beekeeping references, books and videos
TRANSCRIPT
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References, Books, Videos
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For Children
References
In FR and DE: magazine environnemental ECOlogique dédié au sujet des abeilles; L’abeille solitaire / Die
Solitärbiene; L’abeille butineuse / Die Honigbiene; La ruche / Der Bienenstock; Ville de Luxembourg;
http://www.vdl.lu/vdl_multimedia/Publications/P%C3%A9riodiques/ECOlogique+%28FR_DE%29/ECOlogique+
n%C2%B02_2013+Les+abeilles.pdf
General
Books
Keeping Bees - Looking After An Apiary; Vivian Head; recommended by Hubert; can be borrowed from John
Complete Step-by-step Book of Beekeeping ; David Cramp; recommended by Hubert; can be borrowed from
John
The Beekeeper’s Handbook, Fourth Edition; Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile; recommended by
Amanda; can be borrowed from Amanda
Collins Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, honey, recipes and other home uses Hardcover; Philip Et Al Mccabe; ;
recommended by Amanda; can be borrowed from Amanda
Le traité rustica de l'apiculture; Henri Clément, Yves Le Conte; recommended by John; can be borrowed
from John
L’Apiculture: Mois Par Mois; Jean Riondet; recommended by Amanda; can be borrowed from Amanda
Le Rucher Durable: Guide Pratique de l’Apiculteur d’Aujourd’hui; Jean Riondet; recommended by Amanda; can
be borrowed from Amanda
References
Honeybee Decision Making; Tom Seeley; Cornell University
http://www.cornell.edu/video/honeybee-decision-making
The Fat Bee Man (YouTube channel); Don Kuchenmeister https://www.youtube.com/user/FatBeeMan
Chapter 1 The Place of the Honey Bee in the World; Dr. Kristen Healy, Entomologist; LSU AgCenter
http://www.slideshare.net/kehawkins1/ch-1-the-place-of-honey-bees-in-the-world
Linda’s Bees; www.beekeeperlinda.blogspot.lu
The British Beekeepers Association; www.bbka.org.uk
HoneyBeeSuite: A Better Way to Bee; Rusty Burlew; www.honeybeesuite.com
Why bees are disappearing; Marla Spivak;
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http://www.ted.com/talks/marla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearing
How often should I check my bees?
"Inspections; 3 Reasons To Ignore Your Hive This Summer"; Kristina Mercedes Urquhart;
"thriving hives don’t need regular, weekly inspections—they need timely interventions to suit their growing
needs throughout the whole year. I’m not saying to ignore them all summer, but what does this mean for you,
the beekeeper? Keep good records, keep track of your hive’s progress in writing and refer to it before
inspections, and note significant events or items and the time of year you saw it. Don’t just go into a hive for
the sake of looking—have a goal, an intention,"
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/3-reasons-to-ignore-your-hive-this-summer/
fungus, mould (champignons), "Too much moisture in the hive"; Rusty Burlew
http://honeybeesuite.com/too-much-moisture-in-the-hive/
Getting started with beekeeping: What are your objectives?
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/beekeeper-friendly-or-bee-friendly-decisions-decisions
jop Races of bees
http://freethebees.ch/en/bienenhaltung/bienenrassen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_bee_race
http://articles.extension.org/pages/21742/subspecies:-the-place-of-honey-bees-in-the-world
http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/get-started/bee-races.html
map of Europe https://aberdeenbeekeepers.net/bees/
Chapter 1 The Place of the Honey Bee in the World; Dr. Kristen Healy, Entomologist; LSU AgCenter
http://www.slideshare.net/kehawkins1/ch-1-the-place-of-honey-bees-in-the-world
Characteristics of races of honeybees http://www.three-
peaks.net/PDF/Races%20of%20Honey%20Bees%2001.pdf
Getting Started: Races of Honey Bees; The University of Georgia, USA; http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/get-
started/bee-races.html
Where to buy bees
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/bee-prepared-suppliers-equipment-and-bees
Where to buy beekeeping equipment
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/bee-prepared-suppliers-equipment-and-bees
What are the rules / regulations about keeping bees in Luxembourg?
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/having-bees-in-the-city-villages-and-in-the-countryside
What are the types of beehives used in Luxembourg?
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/beekeeping-techniques-beehive-systems
Comparison of Warré and Langstroth http://mistressbeek.com/2010/09/19/top-bar-hive-vs-langstroth/
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How did Bee Together start? What are its objectives?
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/bee-together-newsletter-2015-02
The Bee Space; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/tag/burr-comb/
What is contained in the cells in a comb in the brood?; brood nest; What is a brood pattern?; Rusty Burlew
http://honeybeesuite.com/brood-pattern/
Do frames have correct and incorrect way of being put in a hive?; "Housel positioning for the honey super";
Linda's Bees;
http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.lu/2006/05/housel-positioning-for-honey-super.html
If you look in the bottom of a cell, you will see either a "Y" shape or an upside down "Y" (peace sign) shape.
