and eased all the others apart slightly. A few weeks later was able to use a

where there are gaps to defend when the beekeeper takes the roof off, light floods, in and

hive tool to scrape off enough propolis to fill a tobacco tin. Some of this is now being made

warm air rushes out. This alerts the bees to the

into a tincture and the rest is being eaten raw.

fact that they are being threatened and they may be inclined to do something about it. With close-

Chris Slade, UK

fitting top-bars there is only one gap at a time and, if you work gently, the bees hardly know that

you are there. On the odd occasion when the roof has blown off, the colony has still had a

solid ceiling and come to no harm.

|

|

More on top-bar hives at our Website Information Centre. If you have any top-bar

tips or questions, do send them in contact details on page 2.

E H Thorne (Beehives) Ltd have added top-bar hives to their range of equipment for sale.

Available as flat pack or ready built, order from www.thorne.co.uk For every top-bar hive sold, Thornes are donating 10

to Bees for Development Trust.

BEES FOR DEVELOPMENT BROCHURE

Since 7 March 2006, Brazil has not been allowed to export honey to the EU. The Commission says Brazil needs to perform further quality control analysis on the product.

Director of Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Issues of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Odilson Ribeiro said that the EU gave

the Ministry a six-month deadline for restructuring its National Programme of

Residue Control in order to adapt to the EU export norms. The Director explains that analysis of the product for antibiotics and heavy metals will be done. According to Ribeiro, a plan containing information on the quality of the product has already been

developed and is being implemented. The EU considers this information should have been sent to them earlier, however, Ribeiro emphasises, the EU has never found any problem in its analysis of Brazilian honey.

Honey from the northeast region of Brazil is produced without any risk of antibiotic contamination. Ribeiro added that producers from the States of Ceara and Piaui would be most affected by the EU decision.

In order to minimise future problems, the Ministry of Agriculture intends to establish some new measures, for example to look for new markets as alternatives to Europe: implement promotions of Brazilian honey; encourage the product's organic certification: give support to the associations of honey producers; and verify sanitary education

A new Brochure is available describing the work of Bees for Development, and Bees for Development Trust. The Brochure has been created by Kirsten and Michael Traynor, beekeepers in Maryland, USA. View the

programmes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the honey exported before this embargo will face no problems in the EU

brochure or download a printable copy af

US$18,900,000 (€14,725,000).

www. beesfordevelopment.org

Patricia Landim, Agencia Brasil, www. internacional.radiobras.gov.br

market. In 2005, Brazil exported 14,400 tonnes of honey to the EU, of value

Bees/o/ Development Journal 79

LOOK AHEAD/LEARN AHEAD/ NOTICE BOARD

LOOK AHEAD ARGENTINA Primer Congreso Argentino de Apicultura [1st Argentine Congress of Beekeeping] 28-29 July 2006, Predio Ferial de la Provincia de Cordoba Further details www.apicultura2006.com.ar

AUSTRALIA APIMONDIA 40th International Apicultural Congress 9-14 September 2007, Melbourne Further details www.apimondia2007.com

BULGARIA APIMONDIA Symposium: Selection and queen breeding 1-3 September 2006, Sofia Further details www.apimondia-symposium-

bulgaria-2006.com CHINA 9th AAA Conference 2008 Further details will appear here

GREECE APIMONDIA 1st International Forum on

-

Apitherapy Apimedica2006 12-15 October 2006, Athens Further details www.apimondia.org

MALAYSIA

LEARN AHEAD Bees for Development arranges beekeeping study tours and visits world-wide. Tailor-made to suit requirements and to fit any budget. Contact us for details.

BELGIUM

1st International Conference on Medicinal Uses of Honey 26-28 August 2006, Kelantan Further details www.honey2006.kk.usm.my

TURKEY Vill European Congress of Entomology 17-22 September 2006, Izmir Further details www.ece2006.org 1st International Non-wood Forest Products

Symposium 1-4 November 2006, Trabzon Further details www. ktu.edu.tr/nwfp 1st Balkan Federation of Apiculture Conference 29 March - 1 April 2007, Edirne Further details

apifound@apimondiafoundation. org

Beekeeping for poverty alleviation - 31 1 April July 2006, Gent Further details www.zoofysiologie.ugent.be Beekeeping for all 10 July - 25 August 2006, Namur Further details www.apis-formation.be ETHIOPIA Annual Course at Holeta Bee Research Centre 10 April - 9 June 2006 Further details desalegnbegna@yahoo.co.uk

IRELAND Irish Beekeepers' Summer Course

24-29 July 2006, Gormanston Further details eosbee@indigo.ie KENYA

2006 Baraka College Short Courses Further details www.sustainableag.org

CUBA

UK

2do Congreso Cubano de Apicultura 16-19 January 2007, Havana Further details congreso2007 @eeapi.cu

National Honey Show 19-21 October 2006, RAF Hendon, London Further details www.honeyshow.co.uk

CZECH REPUBLIC

USA

EurBee Second European Conference of Apidology with APIMONDIA Standing Commission on Pollination and Bee Flora

XV International Congress of the IUSSI 30 July - 4 August 2006, Washington Further details www.iussi.org/IUSSI2006.htm|

