Bees for Development Journal Edition 9 - November 1986

for beekeepers in tropical & subtropical countries Market Prospects for Honey International which According to a

new

Trade Centre study, world trade in honey rose significantly over the past decade, up by about 75% in volume and nearly 88% in current value terms during the 1975-1984 period, reaching US$250 million in 1984.

Despite the expansion of exports, competition has stiffened greatly because of the increase in supplies of honey entering the international market. The trade is now more difficult to penetrate than in the early 1970’s, when exporters were in the comfortable position of operating in a seller’s market.

Developing countries have succeeded in establishing a strong position in this competitive market. They now account for over half of this trade, with three of them leading the list of suppliers. Developing countries should be able to increase their share even further, despite the stringent requirements of buyers, by care-

fully planning production and

|

; *

IO

Although Africa is a large producer, almost all of its supplies are consumed locally.

For further details of the new ITC report, see

*

IBRA HAS MOVED + The International Bee Research*

Association has recently moved its * x headquarters from Hill House in} * x Buckinghamshire to Cardiff (capital city of Wales).

Our new address is: 18 North Road, Cardiff, CF1 3DY

OM

+

kkk kkk kk

From Nepal comes a new idea in low-technology hives, the Top-Bar0g-Hive. These hives have been developed and used during the last \'Wo years by the Industrial Entomol8y Project in Nepal, and are con‘iderably easier and cheaper to make than the other versions of top-bar'ves and frame hives currently availin Nepal. (Further details overrole eaf)

marketing activities.

The main world markets for honey are the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States and Japan,

together bought about 64% of the world total in 1984. In addition to these three, other countries whose imports have mounted rapidly over the past decade are Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Saudi AArabia and Denmark. Although demand for honey may continue to expand during the coming period, the rate of increase will be slower. Markets forecast to show the swiftest growth in the future are those where low per capita consumption of honey is combined with high buying power, for example Japan, and where considerable advertising and sales promotion activities are undertaken. Fresh markets in newly industrializing countries are also expected to emerge as their living standards increase.

Among the developing regions, Asia (mainly China) and Central and South America are major sources of honey on the international market.

UK.

3

Telephone: 0222 372409/372450 Telex: 23152 monref G 8390.

100% recycled paper

In

BOOKSHELF (page

10).

this Issue

Practical Beekeeping: The Top-Bar-Log-Hive News Around the Worid Hive Aid Candle Making News Around the World Bookshelf Information Charts Letters to the Editor Courses on Apiculture

ISSN 0256-4424

International Bee Research Association

J

The Top-Bar-Log-Hive

RACTICAL BEEKEEPING

The following article is adapted from instructions prepared by Karel Speth (of SNV-Nepal) who until recently has been working with the Industrial Entomology Project in Nepal.

How to make your own beehive—easy and cheap!

Beekeeping will be really profitable only when the combs of the bee colony are movable in such a way that regular inspection and manipulation of the colony is possible. This is not possible in traditional, fixed-comb hives like log-hives, however with a few modifications it is possible to make a modern hive out of a log. Let’s call it the

Top-Bar-Log-Hive.

First of all: These instructions will give you some ideas on how to make your own beehive—a beehive that can be made by yourself with hardly any tools during one morning. But perhaps more important... it will cost hardly any money. The beehive described here has been used and tested for two years with very good results—but improvements are always possible.

Build one yourself—use it—help with further development

What you need: 1.

2

3 A

piece of fine wire mesh or an old tea strainer.

A hollow log; the traditional one you are keeping bees in will do.

2A

a

plank of wood, about 20 mm thick.

4 A

measuring tape or ruler, a few nails and a saw.

7 What you have to do: Split the upper one third of the log (longitudinally). The lower two thirds will make the hive body and the top one third will make the lid.

A sy,

"

bars should have an equal width of 30mm. This is the most important, difficult and precise part of the Top-Bar-Log-Hive.

Because of the 30mm width of the bars, the bees are able to construct only one single comb from each single bar.

Ny

Cut bars out of the plank. These

I

1

ee Ss

Use a piece of wooden plank to close each end of the hive.

These planks will also form the stand for the hive. Make ventilation holes at each end, towards the top. Cover the holes with a piece of wire mesh.

Put the bars in position along the top of the hive. The bars must be broader than the hive, overlapping the hive wall at each side by about 10cm. This is to ensure that the bars and combs the bees build on them will fit other Top-Bar-LogHives. In modern beekeeping

exchange of combs is a necessity (making artificial swarms, uniting colonies, etc.)

Wooden bar

Make an entrance about half way along the hive. The entrance should be about 10mm wide. When the bee colony is small the entrance can be made smaller by closing it with mud and/or cow dung.

Some Tips Place your Top-Bar-Log-Hive at a well sheltered, easily accessible site and inspect the colony every week (especially important for beginner beekeepers).

Do not over-exploit the bees— you will frustrate the bees and yourself. Try to become acquainted with the bees’ behaviour and life cycle.

Start with two hives if possible.

This is for practical bee management reasons and also because it lets you observe the progress between the two colonies.

*

While checking each hive, remove

2 or 3 bars first and keep these

/

Piece of bananaleaf for support

parallel and exactly under the bars. If not, then cut the combs carefully and attach them again to separate bars as shown in the drawing above. Once the combs are set in an orderly way, the bees continue in that pattern and new combs are built with each one attached to one top-

Start your modern beekeeping enterprise—preferably with a swarm. Hive the swarm and wait for about 2 weeks! Then check that the combs are built

*

Comb Fibre of banana tree

bar.