The Y shape cells are always towards to outside of the hive. See the photos in the above link.
Do frames have correct and incorrect way of being put in a hive?; "Housel Positioning" - How I View Its
Importance To Beekeeping"; Dee A. Lusby; Commercial Beekeeper; 21-22 Sep 2002;
The “Y” formation: A “Y” is formed where lozenge-shaped rhombic plates come together to form a Y
impression at the bottoms of cells on beeswax foundation. The formation of the “Y” is also seen in wild
combs at their cell bases.
There is a right and left side to each foundation and comb when viewed, whether in a man-made colony, or
hanging down from a limb.
The right and left sides for facing foundation and drawn combs in a beekeepers hive are determined by the
top or bottom positioning of the “Y” formation.
http://www.resistantbees.com/anordnung_e.html
Angry bees, grumpy bees, bees in a bad mood
What makes honey bees aggressive?; Rusty Burlew
http://honeybeesuite.com/what-makes-honey-bees-aggressive/
Why do Beekeepers Use Smoke / Smoker?
Smoke masks alarm pheromones, which include various chemicals, e.g., isopentyl acetate [1] that are released
by guard bees or bees that are injured during a beekeeper's inspection. The smoke creates an opportunity
for the beekeeper to open the beehive and work while the colony's defensive response is interrupted. In
addition, smoke initiates a feeding response in anticipation of possible hive abandonment due to fire.
Some beekeepers use water or sugar water to spray a mist on the bees. The mist weighs down the bees and
prevents them from flying.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_smoker
Honey bee pheromones: common scents; Rusty Burlew
Nasonov pheromone, sometimes called the “come hither” scent, is produced by worker bees to attract nest
mates to the colony entrance, a clustering swarm, or a food source. If you move a hive a short distance from
its original location, you can see workers exposing their Nasonov gland (it lies between the sixth and seventh
abdominal tergites) and fanning the scent into the air. Nasonov can also be used to attract swarms to nest
boxes.
http://honeybeesuite.com/honey-bee-pheromones-common-scents/
Why are there empty cells in my brood; Heater bees; Rusty Burlew
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http://honeybeesuite.com/heater-bees/
My bees are moving back and forth in a rythmic motion
Washboarding bees arockin’ and alickin’; Rusty Burlew
A strange honey bee behavior known as “washboarding” or “rocking” continues to elude an explanation, but it
is fun to watch. Worker bees gather in large groups—either inside the hive or out—and rock back and forth
while seeming to lick the surface beneath them. The motion has been likened to that of scrubbing clothes on
a washboard.
http://honeybeesuite.com/washboarding-bees-arockin-and-alickin/
Festooning bees: lacework between the frames; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/festooning-bees-
lacework-between-the-frames/
Cleaning / Hygiene for bees, beehives and equipment (gloves); Roger, UK perspective
http://www.talkingwithbees.com/beekeeping-how-to-guides/bee-hygiene
Honeybee shortage threatens crop pollination in Europe
Urban areas 'provide haven' for bees
Honeybees Might Have Emotions
Le déclin des abeilles : Analyse des facteurs qui mettent en péril les pollinisateurs et l’agriculture en Europe
La biodiversité nourrit la planète
L'essentiel Online - Deux pesticides interdits avec effet immédiat - Luxembourg
Hécatombes dans les ruches : des abeilles forcées à butiner trop jeunes
Bye bye Biene? Das Bienensterben und die Risiken für die Landwirtschaft in Europa
Natural Comb / Foundationless Frames
natural comb building; Foundationless frames; Michael Bush
Foundation (the source of contamination in the hive from pesticide buildup in the world beeswax supply) is
designed to guide the bees to build the size cells we want.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoundationless.htm
Wax foundation and natural cell size; Michael Bush ; http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
Small Cell Bees; Dee Lusby Organic Beekeeper;
All of Dee’s bees are raised on small cell foundation (4.9mm). Dee says the smaller cell size makes her bees
mite and disease resistant,
http://www.beverlybees.com/dee-lusby-organic-beekeeper/
Small Cell Size; Natural Cell Size; Michael Bush; http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm
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Swarms, Dividing Hives and Splitting Hives Lots of my bees are outside of my hive. My bees are clustered outside of the hive. "Bearding is often
confused with swarming"; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/bearding-is-often-confused-with-
swarming/
All kinds of splits; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/splits-2/
swarm management; Understanding Colony Buildup and Decline – Part 7b; ; Randy Oliver;
