SARE Grant Awarded to MCBA Member
Robin Kugler for Varroa Mite Research
Congratulations to Robin on being awarded a Sustainable Agriculture Research Education grant. SARE is a USDA competitive grant program that supports research and education and helps build the future economic viability of agriculture in the US. Below is an excerpt from Robin's grant application.
Due to the growing number of recent losses of honey bee colonies world wide due to parasitic varroa mites, it has been my interest to find an economical and effective way to reduce or eliminate varroa mites, which are known vectors for disease. Most current mite treatments require synthetic chemicals, which can lead to residue in the wax and chemical-resistant mites. Some hives must have repeated treatments, which are time consuming and costly. The professional and amateur beekeeping community would greatly benefit from a simple, effective and natural mite treatment. Initial experiments in my apiary show promising mite reduction using tobacco leaves inside a bee hive. This effort would be sustainable in that it uses locally available, natural products to control an agricultural pest exposing the beekeeper and consumer to safer practices and potentially reducing the burden of labor on the beekeeper. Further, many older beekeepers have given up this profession because of the increased complications and expense due to the introduction of the varroa mite to the Northeast. These beekeepers are no longer helping the next generation of beekeepers.
Mite drop has been seen by others using tobacco smoke. Tobacco leaves are known to have bioactivity due to sucrose octanoate esters, which are already approved for use in mite treatments. The efforts in this proposal serve to establish efficacy of treatment duration and application as well as to gather data in a statistically significant method. I plan to observe 25 hives with 4 test of 5 hives in each group plus a control group of 5 without treatment for a period of two years to see if there is better winter survival. Spring 2008
Did You Know?!
Did you know that MCBA has won the blue ribbon at the PA Farm Show Beekeeping Exhibit three years in a row? Help us to make it a four-peat by participating in the generation of ideas and graphics for next spring! It's not too soon to get started with thinking of themes and ideas!
Swarm Panel
April's General MCBA meeting dealt with troublesome swarms.
Experienced beekeepers sat on the panel and provided details on prevention, capture and handling of swarms. "Swarm Cell"
Photo by: Bill Mondjack
© April 2004
Contact us if you are interested in swarm prevention tips and tricks.
A
"Swarm List" was created of willing members who provide swarm removal services for providing to first responders in localities around Montgomery and Bucks counties.
Bowman's Hill
Wildflower Preserve
Ever wonder what the woods of Pennsylvania would look like without deer?
Well, for ten intrepid MCBA members the woods and wildflowers Photo by: Bill Mondjack
of PA were a beautiful, © July 2007
bountiful reality that surrounded them as they toured Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve with two knowledgeable naturalists. The fenced preserve contains an understory of native plants that is indescribable! The native plant sale and the honey-baked goods after the hike were just a bonus. June 2008