Dr. Wyatt Mangum, Dr. Barry Thompson, and Dr. Jeff Pettis will be
presenting at the Saturday, November 20, 2010 General Meeting of the
Maryland State Beekeeping Association at the Maryland Department of
Agriculture in Annapolis (agenda and directions below).

Dr. Mangum will present two talks based on his exciting, ongoing
research, which has also been featured in this month's ABJ:

* Queen Introduction: Research Results and Practical Advice
* Colony Takeover by Late-Summer Swarms: a New Behavior Displayed by
Some of Our Bees

Dr. Barry Thompson will present Beekeeping in the 'Burb, the 'Hood, and
the House; Regulations on Urban Beekeeping, based on information
previously presented at EAS

Dr. Jeff Pettis will bring us recent information from this year's APHIS
Survey on Honeybee Health and Diseases. This national survey is a major
step in searching for factors that are affecting the health of the
Apiculture Industry, focusing on pathogens and parasites which may be
contributing the decline of colony health as well as potential exotic
pests.

The MSBA honey show will also take place on November 20, the last
opportunity of the year for Maryland beekeepers to show their hive
products and related materials and to win prizes and recognitiion for
their beekeeping efforts.

There will also be an auction of beekeeping related materials to which
all are invited to contribute. All proceeds support MSBA activities.

---------------
Agenda:

8:30am: Refreshments

9:30am: Opening and Welcome, Paul Dill, President

9:45am: Md. Apiary Inspector's Report, Jerry Fischer, Md. State Inspector

10:00am; Queen Introduction: Research Results and Practical Advice, Dr. Wyatt A.
Mangum, American Bee Journal Columnist on Honey Bee Biology

11:15am: Beekeeping in the 'Burb, the 'Hood, and the House; Regulations on Urban
Beekeeping, Dr. Barry Thompson

Noon: Business Meeting: Annual Elections, Nominations Comm.

12:15pm: Lunch

1:45pm: Beekeeper's Auction, Paul Dill

2:15pm: Colony Takeover by Late-Summer Swarms: a New Behavior Displayed by Some
of Our Bees, Dr. Wyatt A. Mangum, American Bee Journal Columnist on Honey Bee
Biology

3:30pm: News from the APHIS Honey Bee Pests and Diseases Survey Project, Dr.
Jeff Pettis, USDA

4:30pm: Honey Show Awards, Adjourn

---------------

Directions:
Headquarters, Maryland Dept. of Agriculture
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Md

From Route 50,

From the West:

1. Exit on to Route 665, Aris T. Allen Pkwy.
2. Go South and turn right on to Riva Road.

From the East: exit at West St (Route 450).

1. Turn right (east) and follow West St until another right (south)
on to Riva Road
2. Follow Riva Road and make a right-turn on to Harry S. Truman
Parkway.
3. The MDA building is about one mile from Riva Road on the right
(North) side of Harry S. Truman Blvd.

Look for the MSBA meeting signs.

Honey Importer Sentenced to 30 Months for Conspiring to Evade U.S. Import Duties

A Taiwanese executive of several honey import companies was sentenced to 30
months in prison Friday, November 5, 2010, for conspiring to avoid more than $5
million in U.S. anti-dumping duties by illegally importing Chinese-origin honey
that was falsely identified as coming from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and
India. This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI).

Hung Ta Fan, aka Michael Fan, 40, was sentenced in the Northern District of
Illinois to 30 months in prison and was ordered to pay $5,378,370 in
restitution. He pleaded guilty to the charges in August, pursuant to a
cooperation agreement with the government.

Fan, a Taiwanese national, owned and operated multiple California-based honey
import companies, including Blue Action Enterprise, 7 Tiger Enterprises, Kashaka
USA, and Honey World Enterprise. He used these companies to fraudulently import
Chinese honey into the United States. Fan admitted that between 2005 and 2006 he
conspired with others to illegally bring into the United States 98 shipments of
Chinese honey to avoid paying anti-dumping duties of about $5,378,370 due to the
U.S. government.

The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) had urged Federal Judge Elaine E.
Bucklo to issue "the stiffest sentence that you are able to order."