7

the hive is not waterproof and bees dislike rain, so if it rains in your area, place the hive somewhere sheltered or construct a waterproof roof.

aside: this provides a space to work in inside the hive. After A finishing the work, place all the combs in their original position.

Hive

*

When harvesting honey, only take out combs that do not contain C open or closed brood. In this way brood will not be harmed. Any honey stored above the brood is needed by the bees for feeding. b

THE DAY AFTER

(HIVE SEEN FROM ABOVE)

is closed.

2 empty bars removed to allow ‘working space’.

% After checking a comb place tightly to other site.

checking sot After slowly into

T

ee

F

e\ Ht

TOMMORROW’S HONEY

oN ,

B

|

ALWAYS REMEMBER TODAY’S BROOD IS TOMORROW’S BEES IS

The upper one third of the log is used as a lid or roof. However

L

push

igina! p position.

original

,

;

Close hive again.

A Last Tip—A Carpentry Tip

When cutting the honey comb during harvesting, leave about lcm attached to the bar. This will create a good foundation from which bees can build new comb.

It might be advisable to adjust the cross section of the bars as shown.

This will reduce the chance of bees getting squashed between the bars.

SSS *

chance to get squeezed

bigger —_——

QV+

id

smaller chance to get squeeze

<4

The finished hive Although this hive certainly has some disadvantages (the comb construction is fragile), it definitely has several advantages over other types of hives e.g. * low cost * easy to make yourself * less critical carpentry dimensions * no need for special equipment like queen excluders, wax foundation, honey extractors...

mize these problems. ey

FOMENTA APICOLA will establish a

laboratory at Muyurina to produce nucleus colonies, manufacture wax foundation, provide honey processing facilities, and give education and advice to beekeepers, and in addition, 40 beekeep-

WORLD ~4 44

24444

BERMUDA Honeybees are normally man’s best friend in the insect world. For one Island resident that relationship turned very sour recently when a swarm of honeybees killed 17 exotic birds in a private aviary in Bermuda. The owner fed and watered the birds as usual at 10.30 a.m. on July 20th. Everything appeared to be normal with his parakeets and cockatiels in their six large, outdoor cages. Two hours later, after being alerted by his son, he returned to find a horrible scene of dead and dying birds amidst a cloud of honeybees. Seven birds were already dead, ten more would die from their stings, and four others were stung but eventually recovered. As the Government Bee Inspector I visited the scene in an attempt to unravel the cause of this unfortunate incident and to determine if anything could be done to prevent it from happening again.

Swarming is a normal part of honeybee biology in which an overcrowded colony divides itself in half and sends out several thousand bees to start a new colony in a new home. A large percentage of Bermuda’s five hundred managed colonies and probably most of our wild colonies send out a swarm every year during the months of May to July. Beekeepers capture many of these swarms and reintroduce them into hive boxes so that they can be managed for honey production.

Many of the rest take up residence in hollow trees or similar cavities, sometimes including air vents in houses and other buildings. Except for the anxiety they cause home-owners, honeybee swarms are generally harmless. The bees have no brood and no honey stores to defend and are therefore reluctant to

sting.

In this instance, a honeybee swarm decided to move into a bird’s nestbox.

Made from a hollow cedar stump the nestbox was suspended six feet off the ground inside one of the cages in the aviary. The birds in the cage must have

4

become excited and, in their attempts to escape, set off a chain reaction in which the actions of the frantic birds excited and frightened the bees. Eventually birds in four adjacent cages were affected. Interestingly, the owner was able to enter the cages and remove injured birds without being stung himself. The swarm was eventually killed by spraying household Baygon into the nestbox.

This incident does not indicate Bermuda has been invaded by the African race of honeybee (the so-called ‘‘killer bee’) which is now established in Central and South America. It was simply a freak occurrence in which bees chose a nesting site inside an aviary and were unable to avoid contact with the birds due to the confines of the cage. Though a reoccurrence would seem unlikely it could happen again and owners of valuable birds are advised to remove nestboxes from outdoor cages after the nesting season is over.

(Daniel Hilburn, Monthly Bulletin of Department of Agriculture and Fisheries September 1986, Vol. 57 No. 9).

BOLIVIA A new beekeeping project, FOMENTA APICOLA has been started in Bolivia

this year, funded by the Santa Cruz

Development Corporation (CORDECRUZ) and Muyurina Agricultural College. Africanized bees have been present in Bolivia for many years and one of the main objectives of this project is to provide a continual supply of pure Italian and Caucasian queen bees to beekeepers to maintain populations of honeybees with Italian/Caucasian characteristics.

These Italian/Caucasian bees living in an ‘Africanized’ subtropical environment may be susceptible to high Varroa infestation, elevated levels of robbing by wasps and Africanized bees, and ‘piracy’ i.e. the invasion of hives by Africanized swarms. The project plans to develop and adapt management techniques to mini-

ing subcentres will be established throughout the Santa Cruz Department.

(C. J. H. Pruett, Britanica Cordecruz).

