2. Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................. 1
State Inspection Programs ............................................................................. 1
Beginning Beekeeping Basics .......................................................................... 2
Beekeeping Income Sources........................................................................... 4
Budgets ........................................................................................................ 4
Beekeeper’s Insurance ................................................................................... 5
Organic Apiculture Standards ........................................................................ 5
Africanized Hybrid Bees ................................................................................ 6
Honey Bee Pests ........................................................................................... 7
Honey Bee Diseases ....................................................................................13
Educational and Training Opportunities ........................................................14
Summary ....................................................................................................15
References .................................................................................................15
Enclosures ..................................................................................................17
Further Resources .......................................................................................18
Appendix ...................................................................................................22
and some division within it. Some states have have a right to ask that samples be taken
full time staff to handle an apiary section and and sent to the Beltsville USDA lab for con-
others do not. When moving bees from one firmation of the disease. (American Society
state to another, inspection of bees is regu- of Beekeepers, No date–a) [See instructions
lated by the receiving state. Many require on how to ship bees to Beltsville in Appen-
previous inspection before arrival and will do dix: Beltsville Free Bee Diagnostic Service].
follow-up inspections once the bees are lo- An all-state (and Canadian provincial) State
cated within the new state. If you are plan-
Apiarist Directory, which includes state bee in-
ning to make a business of selling queens,
spectors, other regulatory officials with apicul-
bees, or moving bees for pollination, then it
tural responsibilities, and other professional api-
is very important to understand the laws in
the states you are dealing with.... cultural specialists, is available on-line at <http:/
/www.mda.state.mn.us/ams/apiary/directory
It is important therefore to know who has the .htm>.
responsibility to inspect your bees and un-
Beginning Beekeeping
der what conditions the inspection is done.
Inspecting bees is a nice job. One must deal
with all kinds of problems: First, angry bee-
keepers (not their bees). Bee inspectors are Basics
people just like you and me. If treated with
It is usually wise to start small, learn efficient
respect, they will respect you as well. Their
job is to find disease. If your bees have dis-
management techniques, and expand the bee-
ease and you don’t know it, then they have keeping operation as time, experience, and fi-
done you a good service by pointing the dis- nances permit. Initial outlay can reach $200 per
ease out to you. On the other hand, they hive, and other equipment, such as a smoker,
may require treatment of the bees, which you veil, gloves, feeding equipment, honey extractor,
do not agree with. Make sure you under- etc., will add to the expense.
stand the law before sounding off on the bee Anyone interested in becoming a beekeeper
inspector — it is not his/her fault that he/she needs to study published information (see Fur-
found disease in your bees. However, you ther Resources: Books, Websites, Periodicals), but
PAGE 2 //BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE
3. many beekeeping skills are best learned by work- Practices Around the Calendar provides manage-
ing with an experienced beekeeper. The Alberta ment suggestions, and is also available at <http:/
Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development pub- /maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/Startkeeping/
lication Commercial Honey Industry states: “Only Starting.html>.
through hands-on experience can new entrants The Mississippi State University publication
gain the basic skills required for opening hives, Getting Started in Beekeeping provides an excel-
removing frames, identifying queens, recogniz- lent summary of what is required to begin. The
ing the difference between brood and honey publication suggests:
cappings, and recognizing the difference between If you decided that you wanted to get started
honey and pollen in a cell” (Dey, 2001). in beekeeping, you would need the basic com-
The American Society of Beekeepers make ponents of the hive, a source of bees, pro-
the following suggestions in the final lesson of tective gear, ancillary gear, and equipment
their Beekeeping 101 class: for handling the honey crop. The hive is the
One way to find other beekeepers who can man-made structure in which the honey bee
help you with problems you encounter is to colony lives. New bee equipment is gener-
join a local bee club or state organization. ally unassembled when purchased. Assem-
Bee Culture Magazine publishes a Who’s who bly directions furnished by bee supply deal-
in beekeeping each spring. You could check ers are usually easy to follow. It is important
the listing for the state in which you live and for beginners to purchase their equipment
contact the individuals listed. Ask them for early so that it will be ready to use when the
information about bee clubs and who you bees arrive. Some beekeepers find they can
need to contact. The person listed under the save money by making their own equipment
Department of Agriculture responsible for in- or purchasing used equipment. With both
spection should have a good idea. They are approaches, it is important that the equip-
often called upon to speak at local meetings. ment is standard size. Purchasing used equip-
The State Extension service should also be ment can present problems and is not rec-
a good source. If you purchase either major ommended for the beginner. Initially you may
bee magazine — each carries a calendar of have problems simply in locating a source of
events. You can get an idea of where the used equipment and determining its value or
nearest bee meeting is to you. These are worth. In addition, secondhand equipment
generally state or regional meetings. (Ameri- may be contaminated with pathogens that
can Society of Beekeepers, no date–b) cause various bee diseases. Always ask for
Beekeeping can be labor-intensive during cer- an inspection certificate indicating that the
apiary inspector did not find any evidence of
tain times of the year. Working with bees re-
disease.
