may 2004 vol 17 # 2 2004 2 · importation meeting held in kelowna, october 2003, unanimously...

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2 May 2004

Vol 17 # 2

www.honeycouncil.ca

Canadian Honey Council

May 2004

Vol 17 # 2

www.honeycouncil.ca


Importing US QueensPesticides and Beekeeping

Screened Bottom BoardsHoney Recalls

C-BISQTand more…

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Please make cheque payable to theCanadian Honey Council and mail to:

CANADIAN HONEY COUNCILSuite 236, 234-5149

Country Hills Blvd NWCalgary, AB T3A 5K8Fax 403-547-4317

Membership

Basic: (0 - 99 colonies)..............$ 40

Intermediate: (100 - 499)..........$ 75

Sustaining: ( 500+ colonies)......$150

Industry ...................................$200

CHC is the national organization ofthe beekeeping industry. It is thevital link between beekeeper asso-ciations, governments and provin-cial apiculturists.

Beekeepers in business can claimCHC membership and travel to theannual meeting as eligible businessexpenses for tax purposes.

Editor: Heather Clay

Design and Production:Rudy Gelderblom

Translations:Hélène Courtemanche

Hivelights is published quarterly(Feb./May/Aug./Nov.) by the CanadianHoney Council.

Hivelights goes free of charge tomembers of the CHC. Non-membersubscriptions are welcomed: $30/year(U.S.) outside Canada. Deadline forsubmissions: six weeks prior topublication (i.e. Dec. 15th for Feb.issue). A free sample copy will be senton request.

The opinions expressed in the articles

printed in Hivelights are those of the

authors, and do not imply the endorsement

of the Canadian Honey Council for the

promotion of any product, goods or services

mentioned in this publication unless

specifically stated.

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40031644ISSN 1489-730X

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Join the CHC and support beekeeping in Canada

H i v e L i g h t sMay 2004 Vol 17 #1

A reliable partnerBeekeepers have had to broaden their management skills even further with increasing challenges by diseases and pests.

We can help by supplying you with the information you need to make informed decisions about disease preventionand the role of pharmaceuticals in your management practices.

Suppliers of

Oxytet-25 Soluble

Fumagilin-B

Formic Acid

Bee Repel

Apistan

FoulBrood Mix

403 652-4441 www.medivet.ca

HiveLights May 2004 3

Oxalic Acid Registration

In January the CHC sent out arequest to beekeepers andassociations to help us withraising money for oxalic acidregistration. Our target is toraise $30,000 towards the costsof registration. To date we havereceived over $20,000 frombeekeepers who believe this is a vitalproject. Many more have pledgedsupport so we will get the processunderway. The first step is to determinewhat information is in the public domain,then we will hire a person to assist withthe project, assemble and prepare thedocumentation in the format required bythe Pest Management RegulatoryAgency. There is a lot of red tape andbureaucracy involved in the registrationprocess. The completion time depends onhow much more data the PMRA requiresand how long it will take us to resolvethe issues.

There are many benefits from registeringan alternative pesticide such as oxalic acid.It provides a useful alternative treatmentfor mites that are resistant to Apistan orCheckmite. Beekeepers interested inproducing organic honey would haveanother tool available to them in thetreatment of mites. Oxalic acid occursnaturally in honey and if used correctlyfor varroa mite treatment, it will not leaveresidues or pose a risk to the food chain.

US Queen Importation

The CFIA has gazetted a change to theregulations of the Health of Animals Actconcerning the importation of honey beequeens from continental USA. Under theproposed new regulation queen bees andtheir attendants can be imported underpermit conditions. Beekeepers have 30days to comment on the change.

All stakeholders at the CHC convenedimportation meeting held in Kelowna,October 2003, unanimously agreed to a

CHC ActivitiesHeather Clay

National Coordinator CHC

list of recommendations forimportation protocols. Theserecommendations have beenforwarded to the CFIA forconsideration when settingthe queen bee import permitconditions.

Queen supplies

The southern Alberta canola pollinatorsare seeking thousands of queens to allowan increase in colony numbers to satisfythe high demand for crop pollination.Last year 50,000 colonies were sent topollination and there is a need for manymore colonies. Producers in the area havebeen hampered by drought conditionsthat have interfered with nucleus andqueen production. The availability of lowrisk queens means a lot to the economicprospects of this important part of thehoney bee industry.

100% Canadian logo

In the wake of recent recalls of blends ofimported honey there is a clear need forpromoting 100% Canadian honey. Theuse of the grade name “Canada number1” is misleading when it can be applied toimported honey. The CHC is urging theCanadian Food Inspection Agency totake the reference to “Canada” out of thegrade name and to require that countryof origin is clearly identified in largeprint where consumers can read it. Acommittee has been formed to investigatethe possibility of developing a logo andpromoting 100% Canadian honey. This isthe best tool that Canadians have to gainmarket share in the competitive world ofimported honey.

C-BISQT

The CHC has applied for funding underthe new Canadian Food Safety andQuality program to assist in developing aproducer-led food safety system forbeekeepers. The new Canadian BeeIndustry, Safety, Quality, Traceabilityprogram has a catchy acronym, C-BISQT.

The steering committee thinks that this isa winning name in the race for gold. Allstake holders will be involved in the de-velopment of the new system. Details areon the CHC website www.honeycouncil.ca.

Membership

Our association is entirely funded bymembership dues. The board of directorsis comprised of eight voting delegates.The six largest provinces each have onedelegate, the three maritime provinceshave one delegate and BeeMaid the co-ophoney packer, has one delegate. There arevacant seats for the Canadian PackersAssociation, the Canadian PollinatorsAssociation and the Canadian Bee-Breeders Association. At present none ofthese groups are official associations butthe door is open if they want to getorganized and join the CHC. In themeantime, the rest of our funds are raisedthrough annual membership.

Although a change to the voting structureof CHC has been proposed, the directorsfelt that such an important decision shouldnot be rushed. The status quo will conti-nue until a better plan has been workedout. The costs of running a national asso-ciation have increased annually withoutany increase in the cost of membershipfor many years. As a result, the directorsdecided to increase membership fees forthe next financial year starting November1st, 2004. There has also been a change tothe categories of membership to betterreflect the makeup of our industry. Thenew fee structure is as follows:

Hobbyist (1 to 49 Colonies) .......$50

Small commercial (50 to 299) ...$100

Large commercial (300 +) .........$200

Industry ......................................$250

If you would like to beat the rateincrease, any membership renewalsreceived before November 1st will beprocessed at the current rate.

4 May 2004 HiveLights

CANADA GAZETTE VOL 138 NO 15 APRIL 10, 2004announces a notice of a change of regulation for the

importation into Canada or any Canadian port of ahoneybee queen, with its attendant bees, from the UnitedStates.

HONEYBEE IMPORTATION PROHIBITION

REGULATIONS, 2004

PROHIBITION

1. (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall import anybee of the genus Apis, commonly known as honeybees, intoCanada or any Canadian port from the United States, exceptfrom the State of Hawaii, during the period beginning on thedate of the coming into force of these Regulations andending on December 31, 2005.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the import into Canadaor any Canadian port of a honeybee queen, with itsattendant bees, from the United States in accordance with apermit issued under section 160 of the Health of AnimalsRegulations.

Based on the findings of the CFIA risk assessment, thesupport of the majority of provinces and the changingpositions of Canadian stakeholders, the Minster ofAgriculture and Agri-Food, Bob Speller and the SolicitorGeneral,Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Public Safetyand Emergency Preparedness, Anne McLellan, have givennotice that it is appropriate at this time to allow theimportation of honeybee queens and their attendants (notpackaged bees) from the continental U.S.

The proposed Regulations will maintain the currentprohibition on the import of honeybees from thecontinental United States but would allow for the import ofhoneybee queens with their attendants under import permitrequirements. Canadian beekeepers will be able to augmentthe number of honeybee colonies available for honeyproduction and pollination through the importation ofadditional honeybee queens from the U.S. This exemptionwill allow industry to replenish bee stocks in a controlledand regulated fashion that poses a minimal risk to the healthof the Canadian honeybee population.