Troy Fore, ABF government affairs director, wrote Judge Bucklo, "Our member
beekeepers have been victimized by Mr. Fan and other individuals and companies.
It is disheartening to read the documents that have been filed in the case.
While our members and other American beekeepers toil to earn a living for their
families and employees, Mr. Fan and his cohorts around the world schemed and
planned to cheat them of the fruits of their labor.

"We also make this appeal on behalf of our many hard-working colleagues in the
honey importing and processing sector with legitimate businesses who are finding
their very existence threatened by conspiracies to avoid U.S. antidumping
duties. By ensuring that Mr. Fan is subject to a severe sentence, you will
discourage Mr. Fan and others from engaging in such activities in the future."

"Mr. Fan and others deliberately mislabeled 98 shipments of honey in an effort
to rob the U.S. government of more than $5 million in tariffs," said ICE
Director John Morton. "Our domestic honey industry is economically threatened
when importers illegally dump low-cost Chinese honey into the U.S. marketplace.
This prison sentence sends a strong message domestically and internationally
that ICE's Homeland Security Investigations aggressively investigates criminals
who conceal the true origins of their products in the name of greed."

In his plea, Fan further admitted that in 2009 he conspired with others to
fraudulently import about $8 million of honey that was diluted and blended with
20 to 30 percent artificial sugar. He admitted to adding artificial sugar to the
honey in an effort to obtain a higher price and profit margin than if the
shipments contained pure honey. Fan used his company Kashaka USA to bring in the
diluted, blended honey.

Fan was arrested April 1, 2010, in Los Angeles as he arrived at the Los Angeles
International Airport. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
After serving his sentence, Fan will be turned over to ICE and placed into
deportation proceedings.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew S. Boutros and William R. Hogan, Northern
District of Illinois, prosecuted this case.

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the bumbabee
group.

   File        : /Beginner Equipment Suggestions.doc
   Uploaded by : jrtzrule <jrtzrule@...>
   Description : Beekeeping Equipment Suggestions for New Beekeepers

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bumbabee/files/Beginner%20Equipment%20Suggestions.\
doc

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/web/index.html
Regards,

jrtzrule <jrtzrule@...>

Last night Tony Drake spoke to a small but interested group of potential
beekeepers. It was a well thought out pesentation highlighting all the points a
potential beekeeper would need to know before enrolling in the Spring Short
Course. Leigh W. gave an introduction to equipment and Scott S.spoke about
beekeeping in general and it's therapeutic effects both physical and emotional.
  The class also enabled new course members to make decisions about what
equipment they would need before acquiring bees in the spring.
We can welcome 5 new members who signed up at the end of the evening for the
Short Course. This being the purpose for the class of course.
  All members can participate by helping to get the word out next year when this
class is offered again.
Don't forget the Md. State Beekeepers Assoc. meeting tomorrow Sat. 20th
in Annapolis.  You can get detailed information on their website
MSBEEA.org.
Margie Kreitzer

Alas poor beekeepers, who could not attend tonight's Md. State Bee meeting, you
know not what you missed.
Humbly I admit this is my first meeting but I will tell you in the future I will
make every effort to attend at least part of one if I am not able to make the
whole time. So close to home it should be on everyone's calendar.
I won't go into detail other then to say the speakers were captivating and most
willing to take on questions. It was fun seeing other BUMBA members there and
meeting new people.
Evidently Martha S. and I were competing for the highest bid of a bottle of
donated mead during the auction of bee products.  Congratulations Martha. Let me
know how it goes down.  I did win the bid on a dozen bars of soap made by Toni
Burnham.  These will make good Christmas presents, the proceeds of which go to
the MSBA.
Last note, as a group we need to participate in the judged honey product show. 
Prize money is awarded for winning entries and an overall award goes to the bee
organization with the highest points.
Hope to see everyone at the Dec. party and  have a nice Thanksgiving.
Margie K.