quires a gentle touch and calm disposition. It
also requires a basic understanding of the honey There are several different ways of getting
bees’ behavior during the various seasons and started in the bee business: buying package
during handling and moving. bees; purchasing a nucleus colony (nuc);
buying established colonies; collecting
Beekeeping can be undertaken by anyone who
swarms; and taking bees out of trees and
has enough ability and determination to look
walls. Most beginners start with either a pack-
after the bees properly, enough courage to
age or a nuc. Packages are the preferred way.
work with bees, and enough money to buy
In purchasing nuclei and colonies you might
bees and equipment. Please note: Before
be buying other beekeeper’s problems, such
you get into beekeeping, you should check
as mites or disease. Collecting swarms and
to make sure local zoning laws allow you to
transferring bees is difficult and not recom-
keep honey bees and what your reaction is
mended for the beginner. The best time to
to bee stings. (American Society of Beekeep-
start with bees [is] in the spring or early sum-
ers, no date–c)
mer.
Beekeeping is not a seasonal enterprise, but
Ancillary equipment includes the bee smoker
requires year-round management. The beginning
and hive tool, which are essential for work-
beekeeper needs to consider his or her available ing bees. Bee veils should be worn at all times
labor limitations, and keep the enterprise at an to protect the face and neck from stings. Be-
easily managed size. The enclosed Mid-Atlantic ginners who fear being stung should wear
Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium canvas or leather gloves. Many experienced
(MAAREC) publication Summary of Management beekeepers who find gloves too cumbersome
//BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE PAGE 3
8. ids. The bees become sick, and the hive slowly only a matter of time before resistance becomes
dies (Higgins, 2002). more widespread. It is also important to remem-
ber that honey cannot be gathered while Apistan®
How to Detect is in use.
The NebGuide publication Using the Sugar The May 2000 issue of Bee Tidings, a newslet-
Roll Technique to Detect Varroa Mites in Honey Bee ter published by University of Nebraska Exten-
Colonies states: sion and the Nebraska Beekeepers Association,
Globally, [the varroa mite] is the most impor- discussed the use of Apistan® strips:
tant pest of honey bees and it has caused Apistan® strips are a highly effective control
extensive losses in feral and managed colo- for susceptible mite populations, but no longer
nies. Once introduced, varroa mites have provide adequate control in some beekeep-
never been eradicated from any country or ing operations. Beekeepers who choose to
region, [and] beekeepers must adopt an inte- use Apistan® should check to determine if
grated pest management strategy to protect their colonies will respond to the treatment
their colonies. Early detection and assess- prior to spending a lot of time and money on
ment of infestation levels are important com- treatment. Dr. Jeff Pettis, a USDA Scientist
ponents of a varroa management plan. Since at the Beltsville Bee Laboratory, described a
varroa mites feed by piercing the interseg- resistance monitoring procedure in an Ameri-
mental membranes on the underside of the can Bee Journal article. To conduct the Pettis
bee’s abdomen, they are not easily observed test, prepare a pint wide-mouth jar by insert-
on bees until the colonies are severely in- ing a sugar cube and a note card that has
jured. Beekeepers need to use a detection been trimmed to fit the jar. Staple a 3/8" by
technique to check their colonies for mites. 1" piece of an Apistan® strip to the card near
In addition to detecting mites, beekeepers the top of the card. Prepare a two-piece can-
need to accurately assess the infection lev- ning lid for the jar by replacing the center
els to determine when control measures are portion with screen wire that will allow mites
warranted.... to pass but not the bees (8 mesh per cm
The five most commonly used detection and works well). Collect 250-300 mite infested
assessment methods for varroa are: 1) ether bees in the jar and hold them for 24 hours in
roll, 2) alcohol wash, 3) brood examination, a cool and dark place. Invert the jar and
4) sticky boards placed on the bottom board, shake it several times to recover any dead
and 5) acaricides with sticky boards. mites on a sheet of paper. After recovering
(Macedo, 2001) the mites, place the jars in an oven at low
heat (about 140º F.) until the bees are dead.