The full text of the notice can be found online athttp://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2004/20040410/html/regle6-e.html#REFa

Interested persons may make representations with respect tothe proposed Regulations within 30 days after the date ofpublication of this notice. All such representations must citethe Canada Gazette, Part I, and the date of publication of

President Wink Howland,Saskatchewan BeekeepersAssociation Howland’s HoneyBox 55 RR #3 Yorkton SKS3N 2X5ph. 306-783-7046 fax [email protected]

Vice President AlainMoyen, Fédération des Apiculteurs du Québec83 Alderic-Huot Apt 2St Thérèse QC J7E 5K5ph 450-430-1793 fax [email protected]

Executive DirectorPaul Kittilsen , MaritimeBeekeepers Association RR 1 Debert NS B0M 1G0 ph. 902-662-4072 [email protected]

Executive DirectorEd Nowek , British ColumbiaHoney Producers Association 5011 Bella Vista Rd Vernon BC V1H 1A1ph. 250-542-8088 [email protected]

National CoordinatorHeather ClaySuite 236, 235 - 5149 Country Hills Blvd NWCalgary AB T3A 5K8ph 403-208-7141 fax [email protected]

Director Glen Ackroyd,Ontario BeekeepersAssociatonRR 2, Tara ON N0H 2N0 ph. [email protected]

Director Ron Rudiak,Manitoba BeekeepersAssociation Sunnybrook Bee FarmSteinbach MB R5G 1N2ph. [email protected]

Director Neil Specht, BeeMaid delegate Box 155 Eatonia SK S0L 0Y0 ph. 306-967-2841 fax 306-967-2841 [email protected]

Director Grant Hicks,Alberta BeekeepersAssociationBox 181McLennan AB T0H 2L0ph 780-324-3688fax [email protected]

CHC - CCM Delegates 2003 Canadian Honey Council Board of

Directors

this notice and be sent to Dr. Samira Belaissaoui, Animal Healthand Production Division, Canadian Food Inspection Agency,59 Camelot Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9 (tel.: (613) 225-2342, extension 4005; fax: (613) 228-6630).

Regulation Change for Importation of US QueensDr. Samira Belaissaoui,

Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, ON


Maritimes

AT the time of writingMaritime Beekeepers

are still waiting for winter toend, to unpack their hives orremove them from indoorstorage. Many hives are stillcompletely buried after a latewinter blizzard dumpingrecord breaking amounts ofsnow in Nova Scotia andPrince Edward Island.

Beekeepers are relativelyoptimistic that the bees willbe in good shape after a longmild fall, there were reportsof full scale hive flight activityas late as December 24th oflast year. The warm late fallresulted in a late honey flowin some areas causingbeekeepers to delay there mitetreatments later than they mayhave liked.

Nova Scotia usingthe Pettis test foundno resistance tofluvalinate last fall.Testing is scheduledto continue again thisspring. NewBrunswick willcontinue testing forresistance to miticides.

Demand is expected to bestrong in all three Maritimeprovinces for bees for blue-berry pollination.

I wish you all a successfulbeekeeping and a bountifulharvest.

QUÉBEC REPORT

After all our losses in theSpring of 2003 followed by asmall honey crop, Quebecbeekeepers are all wonderingwhat is in store this Spring.

I checked some hives in midMarch because I was curious,but also I had to count themto confirm thenumber of hivesthat winteredsuccessfully. So farthe hives seem tobe healthy but it isalso a bit early totell.

Some of you areprobably won-dering why Iwould go out and count myhives in mid March. InQuébec we now have hiveand crop insurance on anindividual basis. Our hives arecovered for winter losses. Theinsurance does not pay for thebees but it pays for the cropthat they didn’t produce. The first 10% of losses is our

responsibility butany losses beyond10% will becovered. Our cropinsurance in thepast wasdetermined on acollectiveproduction. Nowwe have anindividual coverage

where each beekeepercompiles his own statistics.

Also for the second year, theQuébec Federation ofBeekeepers is offering thefederally funded Spring startup loans program. It is similarto the advance paymentprogram for our honey in theFall. We get a certain amountper hive to head into Spring.

With these new financialtools, the Spring tensionseems to be released. No one

wants to have heavy losses butwhen you do have them, itfeels good to have a cushion.

Honey prices for the timebeing seem to be around $2 to$2.10 and some beekeepersare getting 2.25 per pound.

Things are starting up earlythis year, we havepackages coming inlate March so nowthe Spring is underway.

Last but not least, weare still working ongathering money forthe Oxalic Acid Fundbecause we feel thatthis will be an

important tool in ourintegrated pest managementprograms.

So in the meantime lets justhope we have a good Springbuild up and good crops..

Ontario

Ontario has experienced whathas been called an averagewinter. Good amounts ofsnow fall in most parts toinsulate the colonies fromaverage winter temperatures.It is premature to say but itwould appear so far thatwinter losses are normal but alot can changebefore the end ofspring.

The OntarioBeekeepers'Association'ssummer meetingwill be held June26th in Guelph.For details pleasevisit the OBAWebb site atwww.ontariobee.com/

There has been lots of actionin the last month frombeekeepers placing orders for

nucs and breeder queens forthis season. It seems everyoneis planning for a good springand a productive summer.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan has experienceda relatively normal winter. Todate, there has not been anextended period of reallybitter weather, nor has therebeen an extended period ofchinook type weather. Eitherof those conditions can affectwintering as the first canrestrict the ability of thecluster to move to new foodsources, and the second canlead to premature broodrearing, which may ultimatelyresult in creating a foodshortage. However, we havenot had enough snow! Lastyear, most areas suffered fromnear drought conditions andwe went into winter with lowsoil moisture. It was hopedthat heavy winter snowswould help to fill sloughs anddugouts in the spring, but thatwill only occur in a few smallareas. Of course, the winter isnot over yet and all thoseconcerns could be remediedby one or two major blizzardsor by heavy spring rains.

February was conventionmonth. Our conventionattendance was up almost

20% from 2003, and agood portion of thatincrease came fromindividuals who werejust starting intobeekeeping. Wehaven’t seen a lot ofnew entries into ourindustry lately, andseeing new faces is apromising sign.Perhaps the word is

out that beekeeping has beenfairly profitable for the pastcouple of years, and somegrain and cattle farmers arelooking at some diversi-

Provincial Reports

Paul Kittelsen

Alain Moyen

Glen Ackroyd

fication to help them throughtheir tough times.

Our beekeepersare quite excitedby the work beingdone by AlbertRobertson, inattempting toidentify the genesthat mark Russianbee stock andthose which indicatemite resistance inthose bees. Dr. Robertson, acommercial beekeeper, has,along with several otherSaskatchewan queenproducers, been working withthe Russian lines that werefirst brought into Ontario inthe research work that wasbegun by Dr. Nasr. The generesearch is expensive,however, and finding fundingis always a challenge. Lastyear our members werechallenged with raisingresearch funds, and theyprovided about $19,000 at theconvention. They exceededthat figure this year, byproviding almost $22,000. Todate we have been able toaccess an additional $20,000from the CARD fund and theresearch is going forwardquickly.

An offshoot experimentinvolving Russian stock aswell as stock developed bySaskatchewan queen produ-cers, will be set up this spring.This project, named


tations are that the 2003 cropwill have sold by Spring,albeit at lower prices than lastyear. However, the prices arestill above $1.50, which repre-sents a substantial increaseover the levels achieved in2001. Beekeeping is still fun,and perhaps it can even beprofitable! Have a goodspring!

Manitoba

Thanks to a thick covering ofsnow and a slow spring melt,ground moisture levelsaround Manitoba seem to beadequate for spring plantingwhich is likely to beginaround the end of April.Most honey bee colonies have

come through along cold winterwith beekeepersreporting normallosses. A fewreports of higherthan normal lossesmay possibly beattributed tofluvalinate resistantvarroa infestations.

If we experiencewarm spring weather, thencolonies can be treated earlierwith formic acid orcoumaphos strips to controlany high levels of fluvalinateresistant mites.

