Geek Corner

[Finman]

.
WE really have different opinions, even if the guys belive that they are facts


Honey Bee Hive Optimal Winter Conditions
October 19, 2016 by beekeperz, posted in Uncategorized
Key elements necessary to support a healthy colony (climate regions coldest month 20 ° F) include:

The wintering unit must have a good productive queen
Worker population that covers 10 – 15 frames
Minimum of 80 pounds honey
Preferable 80 – 100 pounds honey
Approximately 500 square inches of pollen
Disease free
Adequate protection

..........https://cypresshillshoney.wordpress.com/2016/10/19/honey-bee-hive-optimal-winter-conditions/

Southern Alberta Canada

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yes, in Finland most colonies have over wintered in one Langstroth box. Colony consumes 20 kg sugar during September- May.

Above "optimal consumption is 40-50 kg. It tells that hives do not have insulation.

Langstroth hive can have 25 kg honey. So they need two Langstroth boxes to get colonies over winter.


We have balance net system, and 4 beekeepers have followed their hives consumption. The winter was really mild.

Arverage consumtion of 4 hives were in 5 winter months. Continuous frost weathers.

1,8 kg/month
1,9
2,0
2,9
.

 

[Finman]

Here is an example how hives have been fed. Hives are on balance.

http://koti.tnnet.fi/web144/vaakapesa/selaa2.php?vuosi=2017&kunta=58

. The apiary is in cold part of Finland. -30C are not rare.

Foreca Joensuu

 

[masterBK]

derekm
What is a " negative coefficient of metabolic rate" with respect to temperature?
In laymans terms do you mean that at lower temperatures (in absence of brood) bees regulate cluster at lower temperatures so metabolic rate lower (applying Q10 rule) so less food consumed so less waste accumulated.
Even so they will still need to defaecate eventually and if confined they will do that within the hive with the risk of Nosema problems.

 

[Finman]

derekm
What is a " negative coefficient of metabolic rate" with respect to temperature?
.

Many beekeepers think so but such does not exist.

There are laboratory researches, where beehives temp goes down, and the researcher follow, how much carbondiokside the colony generates in lowering temperature.


.

 

[user 6228]

I've quoted the abstract for this paper, as it has relevance to most of us.

Dynamics of Weight Change and Temperature of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies in a Wintering Building With Controlled Temperature

The insulation is a plastic sheet "crown board" with a sheet of polystyrene on top then a wooden roof.

 

[Beefriendly]

The insulation is a plastic sheet "crown board" with a sheet of polystyrene on top then a wooden roof.

Thanks for that Derek.
Overwintering bees in cellars was a fairly common practice in some states in the USA. Charles Miller was a great proponent of it and writes about it in his classic book "Fifty years among the Bees". Which is out of copyright and can be downloaded free to anyone with an electronic book reader like a kindle.

 

[Finman]

Thanks for that Derek.
Overwintering bees in cellars was a fairly common practice .

Absolutely, cellars are not needed on Britain, not even in South Finland. Bees over winter well in polyhives.

.cellar features

- moved to cellar when weather is permanently under zero

- dark
- under 7C
- electrict ventilation. Air must be fresh.
.

 

[Beefriendly]

Absolutely, cellars are not needed on Britain, not even in South Finland. Bees over winter well in polyhives.

Couldn't agree more Finman, no need to dig a new cellar, unless you have really cold winters that last for months.
Not something we get in the UK.

 

[Beefriendly]

Okay here are some more. I haven't read many of them yet but there is an interesting Goulson paper at the bottom.
Use as you wish.
Enjoy.
BF

Giacobino A, Pacini A, Molineri A, Bulacio Cagnolo N, Merke J, Orellano E, Bertozzi E, Masciangelo G, Pietronave H, Signorini M.
Environment or beekeeping management: What explains better the prevalence of honey bee colonies with high levels of Varroa destructor?
Res Vet Sci. 2017 Jan 6;112:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28095337 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Paynter E, Millar AH, Welch M, Baer-Imhoof B, Cao D, Baer B.
Insights into the molecular basis of long-term storage and survival of sperm in the honeybee (Apis mellifera).
Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 16;7:40236.
PMID: 28091518 [PubMed - in process]

Peralta C, Palma L.
Is the Insect World Overcoming the Efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis?
Toxins (Basel). 2017 Jan 18;9(1).
PMID: 28106770 [PubMed - in process]


Etchegoyen MA, Ronco AE, Almada P, Abelando M, Marino DJ.
Occurrence and fate of pesticides in the Argentine stretch of the Paraguay-Paraná basin.
Environ Monit Assess. 2017 Feb;189(2):63.
PMID: 28105564 [PubMed - in process]