UK

Session 10-14 September 2006, Prague Further details www.eurbee.org

9th International Pollination Symposium 24-28 June 2007, lowa State University

FRANCE

Further details maharris@iastate.edu

Advanced Bee Husbandry 3-7 July 2006, York Further details

VIETNAM

www.national-diploma-bees. org.uk

7th SICAMM Conference: international association for the protection of the European dark bee

TURKEY Caucasus honeybee Apis mellifera caucasica Workshop

14-23 July 2006, Macahel-Borcka-Artvin Further details ikandemir@qmail.com

USA

18-22 September 2006, Versailles

International Conference on Managing Forests for Poverty Reduction 2-6 October 2006, Ho Chi Minh City

21-24 September 2006, Utah

Further details www.sicamm.org

Further details patrick.durst@fao.org

Further details www.apitherapy.org

Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course

you want notice of your conference, workshop or meeting to be included here send details to Bees for Development, Troy, Monmouth, NP25 4AB, UK E mail info@beestordevelapment.org If

NOTICE BOARD

IFS ASSISTANCE International Foundation for Science supports researchers based in low income countries. Next deadline 30 June 2006 See www. ifs.se

WALK THIS WAY Peter Grimes, Romsey Beekeepers, UK says "| am planning to walk the Coast to Coast Path from Robin Hoods Bay to St Bees. thought it would |

be a great opportunity to help raise funds for BFD Trust, by undertaking this as a sponsored walk".

BEE CRAFT A full colour monthly magazine for beginners and experts alike covering all aspects of beekeeping in the UK and Ireland. 20 cards accepted.

for 12 issues. Credit

FAO PROJECT PROVISION

For free sample copy contact secretary@bee-craft.com

FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,

SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

supports beekeeping projects in developing countries. Beekeepers’ groups and associations may apply for small project funding of up to US$10,000 from the TeleFood Special Fund. Request documents should include a brief description of the project's objectives, the proposed food production or income-generating activities, the work plan, the number of participants, a detailed list of inputs with cost estimates and the reporting arrangements. Submit your request to the office of FAO or UNDP in your country. Applications for projects with budgets over US$10,000 must be submitted through a Government Ministry. See www.fao.org

Remember to tell BfD the outcome of your application.

IDBAmérica invites university students in Latin America and the Caribbean to submit an original article for the 2006 Scholarship Competition. See www.iadb.org/idbamerica

BEE BOOKS NEW AND OLD The Weaven, Little Dewchurch, Hereford HR2 6PP UK, for your new and second-hand books. Telephone + 44 (0)1432 840529 or

www.honeyshop.co.uk

Contact Bees for Development. E-mail or write to us with your ideas, information about meetings and events, news and views.

CAMEROON

APICULTURE AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN CAME ROO N = PART |

FAO trade statistics show that Cameroon imports annually honey worth US$700,000 (€540,000). This does not reflect the amount of honey that is produced and consumed locally. Local communities in Cameroon have always harvested honey from the wild and many still do so. Honey is consumed as a beverage and is used in the preparation of many traditional medicines. This article highlights the role of beekeeping in biodiversity conservation and

Emmanuel

0

Nuesiri and Eunice

E Fombad

ever increasing human pressure from farming, hunting, gathering of NTFPs and timber exploitation (Sikod et a/, 2000). Given the centrality of the forest to local livelinoods, the sector has a significant role to play in poverty alleviation. is in this regard that donors and conservation organisations vigorously promote the adoption of non-destructive forest use such as apiculture (Birdlife It

2003; Vabi & Gartlan, 1997).

poverty alleviation in Cameroon.

Apiculture and poverty alleviation

Bio-geographical profile of Cameroon Cameroon is in Central Africa and has a population of about 16 million, with a growth rate of about 3%. 70% of the population lives in rural areas and about

40% of the entire population lives below the poverty line of US$1 (€0.8) per day. Cameroon is endowed with diverse natural resources including forest and crude oil, yet tt is a highly indebted country undergoing economic structural adjustments proposed by the World Bank and the IMF. Forestry contributes about 20% to Cameroon's export revenue, second to crude oil. The 20 million

hectares of dense tropical forest, which forms part of the Congo Basin, is of global conservation significance, having the highest number of plants per unit

Sustainable forest management (SFM) is a key objective in Cameroon's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) submitted to the World Bank and the IMF (GoC, 2003). Ensuring that SFM in Cameroon conserves biodiversity while alleviating poverty has been a great challenge for the government, donors and the many conservation NGOs in the country. A strategy adopted by international conservation NGOs has been the promotion of alternative incomegenerating activities considered as ‘biodiversity friendly’ including apiculture, mushroom farming and wildlife domestication. The most successful in terms of uptake has been apiculture. Across the national territory there are now a

afea in the region, and with the second highest mammal and bird species counts.

plethora of local organisations actively involved in apiculture and while collection and sale of honey from the forest is an age-old practice in Cameroon, there has been a steady increase in consumption of honey and

Forest and poverty

other bee products. Organisations that have been at the forefront of these

Over 50% of Cameroonians depend on the forest directly or indirectly for livelihoods: this is due to the rural bias in its population structure with 70% of

initiatives include the Department for International Development (DFID) UK, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), Birdlife International, UK and Bees Abroad, UK.