Many beekeepers weredisappointed, early this year,when informed that they willnot be able to get enoughoffshore queens to dividetheir wintered colonies. TheManitoba Beekeepers'Association recently passed amotion which would allowqueens with attendants tocome into Manitoba fromother provinces under thesame permit regulations set inplace for importing queensfrom the US. An essentialcondition is that all of the

“Saskatraz”, will establish anisolated yard in which will be

placed selected stockfrom a number ofproducers, as well asselected Russiancolonies. Consistentmite levels will beestablished at thebeginning of theexperiment, and thecolonies will be

managed but nottreated. Sounds like

most prison systems, doesn’tit? Mite levels will be closelymonitored to determinewhich, if any of the colonies,have natural suppressioncharacteristics. Hopefully, thisprocess will identify somecolonies with better naturalmite resistance than others,and those bees can beexamined to see if the genecan be identified. If the genedoes exist and can beidentified, it will likely beheritable, and queens could beraised that would pass on thisgene. Is it doable? Only timewill tell, but should positiveresults be obtained, our entireindustry will benefit andmillions of treatment dollarsmay be saved world wide. Todate, there appears to be anidentifiable gene marker forRussian stock, which lendsoptimism to the furthersearch for a resistance marker.

Research is expensive, as ispromotion of our product.Several provincial associations

are in the process ofattempting to establishprovincial commissions inorder to raise funds.Saskatchewan is entering intothat process as well. We knowthat creating a nationalcommission is virtuallyimpossible, but it appears thatthe process for creating aprovincial one is likelypossible. Several agriculturalcommissions already exist inour province, and thereforethere is a road map to follow.Provincial governments aresupportive of this process, asit relieves them of theresponsibility of providingfunding to provincialassociations. A commissionwould allow us toimpose an annuallevy on ourbeekeepers, whichwould provide acontinuous fundingsituation.

Spring is justaround the corner.Beekeepers arebecoming anxious toget into their colonies and tofind out just how well theirbees have wintered.Hopefully the winter losseswill be low, not only here butin the other provinces as well,so that we are not faced withthe bee shortages that wereencountered last year. As Iwrite this article no word hascome from the Federalgovernment regardingchanges in the queen orpackage importation situation,which means that there willbe a shortage of stock forimportation. Low winteringlosses could alleviate thatsituation, and is probably ourbest hope for this year.

Although the demand forhoney dropped off substan-tially during December andJanuary, some sales weremade in February and expec-

Wink Howland

Ron Rudiak

Quality Bee PollenPeace River, AlbertaRural Ontario

Custom pollen cleaning and drying servicesBuying Canadian bee pollen.Freash frozen pollen available

Call Chris Toll-Free 1-866-624-8175Tel. (519) 773-590211302 Imperial Road, Aylmer, Ontario, N5H 2R3

[email protected]


attendant bees would have tobe removed and tested, at theManitoba Agriculture lab inWinnipeg, for diseases andparasites.

Some beekeepers arereporting problemscontrolling skunk levelsaround yard sites. Theseanimals occur throughout theprovince and even smallnumbers of skunks damagecolonies. When they arrive insignificant numbers largeeconomic losses continue tooccur and colonies are oftendepleted. The use of livetrapping methods or repellerboards is encouraged to keepskunks under control, butwhen there are a large numberof bee yards involved, theamount of work needed forthis activity becomesexpensive and timeconsuming. Beekeepers wouldlike to have an approved baitmaterial made available to usefor problem skunks.

The MBA is continuing tomeet with Manitoba Healthregarding the control of WestNile virus in Manitoba. Theproblem is presently beingaddressed by the preferredground application oflarvicides in areas where theculex tarsalis mosquito isknown to live. Meetings withconcerned groupsconcentrated on the need fora free flow of information tobalance the concerns forpublic health with theconcerns of honey producers,forage producers (leafcutterbees) and organic foodproducers. Also discussedwas the potential economicimpact on the agriculturalsector and the need forcompensation if aerialpesticide application becomesnecessary.

Beekeepers around theprovince have become veryconcerned about the recentCFIA announced honeyrecalls. Many of them havebeen contacted by people inthe community who want toknow why this is happening.This concern underlines theneed for every honeyproducer to ensure that theirown operation continues toproduce the top qualityhoney for which Canada hasbecome known.

Membership in the ManitobaQueen Breeders' Associationcontinues to grow withseveral members fromSaskatchewan joining in. Theproject, now in its third year,is under the guidance of Dr.Robert Currie (University ofManitoba). Selections ofcolonies exhibiting hygienicbehaviour and mitesupression characteristics havebeen made and bee stock, forevaluation, will be distributedto the members of the MQBAthis summer.

British Columbia

There has been a strongpositive response from ourmembership over the pastthree years for supporting theimportation of queen beestock from mainland USA.

There is a continuousshortage of good queen stockand package bees available tohoney producers in thisprovince and others. Thepositive economic impact ofopening the US border to theimportation of honeybeeswould be extremelysignificant.

High honey prices have notbeen capitalized upon becauseof severe limitations onhoneybee supplies andpollinators are always in short

supply which in turn reducethe potential production ofother agricultural food crops.Many thousands of coloniesof bees from Alberta areoverwintered in the lowerFraser Valley because of thisshortage and uncertainty ofsupply for the spring timealso causing extremecompetition with localapiaries for thelimited amount ofbee forage. Webelieve that thiswill be much less ofa problem after theopening of theborder. The diseaseprofiles in NewZealand with thewidespreadpresence of varroamites and Australia with thesmall hive beetle can nolonger justify this preferentialtreatment to their supply overthat of mainland USA. Inaddition the quality at besthas always been inferior fromthese countries due in part tothe fact that they travel fromthe Southern Hemisphere inopposite seasons and areextremely stressed by (veryexpensive) air travel, airconditioning and artificialenvironments.

Our membership has notexpressed a concern ormandatory requirement fortraceability of imported queenstock as it already does notexist with off shore suppliers.

Honeybee colonies fly freelyback and forth across theborder all along "0 Avenue"between Surrey andAbbotsford and have alwaysbeen doing this. Our diseaseprofile on the Canadian sideof this portion of the borderhas never been different fromthe USA side and is notexpected to ever be. The

CanadianGovernment fundedrisk assessment ofthis past year hasalso summarizedthat there is not asignificantadditional riskinvolved withimportation fromMainland USA.

The past few yearshave shown much greaterwintering losses due to thevarroa and tracheal mites andwithout new stock whichhave already adapted to thesepests, we are extremely slowin gaining a position againstthem. We understand theurgency of moving aheadpromptly with these newregulations in order to meet agreater portion of the highdemand for queens thiscoming spring.

BeeMaid

The strong prices, for rawCanadian honey have beenvery good for our industry

Ed Nowek

MENTHOL BOARDSPlease order early

HAMILTON BEE RANCH LTD.Box 1169, Nipawin SK S0E 1E0

Phone 306-862-4194Fax 306-862-4193

Producers of Northern Blossom Honey

continued on page 10


Pesticides and Lazy Beekeepin’: A Poor Mix

Paul van Westendorp, Provincial Apiculturist BCMAF,

Abbotsford BC.

Apistan only when necessary,so that the product wouldremain effective as long aspossible. Despite thesewarnings, many beekeepersstill preferred laziness andcheapness by leaving strips infor the winter, re-using stripsand, under-dosing colonies.

In the fall of 2002, BritishColumbia received its firstcoumaphos emergencyregistration permit fromPMRA so that mite infes-tations could be controlledthat no longer responded tofluvalinate. To coincide withthe release of coumaphos,articles were published in bee

journals, letters were sent toindividual beekeepers in BCand Alberta, and all beekeeperclubs and associations in BCwere advised that coumaphoswas a different chemical fromfluvalinate and that it wasimperative to follow labelinstructions.

I suppose it was to be expec-ted. Health Canada’s PMRAofficers checked colonies inthe Fraser Valley and theOkanagan during the winterto ensure label compliance. Itwas disheartening to learnthat a number of operatorshad left coumaphos strips inover the winter and in anothercase, where strips had beenillegally disposed of.

I fail to understand thecavalier attitude among someproducers towards the use ofpesticides and drugs in theircolonies. Especially today,with the public’s escalatingdemands in food safety andquality. Some 20 years ago,we had an industry thatprided itself in producing ahoney crop free of pesticidesand only with limited use ofoxytetracycline. Then, we hadthe first major shake-up withthe “sulpha scare” in 1986.Some of our fellow beekeepershad been applying the non-registered antibiotic sulpha-thiozole because “it was somuch cheaper”. You wouldthink that this was enough ofa warning but no, some proveto be very slow learners.