Yang R, Xie T, Yang H, Turner S, Wu G.
Historical trends of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) recorded in sediments across the Tibetan Plateau.
Environ Geochem Health. 2017 Jan 17;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28097496 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]


Soydan E, Güler A, Bıyık S, Şentürk M, Supuran CT, Ekinci D.
Carbonic anhydrase from Apis mellifera: purification and inhibition by pesticides.
J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem. 2017 Dec;32(1):47-50.
PMID: 28090787 [PubMed - in process]


Botìas C, David A, Hill EM, Goulson D.
Quantifying exposure of wild bumblebees to mixtures of agrochemicals in agricultural and urban landscapes.
Environ Pollut. 2017 Jan 11;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28087090 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

[user 6228]

it might look black and mank to youy but its a composite building material to a bee
Honeybee use the cocoon to strengthen comb


1. Zhang, K., Duan, H., Karihaloo, B. L. & Wang, J. Hierarchical, multilayered cell walls reinforced by recycled silk cocoons enhance the structural integrity of honeybee combs. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 107, 9502–6 (2010).

 

[Beefriendly]

A few more offerings for anyone wishing to pursue them further.

Drescher N, Klein AM, Neumann P, Yañez O, Leonhardt SD.
Inside Honeybee Hives: Impact of Natural Propolis on the Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa destructor and Viruses.
Insects. 2017 Feb 6;8(1).
PMID: 28178181 [PubMed - in process]

Siede R, Faust L, Meixner MD, Maus C, Grünewald B, Büchler R.
Performance of honey bee colonies under a long-lasting dietary exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid.
Pest Manag Sci. 2017 Feb 7;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28168846 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Gracia MJ, Moreno C, Ferrer M, Sanz A, Peribáñez M�, Estrada R.
Field efficacy of acaricides against Varroa destructor.
PLoS One. 2017 Feb 3;12(2):e0171633.
PMID: 28158303 [PubMed - in process]

Hamiduzzaman MM, Emsen B, Hunt GJ, Subramanyam S, Williams CE, Tsuruda JM, Guzman-Novoa E.
Differential Gene Expression Associated with Honey Bee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites.
Behav Genet. 2017 Feb 3;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28154949 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Tomlinson S, Dixon KW, Didham RK, Bradshaw SD.
Landscape context alters cost of living in honeybee metabolism and feeding.
Proc Biol Sci. 2017 Feb 8;284(1848).
PMID: 28179522 [PubMed - in process]

Sobral F, Calhelha RC, Barros L, Dueñas M, Tomás A, Santos-Buelga C, Vilas-Boas M, Ferreira IC.
Flavonoid Composition and Antitumor Activity of Bee Bread Collected in Northeast Portugal.
Molecules. 2017 Feb 7;22(2).
PMID: 28178217 [PubMed - in process]

Drescher N, Klein AM, Neumann P, Yañez O, Leonhardt SD.
Inside Honeybee Hives: Impact of Natural Propolis on the Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa destructor and Viruses.
Insects. 2017 Feb 6;8(1).
PMID: 28178181 [PubMed - in process]

Calegari MA, Prasniewski A, Silva CD, Sado RY, Maia FM, Tonial LM, Oldoni TL.
Propolis from Southwest of Parana produced by selected bees: Influence of seasonality and food supplementation on antioxidant activity and phenolic profile.
An Acad Bras Cienc. 2017 Feb 6;:0. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28177054 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Cridland JM, Tsutsui ND, RamÃ-rez SR.
The complex demographic history and evolutionary origin of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera.
Genome Biol Evol. 2017 Feb 2;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28164223 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

du Rand EE, Human H, Smit S, Beukes M, Apostolides Z, Nicolson SW, Pirk CW.
Proteomic and metabolomic analysis reveals rapid and extensive nicotine detoxification ability in honey bee larvae.
Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2017 Feb 1;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28161469 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Hamiduzzaman MM, Emsen B, Hunt GJ, Subramanyam S, Williams CE, Tsuruda JM, Guzman-Novoa E.
Differential Gene Expression Associated with Honey Bee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites.
Behav Genet. 2017 Feb 3;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28154949 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Emery O, Schmidt K, Engel P.
Immune system stimulation by the gut symbiont Frischella perrara in the honey bee (Apis mellifera).
Mol Ecol. 2017 Feb 16;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28207182 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

de Vere N, Jones LE, Gilmore T, Moscrop J, Lowe A, Smith D, Hegarty MJ, Creer S, Ford CR.
Using DNA metabarcoding to investigate honey bee foraging reveals limited flower use despite high floral availability.
Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 16;7:42838.
PMID: 28205632 [PubMed - in process]