people dwelling in rural areas. The major occupations of rural citizens are overwhelmingly farming, hunting, gathering of non-timber forest products (NTFP) and animal husbandry (MINEFI, 2002). The forest is home to endemic

These organisations succeeded in convincing local communities, that an intensive and structured approach is more profitable. Today, apiculture is

species, many of which are endangered, including the Mount Cameroon francolin Francolinus camerunensis, the African forest elephant Loxodonta

yielding substantial benefits for successful local groups such as the Apicultural and Nature Conservation Organisation (ANCQ) Bamenda, and

cyclotis, and highly valued timber species including 'Azobe' Lophira alata. Due

Beekeeping, Development and Conservation (BDC) Limbé. These two are at

to its fertile, volcanic soils the region has experienced significant habitat loss

the forefront of apicultural initiatives in the Cameroon Highlands region.

and fragmentation as a result of subsistence and commercial farming: this in turn has led to loss of biodiversity (Ndam et a/, 2000).

However the significance of this development is seemingly unnoticed by the Government and some key conservation actors in Cameroon. A recent publication by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) on forest products, livelinoods and conservation in Africa, and their contribution to rural

While the people of Cameroon have always depended on forest resources for livelihoods, there has been a sharp increase in the rate of dependency since the late 1980s. This is directly related to the severe economic downturn the

1985-1995. There was

large-scale return to the land and forest for survival by many unemployed persons. Thus forest regions of high conservation value such as the Cameroon highlands are today facing country experienced from

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poverty alleviation, totally omits apiculture (Sunderland & Ndoye, 2004). We wish to draw the attention of the global apicultural community to this development in Cameroon. The results of our study will be presented in the next edition of

BDU

The traditional honey harvesting method used in local forest communities such as the Cameroon Highlands, involved setting up bushfires to get rid of the

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bees before extracting honey from the combs. This was destructive as often the fires went out of control and caused significant habitat destruction.

Conservation projects introduced hand held smokers and other equipment that has made honey harvesting easier and non-destructive. Communities have

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been taught how to construct hives and where to place them on their farms and forest lands for bee colonisation and optimal honey production. Evidence for the success of these initiatives is provided by the existence of profitable

beekeeping co-operatives and groups in the Cameroon Highlands eco-region.

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Emmanuel Nuesiri (author for correspondence) is a doctoral student and Clarendon scholar at the Oxford University Centre for the Environment, UK.

aa: Training on hive construction and the use of top-bar hives has been introduced

Eunice Fombad is ecological research officer with Forest, Resources and Peaple, a conservation and development NGO based in Limbé, SWP Cameroon

Bees/or Development Journal 79

DARWIN INITIATIVE

7,

DARWIN \) .

DARWIN

INITIATIVE

INITIATIVE

BEES, BIODIVERSITY AND FOREST LIVELIHOODS IN THE NILGIRI BOSPHERE RESERVE

We are pleased to announce a new, three year project studying the interdependencies between bees, biodiversity and forest livelihoods.

This research, supported by the UK Government-funded Darwin Initiative, will take place in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of the Western Ghats, India. The Project commences on 1 June 2006.

The indigenous bees of the mountainous Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve play an important role in local livelihoods hunting honey from wild nesting Apis dorsata bees is part of the culture however: The population size and distribution of these Apis dorsata bees is unknown

This new Project will combine scientific data about the status of these indigenous bees and their ecology, with analysis of the local people's livelihoods.

The Project is implemented locally by the Keystone Foundation, working in partnership with local indigenous communities and Forest Department staff, and Bees for Development working in partnership with two other UK-based institutions: The Overseas Development Group University of East Anglia, and The Centre for Agri-Environmental Research University of Reading.

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Research New scientific knowledge of the bees New knowledge about people's livelihoods and the economic value and social role of the bees

Institutional capacity building Improved staff skills within well-motivated organisations: for example a specialist research unit within Keystone, field centres within local communities, and public service skills within State Forest Departments.

Training Improved professional skills amongst Project Participants concerning research design, information systems, livelihoods

analysis, and overnance, Convention on Biodiversity [CBD] implementation, and generic skills in survey, design, and bee and pollination science.

The bees' role in pollination and the maintenance of forest biodiversity has not been studied.

(Keystone

The Project's four main components:

NORWICH

Dissemination and advocacy |n-country workshops, press, TV and radio reports, working with opinion formers and policy makers,

The Darwin Initiative aims to promote biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of resources around the world. The Initiative is funded and administered by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Defra).

More information at: www.darwin.gov.uk

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CONGRESS

IN AUSTRALIA

Linda Manning

The 8th Asian Apicultural Association (AAA) Conference was held in

Perth, Western Australia from 20-24 March 2006, and was hosted by the Western Australian beekeepers. 162 people from 19 countries

attended the Conference, held in the grounds of the University of Western Australia.