These five methods are discussed in the en-
Then, shake the jar again to recover any
closed section “Varroa Jacobsoni”, from Diagno-
mites that were not killed by the Apistan®
sis of Honey Bee Diseases (USDA), available at strip. This test will give you a good indica-
<http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/ tion of how effectively Apistan will perform in
Bee_Diseases/varroa.html>. your colony. Apistan® strips can be pur-
The enclosed NebGuide publication discusses chased in any state and are available from
the alternative technique of using powdered most bee supply dealers. They have a Sec-
sugar to detect varroa mites, also available at tion 3, or general use, label. (University of
<http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/INSECTS/ Nebraska Extension/Beekeepers, 2000)
g1430.htm>. Another detection method is de- Apicure™ is a registered miticide that con-
scribed in the publication Mite excreta: A new di- tains about 65% formic acid, a colorless liquid
agnostic tool for detecting Varroa mites! at the with a penetrating odor that is found in ants and
USDA/Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in many plants. Formic acid controls tracheal
website, <http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/rf/de- mites and is used for the suppression of varroa
tect/detect.html>. mites. It has been used for years in Canada and
Europe. Apicure™ is a slow-release gel that is
Chemical Treatment sealed in plastic bags that are sliced open and
For years, the only control for varroa mites placed in the hives. It should be removed after
(Varroa jacobsoni) has been the miticide fluvalinate 21 days and 28 days before honey flow. It should
(Apistan®), a synthetic pyrethroid. However, also be used only when daytime temperatures
beekeepers in Europe and several U.S. states have are between 45° and 95°F, with the hive entrance
seen strains of mites resistant to Apistan®. It is fully open (Apicure, Inc., no date).
PAGE 8 //BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE
9. A possible option for varroa control was men- easier it was to detect one of these acids. Of the
tioned in the July 2002 American Bee Journal. In essential oils, thymol was easiest to detect, fol-
the article “Varroa Control with Fungal Patho- lowed by camphor and menthol.
gens May Be an Option Soon,” the authors dis- More research needs to be conducted. In an
cuss their research in isolating and screening sev- APIS newsletter, Dr. Tom Sanford stated, “The
eral fungi that were highly pathogenic to varroa take-home message to the would-be
at temperatures similar to average hive tempera- experimenter...is that applying oils of essence and
tures. They state that they hope to offer bee- related chemicals carries considerable risk and
keepers this option in the near future (Kanga and should be approached with extreme caution”
James, 2002). (Sanford, 1997).
Several alternative solutions to Varroa con-
trol have been studied in Europe. They include
Bio-technical Methods of Control
lactic acid, oxalic acid, thymol, essential oils, neem One method of varroa control involves chang-
oil, and several bio-technical measures. These ing the bottom board of a hive (Sanford, 1998).
control measures are discussed in the Swiss Bee Often, mites fall off of bees and land on the bot-
Research Center website publication at <http:// tom board. They can then crawl back up into the
www.apis.admin.ch/english/Themes/ hive and reattach themselves to bees. A “sticky
Varroa.htm>. However, according to Blane board” that has been sprayed with something oily
White, Aviary Inspector in Minnesota, lactic acid (usually PAM™) can be placed over the hive’s
and oxalic acid have not been tested in the United bottom board and covered with a screen. When
States and are not approved treatments. He also mites fall off the bees, they fall through the screen
comments that thymol has had limited testing in and land on the sticky board and are unable to
the United States, and that it does work under get back onto the bees. (The screen prevents bees
some conditions. However, there are no ap- from falling onto the sticky board.) A twist on
proved thymol treatments in the U.S. at present this method is to create bottom floors made en-
(White, no date). tirely of screen. Not only does this aid in varroa
Using essential oils to kill both kinds of mites control, it also helps control fungal diseases
has been researched. One of the problems with (Sanford, 1999). For more information on using
using essential oils is that many of the com- mesh floors, go to <http://apis.ifas.ufl.edu/
pounds are toxic to honey bees as well as mites. apis99/apjun99.htm#4>. Blane White, Apiary
Several herbal extracts and essential oils have been Inspector in Minnesota, says that screen bottoms
tested. For the most current information on us- can reduce varroa populations by 15% to 30%,
ing essential oils to control varroa mite, visit West and that once the screens are installed, no fur-
Virginia University’s web site at <http:// ther labor is needed (White, no date).
www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa.htm>. Thomas Deeby at the Carl Hayden Bee Re-
One study tested thymol-based products in search Center, in an electronic question-and-an-
Texas, Virginia, and Minnesota (Sanford, 1997). swer forum, made the following comments about
There were good results in Texas and Virginia, smoker fuel to knock varroa mites off of bees
but less mite mortality in Minnesota. One rea- and screened bottom boards to reduce mites in
son given for this difference is that higher tem- the hive:
peratures in the southern states helped the thy- Products that have been tried range from
mol to diffuse into the colony. Another variable menthol, to tobacco, grapefruit and other cit-
that may have affected the study was the num- rus leaves, and creosote leaves. High heat
ber of hive bodies—in Minnesota, three brood itself stuns them. Sticky boards and slotted
bottom boards also seem to have some mea-
chambers were used, while in Texas only one
sure of success....
brood chamber was used. The most effective
blend in the study was thymol and citronella. Natural Products Smoke - Beekeepers rou-
In the late 1990s, Swiss researchers tried to tinely use smoke to calm their bees before
determine whether organic acids and essential opening the hive. Tobacco smoke increases
mite fall and has been used for both detec-
oils affect the taste of honey (Bogdanov, 1999).
tion and control of varroa. More recently, Dr.