INDIA Thai sacbrood disease of the Asian hive bee Apis cerana, caused by Thai sacbrood

virus, appeared in the Jammu region of the State of Jammu and Kashmir early during 1985. By the end of 1985 the disease had reached all beekeeping pockets of the region, killing around 99% of all Apis cerana colonies. Apis mellifera colonies were not infected. The first incidence of the disease in Kashmir was in the Anantage valley in May 1986, and it has since been detected at Srinagar.

The identity of the Thai sacbrood virus has been confirmed by Dr Brenda Ball of Rothamsted Experimental Station, UK. (F. A. Shah, Kashmir).

INDIA Successful establishment of the Western hive bee, Apis mellifera, in Northern India has given a boost to apicultural development in the country. Nevertheless, information on melliferous forage is lacking. Keeping this in view, scientists of the Horticulture and Forestry University in Himachal Pradesh at Solan, India have started extensive work on nectar sugar evaluation of bee forage and pollination of horticultural crops. Many melliferous species have already been evaluated for their honey potential. Autumn is generally a dearth period in plain areas but in submountaneous regions a second honey crop can be harvested from Plectranthus and wild cherry, Prunus puddum. Plectranthus (Fam. labiatae) was earlier reported not to be used by A. mellifera but now it has been unequivocally proved that A. mellifera gathers good amounts of nectar from this source. Very recently, private beekeepers who migrated their colonies to be near Plectranthus have harvested an average 45Kg of white honey per colony with a maximum of

110Kg per colony.

(Jitender Kumar Gupta).

PAKISTAN A

beekeeping project for Afghan refugees has been underway in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan since September 1983. The scheme is run with

UNHCR assistance and has proved successful in providing a way for Afghan refugees to supplement their income and minimise their dependence on foreign aid.

During 1985, 140 refugee beekeepers were identified, trained and provided with bee hives. An initial problem was finding a suitable market for the sale of honey in NWFP, but this was solved by help from the Ockenden Venture in Pakistan. In 1985, 13 275Kg of honey were produced, and this was sold to the Ockenden Venture and on local markets.

Proceeds from the sale of honey allowed each refugee participant to earn Rs.4182 in 1985, a good return for a part-time activity. In addition, participants multiplied their own colonies of bees. A group of 30 refugees have been identified for training and assistance in 1986.

(Cesar Dubon, UNHCR, Peshawar)

RWANDA Rwanda is a country of green hills, with altitudes between 900 and 4500 metres.

The climate (tropical tempered by the altitude) and the flora (mainly eucalyptus) are very favourable to beekeeping.

Faced with the problems of overpopulation (more than 300 inhabitants/ Km’) and very impoverished soil, the Rwandanese authorities have become interested in the development of the beekeeping potentialities of the country.

There is a considerable quantity of traditional beekeeping. According to the region one finds 5 to 20 hives per Km’.

The hives are for the most part made with small plaited branches. After the capture of the swarm, the hives are taken down from the trees and put in a little apiary next to the house (often in the fence surrounding the house). The beekeeper visits the hive solely to collect the honey at nightfall. The product is slight, between 0 and 5Kg, the combs are squashed and used mainly for banana beer.

something they have created. The programme is centred on the training of the beekeepers; on the bee, its behaviour, its organisation, on modern “eekeeping and on transitional techniques. Practical training is considered of primary importance. Throughout this programme, the beekeepers are trained by a Rwandanese technician who is himself trained by a volunteer. Our initial objectives proved to be over-ambitious: the introduction of Langstroth hives and the creation of small cooperatives have partially failed.

The Kenya Top-Bar-Hive has been adopted by the beekeepers who find it easy to visit. Recently we have tried to make hives of the Kenyan type but with local materials; sides and top-bars of papyrus and others made with plaited branches. The latter have been well integrated as they maintain the principal of the construction of traditional hives. In addition, the production is the same as with a wooden hive, whilst the investment is non-existant. When the production reaches the objectives, the beekeepers, if they wish, generally create a small cooperative to market their product.

Here, once again, they are trained and supervised in the principals of management.

In fact, our main aim is to try to stimulate them so they will take their development into their own hands.

However, the transition from traditional to modern (or at least improved) beekeeping remains the principal difficulty for the beekeepers. The initiation is spread over several seasons hence, sometimes, a lack of motivation but what a reward to see a traditional beekeeper visit his own modern beehive!

(Theirry Fedon, AFVP).

For several years now, french volunteers have been working in small areas on development projects with traditional beekeepers.

two-year beekeeping project has been started in Kubbum in Western Sudan.

Under funding provided by the Band Aid Trust, the project is being organised by the Near East Foundation. Traditional beekeeping has long been practised in this area, where various species of Acacia and other melliferous trees of woodland savanna provide plentiful nectar sources.

Many farmers in the area around Kubbum depend on honey hunting as a major source of their income, but this is a wasteful means of obtaining honey, usually resulting in the destruction of the bee colony. Traditionally hives are made by hollowing-out logs or from bark, but with increasing desertification it is evident that hives must be prepared so that available timber is used most economi-

cally.

One. of the aims of the project is therefore to educate farmers in lowtechnology beehive construction and management, and it is hoped that approximately 1,600 farmers can be trained in beekeeping during the course of the project.