The Conference included a welcome reception, three days of lectures, one day of technical tours, bee venom therapy workshop, a a

conference dinner and book launch. Sixty-three papers were presented on pests and diseases, melliferous flora and pollination, bee biology,

beekeeping technology and bee products.

operate the ‘better bees breeding programme’. The bees were feeding on Eucalyptus wandoo and redgum Corymbia calophylia. The

honeybees, Apis mellifera ligustica, are yellow in colour and placid, clinging to the frames when they were removed from the hive. Not one person was stung even though several hives were opened and frames removed and passed around, with people using their fingers to break open the cells to taste the honey.

Beekeeper John Davies and another participant in the ‘better bees breeding programme’, spoke about the 26 years that have contributed to the lines of superior breeding queens. Since 1992, the programme has been owned and managed by six prominent Western Australian beekeeping businesses. These beekeepers expect to harvest

Keynote speakers Professor Marla Spivak from the University of Minnesota, USA gave a keynote address on The impact of the Varroa mite in the USA. She asked, "Are we winning the battle?" and discussed whether honeybees bred for hygienic behaviour would be the saviour of beekeeping for pollination and nectar collection. Professor Spivak explained how to

test for hygienic behaviour in honeybees. She explained that bees bred for hygienic behaviour have great olfactory sensitivity to the odours

associated with diseased brood, and remove such brood lang before reaches the infectious stage.

150-200 kg of honey per colony per year from ‘better bees' stock. The bees were so quiet they were a pleasure to work with.

It should be noted that no antibiotics or drugs are used on bees in Western Australia, so hygienic behaviour is not masked by drug use.

Beekeepers practise barrier management. where the same four boxes

and frames are rotated within the same hives.

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Keynote speaker, Professor Mandyam Srinivasan from the Australian National University, discussed his recent work on Smal! Brains, Smart Minds: vision, navigation and cognition in honeybees. He provided an insight into honeybee flight and how bees regulate their ground speed by holding constant the speed at which the image of the environment moves across the eye.

Professor Verma from Himachal Pradesh University in India discussed policies and programmes for revitalising the beekeeping industry in Asia.

The Australian and international beekeepers enjoyed visiting the honey houses, apiaries, a pollen drying and packing operation, and the Western Australian honey packer Wescobee Ltd. Most delegates described the visit to Harry East's 96-hive apiary at Bindoon as the high point. Harry is one of the beekeepers who own and

Mr Kim Fewster, AAA's Australian Representative and Convenor of the Conference Organising Committee, with Professor Siriwat Wongsiri. newly appointed President of AAA

Alan Fewster and his son Kim, and David and Leilani Leyland opened their honey house and extraction operation to the delegates. The large commercial beekeeping business has modern honey handling facilities with stainless stee! uncapping machines, horizontal radial extractors and facilities for handling honey in bulk, using forklifts. They are moving over to square plastic 1,000 litre containers and away from 200 litre steel drums. The Fewsters are large-scale beekeepers by

Australian standards and own 1,800 hives. They practise migratory beekeeping, moving their apiaries from one honey flow to another.

Their trucks are specially fitted with a loading gantry for picking up and placing hives.

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Delegates viewing better bees’ stock at Harry East's apiary in Bindoon. Western Australia.

They usually harvest 50-60 tonnes of Jarrah honey every second year.

The nectar comes from Eucalyptus marginata known locally as Jarrah, and is the most sought after variety of honey in Western Australia.

Jarrah honey has an extremely high antimicrobial reading and is a highly flavoured, nutritious honey. It is also used in wound dressings, as in the B-Naturals topical product.

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AAA CONGRESS IN AUSTRALIA

The Leyland family own Bees Neez Apiaries and operate 400 hives.

They are also migratory beekeepers and members of the ‘better bees' group. They harvest at least 200 kg of honey per colony per year.

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APITHERAPY WORKSHOP Dr Hirofumi Naito of the Kofu Honeybee Research Laboratory, and Director of the Japanese Apitherapy Association presented a short history of bee venom therapy in Japan. Although bee venom therapy is almost

Some delegates toured the Wescobee factory to look at bottling and packing. Wescobee is the largest honey packer in Western Australia, handling about 10% of Australia's honey, and were Gold Sponsors of the

unknown in Australia, it is practised in Japan and has gained wide

AAA Conference. Wescobee took the opportunity of the Conference to launch their new varietal Jarrah honey: they also use significant

acceptance.

To obtain maximum effect from a minimum amount of bee venom,

amounts of this honey in their B-Naturals medicated honey topical cream.

Dr Naito used tweezers to pull the stinger out of a bee's abdomen. He then demonstrated the ‘sting points’, which are related to the parasympathetic nervous system. The amount of venom injected is

Australian PhD student, Julie Irish presented results showing honey was effective against a range of micro-organisms responsible for severe infections. She said that multi-resistant bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) was particularly sensitive to honey. Honey also

proportional to the amount of time the stinger is inserted into the body and the strength of the venom is related to the type of bee, the season, and the age of the bee.

inhibits various members of the bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae, which is one of the most commonly implicated groups in wound

Dr Naito used the sting and venom from the Apis mellifera ligustica bees in his demonstration. He demonstrated his technique on the head and

infection, and also inhibited the growth of Propionibacterium acnes, an anaerobic bacterium implicated in the pathogenesis of acne. Ms Irish found that Jarrah honey, Medihoney™ and a Leptospermum honey significantly reduced biofilm formation. Biofilms are bacterial or fungal

shoulders of Professor Matsuo Matsuka of Tamagawa University in Japan.