Beekeepers had been warnedof PMRA planning inspectionsto ensure label compliance.Regardless of the actionsavailable to PMRA in dealingwith the recent infractions,beekeepers should sit backand look at their own indus-try, and think about the ever-escalating use of pesticides anddrugs in their management.This is particularly discon-

certing with some reports thatrecently appeared:� Canadian honey shipped

overseas was found tocontain traces ofsulphathiozole, anantibiotic neverregistered for use inbeehives in Canada,

� Canadian honeycontaining traces ofTylosin, an antibiotic notregistered for use inbeehives,

� CFIA warning of NoName honey containingtraces of nitrofurans.

The case of honey containingnitrofurans may not have in-volved Canadian honey at all,but the average consumer isnot aware that it may haveoriginated in China, Argentinaor some other country. Theconsumer has the image thathoney is a wholesome,healthy food free of pesticideand drug residues. As anindustry, we have benefitedfrom that image for decadesbut with the managementpractices of some producers,we are surely taking the riskof destroying that image.When news reports appearabout contaminants in honey,the consumer will questionthe purity of ALL honey andinvariably, our own manage-ment methods will bescrutinized. While we werevery quick in taking the moralhigh ground by condemningChinese honey when it wasfound with traces of chloram-phenicol a couple of yearsago, are we any better?

While circumstances maydemand continued use ofvarious pesticides and drugsin our management, lets beprofessional about it and onlyuse registered productsaccording to label instructions.

AFTER THE VARROA MITE

came onto the scene, bee-keepers gained access to fluva-linate. This synthetic pyre-throid was possibly the mostdesirable control productsavailable to beekeepers. Easyto apply, no danger of conta-mination with proper use,very low mammalian toxicity,no impact on the bees, yet,incredibly effective in control-ling Varroa. But then, within ashort time, we learned aboutmite resistance in Italy becauseof “illegal formulations”,followed by similar reportsfrom the US. Articles appeared,urging beekeepers to followlabel instructions and apply

�

�

�

Pesticides and LazyBeekeepin’: A Poor Mix

Eliminate AFBand Chalkbrood


T he CBRF Board of Directors is pleased to announce that threegrants have been awarded to further bee research in Canada.

A large number of proposals were received for funding approvaland the quality of the projects was high. The review committeehad a difficult task in selecting the final applicants. Finaldecisions were made on the basis of the research prioritiesidentified as high priority by the beekeeping industry. The CBRFis pleased to announce the successful projects are:

Rob Currie, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg,“Environmental and Chemical Control of Varroa inIndoor Wintering Facilities.” $10,000

Steve Pernal, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,Beaverlodge, “Management of OxytetracyclineResistant American Foulbrood Disease in Honey Bees”$10,000

Albert Robertson, Saskatchewan BeekeepersAssociation, Saskatoon, “Evaluation of Varroa andTracheal Mite Tolerance in Selected Honeybee Linesand Attempted Correlation of Tolerance with DNAMarkers.” $7,500.

Reports of research projects that received CBRF funding inprevious years can be viewed on the Canadian Honey Councilwebsite www.honeycouncil.ca

Canadian Bee Research FundAnnounces Three New Grants

Eliminate AFBand Chalkbrood

Iotron's treatment program offers beekeepers a cost effective, environmentally friendly solution

for managing bacterial and fungal disease.

Iotron’s proven technology has been recognized as a usefuldefense against antibiotic-resistant strains of AFB.

Iotron has successfully treated more than 50,000 supers and thousands of kilograms of pollen.

For more information please contact:Robert Krag-Hansen

Iotron Technologies Corp.1425 Kebet Way

Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6L3Tel: 604 945-8838 Fax: 604 945-8827

e-mail: [email protected]

HARD CHEMICAL RESISTANCE?

MITE-AWAY II™Proven Varroa Control

Hive treated spring and fall 2003 with only Mite-Away II ™ Single Application Formic Acid Pads

Picture taken March 10, 2004

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Honey RecallsHeather Clay, National Co-ordinator, CHC

T he Canadian Food InspectionAgency recently announced aseries of recalls of honey that may

contain nitrofurans or chloramphenicol.Between March 13 and April 20 the recallnotices applied to 17 products fornitrofurans and 6 for chloramphenicol.The products were from various packersand in the case of nitrofurans, the honeywas either from Argentina, Turkey or ablend of Argentine honey with Canadianor Australian honey. In thechloramphenicol situation, all theproducts were traced back to a singlesource of buckwheat honey that had beenpacked and distributed under differentprivate labels. Although the honey waslabelled product of Canada,chloramphenicol is not readily availablein Canada and it is assumed that at least aportion of the honey was from China.

confidence that all honey products carryhonest, consumer friendly labels.

There is an obvious need for a foodsafety program in Canada. As part of thisprocess the Canadian Honey Council hasbeen developing the Canadian BeeIndustry Safety Quality and Traceability(C-BISQT) program. We expect to haveit ready for rollout early 2005.Beekeepers may not receive any higherprice for certified honey but given theloss of markets for imported honey, thereis no better time to be selling 100%Canadian honey.

For more information on the affectedbrands, lot numbers and sizes visit theCFIA website www.inspection.gc.ca.

The current recall situation highlights theneed for better labelling of honey. We areurging the CFIA to revise the labellingregulations and provide consumer

over the last few years. As with anythingelse, there is a downside to these strongprices. The market conditionshave encouraged Canadianpackers and retailers to importcheap, sometimes lower grade,honey in record amounts.

Those of us who are involved inthe honey industry understandthat the quality of some of theseimported honey may not meetthe quality expectation we havebeen providing the Canadianconsumer for many years. We understandthat the Canadian consumer may not begetting top quality Canadian honeyunless the honey they choose is labeled"Product of Canada". Since honey is ourbusiness, this is clear to producers butwhat about the average consumer (yourfamily, your friends, your neighbour,your local grocery manager)? Chancesare they don’t know the difference. Theprimary reason for the confusion is thatall honey on the grocery shelf is labeled"Canada No.1". This can be deceiving as"Canada No.1" is a grading term anddoes not mean "Product of Canada".

In order to protect the good reputationand trust that we have worked so hard tobuild with the Canadian consumer, it iscritical that Canadians are well-informedon the qualities of Canadian honey. Theresponsibility of getting this message out,starts with us, the Canadian beekeeper. Ifwe don’t start promoting our great

Canadian industry, who will? Let’s takecharge and start building the momentumneeded to educate 30 million Canadians.

If all Canadian beekeepers joinforces, this will make adifference. Talk to your family,your friends, your neighbours,your local grocery storeManager, explain theimportance of looking for"Product of Canada".

The endorsement of ourindustry starts with us! Look

for "Product of Canada".

Bee Maid Honey Ltd. packs 100% pureCanadian honey. Any Canadian honeypacker that takes the high road andsupports our beekeeping industry bymarketing Canadian honey should berewarded for their support. Promotion ofCanadian honey by the Canadianbeekeeping industry, will benefit not onlyBeeMaid but all beekeepers in Canada.What better incentive for Canadianhoney packers to sell 100% pureCanadian honey.

Neil Specht

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Reports continued from page 7

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Vernon Vickeryreceives CAPA award

Joanne Moran, Chief Apiary Inspector, NSAF, Kentville NS.

The Canadian Association of ProfessionalApiculturists (CAPA) recently awardedDr Vernon Vickery honorary member-ship in their association. The presentationwas made at the Nova Scotia BeekeepersAssociation annual meeting in Kentville,March 2004.

Dr. Vickery is a graduate of the NovaScotia Agricultural College andMacdonald College, McGill University.After receiving the B.Sc. (Agr.) degree, heworked in Nova Scotia for eleven yearswith the Nova Scotia Department ofAgriculture and Marketing. He workedwith the Provincial Apiarist, EndelKarmo, and others on honeybee behaviorand pollination problems. From 1950-1961 he served as Curator of the LymanEntomological Museum and Assistant

Professor, Department of Entomology,Macdonald College.

As well as operating his own apiaries, heestablished an apiary at MacdonaldCollege. He taught apiculture, a practicalcourse for Diploma in Agriculturestudents and Extension DepartmentAdult Education night courses, and amore theoretical course for undergraduateand graduate students.

He was a strong promoter of self-sufficiency for Canadian beekeepers andbegan production of spring-formednucleus colonies in 1974. Later he produ-ced late summer and fall-formed nucleuscolonies and wintered 4-frame nucleuscolonies outside very successfully, withlosses over a 5-year period of only 2.5percent. His techniques in outdoor overwintering of honey bee colonies havebeen widely adopted in Eastern Canada.

