News

Dr. Peter Jones is happy to work with beekeepers to access antibiotics for AFB.

We have set up a session, April 8^th, 6:30 to 7:30, at Canadore College, 1 College Drive.

Interested beekeepers must bring 1) Complete VCPR form (attached) and 2) 2019 Beekeeper Certificate.

Note:

1)      If beekeepers can’t make this session, they are free to call his office

2)      Beekeepers do not have to call Dr. Jones, they can contact any veterinarian they wish. More information here:https://www.ontariobee.com/outreach/ttp/antibiotic-access-resources-for-beekeepers

Muskoka Parry Sound Beekeepers

March 13, 2019, Raymond Hall 6:30

31 in attendance.

Thanks Rob for making up the coffee, thanks Pam D. for the tea and thanks to those who brought the cookies and donuts.
Introductions all around.
Rob distributed MPS Beekeeper business cards to everyone – for us to pass out to interested folks.
Craig Nakamoto is running our website – muskokaparrysoundbee.ca It has a list of our
upcoming meetings and some good links to useful beekeeping info. Hopefully we will have access to our meeting minutes and also a group email list for all our members.

Jane – treasurer’s report.
$1,899.13
Deposits are mostly from membership and 50/50 draw.
Expenses in 2018 – sponsoring fall fairs
-OBA fees

Cathy Crowder’s gift
-Tech transfer team donation
Rob moved, Jane seconded– move that we join the OBA again. Passed
Spring Nucs
Scott Ferrier still has nucs for sale
Marlo in Port Loring has nucs as well.
Bee yard registration – is mandatory with OMAFRA. Rob has forms to fill out. Registering your bee yard is free and is a good idea. It helps keep track of bee diseases and helps prevent their spread to neighbouring bee yards.
Bee Candy recipe – Jane brought a few copies of a recipe for bee candy and handed them out.
Speaker tonight is Kelsey Duscharm from Tech Transfer
She talked about the new rules concerning access to Antibiotics.
This is a quick overview of Kelsey’s presentation:

Speaker tonight is Kelsey Duscharm from Tech Transfer
She talked about the new rules concerning access to Antibiotics.
This is a quick overview of Kelsey’s presentation:

American Foulbrood AFB

-bacteria caused
-spores can remain on equipment indefinitely
-larva ingest spores and die
-spread by robbing and drifting to other hives
-diagnosis- with rope test – match stick, stringy to 1 inch.
-no cure
-all hives must be burned

European Foulbrood EFB

-bacteria caused-not as widespread or serious as AFB
-no spores,
-dies before capped over, twisted larva adheres to cell.

Treatment for AFB and EFB
Oxytet 25or Oxysol treatment Spring and Fall
4 g Oxytet with 35 g icing sugar
-apply 32 g per colony, 3 times at 4 to 5 day intervals
-stop treating 4 weeks before main honey flow
Tylan 100 Soluble (tylosin)
Fall only
Only for Oxytet resistance
If AFB is found, then hives must be burned, remaining hives that are not infected must be treated with oxytet, requeen with hygienic stock,
If EFB is found, burn all frames, treating the hives with Oxytet
National Biosecurity Standards

1. first line of defense is Keep disease/pests out
2. shut it down as soon as found
3. purchase bees from reliable sources, only from inspected by OMAFRA and a permit.
   Inspect new bees for pests. Buy new equipment, never buy old frames.
4. Swarms – are a huge biosecurity risk. Put in a separate yard, monitor often for
   pests/disease
   5.Scorch hive tools between yards, do no use hive tools from another yard. Use disposable
   gloves,
   6.Cull old brood frames regularly to reduce spores and chemical residues

Background on the Legislation that is causing the change in antibiotic access for beekeepers:
WHO decided in 2000 to reduce antibiotic use in livestock because of the fear of a risk of antimicrobial resistance in diseases that affect humans. Most at risk are infants, elderly and those with compromised immune systems
Oxytet is part of the Tetracycline drugs, therefore an antibiotic. We now will have to purchase this from a Vet. In order for this to happen there musts be a Vet/Client
(beekeeper) relationship.
Vet Client Patient Relationship:

• confirm registration of the beekeeper
  -number of colonies
  -confirm the production management practices of the beekeeper
  -confirm the standard operating procedure for use in a disease requiring an antimicrobial drug
  Dispensing of Antimicrobial Products
  There is still some uncertainty in dispensing of the antimicrobials.
  -bee and farm stores might be able to still sell
• online

-vet clinics
Thanks Kelsey for your presentation. Several members were going to check in with our local vets to see about making it easier to set up our Oxytet purchases. We will let you know when we get some confirmations.

50/50 $35 prize – Joe Boehm wins– who donated $30. back. Thanks Joe.

Joe B., Peter I. move to close meeting. Passed 8:10 pm

Please note that our meeting dates for 2019 have been changed to Wednesdays and the current dates are always available on the home page. We also just added an August meeting.

Muskoka/Parry Sound Beekeepers Association

Sept. 7^th, 2018

Melanie Kempfer from the Tech Transfer Team does is our speaker.  These are the highlight from her talk.