During and after the workshop several people were treated.

Mr lwasiw from Aussie Apiaries was treated for back pain. At the end of the Workshop, several therapists showed their technique and all appeared to have their own way of stinging patients. The subjects seemed to enjoy the experience even though the body part where they were stung

species that adhere to surfaces such as teeth, medical implants, and catheters, forming a protective layer over cells and causing infections that are resistant to antimicrobial attack. She argued for the clinical use of honey as prophylaxis against biofilm formation, particularly for indwelling medical devices.

produced a reddened and raised welt around each sting. The Korean Beekeeping Association had several bee venom collector kits on display.

Western Australian beekeepers are extremely fortunate that the pollens of several of our native Eucalypts are both nutritious and tasty. The most sought after pollen for human consumption is the golden pollen from the Jarrah. Beekeepers prefer the nutritious pollen of the redgum Corymbia calophylla to build up their colonies during winter. Delegates

visited Saxonbee Enterprises’ pollen drying and packing operation in the hills east of Perth.

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Dr Hiroluny Naito. Director of the Japanese Apitherapy Mr iasn \, Vc dgaes wih bee venom sting

Delegates viewing Fewsters 120 frame extractor

The Conference was deemed a success and the 9th AAA Conference will be held in China in 2008.

Thanks to Linda Manning for providing us with this report and pictures.

Linda is Editor of Bee Informed, the Newsletter of the Western

Australian Beekeeping Industry.

Enjoyed reading about bees in Australia? Next year's Apimondia Congress will take place in Melbourne, and offers another great chance to learn more about beekeeping in Australia. See Look Ahead page 7 for contact details.

Nape of neck treated by bee venom sting therapy

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NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD BRAZIL

CENTRAL AMERICA

Budding organic market Small family farms are an endangered species in Brazil, as in many countries of the

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced the approva! of US$1,570,000

developing world. Saving farmers from the threat of extinction - or migration to cities

Investment Fund (MIF) for a regional project to strengthen the financial management of smallscale farmer organisations in Central American

where their skills cannot be used and they lose their connection to the land - is the mission of

ARCO Contestado, a regional marketing agency based in Mafra, south-eastern Brazil. the Matra region, 1,300 family farmers in 17 highland municipalities are switching to new In

crops and animal products and gaining in skills and strength. The farmers are the vanguard of a

successful local economic development project. By producing specialised vegetables and foods, the farmers have opened up new markets, getting their crops and products on to the shelves of major supermarket chains in southern Brazil and making their small plots

much more profttable.

Products include bottled pickles and beets, Strawberries, organic beans (dried without using toxins) and honey. Mafra honey is

a

(€1,223,200) grant

from its Multilateral

and southern Mexico. EARTH University and EcoLogic Finance Inc will carry out the project

organisations’ financial management, a weak point that hampers their growth and their business relations with importers and exporters.

Peter Bate

www.jadb.org/news

GHANA Congratulations Kwame Kwame Aidoo, BfDu's Correspondent in

with additional cash and in-kind contributions

Ghana, has been awarded the Environmental Personality of the Year 2004/2005. This

totalling US$779,000 (€606,900). Most of these resources will be donated by the

Award is given by the Government of the Republic of Ghana on the occasion of the

Starbucks Coffee Company, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and the JP Morgan Chase

49th Anniversary of Ghana's Independence.

Foundation.

The project, which will be executed in two phases, will involve organisations of producers of cocoa, coffee, fruit, honey, vegetables and

handicrafts in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and

The Award was in recognition of his work and activities with bees and beekeeping: research, extension to farmers and improving and

conserving the environment, especially for bees. Kwame writes: "It was a great

occasion that brought honour to me, my family, friends and to all the people who relate and work with me".

Veracruz. The goal is to strengthen these

considered to be one of the best in Brazil

because bees can feed on the wide variety of flowers found in the region. Twenty farmer associations are marketing honey, and ARCO Contestado is laying the groundwork for opening export markets by obtaining approval from the USA and Germany. For the time being, the farmers will continue to sell the honey in Brazil, where the price is favourable, and will

only export if the international price improves.

Lucy Conger, Micro Enterprise Americas

BULGARIA Beekeepers are considering a development programme that would help them overcome

UGANDA Ochoun Emirious Uthuma sent this picture of the 25 participants learning about tov-bar hives during a Workshop with Nebbi District Honey Beekeepers’ Association. The Workshop was sponsored by West Nile Private Sector Development Promotion.

some of the problems in the sector. The threeyear long programme would include six criteria under which the country could apply for EU

subsidy. Currently beekeeping in Bulgaria is facing problems due to bad climate and low

I’

PROPOLIS NEES WOX' aynyee aye

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purchase prices abroad. Gancho Ganev, head of the Bulgarian Association of Beekeepers, has pointed out that producers in Bulgaria make

(€0.25)

from each kilogram of

BUNDIBURYO BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

only US$0.26 honey.