Dear list,

Our only surviving colony (we had 4 this year) has around 20 lbs of honey
stored.  We believe that it is a medium to strong colony.  When should we start
feeding them fondant?  The instructions in the "File" section of this Group says
"late winter, early spring."  Would it benefit us at all to start giving them
fondant now?

Thanks!

Heather Vogeley

Honeybee Stewardship education never ends.I am also providing you with the
Educational information link I spoke about for you to share with others. Please
download the pdf book and do order the video, it's really a great lead-in for
students...get them thinking prior to sharing the booklet information.
http://www.honey.com/nhb/downloads/educational/#the-honey-files-teachers-guide

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/nyregion/30bigcity.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Almond nectar and pollen - the kiss of death for the honeybee?
Read research pdf link
https://medical.wesrch.com/User_images/Pdf/62X_1204299780.pdf

...plants that are toxic to honey bees include almond
(Amygdalus communis) which contains the cyanogenic
glycoside amygdalin which releases cyanide. Amygdalin is
found in the nectar and pollen, and the consumption of
this pollen can be toxic to honey bees (Kevan and Ebert,
2005).
The above is a QUOTE from BEE WORLD Dec. 2010 Vol. 87, Issue 4
What about toxic pollen and nectar? by Norman Carreck

http://www.springerlink.com/content/5fc7dawm8r22dguk/fulltext.pdf
Amygdalin in almond nectar and pollen – facts and possible roles

Please take a minute to visit the attached link for research that states why
almonds are in fact lethal to honeybees and honeybees would naturally avoid
pollinating almonds if another food source was available to honeybees. Now we
all know why almond orchard are barren of everything but almonds.

The only great thing that comes out alive from CCD is all the research!

Have fun...see you all on December 14th.

Until then...BEE WELL!

Hello,

Haven't really done anything with my hives lately.  Actually have started to
miss working on the hives, and checking and such.  Anyhow, I wanted to just
confirm with the group what the schedule for BUMBA was this month.?  If I'm not
mistaken, we had no meeting 1st thursday of this month, and this next tuesday is
the pot-luck, followed by our meeting?

Brian,

Life Cycle of the Honeybee and Varroa Mite
10:24 - 4 years ago
Jeff Harris with the USDA-ARS narrates The Life Cycle of the Honeybee and Varroa
Mite.

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the bumbabee
group.

   File        : /Newsletter/2010 Newsletter/BUMBA Newsletter 201012.doc
   Uploaded by : beetandem <beefriend@...>
   Description : BUMBA 2010 December Newsletter

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bumbabee/files/Newsletter/2010%20Newsletter/BUMBA%\
20Newsletter%20201012.doc

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/groups/original/members/web/index.html
Regards,

beetandem <beefriend@...>

This Saturday and/or Sunday, assuming the weather does indeed get up into the
40's might be a good time to do a quick inspection.

The forcast temperatures might give the bees a chance to get out and evacuate
their waste that they have been holding for the past couple of weeks.

This inspection, assuming it gets warm enough for them to break their cluster,
should be limited to determining the amount of food stores left in the colony,
making sure the colony still has ventillation (no dead bees blocking the
entrance or the screen board) and position of their cluster (while in cluster
mode) in the colony, in relation to their food stores.

If it gets warm enough for them to break their cluster and take cleansing
flights, it would be ok pull the inner cover off for no more than a minuite and
try to determiine the population, cluster position and food stores. This is not
the time to be pulling frames out or break the seal between the two boxes,
especially with the forcast for next week dropping down into the 20's for highs
and teens at night.

In beekeeping, it really pays to pay attention to the weather and take advantage
of any warm spells that might come along. This year, winter temperatures are 10
to 15 degrees below normal and have been for a rather unusually extended period
of time now. Years ago these were the type of winters we were used to and they
are better winters for wintering "prepared" colonies than are temperature
fluctuations that swing from the 60's down into the 20's and then all over the
place with extended warm ups then cool downs, whenever they are flying, they are
consuming winter stores at a much higher rate.