Dr Vickey is also a well knowntaxonomist of Orthoptera (grasshoppers,and their relatives) and from 1985 to 1989served as president of the internationalorganization, the Orthopterist's Society.

In 1991 he published his book “TheHoney Bee A guide for Beekeepers” andit has proved to be a valuable tool formany beekeepers. CAPA congratulatesDr Vickery on his accomplishments andimportant contribution to Canadianapiculture.

L. to R.: Dick Rogers, Vernon Vickery, Joanne Moran


DENTIFYING LARVAE AND

PUPAE WITH American andEuropean foulbrood (AFBand EFB, respectively) is themost important step incombating these diseases andpreventing spread amongcolonies. Both diseases havefairly diagnostic symptomsthat beekeepers can identify inthe field. Learning to see thesymptoms, however, cansometimes prove frustratingparticularly when the diseasesare encountered unexpectedly.Furthermore, on rareoccasions diseased specimensmay not match typicalsymptoms, particularly if theinfection is light or if otherdiseases or parasites interactwith the foulbrood infectionin the hive.

Until recently the only way tobe absolutely sure if a colonyhad foulbrood was to removethe section of comb with theinfected larvae or pupae, wrap itin newspaper and sent it to aprovincial apiculture laboratoryfor microbiological identification.The British company Vita(Europe) Ltd. has aimed toprovide an alternative tolaboratory diagnosis with thelaunch of two new fielddiagnostic kits for European orAmerican foulbrood. Thecompany suggests that in justthree minutes, a beekeeper canhave reliable diseases diagnosiswithout having to leave theapiary.

How is such rapid diagnosispossible? The kits employantibody-coated latex beads thatare designed to attach to thebacteria that cause AFB and EFB.

Only the presence of these bacteria will setoff an immuno-chromatographic reactionthat results in two blue lines appearing onthe display window of the kit. If thebacteria are absent only one line is visible.

The product resulted from collaborationbetween Vita and Britain’s Central ScienceLaboratory. Vita’s Research &Development Director, Dr. Max Watkins,explains, “Vita had been discussing thepossibility of developing a field kit fordiagnosis of foulbroods with the NationalBee Unit (part of the govt Central ScienceLaboratory at York) for some years but wewere not happy with the reliability orfeasibility of some of the methodsavailable. By chance another department ofthe Central Science Laboratory (PocketDiagnostic Section as it was called) haddeveloped a lateral flow device for thedetection of various plant pathogens. So

with a little cross-fertilisation Vita fundedresearch between the National Bee Unit(validating the kits and obtaining samplesetc) and the Pocket Diagnostic Section.Monoclonal antibodies were derivedspecifically for AFB and separately forEFB. The principle is similar to thatemployed in pregnancy test kits with thetechnology being licensed under patent”

To prepare a disease larva for testingit is first macerated in a bottle thatcomes with the kit, which contains anextraction fluid and several metallicballs. Following a half a minute ofagitation, a few drops of bacterialsuspension is drawn up and droppedonto a well on the surface of the kit.The suspension is then wicked upacross the display window where it iswafted past the antibodies.

Dr. Watkins feels that the kits may beuseful as a first step in combatingfoulbrood. “These kits areconfirmatory tools to helpbeekeepers, officials and researchersdecide on a plan of action. The key tofoulbrood management is goodhusbandry. We believe our foul brooddiagnostic kits will be valuable incaring for your bees”.

Research underway by Dr. StephenPernal at the Beaverlodge ResearchFarm suggests the potential forhaving AFB in colonies can bepredicted by the levels AFB spores

present in samples of honey or in theguts of adult worker bees. Can the AFBkit be harnessed to find spores in honeyand adult bee samples? Unfortunately, atthe present time the AFB kit is onlydesigned to react with sporeconcentrations in the order of100,000,000 per millilitre, which is morethan adequate for diagnosing a diseasedpupa, but is not sensitive enough todetect levels in honey (100-500 spores permillilitre of honey) and barely sensitiveenough to find spores among heavilycontaminated adult worker bee (1,000-100,000,000 spores per millilitre ofmacerated bee guts in saline).

The kits can only be used for onediagnosis and are distributed in NorthAmerica by Dadant. The Dadantcatalogue lists individual kits for $12.95USD or 50 kits for $9.50 each.

New Tools for Foulbrood Diagnosis:Field Diagnosis Kits by Vita (Europe) Ltd.

By Adony MelathopoulosBeaverlodge Research Farm,

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge, Alberta

The test kits employ a three part procedure fordiagnosing foulbrood diseased larvae and pupae in the

field. The test takes about three minutes to performand each kit can only be used for one diagnosis.

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Australian Honey Bee Industry, B-Qual programme

Report of the COFFS Working Group International MissionHeather Clay, National Coordinator CHC

Safety mission met with Food Safetyprogram specialists in the Australiangovernment and commodity organiza-tions. The aim was to gather ideas and todiscuss food safety concepts that may beapplicable to the development and imple-mentation of food safety programs inCanada.

The common theme among the foodsafety programs being promoted by theAustralian commodity organizations isthat they are based on good science, andpromote Australian products as being“clean and green” (sometimes adding“pristine”). The programmes are outcomefocused, with the government being lessregulatory in its approach and moreconsumer-oriented than in Canada.

An interesting part of the Australian foodsafety system is that it not only focuses onthe quality and safety of products beingexported, but also on those being impor-ted. In essence, all products are bannedfrom Australia and are only allowed to beimported after a risk assessment has beenconducted. Risk assessments can take upto five years to complete and are conduc-ted by Food Standards Australia NewZealand (FSANZ).

The establishment of B-Qual was inresponse to FSANZ new standard, whichrequires that all food businesses developa Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point(HACCP) based food safety programme.

A programme for honey producers hasbeen implemented in Australia by theAustralian Honey Bee Industry Council.AHBIC set up an independent companycalled B-Qual Australia Pty Limited to

assist in the development of national foodsafety standards and the production oftraining manuals for beekeepers. The B-Qual board of directors consists ofmembers of industry and the Common-wealth (federal) government.

Prior to the B-Qual programme, thelargest Australian packer, Capilano hadproduced a beekeeper manual and aVendor Declaration Form (VDF) forsetting quality standards. It was not anational programme and manybeekeepers felt it was pure HACCP andtoo rigid for a low risk commodity. Theindustry received government support toassist in setting up a national HACCPbased programme.

B-Qual offers training for the trainersand a third party audit for honeyproducers. Each of the auditors isaccredited by the Quality Society ofAustralasia and the QSA is responsiblefor auditing the auditors.

Most beekeepers who supply honey tolarger packers have developed a foodsafety Risk Management Plan and aremoving towards certification under the B-Qual programme. Those beekeepers whowish to sell directly to the public will stillneed to prepare a full Food Safety Plan.Packers and retailers are encouraging theirbeekeeper suppliers to be certified withthe B-Qual programme. Wescobee, a co-op packer, pays extra for honey frombeekeepers who are B-Qual certified.

In general, uptake has been slow becauseVendor Declaration Forms (VDFs) areacceptable and the programme is notmandatory. All packers require a legallybinding VDF, stating barrel number,

A delegation of representatives from various commodities,

including honey, eggs, sheep, goats, grains and oilseeds,

visited Australia in February 2004. The Canadian On Farm Food

continued pg 23

negative impact: the fall varroa populations were 29.2% higherthan the control (not significant). In 2001 all SBB were usedwith their bottom closed by the sampling drawer (in place forthe whole summer): we observed a 37% reduction of the mitespopulations compared to the control (not significant). Thisstudy was conducted during the normal operations of acommercial apiary. Although all the important parameters werequantified, variable colony strength at the start and differencesin queen genetics resulted in significant variation in theindividual colony varroa populations. These variations led toresults that were not statistically significant. Let me paraphrasefrom my final report:

The important difference in the aggregated results obtained in2000 (open bottom) and 2001 (closed bottom) was 29.2% moreand 37% less varroa mites respectively. This suggests aconfirmation of the negative thermal influence on varroacontrol hypothesized in the 2000 trials (lower colonytemperature was beneficial for mite populations). To ourknowledge, the open/closed SBB is the only operational factorthat was systematically different between the 2000 and 2001trials. The results suggest a correlation between this factor andthe increased varroa population obtained with the use of thevarroa-control SBB during 2000. We assume that the broodcluster temperature was lowered with the use of the openvarroa-control SBB.