Choe JY, Kim SK.
Melittin inhibits osteoclast formation through the downregulation of the RANKL-RANK signaling pathway and the inhibition of interleukin-1β in murine macrophages.
Int J Mol Med. 2017 Feb 3;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28204822 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Mao W, Schuler MA, Berenbaum MR.
Disruption of quercetin metabolism by fungicide affects energy production in honey bees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>).
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Feb 13;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28193870 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Pattamayutanon P, Angeli S, Thakeow P, Abraham J, Disayathanoowat T, Chantawannakul P.
Volatile organic compounds of Thai honeys produced from several floral sources by different honey bee species.
PLoS One. 2017 Feb 13;12(2):e0172099.
PMID: 28192487 [PubMed - in process]

Dinges CW, Varnon CA, Cota LD, Slykerman S, Abramson CI.
Studies of Learned Helplessness in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera ligustica).
J Exp Psychol Anim Learn Cogn. 2017 Feb 13;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28191986 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Frausto-Reyes C, Casillas-Peñuelas R, Quintanar-Stephano JL, MacÃ-as-López E, Bujdud-Pérez JM, Medina-RamÃ-rez I.
Spectroscopic study of honey from Apis mellifera from different regions in Mexico.
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2017 Feb 7;178:212-217. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28189836 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

[For want of a better word]

This might be a very short thread

I wish... look under the bridge!

Nos da

 

[user 6228]

for all those who like top entrances and matchsticks

Lane-Serff, G. F., Sandbach, S. D., El Khoury, G. K., Andersson, H. I., Pettersen, B., Tammisola, O., … Marsden, O. (2012). Emptying non-adiabatic filling boxes: the effects of heat transfers on the fluid dynamics of natural ventilation. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 701(2012), 386–406. http://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2012.164

 

[SDM]

Botìas C, David A, Hill EM, Goulson D.
Quantifying exposure of wild bumblebees to mixtures of agrochemicals in agricultural and urban landscapes.
Environ Pollut. 2017 Jan 11;. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 28087090 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Beefriendly is offline Report Post

I offered this to one of the treatment free Beekeepers pages on Facebook.
They banned me for promoting treatment.

 

[Beefriendly]

Different approach.....
One for the breeders this month.
This new insights paper might be of interest or create discussion.
The Darwin cure for apiculture? Natural selection and managed honeybee health.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eva.12448/full

It's wrong in parts, suggesting that no colonies can survive with varroa, but throws an interesting curve on modern methods of breeding and bee keeping, suggesting we let nature sort it all out......Whilst I can see the point they are making about lack of genetic diversity they don't seem to appreciate that bees are heading down a domestication path and seem to be advocating a back to nature free for all.....I thought it quite provocative and their points are quite well made.
A couple of provocative quotes....
"While treatment against disease is helpful, it nevertheless prevents natural selection for improved host resistance and tolerance (Fries & Bommarco, 2007; Råberg, Graham, & Read, 2009). In particular, the common practice of removing male sexuals (=drone brood) to control V. destructor (Rosenkranz et al., 2010), basically castrates colonies, thereby preventing that well-adapted ones spread their genes in the population. " Well it made me grin...or was that grimace

"Moreover, breeding for V. destructor-resistance over >20 years has still not resulted in survival of untreated colonies [this is just plain wrong!!!], but natural selection has delivered multiple times (Locke, 2016; Rosenkranz et al., 2010), thereby suggesting that breeders should choose traits favored by natural selection. This suggests fundamental conceptual flaws in both commercial honeybee queen rearing and breeding."

I don't totally disagree with this last statement and it would be good if our breeders of hygienic bees could step outside of their one track approach to see if anything could be learnt from a different approach.

I also liked their nice diagrammatic summary.

 

[REDWOOD]

Darwin got it all wrong. "Why Pigs Don't Have Wings"

 

[REDWOOD]

He believed in god, Origin of Species in 1859

 

[Beefriendly]

Darwin got it all wrong. "Why Pigs Don't Have Wings"

Fodor's assertions are supplements to natural selection, not replacements.
One book does not disprove a whole discipline of science.
If you ever read "Origin of species" you will stunned by Darwins accuracy about hereditary trends, despite having no knowledge of DNA or genes.
The only thing that stumped him was bees....and this was mainly because their life histories had not yet been worked out.

 

[REDWOOD]

Fodor's assertions are supplements to natural selection, not replacements.
One book does not disprove a whole discipline of science.
If you ever read "Origin of species" you will stunned by Darwins accuracy about hereditary trends, despite having no knowledge of DNA or genes.
The only thing that stumped him was bees....and this was mainly because their life histories had not yet been worked out.

I know