Bookshelf

HONEY BEE DISEASES AND PESTS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE

Wolfgang Ritter and Pongthep Akratanakul 2006 42 pages Soft cover £12.50 (€17.75) Code R225

This useful book is a revised edition of the earlier FAO text on honey bee diseases and parasites. It concisely and correctly covers all the main problems: microbial diseases; parasitic bee mites; insects; and vertebrates. The rapid spread of honey bee diseases and parasites world-wide is underlined by the many changes that have taken place since the publication of the first edition in 1987. Today, beekeepers in many more countries have Varroa destructor infesting their honey bee colonies, and most have heard of another mite - Tropilaelaps clareae, that is still confined to Asia. One of today’s most problematical ‘international honey bee predators’: small hive beetle Aethina tumida, was not even mentioned in the 1987 text. However, these parasites and disease would not be killing bees in so many parts of the world without assistance by man to move these pathogens far outside their original range, introducing them to populations and species of honey bees that have not evolved in their presence. The two paragraphs that close the book’s section on ‘mammals’ remain highly pertinent: ‘It is important to note that among the primate pests of honey bees, people are probably the most destructive. Honey crops may be stolen, or brood and combs consumed on the spot. Occasionally, entire hives are made off with. Finally, note that in areas where intensive modern apiculture is practised, the loss of bees through human misuse of pesticides is probably greater than loss from all other causes taken together’.

HONEY: A MODERN WOUND MANAGEMENT PRODUCT

Richard White, Rose Cooper and Peter Molan 2005 160 pages A5 soft cover £25 (€37.50) Code W111

For over 4,000 years, honey has been known as a natural remedy in caring for wounds, and these healing properties are now being studied scientifically. Faced with serious clinical problems caused by bacteria becoming resistant to common antibiotics, microbiologists are investigating alternative approaches, and turning their attention to honey. Honey has valuable properties for wound treatment, does not adversely affect human tissue, is unlikely to create the selective conditions that lead to resistance, and is comparatively inexpensive. This book describes the anti-microbial action of honey, its capacity to combat inflammation and to promote healing and tissue regeneration. Recent research has focused on the sterile, medical-grade honey products that are harvested and processed specifically for wound management. The book summarises recent research findings, and, containing as it does many colour pictures of wounds in various stages of healing, is not for the faint-hearted.

SMALL-SCALE WOODLAND-BASED ENTERPRISES WITH OUTSTANDING ECONOMIC POTENTIAL - THE CASE OF HONEY IN ZAMBIA

G Mickels-Kokwe 2006 82 pages Soft cover £5 (€7.5) admin & delivery costs Code M111

This new book describes a study undertaken by CIFOR, the Center for International Forestry Research, with the aim of providing information for the Zambian Government to develop an appropriate beekeeping policy. To this end, the beekeeping sector (in selected provinces) is characterised: the resource base and levels of production and trade are examined, potential is assessed, and existing policies and institutional arrangements are described. There is a useful description of the honey marketing chain. Information was gathered from literature review, the preparation of stakeholder profiles, interviews, four stakeholder workshops, and survey of prices.

The outcome is this extremely useful guide to the honey and beeswax sector in Zambia, providing an up to date and realistic assessment. The information provided is exactly what is needed for institutions to make rational decisions when preparing policy or interventions to assist beekeepers. Just one interesting (and evidently true) point from the book’s discussion chapter is the fact that poor beekeepers often shun groups when it comes to selling their product, and prefer to sell quickly for cash, rather than participate in slow marketing by a group. Yet beekeeping projects so often insist upon group activities, often justified by the high capital costs of so-called ‘modern’ beekeeping. A welcome addition to the literature on African forest and beekeeping development.

GUIDE TO BEES AND HONEY

Ted Hooper 2007 276 pages Soft cover £14.99 (€22.50) Code H450

This beekeeping text has proved enduringly popular and valuable. It provides a reliable, comprehensive introduction on how to begin beekeeping with European bees and equipment. There are many photographs and illustrations. Another ‘goodie’ returns to Bookshelf thanks to this reprint by Northern Bee Books.