UGANDA Uganda Beekeepers Association has recently formed, and the first edition of their Newsletter has just been published with the assistance of CARE-Uganda. The Association aims to coordinate beekeeping efforts throughout Uganda, to help beekeepers make contact with one another, and to provide an information and advice centre. The Association also intends to assist the Uganda beekeeping industry in developing the market for honey and beeswax. It is hoped that groups of beekeepers and commercial honey packers will advertise in the UBA Newsletter and thereby establish contacts with one another.

At

present, after several experiences, the projects have adopted a new orientation which is more progressive and where the beekeepers are more involved in the experiments destined for popularisation.

The achievements prove to be slow but it is our wish that after the project, the beekeepers will themselves administer

SUDAN A

Transitional hive developed in Rwanda.

The hive is made from Papyrus and coated with cow-dung. The top-bars (not shown) are cut from papyrus.

Beekeepers in Uganda who wish to know more about the new Association should write to: Apiculture Section, Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries, PO Box 7141, Kampala, or Apiculture Project, CAREUganda, PO Box 7280, Kampala.

5

HIVE-AID As new beekeeping programmes are planned and implemented around the developing world, it

is important that information is available on previous beekeeping efforts and those currently underway so that valuable resources are not wasted in repeating work. In 1982 Technical Co-operation Activities: beekeeping, a directory and guide (by Drescher and Crane) was published by GTZ. This useful publication listed details of beekeeping programmes up to early 1982, but in the intervening period many new programmes have commenced. It is hoped that this Newsletter, by publishing details of beekeeping projects, can serve a useful role in coordinating beekeeping development. A list recently prepared by FAO of beekeeping programmes currently undertaken by them is shown below. The International Bee Research Association welcomes details of all beekeeping development efforts—however large or small. Project reports can often be of immense value to others planning beekeeping programmes, perhaps. in geographically separate parts of the world but sharing similar local conditions. Problems faced in one area may have already been solved in another, and often details of why a project failed can guide others when planning future work.

Country

Project Title and number

CONTINENT: AFRICA Apiculture BURKINA FASO Development

Duration

Objectives of the Assistance

Inputs provided by FAO

12 months

To improve honey production and

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

standards of living of the rural population and to establish a National Centre of Apiculture.

TCP/BRF/4510

CAPE VERDE

Reafforestation (Apiculture component)

5 years

Apiculture Promotion

12 months

Apiculture Development

12 months

Apicultural Development

2 years

GCP/CVT/015/BEL

GHANA

To improve the living standards of

Consultancies and services.

Training, equipment and material.

MLI/85/003

Consultancies and services.

rural families through beekeeping activities; to extend APU training activities to a wider rural area and to improve the quality of the training programme.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

To increase honey production

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

To consolidate and organize the CNA

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

through modern methods of production and back-stopping local staff.

TCP/MAAG/4507

MMALI

to prepare and carry out a reafforestation programme and to introduce

beekeeping.

TCP/GHA/4505

MADAGASCAR

To assist the national forestry service

of Bamako which has responsibility for training, technical assistance and research. To prepare and initiate ap-

plied research programmes. To consolidate rural apiculture activities.

To increase honey production

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

12 months

To establish

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

3 years

To establish

MAURITIUS

Assistance to the Agricultural Sector (Apiculture component— queens for sale to beekeepers) MAR/84/002

12 months

SAO TOME

Apiculture Development TCP/STP/4504

through better queen rearing methods and supply of more prolific queens to beekeepers.

a scientific base for modern apiculture. To train local staff to promote apiculture. To promote the creation of beekeepers’ cooperatives and associations.

CONTINENT: ASIA

INDONESIA

Beekeeping for

Rural Development INS/85/008

a research, training and demonstration centre. To establish a local industry for the production of beekeeping equipment and wax foundation, and two queen rearing stations. To develop cooperative marketing of honey and other bee products.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

PAKISTAN

Technical Assistance Programme for the Apicultural Research Centre

ye

(Beekeeping component)

UTF/PAK/072

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

VANUATU

Apiculture Development Laboratory and Training Centre TCP/ROK/6651

12 months

Beekeeping Training and Demonstration

18 months

To provide technical assistance for the

Consultancies and services, Local training Equipment and material.

To establish an experimental and demonstration apiary. To initiate ap-

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. Assistance comprises practical training for queen rearing and honeybee management; delivery of lectures on selective breeding of honeybees, queen rearing, pollen and royal jelly production.

plied research and extension programmes.

To establish and optimize European honeybees. To establish a trained cadre of extension beekeeping specialists.

Programme

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

TCP/VAN/6651

CONTINENT: LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

EL SALVADOR

Assistance to the African Bee Prevention and Control Programme

12 months

Assistance to the

12 months

To cooperate in establishing

a national programme of African Bee control.

To train technicians and beekeepers and to establish model hives.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

TCP/ELS/4503

HONDURAS

African Bee Control

To prepare

a programme for the control of the African Bee. To train technicians and beekeepers.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Programme

TCP/HON/4507

MEXICO

Assistance to the

12 months

African Bee Prevention and Con-

trol National Programme

TCP/MEX/4505

To establish a national documentation centre for apiculture. To train apiculture technicians and beekeepers. To produce didactic material for beekeepers. To establish an ex-

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

perimental station in Chiapas and

Yucatan.

CONTINENT: NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

EGYPT

KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

LIBYA

Honey Improve-

12 months

ment

TCP/EGY/4509

management, control of diseases and pests, better queen rearing and artificial insemination techniques.