Bulgaria produces about 9,000 tonnes of honey per year, with 80% exported. Due to a lack of regulations, some of the honey offered on the local market may not be natural, Ganev also revealed. This is one of the main issues that the

Association aims to overcome with the adoption of the national improvement programme.

Business: 31 March 2006, www.novinite.com

UGANDA B8undiburyo 40 top-bar hives donated by Action Aid Uganda.

Beekeepers’ Association receiving Their honey is predominantly trom Eucalyptus, but may also be from banana, coffee and wild flowers.

Occasionally the Association can offer honey from the mountain forests that is red in colour, with a very delicate flavour.

12

7

Bees/o, Development Journal 79

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

GHANA Kwame Aicoo (see left)

UGANDA Bukangama Women's Group make and use log hives to ensure a long fasting project

HONDURAS

submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, suggests that Pigg's Peak was a

nuts and rubber were still being denuded of trees in the southern provinces.

recommended destination because a factory is already available there. The report explained

The prolonged crought last year resulted in 1,148 forest fires that destroyed 5,765 ha of

Want power? Plant trees!

Large parts of the 8,630 km2 watershed of the EI Cajon reservoir had been denuded of

vegetation, allowing heavy rains to wash precious soil down the hillsides and into the streams. Now, the watershed is regaining its health. What has been good for nature has also been a boon to farmers, who depend on the soil for their livelihoods, and the residents of the region's towns and cities, who depend on healthy upstream ecosystems to provide them with water. The concrete arc dam holding back the El Cajon waters is the largest in Central

America and deep inside an adjacent mountain is a powerhouse generating 60% of the electricity used

in

Honduras.

The E! Cajon Watershed Environmental Management Programme began in 1995 with the help of

a

$20,400,000 (€15,900,000) IDB

bank loan. Local communities have produced 24,2 million tree seedlings and reforested

13,700 hectares. More than 7,000 farm families are applying soil management and conservation measures on 10,819 ha. These include planting permanent crops such as fruit trees and using better tilling methods for annual

crops.

Jorge Palma has directed the Programme since 1996. He was happy to spend an afternoon visiting a remote village to get to know a group of beekeepers and to see if the programme could work with them. He says: "We want to help honey producers, because their bees need the flowering trees, so people want to preserve

the trees”.

Roger Hamilton, IDB online

SWAZILAND Training for farmers Michael Zwane, Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Unit has stated that there is

aneed

to establish a honey processing plant in

Swaziland. "it would have to be strategically located so that all beekeepers can have easy

access, and the plant should be infrastructural place", he said.

in a good

A report

that the project stands to benefit the Swazi nation for the following reasons:

Facilitating rural commercialisation of local products.

Improving agricultural productivity, including production of by-products.

Providing diversity options for farmers.

Adding value to farm products.

forests and 1,500 ha of natural forest. Most of the fires, which occurred in the provinces of Kon Tum, Dien Bien, Long An, Kien Giang and

Lam Dong, were said to be caused by slashand-burn agriculture and bush burning to

coliect honey.

Source: VielNamNet Bridge in

NWFP-Digest-L No 2/06

Creating stable employment, especially to rural communities.

Earning foreign currency from export.

Developing local, branded products. |mproving profitability status.

Currently beekeepers in Swaziland are able to supply 40% of the market and the remaining local demand is fulfilled by honey from South Africa.

swienty -

Everything for the Beekeeper!

Mbongiseni Ndzimandze, Swazi Observer, www.observer.org.sz

VIETNAM Recovery for forests Vietnam has set a target of 43% forest cover by 2010 and the total area covered by forests has risen to 37.8% of total land area, compared with

36.7% in 2004. However, the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD) States that the quality of the forests has been deteriorating and natural growth pockets have become isolated. More than two thirds of the

country's forests are poor, or are still in the process of rehabilitation. MARD said the Law on Forest Protection and Development, which came into effect in April 2005, has helped slow deforestation. In 2005 the government gave VND12bil (US$750,000/ €584,500) to

nty.com

mountainous provinces for the planting of forests, trees for timber, and trees for paper materials. As a result, some 1,700,000 mé of

he.

timber were produced last year, a slight increase compared with 2004.

However, large areas of land that could be used for lucrative crops such as cassava, cashew

13

Fan. +45 7448 S001 Tel: +45 7448 6969 shop@swienty.com

Bees/or Development Journal 79

AVAILABLE FROM B/D NOW AT WWW.BEESFORDEVELOPMENT.ORG

ASIAN HONEY BEES BENJAMIN

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OLDROYD ANG

ASIAN HONEY BEES Biology, conservation and human interactions

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Benjamin P Oldroyd and Siriwat Wongsiri

2006 360 pages Hardback

40

(€60)

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This is an important new text summarising in one volume current scientific knowledge about the Asian species of Apis. Apis mellifera, the honeybee species indigenous to Africa, the Middle East and Europe has been studied intensively, to the extent that even its genome sequence is known. However, the genus Apis, evolving over 35 million years, consists of more than just me/lifera. at least eight more species exist, and these are in Asia. During only the past 20 years has the world's bee research community focussed on these Asian species, interest first being aroused when the predatory mite Varroa was introduced to Apis mellifera populations, and it became important to understand how the mites’ natural host species (Apis cerana) copes with these predators.