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/understanding-colony-buildup-and-decline-part-7b/
Artificial Swarming; David A. Cushman; http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/artswarm.html
The great divide: a Taranov split; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/the-great-divide-a-taranov-split/
Details of the Taranov split; Dave Hurd; http://honeybeesuite.com/detail-of-the-taranov-split/
How to Catch a Swarm of Bees: Part I - taking the swarm; Philip Chandler;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M07WfEO6Iys (there are additional Parts to the series that explains
how to transfer to a top bar hive)
The Barefoot Beekeeper's Guide to Swarming and Swarm Management; Philip Chandler;
http://www.blackburnbeekeepers.com/Guide_to_Swarming_original.pdf
Putting a swarm into a Warré top bar hive; David Heaf, http://warre.biobees.com/swarms.htm
Minimizing Swarming; Randy Oliver; http://scientificbeekeeping.com/understanding-colony-buildup-and-
decline-part-7b/
Swarms - Finding a New Home
Honeybee Democracy ... swarm behaviour to find a home ... watch the video at the bottom of this page; Tom
Seeley; Cornell University
http://mannlib.cornell.edu/podcasts/honey-bee-democracy
Swarm and New Queen When will a newly-hatched queen begin to lay?; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/when-will-newly-
hatched-queen-begin-lay/
"The queen could begin to lay as early as 8 days after emergence:
5 days maturing + 1 day mating + 2 days sperm storage = 8 days
But that almost never happens. More typical would be:
6 days maturing + 4 days mating + 2 days sperm storage = 12 days
But toss in a week of rain and it might look like this:
6 days maturing + 4 days mating + 7 days rain + 2 days sperm storage = 19 days
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In fact, many people believe 2 to 3 weeks (14 to 21 days) is a good rough estimate of the hatch-to-lay
timetable."
Bee Health
General
Honey Bee Diseases and Pests; Dr. Marla Spivak and Mr. Gary S. Reuter; University of Minnesota;
https://www.beelab.umn.edu/sites/beelab.umn.edu/files/_2016_disease_pdf_version_s.pdf
Treatment-Free Beekeeping for All; Parker Farms; Solomon Parker; http://parkerfarms.biz/
Treatment-Free Beekeeping for All; facebook page; Solomon Parker;
“A group for study, discussion, and promotion of treatment-free beekeeping. Keep your honey clean and keep
your bees strong. I want to make the purpose and scope of this group clear. It is for treatment-free
beekeeping, and the promotion thereof. We will not be talking about treatments except to mention in passing
the damage they cause. If you want to talk about what treatments you use, please do it elsewhere.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/treatmentfreebeekeepers
Towards holistic approaches to the risk assessment of multiple stressors in bees; European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA)
Food: Bee Bread
Bee bread; Feeding Refined Sugar to Honey Bees; James A Zitting
There is another process taking place in the bee hive that few people know about. When the bees bring in
pollen they also add enzymes that pickle or ferment the pollen. This pickled pollen is called “bee bread” This
bee bread is even more nutritious for the bees because they can assimilate it better. There have been over
8,000 different micro organisms recorded living in the bee bread.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/feeding-refined-sugar-to-honey-bees.aspx
Food: Feeding Bees
When to feed your bees?; Michael Bush;
I don't feed if there is a nectar flow. Gathering nectar is what bees do. They should be encouraged to do it.
I will feed in the spring if they are light, as they will not rear brood without sufficient stores to do it with. I
will feed in the fall if they are light, but I always try to make sure I don't take too much honey and leave
them light. Some years, though, the fall flow fails and they are on the verge of starvation if I don't feed.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#when
How much to feed your bees? ; Michael Bush;
... people will feed incessantly in the fall until there is no where left for the bees to cluster and the humidity
in the hive is high from all that syrup that needs to be dried. Then they don't understand why they lose
hives in winter.
(Humidity is an enemy of bees)
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#when
Bee bread; Feeding Refined Sugar to Honey Bees; James A Zitting
There is another process taking place in the bee hive that few people know about. When the bees bring in
pollen they also add enzymes that pickle or ferment the pollen. This pickled pollen is called “bee bread” This
bee bread is even more nutritious for the bees because they can assimilate it better. There have been over
8,000 different micro organisms recorded living in the bee bread.