NOW ON DVD

BEEKEEPING IN ZAMBIA

Horst Wendorf 2006 (video release 2001) 81 minutes £30.30 (€45.45) Code VID16

This two DVD set shows the work of a beekeeping project in Zambia. It shows people handling bees gently and expertly, the excitement of bringing home a swarm, and people enjoying their beekeeping work. The films give fresh ideas for running a profitable enterprise, and shows exactly how useful beekeeping may be in remote, rural parts of Africa. There are three separate sections: Appropriate beekeeping technology; Processing and marketing of bee products; and Management of bees in top-bar hives.

MAGIC TREES OF ASSAM

Gerald Kastberger, with narration by David Attenborough 2007 (video release 2001) 51 minutes £43.80 (€65) Code VID17 English and German

A marvellous film that fascinates everyone who sees it. It follows the journey of a giant honey bee colony as it migrates from the foothills of the Himalayas to the plains of Assam. There is fantastic film of the giant honey bee Apis dorsata: how the colony lives and works, defending itself from predators, and most remarkably, gathering to leave on migration. We see as if from the eye of the bee as she flies south over forest and rivers. The colony has to stop several times en route, each time for a few days to fill up with fuel (nectar) for the next leg of the journey. Journey's end is a majestic silk cotton Bombax ceiba tree in the plains of Assam. This 'Magic Tree' is full of Apis dorsata colonies. But how do they know to come here? Only the queen may have been here last year: the workers and drones are too short lived to have been before. The beginning of the film focuses on the defensive nature of the giant bees. It goes on to show exactly why they have to be so defensive, for predators include not only Yacoub, the highly skilled, agile and confident village honey hunter, but also giant spiders, honey buzzards, wasps and ants. This film is in a class of its own - and not on general release: copies are available from BfD, for educational use only.

BEETLE VERSUS BEE: THE DRAMATIC STORY OF A CUNNING PARASITE

Gerald Kastberger and Otmar Winder 2007 (video release 2001) 28 minutes £43.80 (€65) Code VID28 English and German

This Apimondia-medal winning film provides a review of the devastation caused by the unintentional importation of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida into the USA. Everyone thought the Varroa mite was terrible, but in most American States, beekeepers will tell you this infestation is far worse. Within three years the beekeeper who first found the beetles in his hives lost 500 colonies. The small hive beetle originates from Africa where it creates a nuisance for African bees, but does not kill the colony. The beetle larvae feed voraciously on pollen stores and brood cells. Guard bees chase some beetles away, but when there are too many beetles, African bees have developed the defensive mechanism of 'moving on', that is absconding from the nest, leaving behind their brood. The honey bees present in the USA (European races of Apis mellifera) do not have this defence mechanism and will remain in hives even when there are thousands of beetle larvae destroying the combs. There is no successful treatment. The only chance is to break the beetle's life cycle by preventing larvae pupating and infesting more hives. Good, clean management and hygiene are necessary to ensure this process. The beetle originated as a tropical animal and may not tolerate cold conditions - although beetles have been reported in Canada. The film ends with thoughts of the inevitability of the beetle’s arrival in Europe. The film’s producers state that, to reduce the risk, there is a need to enforce strict laws to prevent the importation of bees and queens.

DEFENCE STRATEGIES OF GIANT HONEY BEES

Gerald Kastberger 2007 (video release 2001) 23 minutes £32.50 (€48.75) Code VID19 English and German

This amazing film shows the behaviour of Apis dorsata and how it protects itself from predators. The filming takes place in Assam, at the edge of the Himalayas. The giant honey bee builds large, single combs, some almost 2 m wide. The colonies nest near one another, sometimes with hundreds of colonies in one tree. These honey bees show defensive behaviour that is very different from that of hive nesting bees, for example a 'Mexican wave' moves across the comb as predatory wasps come close.

This film will fascinate beekeepers, teachers, students and any scientist studying honey bees’ defence behaviour.