They found that formic acid was easiest to de- Frank Eischen, USDA bee research scien-
tect, followed by oxalic and lactic acids. Also, tist, demonstrated that creosote bush and
the weaker the natural taste of the honey, the grapefruit leaves produce a smoke that can
//BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE PAGE 9
10. knock down 90% of the mites in test cages. Research indicates that smaller starter cells
However, excessive exposure to natural prod- help control varroa mite infestations (Senft, 1997).
uct smoke can harm bees. Also, mites are Foundation sheets (sheets of wax imprinted with
not usually killed by the smoke and may re-
base cell sizes) with cells 22% smaller in diam-
cover if not removed from the colony by a
sticky board or other mite trapping device.
eter provided higher winter survival rates for
Mites in brood cells are not affected by natu- bees.
ral product smoke. While natural product Another cultural control method is to encour-
smoke is not an approved treatment for age worker bees to make drone brooder combs.
varroa, there is no legislation prohibiting their Varroa mites prefer drone brood to worker brood.
use as smoker fuel. With careful attention After the drone pupae have been capped, the
to bee safety, the smoke of some natural prod- drone comb is removed from the hive and dis-
ucts may be helpful in retarding varroa popu-
carded. Blane White, Apiary Inspector in Min-
lation growth in colonies.
nesota, states that removing two to three combs
Anti-varroa bottom boards - A French bee- of drone brood can reduce varroa population by
keeper, Jean-Pierre Le Pabic, has devised a about 50%. For more information on this
bottom board that may help reduce varroa
method, White recommends the website <http:/
injury. He suggests that in a standard bot-
tom-board-equipped colony, mites that fall /www.xs4all.nl/~jtemp/dronemethod.html>
from bees are able to easily reattach them- (White, No date).
selves to another host bee. He designed a
bottom board consisting of 12 tubes that run
Tolerant Strains of Honey Bees
lengthwise with a space between them that Since varroa mites became a major problem,
permits mites to fall to the bottom, but through various strains of honey bee have been tested
which bees cannot pass. He reports that and crossbred in the hope of finding bees that
mite populations remain low in hives fitted
are tolerant to mites—whether through selective
with this bottom board due to the inability of
varroa mites to climb back up to where they breeding for grooming behaviors or for cell-build-
can reattach to a new host. Anyone who has ing tendencies. Currently there are at least four
worked with sticky boards knows that nu- options for beekeepers to consider. They are the
merous mites drop to the sticky traps when- hygienic bees, Russian bees, SMR (Suppressed
ever colonies are examined or smoked. This Mite Reproduction) Smart bees, or local varroa-
novel approach to varroa control may help tolerant bees.
reduce beekeeper’s dependence on chemi- Hygienic bees spend more time cleaning
cal treatments. (Deeby, 2002c) themselves and their hives, which promotes some
For more information on the Le Pabic anti- resistance to varroa mites. Research has shown
varroa bottom board, see the enclosed article or that hygienic behavior is heritable, and research-
visit <http://www.apiservices.com/happy ers Marla Spivak and Martha Gilliam have been
keeper/index_us.htm>. building up populations of hygienic bees from
Dr. Pedro Rodriguez has had success using the ten percent or so that occur naturally. These
food-grade mineral oil (FGMO). Test results show are now commercially available. Hygienic bees
that FGMO is highly efficient for control of varroa detect and remove diseased bees quickly, before
infections. It is economical, non-contaminating, the pest organisms can move to other bees. Hy-
and gentle to the environment. It can be applied gienic bees are also more resistant to American
every two weeks or so for the entire year. It is foulbrood, European foulbrood, and chalkbrood
used in conjunction with screened bottom boards (Sanford, 1998b). The publication The Hygiene
to prevent mites from re-attaching themselves to Queen provides information on some of the traits
bees after falling off. Food-grade mineral oil does that are selected for and also provides the stan-
not alter the quality of the honey (Arias Martinez dard quantitative test used. The publication is
et al., 2001). While the use the FGMO is still available at <http://www.beekeeping.com/ar-
unregulated and in a testing phase, the potential ticles/us/hygiene_queen.htm>.
use of FGMO for control of varroa mites deserves Russian bees are a resistant strain of honey
to be considered. Much of the latest information bees being developed and tested by the USDA
on the use of FGMO and methods of application Baton Rouge Bee Lab. These bees evolved in
is located at the website <http://www. Russia’s Far East, where mites and honey bees
beesource.com/pov/rodriguez/>. have co-existed for decades. Commercial evalu-
PAGE 10 //BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE
13. Under the Section 18 authority of the EPA, many close all openings and seal the cracks between
states have been granted use of these strips for supers with masking tape. The crystals are placed
control of varroa mites and small hive beetles. on a paper positioned on the frame’s top bars.
