The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) has just issued its final report on overwintering losses of honey bees in Canada, and the picture is not a pretty one — although New Brunswick beekeepers fared a bit better than we have in the past few years.

Nationwide honey bee losses of 35% over the winter of 2007-2008 are up from last year’s mortality rate of 29% of colonies, and more than double the long-term “normal” of 15% that Canadian beekeepers were accustomed to seeing before the arrival of the Varroa destructor mite in this country.

“Successive annual losses at levels exceeding the long-term average are unsustainable by Canadian beekeepers,” CAPA warns, “and are likely to lead to decreased honey production and shortages of colonies available for pollination. Indeed, more demand than supply was evident for pollination in British Columbia during the spring of 2008, where some blueberry pollination contracts were not entirely fulfilled.”

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For $29.95, the online novelty gift shop Archie McPhee will sell you a do-it-yourself kit to make a beard of bees. Here is what you’ll get, and how to do it (in case you ever wondered):

In each box, you’ll get a tube of royal jelly, a grooming wand and a coupon for bees. Just send in the coupon or call with your redemption number and the following morning you’ll receive a package of 30,000 bees in our patented UPS approved Swarm Sack™ packaging. After they arrive, apply the royal jelly to your chin, neck and chest, shake the bag vigorously and then release the bees. Use included wand to coax bees into beard shape…
Not recommended for indoor use.

Available at McPhee.com.

Central Beekeepers will get together at the McKinneys’ place, #769 on Rte 105 in Maugerville, New Brunswick for our regular summer potluck supper and corn boil:
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Date: Saturday, 23 August 2008

As always, visitors and new beekeepers are welcome. Corn will be provided — but do bring your favourite potluck supper dish and a good appetite!

Also :
Central Beekeepers is looking for donations of honey-related items or bee theme collectibles to put together in a gift basket for our booth at the upcoming Fredericton Exhibition. Beeswax candles, honey soap or cosmetics, tea towels or other decorative items with a bee theme, honey serving pots or honey dippers, etc., etc. — if you’ve got an appropriate item to donate, please bring it along with you to the corn boil.

Scientists at the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology in India have been using cow urine to save bees from contacting microbial diseases. It seems that spraying the eggs with cow urine encourages hygienic behaviour in the worker bees.

A researcher at the institute, Ruchira Tiwari, said: “Using cow urine we have seen that within 7-8 days the breed becomes healthy. The workers work as cleaners and the queen bee lays the eggs. After the urine is sprayed on them, the workers start working more efficiently and then take out unhealthy larva from the eggshells.”

“Sometimes the most bizarre treatments can be used to get great results,” says Independent Television News reporter Lynsey Hooper, who brings this story to video:

The Ontario Beekeepers Association will hold its Summer Meeting on Saturday, 12 July 2008, at the Ramara Centre in Orillia, Ontario. Some top speakers are on the agenda, and it would be interesting to hear feedback from the Ontario beekeepers about these presentations:

• “Advancements on the Cryopreservation of Honeybee Spermatozoa” — Ernesto Guzman, Professor, University of Guelph
• “Honey Bee Viruses and Viral Diseases” — Judy Chen PhD, Research Entomologist, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
• “Status of Nosema in Ontario, Spring 2008″ — Alison Skinner, Tech Transfer Team Specialist, Ontario Beekeepers’ Association
• “Nosema Ceranae, A New Threat of European Honey Bees” — Judy Chen PhD, Research Entomologist, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
• “Honey Plants of Ontario” — Tibor I Szabo, Ontario Beekeepers’ Association Member

For more information, contact the Ontario Beekeepers Association at www.OntarioBee.com.