PRESENT: Frank Lindsay (Pres.), Mary Ann Lindsay (Treas.) John Burnet (Sec.), and 31 members as listed in the attendance book.

APOLOGIES: Andrew Yung, John Pallenson, John Robson, John Wallace

NEW MEMBERS & VISITORS: Kent Murrell (Mangaroa)

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Minutes of meeting held 12 April as circulated in the May newsletter were confirmed.

• Varroa Update: Current varroa infestation limits were Upper Hutt, Wainuiomata and Khandallah. Varroa has also been reported over the Rimutaka Hill in Featherston. Varroa was now rife in the Hawkes Bay.

Ken Breden (Otaki) reported losing two hives, John Pallenson (also Otaki) had lost four and Andrew Yung (Te Horo) had lost two.

• Varroa Surveys: Members who had completed AgriQuality’s recent survey were advised not to expect a response or results unless a serious disease such as AFB was detected.

• FGMO Treatment: Mary Ann advised that arrangements had been confirmed for Dr Pedro Rodriguez (retired US Dept of Agriculture scientist) to talk to members on Sat 1 July 1pm at the Johnsonville Community Centre about his FGMO research.

• Wintering Down: Frank advised that hives should have at least one super of stores at the beginning of winter and each hive’s weight should be checked periodically to ensure sufficient stores. To prevent starvation, hives should have a minimum of three frames at all times (this was one weeks supply). Commercial beekeepers generally remove all honey in the autumn and feed sugar syrup in the winter for commercial reasons i.e. honey is worth more than sugar.

• Ventilation was also important – a gap in the rim of the top board or a small stick under the top board will be adequate. Plastic roofs will need holes drilled in the sides because of their tight fit. Roofs made of tongue & groove timber are warmer and sweat less than tin.

• Food sources: Currently Spanish heath (Erica) was flowering and there was a light flow on in most areas. Brood boxes were showing small amounts of nectar and brood.

• Unlike feral colonies, hived bees normally reside in the bottom one or two boxes as they are driven down by the stored honey. Top entrances allow bees to store pollen in the upper boxes i.e. mixed with nectar/honey - not an ideal harvesting situation for beekeepers

• Artificial feeding: Vaughan Kearns demonstrated his syrup-proof feeding equipment – an empty super containing a cheap 10 litre plastic tray and a loop of plastic Leaf Guard to allow the bees to climb down to the syrup. A holed or pierced 1 litre orange juice container was another way to feed syrup to bees.

An electric paint stirrer was very useful for mixing syrup.

Starving colonies should be fed syrup as raw sugar requires bees to bring in water. Warm syrup was best to revive a dying colony but must be applied in the evening to avoid risk of creating a nuisance to neighbours. Raw sugar is best for feeding bees as cane sugar hardens and brown sugar has molasses added. Wet frames generally only stimulate a hive and do not provide much food stores. A box of wets would normally only feed a hive for a week.

• Disease: Nosema was always present in all hives to some degree. It is a stress related disease and often known as spring dwindling. Nosema spores eat the bees’ gut linings and shortens their life spans. Spores can be minimised by replacing older blackened frames with new foundation every three years.

• Nitrate deficiencies: Ivan spoke about a recent Straight Furrow article which explained how nitrogen excesses (nitrate fertiliser) were ruining lakes and waterways. The article also noted that rural areas where bees were absent were experiencing nitrate problems. It was suggested bee farming not just beekeeping i.e. 80,000 additional hives throughout NZ would rectify the situation. However the Sustainable Farming Fund was apparently not interested in Ivan’s suggestion. If farmers were not interested, maybe beekeepers could be invited to participate in restocking these depleted areas. Without bees clover will eventually die off. Unfortunately it will be 15 years before the seriousness of the problem will become evident.

Camp Rangi: Southern NI branch of NBA were planning to hold their Beekeepers workshop weekend on 27-29 Aug at Totara Reserve, Pohangina Valley. All experienced and beginner beekeepers were invited. 50 can be accommodated on-site – cost $100 each. 30 others can participate but will need to make their own accommodation arrangements nearby – caravans etc or in Ashurst (nearest town). More details available from MaryAnn or on Page 32 of April edition of NZ Beekeeper.

• Annual Disease Return: This is due by 1 June and is regarded by AgriQuality as a statistical record only. DECA registered beekeepers will be required to complete their declarations in Nov.

Meeting closed at 9:00 pm. and members then enjoyed the usual supper.

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This mystery photo has been submitted by a Club member. First one with the correct answer gets 1000 varroa mites by return delivery!

Is it:

1. chicken man?
2. The aliens have landed?
3. The war against varroa?
4. All of the above?
5. None of the above

Answers to Frank or MaryAnn Lindsay, who are probably just as bemused as the rest of us, but who will happily award multiple First Prizes to all comers!:

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On a personal note, I was rather surprised, and disappointed, to read that at the South Island ‘BIG’ (Bee Industry Group) 2-day AGM to be held in early June in Methven, not one of the scheduled speakers or topics covers Varroa – neither the fight against nor how to deal with the villain once it arrives. Considering the impact varroa is expected to have on South Island beekeeping, are the organisers ignoring this threat in the hope that it won’t materialise? There will be discussion on the proposed Commodity Levy, and speakers have been invited to talk about: "the clover seed bank and the value of bees" (Peter Clifford); James Driscoll on AFB PMS and update on same; Dr Mark Goodwin on "The bee industry and the horticultural industry experience with pollination and what not to do"; plus John McKay, CEO of South Pacific Seeds on "Current and future pollination opportunities"; Day Two has speakers on Employment Relations, Holidays Act; Update on transport regulations and issues; update on the transfer process of chemicals and hazardous substances through the ERMA process; The Bee Industry and regulations in the year 2010 (I wonder how many of those attending will still be beekeepers in 2010?); and Bee Industry Insurance. There are opportunities for general business and presentations from sponsors – but no time slot for varroa discussion. Priorities???