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http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/feeding-refined-sugar-to-honey-bees.aspx
Feeding Refined Sugar to Honey Bees; James A Zitting
The main reason beekeepers do this supplemental feeding is a matter of simple economics. The commercial
beekeepers have a business to run, and when they do the math, it simply does not work from a financial stand
point to let the bees eat honey. They can make more money selling the honey and buying an artificial
substitute.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/feeding-refined-sugar-to-honey-bees.aspx
Should I feed my bees? ; Hilary Kearney; http://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/should-i-feed-my-bees/
food; The minimalist guide to winter feeding; Rusty Burlew;
http://honeybeesuite.com/the-minimalist-guide-to-winter-feeding/
Should I feed my bees? ; Hilary Kearney; http://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/should-i-feed-my-bees/
food; The minimalist guide to winter feeding; Rusty Burlew;
http://honeybeesuite.com/the-minimalist-guide-to-winter-feeding/
Feeding bees; British Beekeepers Association (BBKA)
Is there any advantage in using ambosia syrup as opposed to ordinary sugar water for autumn feed
Feeding Refined Sugar to Honey Bees; James A Zitting
The main reason beekeepers do this supplemental feeding is a matter of simple economics. The commercial
beekeepers have a business to run, and when they do the math, it simply does not work from a financial stand
point to let the bees eat honey. They can make more money selling the honey and buying an artificial
substitute.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/feeding-refined-sugar-to-honey-bees.aspx
Ambrosia, and others such as Apisuc (made by Belgosuc), Apiinvert and Invertbee (also stocked by Paynes)
are similar products.
The main advantage is that bees can store the syrup almost directly as the sugar concentration is 73%.
Feeding can thus be carried out later in the season, if necessary, because bees won't have to reduce the
water content, which they do with sugar syrup at about 50% concentration.
These feeds are partially inverted (ie. broken down into fructose and sucrose) and will not ferment in
storage or crystallize in feeders.
http://www.bbka.org.uk/members/forum.php?t=6509
Feeding bees; British Beekeepers Association (BBKA)
Is there any advantage in using ambosia syrup as opposed to ordinary sugar water for autumn feed
Ambrosia, and others such as Apisuc (made by Belgosuc), Apiinvert and Invertbee (also stocked by Paynes)
are similar products.
The main advantage is that bees can store the syrup almost directly as the sugar concentration is 73%.
Feeding can thus be carried out later in the season, if necessary, because bees won't have to reduce the
water content, which they do with sugar syrup at about 50% concentration.
These feeds are partially inverted (ie. broken down into fructose and sucrose) and will not ferment in
storage or crystallize in feeders.
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http://www.bbka.org.uk/members/forum.php?t=6509
Robbing
If you have robbing you need to stop it immediately! Damage progresses quickly and can devastate a hive.
Just make sure they are robbing and not orienting first, then if it’s robbing, do something drastic. Close off
the hive, cover it with wet cloth. Open all the strong hives to make the strong hives stay home and guard
their own hives. But do something even if it’s as simple as closing off the hive with screen wire completely.
Then you can assess what you want to do to let them fly (small entrance, robber screen etc.). Bottom line,
you cannot let robbing continue. You need to stop it now.
Robbing ... only ends for the day at dark or when the hive is empty of stores.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm
Reusing Wax Foundation
Clean Wax; Dee Lusby Organic Beekeeper;
All the commercial foundation on the market today is contaminated with pesticides that beekeepers have
used to kill mites and other pests in the hive. In order to avoid this chemical contamination, Dee makes all
her own wax foundation by hand, using wax left over from her production hives. Since Dee does not use
pesticides in her hives, this gives her bees cleaner wax and a cleaner hive to reside in.
http://www.beverlybees.com/dee-lusby-organic-beekeeper/
If you reuse your wax that you have melted from way in your hives, it may also contain pesticides sprayed in
gardens and farmers' fields. Your wax will likely also contain pesticides that you used to treat mites.
Varroa
What are varroa? http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/bee-informed-adult-bee-diseases-varroa
varroa lifecycle; Varroa Mites Reproduce in Capped Brood Cells; US Department of Agriculture;
http://www.ars.usda.gov/services/docs.htm?docid=2744&page=14
varroa lifecycle; "The mite life cycle"
It works like this. A female mite enters a brood cell 1 to 2 days before it is capped. About 60 hours later,
she starts to lay her eggs at a rate of one egg every 24 to 30 hours. The mite eggs take somewhere from 3-
9 days to mature, depending on their sex. Whereas worker brood remains capped for about 12 days, drone
brood remains capped for 15 days. The difference in timing means that an average worker brood cell will
yield 1.7 mites, but an average drone brood cell will yield 2.4 mites. According to the Dyce Laboratory for
Honey Bee Studies at Cornell University, mites are found 2-30 times more often in drone brood than in
worker brood.
Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/reduce-varroa-mites-by-culling-honey-bee-drones/
bee population growth and varroa population growth
Winter Bees & Formic Acid: Used Right, A Successful Combination; an American article; see Figure 2
http://www.beeculture.com/winter-bees-formic-acid-used-right-a-successful-combination/
varroa resistance to chemical treatments (including formic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid);
ScientificBeekeeping; Randy Oliver;
“Why haven’t those danged researchers found us the cure for varroa yet?” I replied, “They have—Marla
Spivak’s been on her soapbox for years, telling us what it is: Stop perpetuating bees that can only survive
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with chemical help.” We’ve all seen how the mite develops resistance to each new chemical; bees will do
exactly the same to develop resistance to the mite, if we just allow selective pressure to exert its effect.