Many other studies have observed that lower temperatureconditions enhance the development of varroa populations(Fries, 1993; Kraus and Velthuis, 2000; Webster et al., 2000;and Tabor and Ambrose, 2001). Fries (1993) states that the “…mite population seems to grow faster in cooler climatesthan in warmer areas … it has been suggested that climaticfactors are decisive in determining the mite populationgrowth although the mechanism remains unclear”. We canhypothesize that a longer period of time as capped broodresulting from a lower temperature favours an increase inthe reproductive rate of the varroa population. An increasein time as capped brood enables the young female varroamites to reach maturity before the bee emerges from its cell.Kraus and Velthuis (2000) found that artificially reducingthe brood temperature of colonies had the effect of doublingthe mite population in comparison with control groups.Their laboratory tests allowed them to determine that 33°Cwas the optimal temperature for varroa mite reproduction.They suggest beekeepers adopt practices to assist coloniesmaintaining brood temperature at 35°C. Temperature affectsthe rhythm of natural varroa drop as demonstrated by

Jean-Pierre ChapleauLes Reines Chapleau Inc., Quebec

IN2000 and 2001 I conducted studies intended to

evaluate the impact of screened bottom

boards (SBB) on fall populations of Varroa destructor.

In 2000, the study involved 184 colonies and 234 colonies

in 2001, although these investigations were large, there were manyvariables that were not taken into consideration in the experimental designand as a result the results were not statistically significant. Despite thisdifficulty, I feel the information is important and should be considered bybeekeepers during decision making for management planning.

The SBB had a 0.32 mm (1/8”) mesh screen and had an open bottom thatcould be closed by a sampling drawer (see picture) located 4 cm below themesh. In 2000 all SBB were operated with the bottom open (no samplingdrawer in place). Under these conditions the SBB appeared to have a

The February 2004 issue of Hive Lights contained an excellentarticle entitled “IPM- The Big Picture: Varroa Mites and

AFB” by Heather Clay. In this article it was stated “Chapleau(2002) found that varroa mites increased in winter if the

screened bottom boards were left on”. This does not fullyreflect what I considered the key points. I would like to offer

the following to expand upon my thoughts.

continued on pg 16

The type of screened bottomboard that was used for thestudy.

Seasonal impact of screened bottomboards on Varroa

destructor

populations

Common Name: Pussy WillowRelated common native species: long-beaked (S. bebbiana Sarg.),

black (S. nigra Marsh.)Related common exotic species: weeping (S. babylonica L), crack or brittle

(S. fragilis L), white or golden (S. alba L)Scientific Name: Salix discolor Muhl.

Native Range

The willow family Salicaceae includes two genus, the willows (Salix) andthe poplars (Populus). There are 300 to 400 species of willow in theworld, mostly in the northern hemisphere in North America, Europe,and Asia. About 80 are native to North America and of those about54 species are native to Canada – 8 being considered trees and therest smaller shrubs.

Willows have been introduced around the world due to their highlyadaptive nature - rapid growth and ease of propagation. In manycountries they are considered a pest and eradication programs havebeen designed specifically for them.

Canadian Distribution

Most willows are widely distributed due to their ability toaccommodate a wide range of climatic conditions and soil types.

The two most common species found in Canada are the shrub, S.discolor, the pussy willow found across the country and the tree, S.nigra, the black willow, found mostly in eastern Canada.

Description

The Salix are deciduous shrubs or trees that prefer moist rich soils,often found along waterways or near swamps. The smallest of thewillows is found in the far north and is about 2.5 cm tall, the largestwillows grow to over 35 m in height.

Douglas Clay,Research Scientist,Calgary

T he purpose of this report is toupdate beekeepers and othersassociated with Alberta's beekeeping

industry on the Alberta BeekeepersAssociation (ABA) proposal to establish arefundable commission.

The Board of Directors for the ABA sees aneed for beekeepers to take more respons-ibility, including financial contributions, toensure appropriate and timely research anddevelopment (R&D), education, extension,and promotion of the industry. At theIndustry Visioning Session held in Edmonton

on December 1, 2003, it was obvious thatthere are some great opportunities forgrowth and diversification, but that muchneeds to be done to ensure that the oppor-tunities can be captured and industry risksare minimized. The ABA Board recognizesthat government and other industry partnersare willing to help fund future R&D, butonly if the beekeepers bring some money tothe table.

At the 2003 Annual General Meeting of theABA, a few people expressed concerns aboutthe proposed commission. As a result, theBoard of Directors decided that a series of

Move towards a Honey Commission

Two beekeeping organizations, theAlberta Beekeepers’ Association andSaskatchewan Beekeepers’ Association,are actively pursuing the concept ofestablishing a provincial Honey Com-mission. The proposed organizationwould work with the provincialAgriculture Department to collect alevy based on hive count in conjunc-tion with the hive registration process.It is anticipated that this levy wouldbe mandatory for all larger beekeepersbut refundable if the beekeeper optsout. If the system is implemented thelevy will provide a source of revenuethat will enable the industry to seekmatching government funding.Alberta beekeepers will have anopportunity to vote on this proposal atthe ABA meeting in November 2004.Following is a status report of theprogress toward the Alberta HoneyCommission.

Refundable Commission for the AlbertaBeekeeping Industry

Denis Martin and Len Fullen, Agricultural Products Marketing Council, AAFRD, Edmonton, AB

The terminology pussy willow is used to refer both to the shrub and tothe furry buds on its branches (known as “catkins”). They aredioecious (separate male and female plants) and use insects forpollination. Willows have simple, alternate, usually narrow leaves andcatkins (what most people call pussy willows are the flowers on themale plants) in early winter followed in spring by seeds with long silkyhairs. On younger plants the bark is smooth but as they age itbecomes fissured and scaly.

Plants for bees - Pussy Willow


Webster et al. (2000) who found thatthis drop is correlated to the averageoutdoor daytime temperature. Taborand Ambrose (2001) also found thatwhen infested adult bees wereexposed to variable temperatures inlaboratory conditions, the percentageof varroa mites falling from the beesincreased with the elevation of theambient temperature. Here again wecan deduce that the brood chambertemperature should not be loweredduring mite control treatment.

Although my study has scientific issuesrelated to the treatments (opened andclosed SBB) not being compared sideby side in the same year, neverthelessevidence is strong enough that Irecommend the beekeeping commu-nity be aware of the possible impactsthat may result in how SBB are used.

If a new study were to be conducted,I suggest that it should involve 1) alarge number of colonies, that 2) theyshould be of equivalent strength, that3) their queens should be sisters, and4) the colonies for treatment berandomly selected. I learned from myinvestigation that these aspects have amajor impact on the development ofthe varroa population. Many recentstudies conclude that the SBB isefficient at reducing the varroa popu-lation (Webster et al. 2002; Ellis et al.,2001; and Pettis and Shimanuki,1999). The large differences on theefficacy of the SBB found in thesestudies (ranging from 14% to 70%)can be explained by the importantinfluence of the above parametersand by the small size of the samples.The level of efficacy also dependsupon the duration of the study. Ahigher efficiency of mite controlresults when the test period includesone or more chemical treatments(Webster et al., 2001).

My cautionary note is relevant only forthe period of the year when brood ispresent in the hive. I over-winter manyhives outdoors on open bottom SBB withno detrimental effects. An additionalbenefit I find is that my hives are drierwith no mold on any dead bees.

My experience is that the SBB is a highlyvaluable tool in an IPM strategy. Besideshelping to control the varroa it providesan easy and accurate method of samplingthe varroa population. I have also found

SBB Continued from page 14

that it can provide opportunities for theadministration of organic acids toinfected colonies.

The full report of my study‘Experimentation of an Anti-VarroaScreened Bottom Board in the Contextof Developing an Integrated PestManagement strategy for VarroaInfested Honeybees in the Province ofQuebec’ (2000) on SBB can be foundon the website: reineschapleau.wd1.netfollow the links to the section onResearch., you will also find otherFrench/bilingual information on IPM.

ReferencesEllis, J.D. Jr., K.S. Delaplane, and M.W.Hood. 2001. Efficacy of a bottomscreen device, Apistan, and Apilife Var,in controlling Varroa destructor.American Bee Journal 141(11):813-816.