If it gets to the 50's one day and then drops to the 20's the next, they can be
"caught out of the cluster" as tempeartures rapidly drop and bees (no all of
them, but who knows) can die if they cant make it back into the cluster before
they become immobile from the cold. This might happen over the next few days as
it's forcast to get into the upper 40's this weekend and then nose dive into the
20's for highs next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. After this "nose dive" the
temperatures are forcasted to rise back up into the 40's again, they could go
higher and this slight warm spell (late next week) might be a better time for
your little quick inspection. Do it near the beginning of the warm spell so they
have time to get things back in order before another cold snap comes along. It
just depends on your gut feeling of where your colonies are right now as far as
remaining stores and population.

One advantage to using screen bottom boards without the mite tray installed is
that you can peer down in between the frames and see daylight where bees are not
present. Sometimes this can give you a good idea of the overall size, or
diamiter of the cluster, where you can't see daylight, the cluster resides.

On a cold day, say in the 30's, if you pull the inner cover off for just a few
seconds and bees are all over the tops of the frames, (not in cluster) they are
most likely starving and fondant should be fed immediatly and be continued every
week or so until spring. You can only feed fondant from here on out, sugar syrup
will kill them.

After next weeks little 3 day cold snap (into the 20's and lower) passes, if it
really begins to warm up, like into the 50's every day and the warm up is
sustained for more than a few days in a row with night time temperatures staying
in the 40's, it's possible you could seperate and lift that top box to get a
better idea of available remaining food stores but ONLY if it is mild out during
the day and night time temperatures dont drop below the mid 40's. This is a lift
only, not a teardown, lift it an inch or so, just long enough to feel the weight
and drop it back down.

Do not seperate the boxes if they are still in cluster, wait for an extended
warm spell if you feel you need to dig deeper for more information.

You are always taking a chance messing with your bees, especially during winter.
Sometimes you have to if you are not sure what is going on. Timing your slight
intrusions with the weather this time of year is critical. Not so much if you
are emergencg feeding fondant though, a starving colony needs fondant every 7 to
10 days, even if it's blizzard conditions outside when you are putting it on.

During this time of year, if weather conditions are right, a monthly inspection
could be a colony saver. You never know when one might run out of food. If you
catch it in time and are dedicated to getting it through with fondant, it might
just be your best colony next spring, especially if you only HAVE ONE! This is
why it pays to learn splitting, the more you have going into winter, the more
you will have coming out.

The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild presents a day with Ross Conrad, the author of
Natural Beekeeping and proprietor of Dancing Bee Gardens in Vermont. This is a
great opportunity to hear one of the foremost authorities on organic beekeeping.

This event will be held on Sunday Feburary 6, 2011 at The William Penn Charter
School, 3000 W. School House Lane, Philadelphia PA.

During this all day event Mr. Conrad will speak on "Transitioning to Organic
Beekeeping" in the morning (10:00-12:00) and "Apitherapy: Health with Products
from the Hive" in the afternoon (1:00 – 3:00). Lunch will be provided by West
Philly's Milk and Honey Market and we will present a showing of a bee-related
movie (specific movie to be determined) starting at 3:30.

Details/register at http://www.phillybeekeepers.org/

Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:18:43 +0000
From: "Food Democracy Now! Team" <info@...>
Subject: Colony Collapse

Save the bees - Tell the EPA to ban the bee-killing pesticide!

Say no to Colony Collapse Disorder!

 

Tell the EPA to ban Bayer's bee-killing pesticide!

Dear Robert,

For the past several years scientists have been desperately searching for an answer to the mysterious collapse of bee populations worldwide. Known as “Colony Collapse Disorder”, massive bee die-offs around the globe have alarmed scientists as commercial beekeepers have suddenly found empty hives in record numbers, with as much as 30% of the commercial honey bee population in the U.S. nearly wiped out since 2006.¹

As a vital link in our food chain, bees are responsible for pollinating one out of every three of the foods that we eat, their continued loss could be a catastrophic loss. 

While colony collapse is likely caused by a combination of factors, many scientists believe that sublethal pesticide exposures are a critical factor – and one class of pesticides in particular is a suspected culprit: neonicotinoids.²

Click here to sign a letter telling EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson it’s time to stop corporate science from killing bees and polluting our environment . Confront the corporate abuse of our democracy and take a stand with beekeepers.