Assistance in

To improve the production of honey,

Agricultural De-

through training programmes.

velopment

UFTN/SAU/002 Strengthening of the Agricultural

5

years

(Apiculture) UFTN/LIB/006 Development of

18 months

Womens’ Apicultural CoopTCP/MOR/6653

(Morocco, Tunisia and

Algeria)

TURKEY

To establish 4 demonstration apiaries.

To provide training for women for the development of Womens’ Apiculture Cooperatives.

eratives

REGIONAL

To assist in the preparation of applied

agricultural research programmes and to strengthen the efficiency. To provide support for the Library and organization of computer services.

Research Centre

MOROCCO

To improve honeybees through better

Improvement of Technical Capabilities in Apiculture Production RAB/84/003

3

Assistance to

17 months

years

To improve apiculture production and

the standard of living of the rural population by introduction of modern methods of production and to establish a framework to train local technicians.

To increase the production of honey

in Erzurum Province; to train local beekeepers on management and Varroa control.

Apiculture Development in Erzurum Pro-

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

vince

TCP/TUR/4505 Forestry and Livestock Training in the Near

East Region (Apiculture component)

TCP/TUR/6651

0

ewe

ee

12 months

To promote technical cooperation

among the countries of the Near East Region with training courses in livestock, forestry, including apiculture.

Consultancies and services.

External and local training.

Equipment and material.

The following article was taken from Candle Making in a Small Workroom

by Frank Elsen and Pol Janssens of the ATOL Foundation in Leuven, Belgium. The full article first appeared in VRAGBAAK Vol. 14 No. 2, June 1986.

CANDLE MAKING I

Burning Materials and the Wick

1. Beeswax

Beeswax is the oldest and_bestknown material in candle making.

The raw beeswax is melted in warm water, strained and cooled. In fresh water the hardened wax is again heated, melted, strained and cooled.

The whole process is carried out for a third time. In this way, impurities are gradually removed from the wax: if left in the wax they will gather moisture and cause faulty burning of the candle.

Every time the wax is reheated during this cleaning treatment, it turns a darker colour. In many countries, the lighter the wax, the more valuable it is considered, although light colour does not improve burning quality in any way. Light-coloured wax can be obtained simply by placing the wax out in the sun; after the last cleaning the warm, fluid wax is poured into a rotating water bath (see figures below): on the wet cylinder the wax gathers in the form of

small pellets. Once in the waterbath the pellets can be scooped out and placed in the sun to lighten. Older, darkened wax can be lightened by this same manner—but a reminder: this does not alter the burning quality one bit!

Concerning the preparation and incorporation of the beeswax take care with the following: — Keep the wax and air within the workplace as dust-free as possible. Particles in the wax reduce

burning quality.

— The use of copper causes an irreversible dark colouration of the wax. Do not use copper appliances (for example brass pans, strainers, sieves or moulds).

Wax is a useful extra income for the beekeeper, provided that there is local demand and possibilities for the beekeeper to negotiate and sell wax.

Where there is demand for beeswax one should be careful that one is paying for the real thing. If inexpensive fat is added to beeswax, the beeswax becomes more flexible and not as crumbly. This can be tested by feeling the wax and taking a good look with an experienced eye. Sometimes warmed wax is whipped-up (just as eggwhite is beaten to make it stiff) and air is entrapped. The wax is then cooled. By this method the density of the beeswax is reduced, and a candle made from this beeswax will feel lightweight.

2.

\feryy Aa

Cross-section: 1- flutd-wax 2- water

Paraffin wax Most paraffin waxes have a melting point between 54°C and 58°C; but wax with a lower or higher melting point is also available. Microcrystallized wax is a special form of paraffin wax with a melting point between 60°C and 93°C. If added to ordinary paraffin wax, the wax layers adhere well to one another, and the wax becomes flexible and results in a firm candle. According to the mixture used, the quality of wax can vary greatly, varying from flexibility for

better hand moulding to the firmness needed when using candle moulds.

Too much microcrystallized wax in a mixture causes brittleness in the candle. The solution is obvious; the candlemaker has to experiment.

Paraffin waxes are by-products of petrol distillation and they are therefore widely available. Paraffin wax is available in 5 or 25Kg blocks, or powder form. If it is imported, paraffin wax can be very expensive.

Stearin Stearin is a firm, non-poisonous, white-coloured wax. In candles it produces a positive, white colour, reduces transparency and gives a candle a glossy and hard finish. It is used with paraffin wax, usually at a proportion of 5-50%. Stearin is an organic product, sometimes made from vegetable fat (for example cottonseed oil) although more often from animal fat.

3.

Mixtures

4.

The burning ingredients described

above can be mixed in different ratios without much problem. If beeswax is very expensive and paraffin wax is cheaper, one could have a candle made of 30% beeswax and 70% paraffin wax. There are many mixtures possible, all giving a good result—it just calls for experimentation.

Two important factors are: 1.

Melting point: 2 products with the same melting point can, when mixed together, give a product with a lower or higher melting point.

2. Adhesion: the force with which the layers attach to each other.

This is important with dipped

candles, for example a mixture

consisting mostly of

wax adheres quicker to the last layer than a mixture with more paraffin in the ratio.

The choice of burning ingredients depends on your own preferences, but it is important to promote the advantages of beeswax—whereas paraffin wax often has to be imporated and transported in, beeswax is a readily available product.

5S.