Fries, I. 1993. Varian in cold climates:population dynamics, biotechnicalcontrol and organic acids. In: LivingWith Varian. Pp 37-48.

Kraus, B. and H.H. Velthuis. 2000. Theimpact of temperature gradients in thebrood nest of honeybees onreproduction of Varroa jacobsoni.(abstract) American Bee Journal140(10):827.

Pettis, J.S. and H. Shimanuki. 1999. Ahive modification to reduce Varroapopulations. American Bee Journal139(6):471-473.

Tabor, K.L. and J.T. Ambrose. 2001.Heat treatment for the control ofvarroa mites. American Bee Journal141(10):733-736.

Webster, T.C., E.M. Thacker, and F.E.Vorisek. 2000. Live Varroa jacobsoni(Mesostigmata: Varroidae) Fallen fromHoney Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae)Colonies. Journal of EconomicEntomology 93(6):1596-1601.

Webster, T. C., F. E. Vorisek and E. M.Thacker. 2003. Long term effects ofbottom board screens for control ofVarroa destructor in beehives.Association of Research Directors, Inc.,13th Biennial Research Symposium,Atlanta, Georgia. March 29 – April2,2003. p. 116.

S. discolor is a shrub that can reach 5 min height with reddish-brown to darkbrown twigs, spreading branches, andleaves that are bright to dark green on thetop and pale to grey beneath. The leavesare 3 to 10 cm long and 1 to 3 cm widewith fine double teeth (serrations). Thecatkins are 1 to 2 cm long and emerge andmature before the leaves break bud. Thefruit found on the female trees are smallbrown capsules (5 to 10 mm) in clusters(on the old catkin) about 5 cm long.

Ecology

The flowering of willow occurs in latewinter or early spring, providing one of thefirst sources of pollen and nectar. Innorthern climates willows are oftenconsidered key to insect diversity andoverall health of the insect community.

Most willows require high moisture, full orpartial sun and are able to utilize poorsoils. They can adapt to a wide range ofsoil pH (5.5 to 8.0) and surviveseasonally or permanently wet sites(although not permanently flooded sites).They tend to grow fast and developfibrous root systems that are often usedto stabilize riverbanks, reduce erosion,and provide wind breaks.

Heavy browsing by wildlife encouragesplants to produce toxins (to discouragefurther browsing) and to try to increaseseed production (more catkins in followingyears). This effect can be simulated bythe apiarist by pruning mature plants toabout 50 to 60 cm high every couple ofyears to force them to bear largercatkins on longer, more slender stems –providing more pollen and nectar forspring feeding.

Canadian Habitat:Willows are native to wetlands of Canadaand the eastern US, especially alongwaterways. They are found in everyprovince and territory and in all regionsexcept the driest zones.

Methods of Reproduction and Spread:Willows produce seeds in early spring,however the seed has only a short periodof viability, typically about two weeks.They root easily and in many regions themain means by which willows spread isvegetatively. Small cuttings or brokenbranches will root in a damp environment.

The rooting characteristic can be used bythe apiarist as a quick method to developa windbreak for the apiary and provide anearly source of forage for the bees. Stemsof almost any size can simply be stuck


regional meetings were needed to ensure that all beekeepers, notjust ABA members, were aware of the commission concept andwhat it would mean for them as individuals, and for theindustry as a whole. A letter was sent to all beekeepers inAlberta inviting them to attend one of seven regional meetings.In mid-January, we traveled across the province with threemembers of the ABA Board to talk to beekeepers about theproposal.

The turnout at the seven meetings varied from good to strong,with a high percentage of hives represented at each location.While there appears to be good support for a commission, theconcern that we heard at each meeting centered on what wasproposed initially with respect to a service charge. The initialproposal was that all beekeepers should pay a flat fee of $125, tocover the types of expenditures currently incurred by the ABA,and anyone with 20 hives or more would pay an additional $0.40per hive, as a contribution to further research and industrydevelopment (including education, extension, and promotion).

Several people spoke against that proposal, stating that it couldresult in people with only two or three hives "forgetting" toregister under the Bee Act, or operating "underground." That isthe last thing that the ABA wants to see. The objective is to beas inclusive and fair as possible — not divisive or exclusive. At acouple of the regional meetings, a few people also expressedtheir concern about all beekeepers having a vote when most ofthe revenue generated would be coming from the largercommercial operations.

The commission committee has now gone “back to the drawingboard” to see how we can structure a service fee that will befairer to all beekeepers in the province. What we hope will beacceptable to all beekeepers is the following:

� All beekeepers with 100 hives or more would be requiredto pay an annual fee of $50.00 plus $0.80 per hive. As such,they would become voting members under thecommission's regulatory framework;

� Beekeepers with less than 100 hives would be exempt frompaying a service charge, however, any beekeeper with lessthan 100 hives could voluntarily pay $130.00 per year (thesame as it would cost someone with 100 hives) to becomean eligible (voting) member of the commission;

� The commission would provide all beekeepers who areregistered under the Bee Act with a subscription to AlbertaBee News, notices of upcoming events, and updates on thelatest findings on disease control products, etc. Theobjective would be to provide as much information aspossible to all Alberta beekeepers to try to ensure thatnothing enters the marketplace that could be a risk topublic health, or jeopardize the province's reputation forhigh quality honey and honey products;

� Encourage hobbyists to have a say in what the commissionis doing on behalf of the industry by designating one seaton the board of directors for a representative.

The reason for an annual service charge that includes a flat feeof $50.00, plus a per hive amount, is that it provides a better

Continued from page 15into moist soil in the spring, they will set roots within a few weeks.The cutting must be planted bud tip up with one or two buds abovethe surface. Cuttings should be from new growth, at least as thickas a pencil and 25 to 35 cm in length for direct planting.

Willows hybridize easily when the flowering periods of differentspecies overlap. The promiscuous nature of Salix leads to difficultywith the taxonomy of the group due to the high percentage ofhybrid plants.

Honey/Pollen Potential:The Salix genus is considered very productive for both nectar andpollen. Their honey yield is rated at between 100 and 200 kg/ha.More important than the quantity of food available is the earlynature and high quality of the source; February on Vancouver Island,March in the Niagara region and April and May throughout most ofthe rest of Canada.

Individual colonies have been reported yielding from 6 to 45kg/colony depending on the season, species, and density of beesand Salix.

The protein composition of the pollen is ranked in the excellentcategory along with clover and cherry.

The honey from S. discolor is reported to be light in color andpleasantly aromatic while that from S. nigra is darker.

Other Products:Hippocrates first described Greeks chewing willow bark to relievepain and fever in about 400 BC. The first nations people taught theearly settlers to Canada to use willow bark for the same purpose. In1829 the effective ingredient, salicin, was identified and by 1900the Bayer Company had trademarked a stable form as aspirin(acetyl salicylic acid).

Willow (any Salix species) produces a hormone which aids in rapidrooting of willow stems. The hormone can be extracted by cuttingsmall pencil thin portions (2.5 to 7.5 cm long) of willow twigs andplacing them in hot water overnight to make ‘willow water’. This‘potion’ can be used to stimulate rooting in other woody plantsthat do not easily root as cuttings.

Recent investigations have found that a dilute aspirin solution (3aspirin in 16 l of water) appears to make many plants grow betterand be better able to resist infection.

Reference:Farrell, B. 2003. Strategic Planning for Willow Management inTasmania. Dept. of Primary Industries, Water, and Environment.Hobart, Australia.

Lovell, J.H. 1926. Honey plants of North America. A.I. RootCompany. Medina, USA. 408pp.

O'Donnell, N. 2004. Flowering pussy willows are a sure sign ofspring. Times Union, Home and Garden Section (March 20,2004), Albany (N.Y.), USA.

Pellett, F.C. 1947. American honey plants. Orange JuddPublishing Company, Inc. New York, USA. 467pp.

Ramsay, J. 1987. Plants for Beekeeping in Canada and thenorthern USA. IBRA, Cardiff, UK. 198pp.

Sternberg, I. 2004. Willow magic. http:// www.bluestem.ca/willow-article1.htm.