Projects this summer of 2018 ….

*TTT of 5 had 2 summer students this year

*Yard in Muskoka is being used to study, Beeomics.  Good genetics for bees that are gentle, winter hardy, viable, healthy etc.  This yard is isolated making it perfect for this type of study.

*U of G – Testing prebiotics (similar to probiotics that humans may use).  Prebiotics promote good gut health for the bees.  May be added to pollen paddies for treating nosema and chalk brood as an alternative to fumagilin (which we can’t get anymore).  Or don’t treat and it eventually gets better.  Nosema is caused in times of stress for the bees.  Minimize stress!

*Queen Banking.  Local bees are the best as transporting bees means a reduction of sperm viability. Tracheal mites can also be a problem in imported bees, not as much in local bees.

The TTT has also purchased some infra red light guns to see what the bee cluster is doing in the hive during winter.  Great for winter monitoring.

*VSH – Varroa Sensitive Hygiene.  Only in Quebec for varroa.

*Grooming Behaviour – Testing for this behavior in bees as it keeps varroa mites low.

*Mid-Season Treatment?  Spring and fall is our typical time to treat for mites but varroa are at their peak in summer when it’s difficult or impossible to treat due to honey supers.  Bees have a peak in their population but varroa don’t!  Varroa increase in the fall, especially in July and August.  The TTT is testing a new Oxcilic acid glycerin strip that the bees chew and it helps to break down the mite population (42 days).  It’s just being tested now and must be tested for 3 years to be available to beekeepers.  142 colonies are in the test trial.

*Breeding Program – 22 Breeders.

Programs offered by TTT this year of 2018 ….

* Workshops

* Advanced Workshops in winter

*Online Workshops (intro and IPM)

Legislation to suppress antibiotic use in animal husbandry/beekeeping has meant that Fumagilin B is not being produced anymore (treatment for nosema).  Melanie says that nosema usually sorts itself out eventually.

Oxytet (treatment for foulbrood) will only be available for purchase from vets as of Dec. 1^st, 2018.  Suggested that we find ‘bee friendly’ vets.  It was also suggested we might want to come up with a list of access to these vets.

Small Hive Beatle – found in Niagara.  Mel says SHB doesn’t cause considerable damage.  Honey will slim up if left too long but SHB won’t damage the bees.

Fall Management Questions?

*Did you monitor for mites??  We need winter bees!  Mites decrease the chance for winter survival of bees.

*Did you take honey or leave honey supers on for fall flowers?  Do lots of monitoring in fall.

*Colony Strength?   Less than 8 frames of bees and they won’t likely survive the winter! 

*Queen Status?  Will your queen survive the winter?  If you suspect not, this is the time to requeen.  A new queen will survive the winter better and start in the spring with gusto!

*Feed Colonies – 2:1 sugar to water

*Treat for Varroa and AFB

*Wrap Colonies before the snow piles up.

Monitoring

*Sticky board – 3 day drop.  Close backs completely.

*Alcohol Wash – ½ cup of bees taken from open brood frame for best results.  Shake 2-3 frames of bees into a tub to take a broader sample.

*Ether Roll

*Sugar Dusting – Doesn’t kill bees but not as accurate as some of the other monitoring systems.  Use starchless icing sugar.

Fall Feeding

*Feed before the bees cluster at +10 or less consistently.

*Pollen paddies aren’t required in fall as much as in spring. 

Concerns?

*Winter Bees – “Fat Bees” vs “skinny bees”.  Older bees have less fat on their bodies.  You want healthy fat bees, enough bees.

*Balance room for feed/nectar vs health vs population.

*Protection – Use wraps and wind breaks!  Wind knocks bees down very quickly!!

*Wraps – later in fall is ok but leave on well into spring. Temps should be above 0 degrees at night consistently (May/June).  When it’s safe to plant tomatoes it’s safe to take your wraps off!

*Entrance Reducers?  Entrance reducers can cause moisture build up.  They are not as needed as we thought.  Upper entrance is VERY important!  1”

Winter Considerations

*Winter protection – trees, shrubs, fencing against cold winds!

*Air Circulation

*Moisture

*Pests

Winter Wraps

*Hive top insulation – Styrofoam, wood shavings, straw

*Wraps – cardboard, tar paper, corrugated plastic, bee cozy, Ben Hogan wraps (like bubble wrap), winterizing boxes, Western wraps.

*things to consider – R-value, durability, storage, convenience, cost?

****************

Meeting Notes

*Rob Key (president) puts forward a motion to move our meeting nights to Wednesday nights?  2^nd Wednesday of every month requested.  Motion passed by majority.

*Advertising/ Getting known?  Suggested that we look into a club business card and get sponsors to help with this.  Mark makes a motion to look into this.  2^nd by Heather Ferrier.

-Email list

-Logo – clip art?

*Mark would like to approach town for community apiary at the Heritage place.  He will need to have clubs vote to support this.  He will find out more and we may vote next meeting

*Roland make motion to close meeting at 8:45pm