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/choosing-your-troops-breeding-mite-fighting-bees/
Faster than the speed of mite; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/tag/varroa-mites/page/7/
Absconding bees or death by Varroa?; Rusty Burlew; http://www.honeybeesuite.com/did-they-abscond-or-
die-from-varroa/
Integrated control of Varroa mites ; University of Sussex, UK;
"Application of OA via sublimation, where OA is applied in its pure form by vapourising the crystals with a
special heated tool, was superior to application as a solution via either spraying or dribbling."
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lasi/sussexplan/varroamites
Are we obsessed with Varroa mites?; Rusty Burlew; http://www.honeybeesuite.com/are-we-obsessed-with-
varroa-mites/
"So you want to be treatment free"; Rusty Burlew; http://www.honeybeesuite.com/so-you-want-to-be-
treatment-free/
Read the section "But First A Rant"; ScientificBeekeeping; Randy Oliver;
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/queens-for-pennies/
“Let the bees be bees” Really?; Rusty Burlew; http://www.honeybeesuite.com/let-the-bees-be-bees-really/
Hive Cleaning and Sterilisation; National Bee Unit; Food and Environment Research Agency; UK;
http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=423
Varroa Resistance
Acaricide (pyrethroid) resistance in Varroa destructor STEPHEN J MARTIN
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.419.4434&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Varroa and Genetics
honeybee genetics: Varroa sensitive hygiene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varroa_sensitive_hygiene
Varroa sensitive hygiene; Varroa resistance - Natural behavior to withstand varroa; Arista Bee Research
Foundation, a European outfit
"The “Bond – let live and let die” method: stop all treatments or reduce treatments, those colonies which
survive or have the lowest infestation of Varroa are kept."
https://aristabeeresearch.org/varroa-resistance/
https://www.facebook.com/aristabeeresearch
Luxembourg is participating in a project to breed VSH Buckfast bees: https://aristabeeresearch.org/
Yes, We Can Breed Bees Which Are Resistant to Varroa; Joe Bleasdale
Beekeeping journals continue to be fixated on the threat from varroa. My experience in recent years, both
with my hive and with hives of Natural Beekeepers and conventional beekeepers who do not use chemicals, is
that hive mortality caused by varroa is negligible compared to other causes such as nosema, starvation,
robbing by other bees, wasps and mice. I believe that treatment for varroa by chemicals is counter-
productive, in that it weakens the bees and the surviving varroa become more immune to the treatment.
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Similarly, non-chemical intervention, such as the use of icing sugar and drone comb removal, also disturb the
colony. In summary, in trying to treat varroa, British beekeepers have been weakening their stock. We have
been breeding RESISTANT VARROA, when we should have been breeding RESISTANT BEES.
http://www.beeginnerbeekeeper.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Bleasdale-2014-We-Can-Breed-Bees-
Resistant-to-Varroa.pdf
Varroa Calculating and Monitoring
Monitoring mites with a sticky board?; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/monitoring-mites-with-a-
sticky-board/
Varroa Calculator; National Bee Unit; Food and Environment Research Agency; UK;
http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/public/BeeDiseases/appresults.cfm
Varroa Treatment with Icing Sugar / Powdered Sugar
Note that icing sugar/powdered sugar contains cornstarch to prevent the sugar from sticking together.
However, cornstarch may also risk to block/clog the breathing apparatus of the bees. You may wish to put
white granulated sugar in a food processor to make your own icing sugar (without cornstarch).
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/22785/why-is-there-cornstarch-in-powdered-sugar
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powdered_sugar
Monitoring mites with a sugar shake (powdered sugar / icing sugar); Rusty Burlew;
http://honeybeesuite.com/tag/powdered-sugar/
(you will likely need to adjust the quantity of powdered sugar based on the size of the colony and the number
of boxes they are in)
Can powdered sugar control Varroa mites?; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/can-powdered-sugar-
control-varroa-mites/
Varroa Treatment how many boxes should a beehive have on it?; Mite management in large hives; Rusty Burlew;
http://honeybeesuite.com/mite-management-in-large-hives/
Note that "triple-deep" means 3 boxes.
Managing Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies; Department of Entomology Apicultural Program, North
Carolina State University (NC State University); David R. Tarpy and Joshua Summers
Controlling Varroa Mites
Traditional methods for varroa mite control have been to hang plastic strips impregnated with chemical
pesticides between the wax combs of beehives. Unfortunately, the mites are rapidly developing resistance to
many of the common treatments, ...
Mite-tolerant stocks
Some of the more exciting advances in varroa mite control have been in honey bee genetics.
... some behavioral and physiological traits probably play a role in varroa resistance.
Summary
...