Maryanne Frazier and James Steinhauer in the More crystals should be added every 2 to 3
News–Small Hive Beetle Pest Sheet state: weeks. DO NOT use PDB on honeycombs con-
The section 18 registration for Bayer Bee taining honey intended for human use (Tew,
Strips is for non-food use. There is no allow- 1997).
ance for any coumaphos residue in honey or A Swiss study conducted in 1997 showed that
wax. All surplus honey supers must be re- Trichogramma wasps could be used to control wax
moved before treatment and not be replaced moths. In the study, five hatches of Trichogramma
until after the treatment has been removed. eggs were released at 3-week intervals during
Coumaphos is in a group of highly toxic ma- the summer and were effective even under heavy
terials called organophosphates. The der-
wax moth infestation (Trichogramma wasps are
mal (absorption through the skin) toxicity of
coumaphos to mammals is approximately 20 solely egg parasites, meaning that they are inef-
times greater than that of Apistan. It is there- fective on any stage of wax moths except eggs)
fore imperative that beekeepers follow all la- (Bollhalder, 1999).
bel instructions, including wearing gloves,
when using Bayer Bee Strips....
Honey Bee Diseases
...Under the section 18 registration, the sole
distributor of Bayer Bee Strips is Mann Lake The two most common bee diseases are
Ltd., 501 S First Street, Hackensack, MN American foulbrood (AFB) and European foul-
56452-2001, orders 1-800-233-6663, office brood (EFB). American and European foulbroods
218-675-6688. They will be required to keep kill bees during the pupal stage. The dead pupa
records of the number of strips sold in each rots and begins to smell, hence the name of the
state. (Frazier and Steinhauer, 2000) disease. Foulbrood is worse in high humidity.
In an on-line forum, Thomas Deeby stated:
WAX MOTHS Terramycin® (oxytetracycline HCL) is the
only drug approved for use as a preventive
Greater wax moths (Galleria mellonella) are a
treatment against American foulbrood. This
common pest of honey bees and usually occur antibiotic does not kill Bacillus...spores, but
on stored honey comb. One simple and effective prevents or delays their growth when present
way to rid a comb of all stages of wax moths is to in low concentrations in the food fed by work-
freeze it. Freezing the comb at 20°F for a mini- ers to susceptible larvae. While this treat-
mum of 4.5 hours or 5°F for 2 hours is recom- ment allows individual larvae to survive, it
mended. After freezing, the comb needs to be does absolutely nothing about the virulent
stored where no adult wax worm moths can get spores in the contaminated equipment. Thus
to it, but the beekeeper will still need to check the disease usually reappears once drug
the comb at least monthly for any signs of re- feeding stops. There has been recent evi-
infestation (Tew, 1997). dence in this country for bacterial resistance
Heat can also kill all stages of wax moths. to Terramycin. One of the suspected causes
for this development is the sharp increase in
The combs need to be heated to 115°F for 80 min-
use by beekeepers of the medicated veg-
utes or 120°F for 40 minutes, but never hotter
etable oil extender patty. Bees do not al-
than 120°F. Make sure all combs reach the re- ways consume the patties rapidly which leads
quired temperature before starting to time them. to a situation in which antibiotic lingers in the
Adequate air circulation is important to evenly hive for weeks or even months. Resistance
heat the combs. Remember that combs are soft- was not a problem in this country prior to the
ened by high temperatures and may sag and be- widespread use of extender patties in the
come distorted. Heat treat only combs with no 1990s. For these reasons it is recommended
honey in them (Tew, 1997). that beekeepers remove all uneaten portions
A chemical method for control of wax moths of medicated extender patties after patties
is paradichlorobenzene (PDB or mothballs). The have been in the hive for one month.