If the wick is too large, the candle will burn too fast, with a smoking, dirty flame.

2.

Wicks

a very sensitive and specialized industry: the woven pattern as well as the stiffness of the cotton strings are very important.

capillary

method (melted wax travels up a wick to ‘feed’ the flame with vapour) and bending of the wick in the flame is important for complete burning in the blue part of the flame. It is possible to make your own wick with the best, purest cotton string: using normal spun cotton string, and twining it as one traditionally twines cord or rope (for example 6 x 2 strings where each string has diameter 0-5 mm). Good results can also be

To make very thick candles, use

3.

If the beeswax is not free of impurities, use a thick wick.

4.

There is an international standard for flat-woven wicks. The wick type is determined by the numbers of strings used (english: ply) to make the wick.

obtained using hand-woven or

A 1.

few tips: For the choice of the wick, one must look at the burning of the candle. It must not drip and yet give a smooth, continuous flame that burns thoroughly to the bottom of the candle. The flame must not smoke, and must be centered as well as possible. If the wick is too thin it will not burn enough wax: the amount of melted wax will increase and the candle starts

dripping.

Or: if the wick is too thin and the melting point of the wax is too high, then the heat will not be

enough to melt the wax from the wick and the candle will extinguish itself.

a

mixture of beeswax and paraffin with a low melting point.

For example paraffin candles:

plaited cotton. There is therefore a choice between buying wicks from commercial industry (this often means importing) or using handmade wicks. The answer depends on the burning quality required, and whether hand-made wicks are really worth the time and can result in an income.

What kind of wicks?

The burning material and the production method will determine which wicks are best.

BRAZIL a candle with a

non-dripping yet completely burning flame, then the diameter of the candle ought to be no larger than 4-5 cm. If it is larger, the wick will burn a hole through the candle while the outer layer of wax will serve as a vertical coat or shield.

Wick weaving is

The wick woks by a

If one wants

Diameter of Wick type (flat-woven) lem Tply 2-5cem 9-12ply Sem 15ply 7em 24ply the candle

Industrially fabricated wicks vary

greatly (round, square, etc) according to the maker.

5.

LOOKING AHEAD

The wick-maker gives advice about which wick to use for the candles a workshop plans to make.

The necessary information is: production method, ingredients and quality, burning elements, diameter and length of intended candles.

From our experience, the advice from the wick-makers is not always reliable. Try out the wick varieties for yourself in your own workshop. Testing-out must be done before starting production.

Some wick-makers send samples on request.

(Part Il, The Dipping Method, to be continued in the next edition of Newsletter).

1st International Symposium on Equipment and Applied Handling Techniques, Florianapolis, April 2225, 1987.

This symposium is planned to estab-

lish technical directives, standardise equipment and provide advice, on an international level.

Further information from: CBA/ FAASC, Caixa Postal 303-88.000, Florianapolis, Santa Catrina, Brazil.

POLAND

XXXI International Apicultural

Congress, APIMONDIA, Warsaw, Poland, August 19-25, 1987.

Further information from: National Organising Committee of the XXXIst International Apicultural Congress, Al. Stanow Zjednoczonych 51, 03-965 Warsaw, Poland.

USA International Conference on Africanized Honeybees and Bee Mites, The Ohio State University, March 30 — April 2, 1987.

Further information from Glen Needham or Robert Page, The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology, 1735 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1293, USA. International Beekeeping Seminar VII, the Ohio State University and

USDA, July

20

-

31, 1987.

Further information from Mr. J. E. Tew, Agricultural Technical Institute, Wooster, Ohio 44691, USA.

VENEZUELA 2nd Convention of Apiculture, San Cristobal, Tachira, September 1987.

Please note—If you are planning a beekeeping event and you would like it mentioned here, then please send details well in advance of the date of the Conference. For example, if you are organizing a Conference to be held in November, it is important that details reach the Editor in time for inclusion in the March edition of this Newsletter.

Tropical and sub-tropical apiculture FAO Agricultural

Services Bulletin No.

68

Rome, 1986, 283p, paperback, ISBN

Hoye

HonéY

92-5-102444-8

BOOKSHELF New Publications from

IBRA:

Other Publications:

Honey Sources Satellites 1986

Honey: A Survey of Major Markets

The Directory of important world honey sources by Eva Crane, Penelope Walker and Rosemary Day was published by the

International Trade Centre

International Bee Research Association in 1984, with financial support from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa. The database from which the Directory was produced contains much concentrated information which is of value to specialists. IBRA has therefore published a series of six Honey Sources Satellites to the Directory on topics of special interest, compiled from the database.

1. Bibliography (with author reference codes); country codes; other abbreviations. Reprinted from Directory of important world honey sources for use by readers of Satellites 3-6 who do not have the

directory.

Price 5 US$7.80, 50pp, ISBN 0-86098-1851

2. Plants listed alphabetically and by family; common name index; pollen grain information. Plants having entries in Directory of important world honey sources.

Price

x

5

US$7.80, 47pp, ISBN 0-86098-186-

3. Chemical composition of some honeys.

This

satellite includes printouts for the 107 honeys whose composition was reported in the Directory of important world honey sources. Honeys especially likely or unlikely to ferment on storage are listed.