From the ‘Bee Industry Group’ May 2004 newsletter comes the following: Representatives from BIG are in a working group convened by the NZ Food Safety Authority to develop an industry Code of Practice that reflects acceptable industry agreed practices and meets the requirements of the Animal Products Act. The newsletter notes that it is desirable to have an industry CoP as this will make individual RMP’s easier to develop. For those beekeepers planning honey houses, the outcome of the above could possibly impact on the requirements for hygiene certificates.

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Disappointing to learn that Ivan Pederson’s application to the Sustainable Farming Fund has not made the shortlist. Ivan’s proposal, under the heading: "Pollination of White Clover", noted that the Varroa Mite will in time kill all feral bee colonies. His project aimed to establish single permanent pollination hives in areas where no other beehives were presently situated, where white clover is totally dependent on bees for pollination. The location of all managed hives is already known and recorded. Accordingly, areas which have been decimated by the varroa mite, and which have no managed hives, could be readily identified. Of New Zealand’s 135,000 farms Ivan has calculated that about 80,000 will need a permanent pollination hive. He proposed that the farmers concerned would own and pay for a hive, but would need instructions on how to control the Varroa mite. Ivan’s part in the project was to act as a travelling consultant over a period of 3 years teaching farmers how to work the hives and how to fight against varroa incursion.

Application criteria included:

• the project’s potential to ‘make a difference’
• project costs relative to expected benefits and
• the extent to which the project’s results and benefits would be shared with, and apply across, the broader rural community.

Although Ivan’s proposal was "assessed as being consistent with both the purpose and criteria of the Fund, … when considered relative to all the other applications received, the proposed project activities did not rank with those selected for the short list."

Good try Ivan. It would be interesting to know what proposals did make the shortlist.

DID YOU KNOW that the name BEESKEP comes from the old English word "Skep" meaning round basket? The original beeskeps were woven from rye grass because it was the tallest of the grains, withstood the weather best and was too tough for the mice to eat. The modern beehive is infinitely more practical however the BEESKEP is reappearing in an ornamental form in many gardens as a symbol of simpler times.

A pound of honey on the breakfast table necessitates a total flight path equivalent to three orbits round the earth using up an ounce of honey (from "Honey" by Eva Crane)

Or to put it another way, it takes 10,000 individual flights to produce 500grams of honey. Most bees fly approximately 1.5 to 2km one way per trip.

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STATISTICS – as at April 2003 New Zealand had 320,000 beehives that produced an annual crop of 8,600 tonnes of honey. These hives were owned by nearly 5000 beekeepers and are spread over 22,000 apiaries. The greater number of beekeepers are hobbiests with 88.3% of them owning an average of only 5 hives. The remaining 11.7% are commercial and semi-commercial managing an average of 513 hives each. ("Airborne Honey" website)

In country districts, the foxglove was often referred to as ‘Fairy Caps’ or ‘Fairy Bells’. It was well known that excessive doses were poisonous, a fact which gave rise to more sinister names, such as ‘Witches’ Thimbles’ and ‘Bloody Man’s Fingers’.

The true medicinal worth of the Foxglove, which is the source of the cardiac drug digitalin, was not appreciated until the late 18^th century.

Digitalis
Foxglove

Foxy

Traditional beehives are not as productive as more modern ones. In fact you need 10 traditional beehives to make as much honey as one modern beehive. Unfortunately most beekeepers do not have the 600 Birr (NZ$150) to buy the modern beehive. It is too expensive because the wood to make the beehive is not grown locally.

Because the wood is valuable the hives get stolen and this is very discouraging.

Dinsa Regassa is a government worker for the Ministry of Agriculture. He has been working hard to develop a modern beehive that uses only local materials. His beehive is made from eucalyptus and bamboo and held together by sisal, a locally made rope. It costs only 10 Birr (NZ$2.50). This means not only can the beekeepers afford it but they can also repair them without having to buy in expensive material from outside the local area. People will no longer want to steal them either.

World Vision workers wanted to share the good news with beekeepers who were struggling to earn enough money to feed their families. So training courses to teach the new methods and show the beekeepers how to construct the beehives where provided. There was a course just starting when we visited the Training Centre. These men had walked five hours and were staying for five days of learning. Their goal for coming on the course was to improve their income and standard of living.

Wellington - Saturday 3rd July 1.30pm (venue to be arranged)

Wanganui - Sunday 4th July 1.30pm.    (venue to be arranged)

Sorry but we have to have him in Hamilton for a morning meeting on the
6th July and his age and health means we can't organise a more rigorous
visit.

At present we intend to travel up to Taranaki on the Sunday afternoon
and depending upon Dr Pedro, we may visit beekeepers up there (but
nothing firm).

Dr Pedro has been searching for a cheap, effective, chemical free method
of treating mites and has perfected this using fogging with Food grade
mineral oil and cords soaked in a mixture of food grade mineral oil,
bees wax and honey.  Last year he added thymol to the mixture with good
results. (Refer March ABJ for article).

He is keen to meet with beekeepers.  Please pass this on to members of
the hobby groups.

Those on the East Coast (Wairarapa) should make every endeavour to hear
him speak at the Napier (Group Meeting Day and Seminar Day). or pop over to Wellington.

Frank Lindsay

Don’t forget – June is MEAD COMPETITION – bring along your entry(s) for a fun night.