treatment procedure is to place 6 tablespoons or There are alternative treatments to AFB with-
3 ounces of PDG crystals on stacks of 5 supers. out using TM [Terramycin ®]. Queens are
The stack should be as air tight as possible, so being bred that create more resistan[ce] to
//BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE PAGE 13
16. Bosisio, Matt. 1990. Faster-acting menthol for Erickson, Eric H. 2002b. Expert Forum on
bees. Agricultural Research. January. p. Honey Bee reply on AFB. Carl Hayden
22. Bee Research Center website. July 6. 1 p.
<http://gears.tucson.ars.ag. gov/
Burgett, Michael. 1999. 1999 Pacific Northwest
expertforum/index.html>.
honey bee pollination survey. Oregon
State University Bee Lab. 6p. <http:// Erickson, Eric, Anita Atmowidjojo, Alan King,
members.aol.com/beetools/99polin.htm>. and Joanne King. 1998. Effect of “new”
vs. “old” wax brood combs on honey bee
Collison, Clarence H. 1996. Getting started in
tracheal mite populations in North Da-
beekeeping. Mississippi State University,
kota. American Bee Journal. September.
Beekeeping Tips. 2 p. <http://www.
p. 672–673.
msstate.edu/Entomology/Beekeeping/
Beekeeping001.html>. ERS/NASS. No date. A look at the U.S.
beekeeping industry. Economic Research
Deeby, Thomas. 2002a. Expert Forum on
Service/National Agricultural Statistics
Honey Bee reply on small hive beetle.
Service. 6 p. <http://gears.tucson.
Carl Hayden Bee Research Center website.
ars.ag.gov/dept/abf.html>.
March 8. 1 p. <http://gears.tucson.
ars.ag.gov/expertforum/index.html>. Frazier, Maryann, and James Steinhauer. 1999.
News–Small hive beetle pest sheet. Mid–
Deeby, Thomas. 2002b. Expert Forum on
Atlantic Apiculture Research and Exten-
Honey Bee reply on American foulbrood.
sion Consortium. 5 p. <http://
Carl Hayden Bee Research Center website.
maarec.cas.psu.edu/
February 12. 1 p. <http://gears.tucson.
BeetlePestSheet.html>.
ars.ag.gov/expertforum/index.html>.
Frazier, Maryann, George Greaser, Timothy
Deeby, Thomas. 2002c. Expert Forum on
Kelsey, and Jayson Harper. 1998. Bee-
Honey Bee reply on smoker fuel for
keeping. Agricultural Alternatives, Penn
varroa. Carl Hayden Bee Research Center
State Cooperative Extension. 6 p. <http:/
website. February 9. 1 p. <http://gears.
/agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/other/bees/
tucson.ars.ag.gov/expertforum/
bees.pdf>.
index.html>.
Frazier, Maryanne, and James Steinhauer. 2000.
Deeby, Thomas. 2002d. Expert Forum on
News – Small Hive Beetle Pest sheet.
Honey Bee reply on amount of surplus
Mid–Atlantic Apiculture Research and
pollen from colony in 1 season. Carl
Extension Consortium. February. <http:/
Hayden Bee Research Center website.
/maarec.cas.psu.edu/BeetlePestSheet.
January 3. 1 p. <http://gears.tucson.
html>.
ars.ag.gov/expertforum/index.html>.
Grossman, Joel. 1998. Neem for honeybee
Dey, Dennis, revised by Lori-Jo Graham. 2001.
pests. The IPM Practitioner. September.
Commercial honey industry. Alberta
p. 10–11.
Agriculture, Food, and Rural Develop-
ment Ministry. 23 p. <http:// Higgins, Adrian. 2002. Honeybees in a mite
www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/600/ more than trouble—Parasites, an exodus
616_830-1.html>. of apiarists and budget cuts imperil vital
insect. Washington Post. May 14. p. A1.
Erickson, Eric H. 2002a. Expert Forum on
Honey Bee reply on tracheal mites. Carl Information Staff. 2002. Locations of
Hayden Bee Research Center website. Africanized honey bees in U.S. USDA/
July 9. 1 p. <http://gears.tucson.ars. Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville,
ag.gov/expertforum/index.html>. Maryland. February. 2 p. <http://
agnews.tamu.edu/bees/quaran.htm>.
PAGE 16 //BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE
17. Kanga, Lambert H. B., and Rosalind R. James. Tidings. May. p. 1–2. <http://
2002. Varroa control with fungal patho- entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/tidings/
gens may be an option soon. American btid2000/btdmay00.htm>.
Bee Journal. July. p. 519. USDA/AMS. 2002. Honey market for the
Macedo, Paula A., and Marion D. Ellis. 2001. month of June 2002. National Honey
Using the sugar roll technique to detect Report. July 10. 8 p.
varroa mites in honey bee colonies.
USDA/BARC Bee Research Laboratory. c.2001.
