Spring is a Sprunging! – KM029

Hi this is Episode Twenty Nine, This week we are talking about Spring is a Springing and Urban Beekeeping stories from around the world.

Welcome To the kiwimana buzz, A show where we talk about Beekeeping, gardening and life.

Hi, it’s Gary and Margaret here, We are beekeepers from the hills of the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland, New Zealand. Our podcasts are about beekeeping, Gardening and bit of politics about environmental issues. We also have been known to go off on tangents about other issues.

What’s happening at Kiwimana

Gary

• Spring is here, We have been busy inspecting hives for customers. We have a new swarm page for members of the public to learn about Bee Swarms.
• We Found American Foul Brood (AFB) in a customer hive a couple of weekends back.
• The Warehouse and Placemakers are planning to stop selling Neonicotinoids pesticides in New Zealand.

  

• An Australian company wants to import another Neonicotinoid pesticide into New Zealand to sell?

  Guys please get behind this and make a submission (if you disagree):-The EPA are looking for submissions on an approval of a new Crown 225SL Systemic Insecticide, containing Acetamiprid from a company from Australia “EVERRIS Australia Pty Ltd”.

  Acetamiprid is in the Neonicotinoid family, do we real need another pesticide killing our bees?

  Submissions must be received by 5:00pm Wednesday 18 September

  Here is the “Submission Page“

• 

  We hope you all had a great Fathers day and anyone keen on Movember in November. We are looking at getting a kiwimana Team together?

Margaret

• Start of the Bee Season – Great Blog Posts
• Filling Spring Orders
• Queen Breeding with a Group last weekend

Blog Recap

1. Learning at the Franklin Bee Club
2. Health Benefits of Bee Pollen
3. How to use a Queen Excluder
4. Chat with Robin Bedard from Canada

News Topics

Urban hives boom could be ‘bad for bees’

Professor Francis Ratnieks and Dr Karin Alton, from the Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects at the University of Sussex reported that London may have too many hives for the amount of feed for the bees.

In London there are now 10 hives per square km, compared with 1 per square km in England as a whole.

Tim Lovett from the British Beekeepers Association commented that the balance of urban and countryside beekeeping may have become skewed.

Urban hives boom could be “bad for bees”

Scientists discover what’s killing the bees and it’­s worse than you thought

A recent study by the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture have identified a witch’­s brew of pesticides and fungicides contaminating pollen that bees collect to feed their hives.

The Findings break new ground on why large number of bees are dying but does not identify the specific cause of CCD (Colony Collespe Disorder)

There’s growing evidence that fungicides may be affecting the bees on their own and I think what it highlights is a need to reassess how we label these agricultural chemicals, said the study’­s lead author “Dennis vanEngelsdorp”.

Scientists discover what’s killing the bees???

Grandpa Kipp’s Sure-Fire Yellow Jacket Trap!

Another method of trapping Wasp or Yellow Jackets, that involves hanging raw fish above a basin of soapy water.

Yellow Jacket Trap
* 25/10/16 Link was changed, as alaskaoutdoorjournal.com has gone offline 🙁 *

Drawing the comb downwards (video from Gaia Bees)

Great video showing you the progress of bees inside a hollow tree, well worth watching.

Contaminated Chinese Honey pulled from UK Shelves

A report about Honey from China that is being sold as Australian Honey.

The honey contains a dangerous antobiotic that is linked with causing Aplastic anemia

Another reason why Honey shouldn’t be imported into New Zealand?

You can listen to the audio of this radio broadcast here:-
Contaminated Chinese Honey pulled from UK Shelves

Hampton beekeeper told to remove hives

Last month, the municipality instructed Joe Saber (77) “via letter” to remove the beehives in his Leroy Drive yard, Hampton, Pennsylvania.

The township’s zoning ordinance lists bees among “farm animals” prohibited in residential districts.

A petition is required, according to Marty Orban, land use administrator for Hampton Township for the zoning ordinance to change.

Read more about this issues in Hampton Here?

***UPDATE 5 Sep 2013 – Joe has submitted a petition with 526 signatures at the standing room only Aug 28 Meeting of the Hampton Council ***

If you want to send a letter of support for the Bees Here is the municipality address:-

the Hampton Township
Hampton Township Municipal Building
3101 McCully Road
Allison Park, PA 15101
United States of America

Sick bees buzz off for greater good of hive

Honeybees that are infected by known parasites appear to leave their nests voluntarily “usually never to return” for the greater good of the hive, according to a new study.
Sick bees buzz off for greater good of hive

Questions from you…

What to look for when you do an inspection.

• Diseases
• Enough Stores
• Enough Space for the Queen to Lay Eggs
• Sign of the Queen or the Queen.

As promised here is the blog post: What to Look For During a Hive Inspection

Feedback from you guys!!!

kevvans – Listen Regularly – 5 Stars

Thanks to Gary and Margaret for an informative podcast. Always interesting in hearing how bees are kept in NZ. Great job!

Slimbeeman – Top class – 5 Stars

Very interesting podcast from NZ but raises many items that are important in the UK. Great interview with Phil Chandler that deals with issues facing sustainable beekeeping. Great to listen too and gets better with each episode

Please review us on Review on itunes? https://kiwimana.co.nz/iTunes.

Whats coming up at kiwimana

• Interview with Matt Brake from England
• How to Light a Bee Smoker
• Paul Berry Interview – How does a Commercial Beekeeper go organic?
• Sugar Shaking Bees – Another way to Count Mites

Would you love to get an email telling you when we publish new podcasts and blog posts? Please signup to our FREE newsletter at https://kiwimana.co.nz/signup

After hours Bonus

This week have Maureen Conquer (Maxwell) speech from the recent Trees for Bees conference.

The talk is titled “International Developments To Support Bee Friendly Habitats”

Maureen is currently the President of the Apimondia Oceania Commission and lives in Auckland.

Thanks to Maureen for giving us permission to share her speech.

You can watch the full video Here:-