3. The exclusive and continual use of one chemical product is more likely to result in resistance by the pest.
Several different products should be used on a rotating basis.
https://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/entomology/apiculture/pdfs/2.03%20copy.pdf
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Treatment-Free Beekeeping; Parker Farms; http://parkerfarms.biz/treatmentfree.html
Varroa - Treatment-Free Beekeeping; Dr. David Heaf; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCY6EZkgxE
Stop treating; Michael Bush
As long as we treat we get weaker bees who can only survive if we treat, and stronger parasites who can only
survive if they breed fast enough to keep up with our treatments. No stable relationship can develop until we
stop treating. http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
Alternative varroa treatment http://freethebees.ch/en/bienenhaltung/alternative-varroa-behandlung/
Reduce varroa mites by culling honey bee drones; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/reduce-varroa-
mites-by-culling-honey-bee-drones/
Treatments For Varroa; ScientificBeekeeping; Randy Oliver; http://scientificbeekeeping.com/varroa-
management/treatments-for-varroa/
Oxalic Acid in Varroa Management; ScientificBeekeeping; Randy Oliver;
The presentation is North American though the content may be useful, such as
slide 22 safety
slide 52 induced brood break
“The only way to halt the development of resistance to a certain product is by interrupting its use in the
control strategy.” Lodesani (2009) Limits of chemotherapy in beekeeping: development of resistance and the
problem of residues.
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/scibeeimages/2016-Oxalic-acid.pptx
Oxalic Acid: Questions, Answers, and More Questions: Part 1 of 2 Parts
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-acid-questions-answers-and-more-questions-part-1-of-2-parts/
Formic Acid Dangers and Uses in Nature and in Humans; Linda Crampton
Formic acid preparations are used to kill varroa and tracheal mites which invade honeybee hives and attack
the bees.
https://owlcation.com/stem/Formic-Acid-Dangers-and-Uses-in-Nature-and-in-Humans
integrated pest management) IPM 7 The Arsenal: “Natural” Treatments – Part 1; Randy Oliver;
Beekeepers may wish to use the natural miticides for various reasons: as an alternative to, or in rotation
with, synthetic miticides that are failing due to varroa resistance; to give the colonies a break from chemical
sublethal effects or comb contamination; to avoid miticide toxicity to drones and queens; to meet “organic”
production standards (when allowed); or due to personal preferences or concern about chemical residues in
honey.
...
It’s been frequently asserted that the natural miticides will be “sustainable,” that is, that the mite is
unlikely to develop resistance to them. I don’t buy this. Milani (2001) speaks for biologists when he states:
“There is no reason to believe that the varroa mite cannot develop resistance against acaricides of natural
origin or simple molecules (e.g., formic acid). There are hundreds of species of insects and mites which feed
on plants containing natural toxins.” Even though formic acid has been used for some 30 years in Europe with
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no apparent sign of resistance, with continued regular use without rotation, the tolerance of the mite to
formic would likely approach the tolerance level of the bee. In other words, you’d kill your colony before you
killed enough mites to make it worthwhile. My point is, it would be unwise to use any single natural treatment
as a Silver Bullet.
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/the-arsenal-natural-treatments-part-1/
Varroa-Management 2016; FUAL (in DE);
http://apis.lu/Uploads/News/Doc/11_1_Varroa-Management_2016.pdf
Bee virus spread manmade and emanates from Europe;
"Apis mellifera is overwhelmingly the source of cases of the Deformed Wing Virus infecting hives worldwide.
The finding suggests that the pandemic is manmade rather than naturally occurring, with human trade and
transportation of bees for crop pollination driving the spread. [...] It’s also really important that beekeepers
at all levels take steps to control Varroa in their hives, as this viral disease can also affect wild pollinators.”
University of Exeter and UC Berkeley; http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_494890_en.html
Tools for Varroa Management; Honey Bee Health Coalition; USA and Canada
http://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/
Stratiolaelaps scimitus for Varroa control
Stratiolaelaps scimitus (formerly known as Hypoaspis miles), is a predatory, soil-dwelling mite that has been
used for the past fifteen years as a biological control agent against fungus gnats, spider mites, poultry
mites, poultry lice, and similar agricultural pests. It lives, eats, and reproduces in the surface layers of the
soil and is native to North America.
Since this mite has an appetite for other mites, beekeepers have been experimenting with introducing it into
beehives in the hope it will eat Varroa destructor.
http://honeybeesuite.com/stratiolaelaps-scimitus-for-varroa-control/
Deformed Wing Virus (DWV)
There is nothing you can do for DWV. It rarely transmits between bees except through the bites of mites,
so it will not move from bee to bee unless you have mites.
Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/deformed-wing-virus/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deformed_wing_virus
Feral Honeybees
Why we need feral bees;
Honey bees of the Arnot Forest: a population of feral colonies persisting with Varroa destructor in the
north-eastern United States; Thomas D. Seeley
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00892236/document
Is There A Difference Between Domesticated And Feral Bees?; First published in: American Bee Journal,
June 2014 http://scientificbeekeeping.com/whats-happening-to-the-bees-part-5-is-there-a-difference-
between-domesticated-and-feral-bees/
The Important Difference Between Feral And Domestic Honeybees; Knowledge Nuts;
http://knowledgenuts.com/2015/08/24/the-important-difference-between-feral-and-domestic-honeybees/
(see bottom of page for other links)
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Honeybee Genetics... Differences Between USA and UK Gene Distributions; David Cushman;
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/us_uk_dna.html
Honey Bee Genetic Diversity and Breeding: Towards the Reintroduction of European Germplasm; Walter S.
Sheppard; http://articles.extension.org/pages/62802/honey-bee-genetic-diversity-and-breeding:-towards-
the-reintroduction-of-european-germplasm
Finding beehives; Bee lining; "Following the Wild Bees "; Tom Seeley;
http://theapiarist.org/following-the-wild-bees/ with video
Chapter 1 of his book is here: http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10669.pdf
http://www.beeculture.com/tom-seeley/
Natural beekeeping
Books
The Practical Beekeeper: Beekeeping Naturally: 1,2 & 3; Michael Bush; recommended by Amanda; can be
borrowed from Amanda
The Barefoot Beekeeper; Philip Chandler; recommended by John; can be borrowed from John
The Bee-friendly Beekeeper, A Sustainable Approach; Dr.David Heaf; recommended by John; can be
borrowed from John
Natural Beekeeping with the Warré Hive, A Manual; Dr.David Heaf; recommended by John; can be borrowed
from John
L'Apiculture telle que je l'aime et la pratique http://www.apiculturegatineau.fr/ ; Marc.Gatineau; ;
recommended by John; can be borrowed from John
References
Bee-Centred vs Conventional Beekeeping; The Natural Beekeeping Trust; An Interview with David Heaf;
http://www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org/#!bee-centred-vs-conventional/sdgc9
The Bee Friendly Beekeeper, An Interview with Dr David Heaf; http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/the-bee-
friendly-beekeeper.html; (varroa, honeycomb wax, cell size)
The Practical Beekeeper: Beekeeping Naturally; Michael Bush; http://www.bushfarms.com/beesvideos.htm
Ruche Bio; https://www.youtube.com/user/ruchebio
Philip Chandler; https://www.youtube.com/user/beesontoastful
Beekeeping Like a Girl; Hilary Kearney; www.beekeepinglikeagirl.com
Resources https://simplebees.wordpress.com/support-and-resources/
At the Hive Entrance; Observation Handbook "How to know what happens inside the hive by observation on
the outside"; H. STORCH;
http://www.biobees.com/library/general_beekeeping/beekeeping_books_articles/At%20the%20Hive%20En
trance.pdf
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Is Honey Vegan?; Hilary Kearney; http://beekeepinglikeagirl.com/is-honey-vegan/#more-646
The queen excluder controversy: some things never change; Rusty Burlew; http://honeybeesuite.com/the-
queen-excluder-controversy-some-things-never-change/
queen excluder; What’s an unlimited brood nest?; Rusty Burlew;
http://honeybeesuite.com/whats-an-unlimited-brood-nest/
how many boxes should a beehive have on it?; overwintering bees - how many boxes: More on triple-deep
hives; Rusty Burlew;
http://honeybeesuite.com/more-on-triple-deep-hives/
Note that "triple-deep" means 3 boxes.
Organic References
Organic beekeeping labels and requirements
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/organic-labels-and-beekeeping-in-luxembourg
Beekeeping Theory Course Material
Bee Biology; Andreas Reichart
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/beekeeping-theory-course-bee-biology-2015-11-16 ;
Cours d'apiculture naturelle
Cours d'apiculture naturelle; Free the Bees; http://freethebees.ch/fr/kurse-und-veranstaltungen/
Cours d'apiculture naturelle; Du vendredi 28 octobre 2016 à 20h au dimanche 30 octobre à 17h; Belgium;
http://www.lagaumette.be/content/cours-dapiculture-naturelle-cursus-zeidlerei
Support pour la Formation d'Apiculture Naturelle http://freethebees.ch/wp-
content/uploads/2015/02/2015_02_28_Introduction_a_l_apiculture_proche_de_la_nature_finale.pdf
Log Beekeeping
The making of a log hive - Treatment Free Tree Beekeeping in Great Britain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBikO86q130&feature=youtu.be
Tree Beekeeping Tree Beekeeping; http://www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org/#!tree-hives/c1yzj
Course Material; Free the Bees; http://freethebees.ch/fr/bienenkurse/kursunterlagen/
Des abeilles au cœur des arbres - ZEIDLEREI, l'apiculture naturelle dans la foret;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6AmwcQ-Q10
ZEIDLEREI Tree Beekeeping International; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPnzOchS-
2h320sPbW9dKxQ
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Top Bar WarréContact Bee Together as there are Warré top bar beekeepers in Luxembourg! Join a
beekeeper to see the bees in action in a Warré top bar hive.Books"L'apiculture pour tous" 12ème édition
http://freethebees.ch/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Apiculture-pour-tous.pdf ;
l'Abbé Émile Warré Alternatively, "L'apiculture pour tous" 12ème édition; http://www.apiculture-
warre.fr/livres/livre-warre/apiculture-pour-tous-telechargement.html;
l'Abbé Émile Warré Translations of “Beekeeping for All” by Abbé Émile Warré can be found here:
http://warre.biobees.com/bfa.htm;
Emile Warré References
Warré Beekeeping - Advice to a complete beginner to beekeeping; David Heaf;
http://warre.biobees.com/beginner.htm
"1. Join a local association and pick up what you can. If you have not done so already, and there is an
opportunity to handle bees with the guidance of association members, do that. In that way you get to
understand the different members of the colony and handle bees in a way that you will not with Warré hives.