Price 10 US$15.50, 42pp, ISBN 0-86098187-8 4. Physical properties, flavour and aroma of some honeys. Information for 294 honeys which were reported in Directory of important world honey sources. Section 3 lists honeys that are reported to granulate rapidly (within 2 weeks) or slowly (over a year).

Price 10 US$15.50, S6pp, ISBN 0-86098-

188-6

10

UNCTAD/

GATT Geneva, 19986, 167 pages, paperback

This new study gives an overview of the world market for honey, followed by chapters on selected markets: BelgiumLuxembourg, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Denmark. In addition to analysing supply and demand, the book gives information on market characteristics, product requirements, packaging, storage and transport, distribution channels, prices, sales promotion and market access. Selected addresses of importers, agents, packers, industrial users, trade associations and relevant government offices are given for each individual market surveyed. Numerous statistical tables are included throughout the study.

Copies of this 167-page report can be obtained free of charge by producers, exporters and trade-related organisations in developing countries, and by government officials in all countries by writing to ITC, Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland. The study is sold for US$30 to other persons. French and Spanish versions will be issued by ITC in the coming months.

5. Honeydew sources and their honeys. Complete printouts are given for 15 important honeydew sources and their honeys men-

tioned in Directory of important world honey sources. Other sections give information on honeydew production from 23 important nectar sources, an index of the honeydew producing insects mentioned in the printouts, and a previously published discussion paper.

Price 10 US$15.50, pp, ISBN 0-86098-1894

This book sets out to provide a general introduction to the aspects of beekeeping encountered in developing countries of the tropics and sub-tropics. Technical information on beekeeping found in many standard beekeeping manuals is not repeated in this new book, which instead concentrates on the particular points which create problems for beekeepers in the tropics.

The first two chapters provide an introduction to apiculture, and the various honeybee species found in developing countries. Chapter 3 covers bee disease, pests and other enemies. Chapter 4 describes how honey-hunting and some traditional methods of beekeeping (strangely the comparatively-recently developed Kenya top-bar hive is also described in this section). Chapter 5 ““Moder Apiculture” describes beekeeping in movable-frame hives. Chapter 6 discusses hive products, and gives useful information on honey and beeswax processing; i.e. pollen and propolis are also discussed here, along with details of royal jelly and bee venom production ‘‘to satisfy reader’s curiosity’—it is rightly pointed out that harvesting of these products requires high technology equipment and very carefully controlled conditions. The final chapters of the book consider apicultural development programs—case studies are given, and methods of training and extension discussed. The book also has a useful Appendix section giving honey sources, the Codex standard for honey, an article on beekeeping in the Kalahari by Clauss, lists of bee vulnerability to pesticides and information resources.

This book can be obtained through normal FAO sales agents.

6. Drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant honey sources. Complete printouts for 98 plants to be drought that are reported in the

and/or salt-tolerant in at least one region of the world. Separate lists show plants that are drought-tolerant and those that are salt-tolerant.

Price 10 US$15.50, 94pp, ISBN 0-86098190-8

All

the above will shortly be available from IBRA, 18 North Road, Cardiff, CF1 3DY. Half price to IBRA members.

INFORMATION CHARTS A

series of colour wall charts have recently been prepared. Their titles are:

2

Chart 1 Information on Beeswax This chart aims to persuade beekeep-

1

can, by simple methods, be readily processed for market.

PW

SF

BEESWAX IS

ers not to discard beeswax, but to value it as an additional crop which

VALUABLE.

FOUR WAYS

Chart Chart

2 Information on

=

Information on BEESWAX

ee 10 NOT THROW ir AWAYL

TO PROCTSS BEESWAX

Honey

2 describes what honey is and

how it is made by bees. Simple details are given on, for example, how to prepare honey for market, what determines honey quality, and the difference between granulated and liquid honey.

Chart 3 Information on Top-Bar Hives The basic features of a top-bar hive are described along with illustrations of the various types of top-bar hives that have so far been developed.

Some advantages and disadvantages of beekeeping in top-bar hives are listed, and the basic principles of the construction of top-bar hives are

3 Ie

information on TOP-BAR HIVES

_BEEKEEPING

TOP-BAR HIVES

[nse

IN

it

4 ‘Information

on POLLINATION

i?

given.

Chart 4 Information on Pollination This chart is primarily intended to help explain to crop-growers the value of honeybees in pollinating their crops. Brief descriptions of why pollination is important and how it takes place are given, along with lists of crop plants that benefit from

honeybee pollination.

The production of these Information Charts has been funded by ODA. The wall charts intended to be used as teaching aids and are available free of charge but ONLY TO are

INSTITUTUES (SUCH AS

SCHOOLS AND AGRICULTU-

COLLEGES) AND BEEKEEPING PROJECTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. RAL

If you would like your institute or project to receive one or more of these charts then write to: Dr Nicola Bradbear, Information Officer for Tropical

Apiculture, International Bee Research Association, 18 North Road, Cardiff, CF1 3DY, UK. Please note that information charts will be dispatched by surface post, and may take some time to reach you.

=

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR If you want to comment on anything you have read in Newsletter then write to Dr Nicola Bradbear at the address given below.

Bushfire: A factor in swarming?

It has long been believed that African bee species south of the Sahara namely A. m. adansonii, A. m. littorea, A. m. scutellata and A. m. monticola have a common characteristic of swarming regularly even when there is still some space in the hive for them to construct combs.