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The first Chapter is ‘To be a honey bee’, and introduces the genus Apis. The next describes the three subgenera: Micrapis (Apis florea and Apis andreniformis), Megapis (Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa) and Apis (Apis cerana, Apis koschevnikovi, Apis nuluensis, Apis nigrocincta, and Apis mellifera), their distribution and distinguishing features. Chapter 3 describes their evolution: Chapter 4 covers speciation and biogeography; Chapter 5 describes dance communication and foraging; Chapter 6, Reproduction, swarming and migration, expiains that tropical races of bees abscond and migrate. The migration of the Megapis bees is one of nature's mysteries: microsatellite DNA fingerprinting has shown that colonies of Apis dorsafa in Borneo return to the same building or tree where they nested in previous years; how they do it is not yet known, although possible explanations are outlined here.

Chapter 7 discusses worker sterility, kin selection and polyandry, and Chapter 8 covers nesting biology and defence, an area in which the different species have adopted markedly different strategies. Chapter 9 is named ‘Parasites, pathogens, predators and a plant’ - the plant in question being a Cymbidium orchid that attracts Apis cerana drones, yet provides them apparently with no reward for the pollination

they bring about. Chapter 10 describes human interactions with these bees, and Chapter 11 discusses their conservation: including interesting explanation of how to estimate whether honey hunting might be sustainable. The final Chapter outlines future research directions, and a useful key for identification is also provided.

As Seeley puts it in his foreword to the book: ‘We humans now recognize that our own species is exquisitely adapted to the razor-thin biosphere covering the planet: hence our own survival depends on understanding and protecting the rest of life.’ This excellently researched, well-written and readable book will help everyone interested in the biology and behaviour of honeybees to understand and appreciate much more about how these amazing insects have evolved to suit different environments.

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BEES BESIEGED Bill Mares 2005 220 pages Soft cover

22

(€33)

Code M205

in the spring of 1996 Bill Mares found 100,000 dead bees inside and outside his five hives. During 25 years of beekeeping Bill had become ‘deeply attached to these marvellous and endlessly fascinating creatures’. Now, after years of minor ups and downs, he had to recover from this huge loss: all his bees. His local bee inspector Steve Parise came to the conclusion that it was a combination of Acarapis and Varroa mites that killed the bees. A positive outcome of the experience was Bill writing this book, in which he examines the ‘two products of beekeeping! - pollination and honey production,

but never for one moment forgets that interesting ‘ingredient’

-

the beekeeper!

POLLEN IDENTIFICATION FOR BEEKEEPERS Rex Sawyer 2006 reprint first published

in 1981 111

pages Soft cover 12

(€18)

Code S005

BfDJ 77 we reviewed the CD, Pollen identification for beekeepers. Northern Bee Books have published a facsimile edition of the original book by Rex Sawyer, which prompted the CD's production.

It was written for the observation and identification of the many varied forms of pollen grains, and for in

the students, naturalists, beekeepers, allergists and others who need a practical guide for pollen identification. The identifying features of the main pollen types found in the UK are described, forming

a key by which they may be recognised. The set of punched cards referred to in the preface has not been reprinted: this is now replaced by the CD mentioned above.

14

Pollen

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Bees/or Development Journal 79

AVAILABLE FROM B/D NOW AT WWW.BEESFORDEVELOPMENT.ORG

BEES

IN

AMERICA How the honey bee shaped a nation (€35.25) Code H005

Tammy Horn 2006 352 pages Soft cover 23.50

This well researched book seems to have found a subject area not covered previously. It traces the history of bees in America, describing how they were brought to North America, and how beekeeping was influenced and valued according to the backgrounds of the people coming to settle in the US. The subsequent history of the craft is discussed, with its role in the changing culture. Early beehives in the US were log hives, often made from black gum trees. Logs from these trees tend to decay from the centre, and becoming hollow, quickly become ideal log hives. These hives were called gums, however beekeeping in gurms was banned in the 19th century as Lorenzo Langstroth's design of frame hive became widely used.

This text is much more than a history of beekeeping - it is also a social history - describing conditions for workers in the beekeeping manufacturers’ factories, as well as the changing status of bee health. In conclusion, Tammy Horn describes how US beekeepers remain on the margins of the support system that exists between farmers, extension specialists and federal government, yet she argues, bees and their keepers deserve greater consideration. This is an interesting book that many beekeepers - not just those in North America - will find enlightening.

jp.

How THE HONEY

BEE SHAPED A NATION

POLLINATORS AND POLLINATION edited by Connal Eardley, Dana Roth, Julie Clarke, Stephen Buchmann and Barbara Gemill 2006 77 pages Soft cover More than 20,000 bee species as well as thousands of other insect and vertebrate pollinators are important for bringing about pollination. By the mid 1990s, many scientists were becoming concerned

by the worldwide decline in pollinator diversity, and a number of international initiatives to conserve pollinators began work. However, it is important that many more people not just pollination scientists - work towards ensuring pollinator conservation. This book will help people in these wider sectors -

conservationists, farmers, foresters, soil conservationists, policy makers and planners - to appreciate the economic and ecological importance of pollinator biodiversity. The text deals with various issues related to pollination: the assessment of pollinators and their services; adaptive management of crop plants and wildlife; capacity building, and how pollination can be mainstreamed into policy decisions.

if you would like a copy please send an e-mail

to

a

Pollinators and

Pollination:

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policy and practice

eardleyc@arc.agric.za. Copies distributed on a

first-come-tirst-served basis.