If you can find a willing mentor amongst the association members who will let you go along to routine apiary
visits, a huge amount can be learnt that way.2. Take note of what the experienced conventional beekeepers
tell you about the life cycle of bees, pollen and nectar sources, what you can observe and learn from the hive
entrance (i), how to handle a swarm etc. Listen to what they tell you about hive design and management, but
do not take it as gospel. It might also be tricky to tell them about Warré as they will probably not be
supportive."Warré Beekeeping - Methods; David Heaf; http://warre.biobees.com/methods.htm
How to build a Warré beehive at low cost by David Heaf - sustainable bee-keeping UK; David Heaf;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KVn-NZTfus
The components of a Warré hive;
http://thebeespace.net/warre-hive/warre-hive-components/
Bee Hive Construction Plans According to Emile Warré;
http://warre.biobees.com/plans.htm
The Bee Space; Nick; https://thebeespace.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/warre_hive_plans_english.pdf
Horizontal Top Bar Hive (aka Kenyan Hive)How to Build a (Horizontal) Top Bar Hive; Phil J Chandler;
http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/support-files/how_to_build_a_tbh.pdf
Vespa velutina (Asian hornet)Appearance and biology of the Asian hornet etc.; beebase;
http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=208
Vespa velutina (Asiatische Hornisse)flyer in German, including who to contact if you see the hornet and/or
its nest: http://www.environnement.public.lu/conserv_nature/publications/Asiatische-Hornisse/Faltblatt-
Asiatische-Hornisse_DE_2016_03_01_web.pdf
article in German about the hornet; FUAL, natur&ëmwelt, MNHN;
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/fual-n-mnhn-info-on-asian-hornet-vespa-velutina-fr-de
Vespa velutina (Frelon Asiatique)article en français concernant le frelon asiatique; FUAL, natur&ëmwelt,
MNHN; http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/fual-n-mnhn-info-on-asian-hornet-vespa-velutina-fr-de
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INPN - Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, France; identification
https://inpn.mnhn.fr/espece/cd_nom/433589
Alerte au Serial Killer du Sud-Ouest; Paris Match; 2007
http://www.unaf-apiculture.info/presse/2007_03_21parismatch.pdf
Pourquoi il ne faut pas piéger le frelon asiatique; terraeco; mars 2015
http://www.terraeco.net/Pourquoi-il-ne-faut-pas-pieger-le,58870.html
France; Arrêté du 22 janvier 2013 interdisant sur le territoire national l'introduction de spécimens du frelon
à pattes jaunes Vespa velutina
http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=CC3F4649CF655EE6646439108033AB72.tpdila16v
_1?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000027048139&dateTexte=&oldAction=rechJO&categorieLien=id&idJO=JORFCON
T000027047835
Formations en Français
http://www.cetam.info/site/2010/08/25/les-ruchers-ecoles-de-moselle/
Formations d'Apiculture Naturelle http://www.rucherecole.com/
Wild Bees
Wild bees 'just as important as honeybees' for pollinating food crops; The Independent;
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/wild-bees-found-to-be-just-as-important-as-honeybees-for-
pollinating-food-crops-10324450.html
Magazines / Journals in paper formatIn FR http://www.unaf-apiculture.info/abeilles_et_fleurs.htm
Perspectives from Other Places in the World
A Canadian PerspectiveHoney Bee Pests & Diseases; Ontario Beekeepers' Association (OBA);
http://www.ontariobee.com/outreach/honey-bee-pests-and-diseases
An Australian Perspective - Some References Published in August 2016 Beien-ZeitungAustralian Beekeeping
Guide; https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/14-098
The McArthur Park Apiaryhttp://www.mcarthurpark.altervista.org/?cb=1432630712427