Hawaiian Carniolans

[kazmcc]

Thanks guys/gals, some good advice. I just don't want my mentor to think I'm getting too ahead of myself. My intention is to just quietly watch what he does, ask questions as they pop into my head at the time, then I come here if I need to know anything further. We did discussed varroa treatments and if varroa were resisitant to any here. So I suppose I do question, but I will not go against his advice. If he tells me not to do something, I won't do it. The bee inspector supplied us with these bees and the queen, and he has been down and seen all the stuff we have on this project and who it is for so they as a pair must know how they intend to show us how to handle them. The main quality we needed was docility for the children, produce comes in second really, nice if we get it but not the be all.

 

[drstitson]

circadian rhythm

"Docile or not, if not suited to the climate and unable to adjust to the northern hemispere timings (the natural clock), there can be problems.

Your natural clock (there is a scientific term for this) - think of people changing from day shifts to nights and back again, or jet lag - if we get problems there is no reason to believe the bees don't too."

A quick google confirms that bees use melatonin like humans for their "body clocks" so perhaps we could dose hawaiian or bees with OTC (US or AUS) melatonin preparations along with syrup.

 

[oliver90owner]

circadian rhythm

Thanks, thats the term I could not remember for toffee. I am putting it down to the anaesthetics. Forgetting all sorts at the moment. That, or old age!

It might even be part of the reason for early supercedure of some of these queens - apparently messing with the natural clock decreases life expectancy (watch out, shift workers!) - but likely not enough for a naturally 'old aged' queen as she should last much longer than she usually does these days, even taking this into account.

Starting to dose northern hemisphere bees with southern hemisphere melatonin might mean what? Bees foraging at night (a disaster as the flowers are often closed or at least not secreting nectar and no light for the bees to discern flowers) or brooding in the winter instead of the summer (OK, it is the workers that control her lay rate, not the queen).

Regards, RAB

 

[Crg]

"Docile or not, if not suited to the climate and unable to adjust to the northern hemispere timings (the natural clock), there can be problems.

Your natural clock (there is a scientific term for this) - think of people changing from day shifts to nights and back again, or jet lag - if we get problems there is no reason to believe the bees don't too."

A quick google confirms that bees use melatonin like humans for their "body clocks" so perhaps we could dose hawaiian or bees with OTC (US or AUS) melatonin preparations along with syrup.

A quick google also shows up: http://www.afhu.org/press-releases/...tch’-their-biological-clocks-without-problems

 

[Crg]

It might even be part of the reason for early supercedure of some of these queens - apparently messing with the natural clock decreases life expectancy (watch out, shift workers!)

You can't compare the human shift workers repeatedly shifting their rhythm to changing once (flying from southern to northern hemisphere).

Also bees aren't humans. There are valid reasons not to import queens - do we really need to try and make up some silly ones?

 

[oliver90owner]

Not just humans. Look on the net. Bees are animals, just like us. There can be consequences....Better to asume there are until proved otherwise. Too many mistakes made by doing that in recent history

RAB

 

[Midland Beek]

I did not know that Kemble had ever imported Carniolan queens from Hawaii. The to Hawaii queens I had off him were never sold as such and were def in the Ligustica/Italian category.

 

[Hivemaker.]

http://www.kemble-bees.com/

 

[wightbees]

In the pics in HM link ,why are all the bees pooring out the front and over the sides ?

 

[oliver90owner]

He may have filled those hives with as many bees as he can squeeze in? Maybe sprayed sugar syrup on the front of the hives? Maybe been round and smoked them all in the entrance? Who knows. Just done for the camera. Who has the lids off twenty hives all at the same time? Must be trying to prove a point?

Regards, RAB

 

[justme]

I did not know that Kemble had ever imported Carniolan queens from Hawaii. The to Hawaii queens I had off him were never sold as such and were def in the Ligustica/Italian category.

My original colony came from a local supplier who bought all her queens from Hawaii, (she did also rear some of her own) the ones she bought are all Ligustica (Italian).

 

[Hivemaker.]

Look at his website......he also imports carniolan queens. thats the reason for the link......to look at and read.

but he won't be doing that anymore, not from Hawaii

 

[BKF Admin]

HM have you heared anything about the yanks not importing from oz recently ?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Don't believe they are banned yet.....but Canada has banned imports from Hawaii. But look on the bright side.....we allow imports from Australia into uk.
From ABJ Extra.

Honey Bee Imports From

Australia May Be Banned



According to Wayne Wheeling and Colin Stewart at USDA’s Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS), a recommendation has been made to ban further imports of Australian Honey Bees. The decision is being made in lieu of continuing and increasing discoveries of Apis cerana honey bees in Australia. Those finds have steadily increased and now number 214 finds since 2007, according to Wheeling.

Mr. Wheeling cautioned that at this point the border closing to Australian honey bees in only a recommendation, and that a final ruling has not been announced. When asked about continued imports from New Zealand and Canada, he said no change in their status would be made and that imports of honey bees would continue from those two countries.

A formal announcement of the ban will be printed in a future issue of the Federal Register if a final ruling is made to go forward with the ban, according toWheeling.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Post from beesource.

From Kim Flottum:

CATCH THE BUZZ
Australian Bees Supposedly Banned From U.S.
An Editorial:
The Almond Board today sent the message below to their handlers. We do not yet have confirmation from USDA APHIS and are awaiting official word. But if honey bee importation from Australia is halted, as we have felt it should be from the beginning, the push for bees from somewhere else will intensify. Mention has been made of bees from Mexico or from Canada. The negotiations and dealing to make either of those work will be interesting to watch.

If African bees from Mexico are allowed to come to the U.S., will they cause problems in orchards? Will they come as colonies and return, or as packages and simply stay here like the bees from OZ?

Would Canada allow U. S. bees to venture north, as honey producers, pollinators or simply as queens in return for the chance at California’s Gold? Would they bring colonies down early in the season…like next month…to overwinter in preparation for spring?

But would any of them actually want to come to Almond country and take the CCD gamble?
But the biggest question of all...Will there be enough U.S. bees next spring to meet the needs of the Almond Industry?

These scenarios bring out the good, the bad and the ugly side of all of this. Please stay tuned, the outcome will affect your beekeeping and honey packing business this season.

From The Almond Board to their Handlers:
We received a heads up that USDA’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will be halting the importation of all honey bees from Australia. The ban will take effect the date the Federal Register Notice appears, which should be in the next 2 weeks.

APHIS reconsidered the potential risk that imported Australian honey bees may pose of introducing new pests and diseases to honey bees in the U.S. Based on the continuing spread of a non-native bee (Apis cerana) in Australia and the uncertainties about what new viral diseases it may be spreading among bee populations in Australia, APHIS believes honey bee imports from Australia pose an unacceptable risk of introducing new diseases in the United States.
__________________

 

[beebreeder]

And yet we stupidly still allow australian bees ,what a farce, who really cares about our bees?????? just us me thinks.
kev

 

[mbc]

no worries, our nbu have set up sentinal apiaries ready to close the door once the beatles have bolted

 

[Norton]

And yet we stupidly still allow australian bees

yes I agree - risky policy to say the least. But you know, it appears that many of these decisions have a politic aspect rather than a zo-sanitary one.
Best regards
Norton.