There are many factors which generally contribute to swarming namely: i) Overcrowding in the hive leading the bees to swarm in search of a better place. ii) Failure of the queen to produce enough queen substance to keep the bees in cohesion. iii) Insufficient food supply for the bees. iv) An unprolific queen due either to age or poor genetical line and some other factors which may relate to seasonal routine.

I have in mind the bush fires as another factor most likely to contribute to swarming especially in the grass and woodland savannas of tropical Africa where bush burning is quite common in alternate years.

It is well known that before the bees swarm off they will always gorge themselves with honey. They need honey for energy to fly and (after metabolic processes in their bodies), to produce wax which they use to construct combs as they settle in the new place.

At the same time it has been observed that as soon as you puff smoke into a beehive most bees will rush to start sucking the honey, which may indicate that they are getting on standby to move.

This act may consequently tickle the swarming instinct in the bees. Furthermore they will probably fill beyond their honey stomachs in which case honey cannot be regurgitated back into the cells, and has to be digested, thus boosting wax production. Observations have confirmed that bees in tropical savanna regions swarm mainly during, or shortly after, the dry seasons when bushfires are rampant.

Another factor is that most beekeepers in tropical regions site their hives high up in trees thus exposing them to smoke whenever there is a bush fire. Besides the heavy smoke there is also too much heat which presumably disturbs the bees so much that they prepare to leave for better places.

I will be grateful to get your views and

other beekeepers’ experiences with

Daudi G. Mugisa, Extension Programme, Department of Veterinary Services and Animai Industry, P.O. Box 50, Soroti, Uganda.

Treatment for Varroa jacobsoni William Ramirez B. reports that dry dust made from pollen, glucose, dry leaves or pollen substitutes can be used to kill Varroa. 50m) of each product was dusted on to the bees of separate hives, during the late afternoon or early evening. Glucose dust was found to reduce the population of mites on adult bees by 100%, powdered dry leaves by 95%, pollen substitutes by 97% and pollen dust by 87%. Mr. Ramirez writes: “As you find in the literature, the most promising non-fumigant acaricides are diluted in dust materials (e.g. glucose and others) and malathion has worked best, when they reduced the amount of chemical and increased the amount of powder.

I would appreciate very much if you please try the products mentioned in this letter on adult bees, or any other nontoxic-non-contaminant powder at your laboratory and communicate the results to me”.

William Ramirez B., Escuela de Fitotecnia, Facultad de Agronomia, Universidad de Costa Rica, COSTA RICA.

Baits for Bees I started beekeeping at the beginning of this year. My main problem (shared, I believe, with other beginners in the tropics where queen rearing is not practised) is to get the bait to attract the bees to colonise the hive as quickly as possible. I am appealing to authors who could give me the names of baits and the specific way to use them. This will help beginners in different countries to use their research departments to get these baits.

Please, beekeepers who know which baits do attract bees, inform us as soon as possible. You can pass this information directly to John Kaddu (address below) or through the Newsletter. I will be very grateful if my fellow beekeepers respond.

John Kaddu, Box 2061, Kampala, Uganda.

COURSES ON APICULTURE BRAZIL THE TROPICAL APICULTURE CENTRE is at Pindamonhangaba, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and is part of the State Department of Agriculture. The Centre runs courses on beekeeping and supplies information to schools.

Honey production in tropical/equatorial countries like Brazil is affected not so much by seasonal changes in climate (colonies are able to reproduce in all seasons) but rather by variations in rainfall throughout the year, since this affects the nectar-flow periods. This is not always advantageous for honey production: continuous activity reduces the life-span of queens and workers, and increases the food consumption of the colony. The wide variation in intensity and distribution of rain affects the occurrence and intensity of the nectar-flow. The consequence is that it can be difficult to schedule colony management by yearly periods.

The beekeeper must therefore be aware of changes in the state of nectar-bearing plants and manage the bees accordingly.

The Tropical Apiculture Centre

teaches management methods appropriate for tropical beekeeping on its 4-day basic course, and short courses on queen rearing and other subjects are also given.

For details of courses available in 1987, write to Professor R. M. Barbosa da Silva, Centro de Apicultura Tropical, Caixa postal 176, CEP 12400, Pindamonhangaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

UK DIPLOMA IN APICULTURE. An international course taught within the Bee Research Unit at the Department of

Zoology, at University College, Cardiff.

The one-year course starting each October is intended for those who already have science degrees or appropriate posts in government research or the agricultural industry. Write to Prof. Dr R. S.

Pickard, Bee Research Unit, Dept of Zoology, University College, Cardiff, CF1 1XL, Wales, UK.

This Newsletter is edited by Dr Nicola Bradbear, Information Officer for Tropical Apiculture at the International Bee Research Association (IBRA), and is produced under funding from the Overseas Development Administration, UK. There are two editions of the Newsletter each year and these are sent, free of charge, to those developing countries who are involved with beekeeping. Views expressed in the Newsietter are not necessarily those of the International Bee Research Association.

Contributions, letters and news of forthcoming events are welcomed; these may be edited for reasons of space and clarity. Many thanks to everyone who has sent information and articles; some items have had to be held over for the next edition. If you have any enquiries about beekeeping and the information you need is not available locally, then write to me here at IBRA and will try to help you.

Rradbhear International Bee Research Association, 18 North Road, Cardiff CF1 3DY

smoke, especially the bushfires.

12

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