NebGuide. University of Nebraska–
Downloaded July 2002. The small hive
Lincoln. G01-1430-A. June. 4 p. <http://
beetle. 1 p. <http://
www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/INSECTS/
www.barc.usda.gov/psi/brl/bd-
g1430.htm>.
shb.htm>.
Quarles, Bill. 1997. Neem controls bee mites.
USDA/BARC Bee Research Laboratory. No
Common Sense Pest Control. Winter. p.
4. date. How to submit samples for diagno-
sis. 1 p. <http://www.barc.usda.gov/
Sanford, M. T. 1998. The “sticky board”: A psi/brl/directs.htm>.
new apicultural tool. APIS. May. p. 3.
USDA/Honey Bee Breeding. c.2001. Down-
Sanford, M. T. 1998b. The case for hygienic loaded August 2002. Breeding honey bees
bees: A little-used technology. APIS. that suppress mite reproduction. Honey
September. p. 1–2. Bee Breeding, Genetics & Physiology
Sanford, M. T. 1999. More on open mesh Laboratory SMRD Project. 7 p. <http://
floors for varroa control. APIS. August. msa.ars.usda.gov/la/btn/hbb/jwh/
p. 1–3. SMRD/SMRD.htm>.
Sanford, Malcolm T. 1997. More on oils of Wenning, Carl J. 1999. What price honey?
essence in mite control. APIS. November. American Bee Journal. August. p. 597–
p. 4. 601.
Scott, Howard. 2002. Do you need beekeeper’s White, Blane. No date. Varroa mite detection.
insurance. American Bee Journal. July. p. Minnesota Department of Agriculture. 2
484–485. p. <http://www.mda.state.mn.us/ams/
Senft, Dennis. 1997. Helping honey bees fight apiary/varroa.htm>.
mites. Agricultural Research. May. p. 22.
Sollenberger, T’Lee. 2002. Bathing, buying, Enclosures
building—Ingredients for better beeware. Erickson, E. H., L. H. Hines, and A. H.
American Bee Journal. August. p. 581– Atmowidjojjo. c.2000. Downloaded July
584.
2002. Producing varroa-tolerant honey
Suszkiw, Jan. 2001. Mite-resistant Russian bees from locally adapted stock: A recipe.
bees also have winter hardiness. ATS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center.
News & Information. June 15. 2 p. <http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/publ/
<http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2001/ tolerant2.html>.
010615.htm>.
Frazier, Maryann, George Greaser, Timothy
Tabor, J. 1990. Combating tracheal mites. Kelsey, and Jayson Harper. 1998. Bee-
Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener. keeping. Agricultural Alternatives, Penn
July–August. p. 22. State Cooperative Extension. 6 p. <http:/
Tew, James E. 1997. Wax moth control in bee /agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/other/bees/
hives. Ohio State University Horticulture bees.pdf>.
and Crop Science. HYG-2165-97. 3 p. Le Pablic, Jean-Pierre. 2002. Happykeeper.
<http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/ Anti-Varroa bottom board. Virtual Bee-
2165.html>. keeping Gallery. 5 p. <http://
University of Nebraska Extension/Beekeepers. www.apiservices.com/happykeeper/
2000. Varroa control options for 2000. Bee index_us.htm>.
//BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE PAGE 17
18. Macedo, Paula A., and Marion D. Ellis. 2001. Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension
Using the sugar roll technique to detect Consortium (MAAREC)
varroa mites in honey bee colonies. http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/index.html
NebGuide. University of Nebraska– A regional effort to address the pest management
Lincoln. G01-1430-A. June. 4 p. <http:// crisis facing the beekeeping industry in the Mid-
www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/INSECTS/ Atlantic Region. On-line newsletter and many
g1430.htm>. excellent publications on all aspects of beekeep-
ing, including pests and diseases.
Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Exten-
sion Consortium. No date. Summary of The Bee Works
management practices around the calen- http://www.beeworks.com/index.htm
dar. 2 p. <http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/ Canadian website with a good information
bkCD/management/summary_mangt. center on various aspects of beekeeping.
html>.
George Imirie Certified Master Beekeeper
USDA. No date. Varroa Jacobsoni. Diagnosis http://www.beekeeper.org/george_imirie/
of Honey Bee Diseases. <http:// index.html
maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/ On-line monthly “pink pages” on many aspects
Bee_Diseases/varroa.html>. of beekeeping.
The Pollinator Home Page
Further Resources http://www.pollinator.com/index.htm
List of beekeepers who provide pollination
service, and good information on pollination.