DANCING WITH BEES Gill Sentinella 2005 10 minute film, Widescreen DVD Video 7 (€10.50) Code VID38A

8

(€12)

Code VID38

A brief and delightful introduction to the world of the bee. First there is an explanation of the differences between bumblebees, wasps and honeybees. Following this the natural history of the honeybee Apis mellifera, the social structure of the colony, the importance of pollination, production of honey and the role of the beekeeper are described. Although about UK beekeeping only, the film would be of interest for schools, clubs and societies everywhere.

POSTER: An A2 size poster with 18 colour pictures is also available for 7

(€ 10.50)

Code P04.

HOW TO ORDER Through our website store www. beesfordevelopment.org Send an e-mail, fax or post us a note of what you want. Please send payment with your order

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add 10;

unless insurance is paid with the order: add 15, to total order cost.

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Bees for Development Post: Troy, Monmouth NP25 4AB, UK Phone:

E-mail: info@beesfordevelopment.org

Dancing with Bees +44 (0)16007 13648 Fax: +44 (0)16007 16167

Web: www.beesfordevelopment.org 15

SAFARI SAFARI SAFARI! Bees/or Development Beekeepers’ Safaris Special holidays and study tours with a bee theme

BEES AND FLOWERS

We introduced our Safaris in 1996 as part of our programme to promote awareness of beekeeping as a worthwhile and sustainable activity for development.

12-21 June 2007

We use the name Safari based on the true Swahili meaning of journey’. Our Safaris combine travel with adventure, provide opportunities to see wonderful places, learn more about bees and beekeeping, and make new friendships. The programmes are carefully structured to provide interesting beekeeping experiences, good chances to meet local people and see the area you visit. memorable journey for all concerned.

A

TANZANIA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

6-20 September 2006

29 January - 8 February 2007

Hosted by our local partners at Njiro Wildlife Research Centre, part of the

Hosted by Mr Gladstone Solomon, President of Tobago Apicultural Society

Serengeti Wildlife Research Institute + African honeybees

Africanised honeybees

«

Elephants & zebras & lions

Top-bar hive apiaries Ngorongoro Crater

He is considered one of the founders of modern ecology. We are planning a beekeeping tour of ten days, the dates

shown are provisional, including bus travel from the south to the north, lodging, half board and English

Uppsala.

Caribbean cuisine & steel bands

Optional activities: celebrate midsummer night's eve at a folklore festival in Dalekarlia, or watch the midnight sun never

10 nights at 1,225*

Serengeti National Parks

physician and zoologist who laid the foundation for scientific nomenclature.

Taste cocoa bean from the pod

Stingless bees

Lake Manyara

2007 will bring a unique opportunity to celebrate 350 years since the birth of Carl von Linnaeus, the Swedish Father of taxonomy. Linnaeus was a botanist,

Mot mots & scarlet ibis

Meet local beekeepers

Village beekeeping

SWEDEN

guidance. The tour will follow in the footsteps of Linnaeus from his birthplace at Stenbronult to his home, botanic garden and tombstone at

European honeybees

Stingless bees

IN

14 nights at 1,595*

go down together with the Lapps, North of the Polar Circle.

Price approximately €1,055*

APIMONDIA CONGRESS AND AUSTRALIA September 2007 Dates and price to be confirmed. Also in co-operation with Bikonsult of Sweden

This special Beekeepers’ Safari is being organised in co-operation with Bikonsult of Sweden *

For more information contact Bees for Development safari@beesfordevelopment.org

www.beesfordevelopment.org

BID Safari prices do not include

international flights costs

€1.00 = UKE0.68 = US$1.23 approximate values

Do your bees

James Fearnley of BeeVital is

www. beevitalpropolis.com

A major research project has been started by BeeVital and we would like your help.

make propolis?

We would like to test it and

possibly buy

it

from you.

a leading world authority on the nature of propolis & its medicinal properties, he is author of Bee Propolis-Natural Healing from the Hive retailing at9.99 plus pao.

you are interested in finding out whether your propolis is suitable for medicinal use and learning about sustainable ways of harvesting & using propolis please send a sample (50g) to: __If

BeeVital, Brereton Lodge, Goathland, Whitby, North Yorkshire Y022 5JR, UK

+44 (0) 1947 896037

Tel:

+

Fax:

++44

(0) 1947 896482

Email: info@beevitalpropolis.com

+44 (0) 16007 13648

ISSN 1477-6588

Telephone

Printed on environmentally friendly paper

E-mail info@beesfordevelopment.org

Troy, Monmouth

Web www.beesfordevelopment.org

NP25 4AB, UK

Beesfor Development 2006

Bees/orDevelopment