Last month, leaked documents from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that one commonly used neonicotinoid pesticide has been on the market for years without safety testing.

According to the damning documents, the agency ignored warnings from its own scientists during the approval process for Bayer CropScience’s neonicotinoid pesticide, clothianidin (product name “Poncho”), relying on shoddy corporate science provided by Bayer instead.³

Since its conditional approval by the EPA in 2003, Bayer’s clothiniadin has been widely adopted as a seed treatment for corn - the largest crop in the U.S. - and a crop whose pollen bees rely upon.⁴

Bayer’s pesticide has been banned in 4 European countries beginning in 2008 due to its high toxicity to bees and potential link to mass bee die-offs.⁵ Rather than heed their own scientists or the precautions taken in Europe, EPA bureaucrats approved the toxic pesticide based on a fatally flawed study provided by Bayer.

Beekeepers across the U.S. are furious to learn that one of the potential links behind the loss of their livelihood, and our food supply, boils down to a government agency looking out for corporate profits over sound science or public well being.

Click here to help save the bees and confront the corporate abuse of our democracy. Take a stand with beekeepers.

In addition to corn, Bayer’s clothiniadin is also used on soy, wheat, canola, sugarbeets and sunflower seeds, among the most widely planted crops in the U.S., and it is a “systemic” pesticide. This means that it’s absorbed into the plant material and “expressed” through pollen and nectar - the main source of food for bees.

The leaked EPA memo, from the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention dated November 2^nd of last year, reveals that the original study submitted by Bayer CropScience to the EPA was so deeply flawed that it failed to meet agency guidelines. The study was conducted on the wrong crop, canola, which is not as widely planted in the U.S. as corn. In addition, the study took place on test plots of only 2 acres each and since bees forage at least 2 miles from the hive and beekeepers and EPA scientists believe it’s unlikely they ingested much of the actual treated crop, thus invalidating the study and failing to prove whether or not Bayer’s clothianidin is lethal to bees.⁶

Despite finding the original study invalid for the most recent approval process of clothianidin, for use on cotton and mustard seeds, the EPA has refused to pull Bayer’s toxic pesticide, which the agency granted full registration, or permanent approval, on April 22 of 2010.

Farmers and beekeepers across the country are up in arms over the serious harm that has come to their livelihoods as a result of the EPA’s failure to put sound science over corporate profits.

It’s time for the EPA to pull Bayer’s bee-keeping pesticide that has already been banned in Germany, Italy, France and Slovenia. We need to put unprecedented public pressure on this government agency to make sure they use their emergency powers to pull this toxic chemical from our fields.

Click here to help save the bees and confront the corporate abuse of our democracy. Take a stand with beekeepers.

We need your help to keep the pressure on! Please donate to Food Democracy Now today – whether it’s $10, $25 or $50 we make sure your donation makes a big difference.

http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/donate/133?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=12

We rely on folks like you to keep us going. Thanks again for your support.

Thank you for participating in food democracy,

Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! Team

Image source: Vanishing of the Bees, an important documentary about Colony Collapse Disorder.

Sources:

1. “Honey Bee Colony Losses In U.S. Almost 30 Percent From All Causes From September 2008 To April 2009”, Science Daily, May 29, 2009.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/318?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=15

2. “Colony Collapse: Are Potent Pesticides Killing Honeybees?”, Mother Earth News, October 2009.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/319?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=17

3. “Beekeepers call for immediate ban on CCD-linked pesticide,” Pesticide Action Network North America, December 9, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/320?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=19

4. “Leaked document shows EPA allowed bee-toxic pesticide despite own scientists’ red flags”, Grist, December 10, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/321?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=21

5. “Beekeeper Who Leaked EPA Documents: ‘I Don't Think We Can Survive This Winter’”, Fast Company, December 12, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/322?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=23

6. “Beekeepers call for immediate ban on CCD-linked pesticide,” Pesticide Action Network North America, December 9, 2010.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/320?akid=278.55991.Q5Taz-&t=25
 

--
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.