Websites
World’s Beekeeping Directory
BeeCulture Magazine http://www.beehoo.com/
http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/index.htm Worldwide listings of sources of information,
On-line listing of Who’s Who in the Beeyard for training, and many other items of interest to
each state. On-line publication Insect Pollina- beekeepers.
tion of Cultivated Crop Plants. On-line
monthly column Beekeeping in the Digital Age Top Bar Hive Beekeeping
describing how communications in the digital http://www.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/main.htm
age affect production and dissemination of Website devoted exclusively to collecting and
beekeeping information, by Dr. Malcolm T. distributing information about beekeeping with
Sanford, Former Extension Beekeeping Specialist top-bar hives.
at the University of Florida. Weekly updated Pennsylvania State University
Catch the Buzz with the very latest information http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/other/
from the world of beekeeping. Also provides bees/bees.pdf
many excellent links to other sources of informa- Publication Beekeeping and sample bee budget.
tion, as well as some articles from BeeCulture
Texas A&M University
Magazine.
http://agnews.tamu.edu/bees/quaran.htm
The American Society of Beekeepers Map of areas of known African honeybee quar-
http://www.gobeekeeping.com/ antine.
Three free on-line beekeeping classes, a listing of
Food and Agriculture Organization of the
National and regional bee organizations, a
United Nations Rome
monthly newsletter, and additional beekeeping
http://www.fao.org/docrep/w0076e/
information.
w0076e00.htm
Beekeeping: The Beekeeper’s Home Pages On-line publication Value-Added Products from
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ Beekeeping.
beekeeping/
Beekeeping website links with hundreds of other
beekeeping resources. It also has an extensive
listing of companies that sell bee equipment.
PAGE 18 //BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE
19. University of California Small Farm Center of Africanized honeybees. They also have Expert
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/pubs/SFNews/ Forum on Honey Bees, a state-of-the-art, user-
archive/94032.htm friendly, Internet question-and-answer informa-
On-line publication Starting a Small Beekeeping tion resource available at no cost. Anyone can
Operation. use this service to ask any and all questions
about bees and get answers directly from the
University of Nebraska—Lincoln
experts at the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center.
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/insects/
g1104.htm Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology
On-line publication Getting Started in Beekeep- Research
ing. 1157 Ben Hur Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70820–5502
University of Tennessee—Knoxville
(225) 767–9280, Fax: (225) 766–9212
http://web.utk.edu/~extepp/redbook/
http://msa.ars.usda.gov/la/btn/hbb/
bee2000.pdf
Research on breeding honeybees that tolerate
On-line publication Apiculture
harsh climate, disease, insects, and other haz-
University of Missouri—Columbia ards.
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/
Bee Biology and Systematic Laboratory
agguides/pests/g07600.htm
Utah State University
On-line publication Beekeeping Tips for Begin-
5310 Old Main Hill
ners.
Logan, UT 84322–5310
University of Georgia (435) 797–2524, Fax: (435) 797–0461
http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubcd/b1045-w.html http://www.loganbeelab.usu.edu/
On-line publication Honey Bees and Beekeeping. Research involves alternatives to honey bees as
Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization pollinators, and wild bees.
(ECHO) USDA/ARS Beneficial Insects Research Unit
http://www.echonet.org/tropicalag/ 2413 E. Highway 83
technotes/BeehiveD.pdf Weslaco, TX 78596
On-line Tech Note Beehive Designs for the (956) 969–4852
Tropics. http://weslaco.ars.usda.gov
Studies mites that infest breathing tubes (tra-
USDA Research Facilities chea) of honeybees. Designs mite control
measures and tracks spread of mites.
Five USDA laboratories are studying breed-
ing, behavior, and benefits of wild and domesti-
cated bees. Check these sites regularly to moni-
Computer Software
tor current research into controlling many of the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center
honeybee’s parasites and diseases. http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/soft/bke/
index.html
USDA/BARC Bee Research Laboratory The new release: BK-Economics 1.34 is available
Building 476, BARC-EAST for Windows and Macintosh. BK-Economics is
Beltsville, MD 20705 a software package that was developed by a team
(301) 504–8205, Fax: (301) 504–8736 of scientists at the Carl Hayden Bee Research
http://www.barc.usda.gov/psi/brl/brl- Center in Tucson, Arizona, to assist commercial
page.html beekeepers in streamlining their business
Studies bee diseases, pests, and nutritional practices. This software allows beekeepers to
needs. Provides bee diagnostic services. simulate years of business, taking into account
factors like equipment purchases, labor force,
Carl Hayden Bee Research Center transportation, marketing strategies, loans,
2000 E. Allen Road honey flow, and other hive products. This
Tucson, AZ 85719 software, when used in combination with the
(520) 670–6380, Fax: (520) 670–6493 marketing strategy information in the publica-
http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/ tion, can help beekeepers formulate a successful
Research explores pollination, mites, and control business plan.
//BEEKEEPING/APICULTURE PAGE 19