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Tony Lalonde Sales Inc.Box 42, Clavet Sk, Canada S0K 0Y0Ph: 306-931-0155fax: 931-1646

Distributors for some or all of the suppliesAlbertaAlberta Honey Producers Coop..780-960-8010

ManitobaManitoba Honey Coop ...............204-783-2240

MaritimesClaude Hachey.............................506-546-6687

OntarioFrançois Petit ...............................519-443-5583Munro Honey .............................519-847-5333

QuebecRéjean Lambert ...........................819-828-2549

SaskatchewanTony Lalonde Sales......................306-931-0155


Install supers

Wax processing

Hive and bee manipulation

Super removal

Full Super store

Super transport

Debox

Uncapping

Extract

Rebox Separatewax/honey

Filtration/settling

bulk storage

barrel/package

Shipping

diagnosis andtreatments

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3

4

57

6

9

10

11

11

12

1314

15

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1

Super inspection

repairs / paintingEmpty super & equipment store

inspect brood boxes,

tops andbottoms

1817

8

inventory

Disposal

A

B

C

D

E A - Critical Control Point


Canadian Bee IndustrySafety Quality Traceability

Production Flowchart

- Production Step

The Canadian Bee IndustrySafety Quality andTraceability programme (C-BISQT) has reached theend of the first year ofdevelopment. Last year acommittee was established bythe CHC to develop aCanadian On Farm FoodSafety programme. Thecommittee consists of a dozencommercial beekeepers,

The first draft of a food safetymanual for beekeeper has beenproduced and is currentlyunder review by thecommittee. It consists of ageneric flowchart of abeekeeping operation. Theflowchart identifies the stepsinvolved in moving honeyfrom the beeyard to the barreland details conceivable risksto the quality and safety of the

honey at each step. Risks canbe either physical, chemical orbiological in nature and thedocumentation articulatesboth the risks and themanagement practices tocontrol those risks. CriticalControl Points are identifiedand the information requiredfor maintenance of records isindicated.

A second stage is underdevelopment. It will see somefield trials of the programmeto test how well theprogramme fits with realbeekeeper operations. Thisphase of the programme willsee the development of arecord keeping system thatwill document a beekeeper’soperation with the aim ofbeing able to document thesource, all inputs and thedestination of a particular lotof honey. The record keepingsystem is envisioned to beavailable in both a paper andan electronic form.

Commerical beekeepingsoftware on the market hasbeen reviewed, but no good fithas been found between thedemands of a quality andsafety control programme andany particular programme.Prototypes of software thatcould be used to document abeekeeper’s operation to thesatisfaction of a qualitycontrol programme have beendeveloped by committeemembers and will be tested inthe second phase of theprogramme to determinewhether it is flexible enoughto accommodate differentbeekeeper operations andwhether there is sufficientdemand among beekeepers towarrant the development ofthis software. Individualsinterested in testing thesoftware are invited to contactRudy Gelderblom [email protected].

industry specialists andtechnical advisors drawnfrom across the country.Members of the committeeproduced components of amanual and met to workout a consensus of whatthe system should looklike in Canada and whatwould be realistic aims forthe programme.

C-BISQT completes first lapRudy Gelderblom

IT consultant,Calgary, AB


T he existing ban on the importation of honeybees andqueens from the United States mainland has been one of

the most divisive issues our industry has faced. It haspolarized beekeepers since its inception and has dominatedmost of the discussion at the annual meeting of CHC. Thereare beekeepers who see the closed border as having atremendous negative impact on our profitability, while at thesame time, there are almost equal numbers who would argueexactly the opposite.

As the availability of replacement bees and queens fromalternate sources has dwindled, and more and more beekeepersacross our country encountered problems with resistant varroamites, resistant American Foulbrood, and high wintermortality, the pressure has mounted to find additional sourcesof queen bees. In August 2003 the Canadian Food InspectionAgency gave notice of their intention to amend theimportation regulation. The CHC convened a meeting ofindustry leaders in October 2003 and all present unanimouslyagreed on recommendations for a set of protocols forimportation of queens. The majority of provinces nowsupport the importation of continental US queens, subject toprotocols. Whether those protocols can be implemented is

another question, but nevertheless, the risks still remainrelatively low when queen importation is compared to packageimportation.

The announcement of an amendment to the importationregulation in Gazette I allows for a 30 days comment period,after which the amendment will be re-examined in view of thecomments.

The subsequent gazetting of the final amendment in Gazette IIwill move the change to such a late time in the year, that fewqueens would be available and our beekeeping season may beover. No doubt there will be considerable comment, both proand con, but I strongly suspect that unless the comments arevery heavily weighted in favour of retaining the ban, andunless those comments are based on science, the amendmentwill be put in place.

I also expect that traceability will be incorporated so that theprovinces will have a measure of control over what ishappening within their borders. I hope that beekeepers willput this issue behind them, and that they will get involved insome of the other serious issues faced by our industry.

Proposed Amendment to Ban on Importation ofContinental US Queens - A Comment

Wink Howland, President, CHC

EACH YEAR THE CANADIAN HONEY

Council awards its highest honour tothe candidate who has made asignificant, positive contributionof innovative, creative andeffective effort to our industry.This year the Fred Rathje awardwas presented to Mark Winston,Professor, Simon FraserUniversity, BC. For many yearshe has encouraged and super-vised apiculture research andcontributed an immense amount ofknowledge to our industry. He is a giftedcommunicator and was the driving forcebehind the successful Apimondia 99congress that was held in Vancouver.Among his many achievements Mark wasinstrumental in establishing the CanadianBee Research Fund which provides alasting legacy for Canadian beekeepers.The Canadian Honey Council is pleasedto congratulate Mark on this award.

Response from Mark Winston

I am truly, and deeply, touchedby this award from theCanadian beekeepingcommunity, a group fromwhich I have drawn innum-erable friends and colleagues.The opportunity to work withall of you has meant the worldto me, and the things we have

been able to do together willalways remain a lasting part of my life.

Although I could not be there to formallyaccept the award, it proved to be anunusually comforting gesture at a time ofpersonal loss, reminding me of the valueof friends and the passion about bees andscience that we hold together. Indeed, Iview this award as honouring mystudents, colleagues and the myriadbeekeepers who have worked with us as

much as myself, and wished I could havebeen present to extend my gratitude to somany individuals who have meant somuch to me over the years.

Fred Rathje award

Mark Winston


distribution of the cost of supporting the commission's workbetween those with 100 or more hives and those with severalthousand hives, than if the fee was simply on a per hive basis.Because it is a refundable commission that is being proposedunder the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, any bee-keeper with 100 or more hives will have the option of asking fora full or partial refund each year. This will give producers anopportunity to express their concern or displeasure with theway in which the commission is functioning and help ensurethat the board of directors is meeting its goals and objectives, asdetermined by the membership.

We hope that the new proposed fee structure is a reasonableresponse to the feedback provided by beekeepers. Since themeetings, the committee has come to grips with how manyproducers should be required for a quorum at an annual orspecial meeting of the commission, and how many producerswould need to provide a written request before a specialmeeting would be held. The committee believes that 30 eligibleproducers should be the number for each of these situations.

If you have concerns or comments please contact Len Fullen,Manager of Projects and Policy, Agricultural ProductsMarketing Council, Alberta Agriculture, Food and RuralDevelopment. Phone 780 427-2164 (dial 310-0000 for toll-freeaccess in Alberta); or via email: [email protected] or any ofthe committee members Jerry Poelman, 403-330-9914, KevinNixon 403-227-0092, Grant Hicks 780-324-3688

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batch number, drug treatmentinformation and withdrawal periods as well as other pertinentinformation. To supplement the VDF’s, producers must have,on-farm records to support the claims made on the forms. Thisprovides a satisfactory traceback in case of recall.

The B-Qual programme is not mandatory yet because thefederal agreement is enforced at the State level and so far, onlyone state, Victoria, has put the legislation in place. ManyVictorian beekeepers are accredited but other states have yet toput in legislation so the uptake has been slower. It is expectedthere will be a rush to become accredited when legislation is putin place. After the standards have been adopted by FSANZ it isexpected that the B-Qual programme will become mandatorybut that appears to be some time in the future.

The pressure for certification under B-Qual is coming from thehoney packers. To their credit, they are assisting by sendingstaff to become trained facilitators, trainers and auditors. Thishas contributed to the successful rollout of the programme.There are some private auditors who have taken the trainingcourse. They are all beekeepers because the minimumrequirement is 4 years beekeeping experience. Very few privateauditors have been called to do audits as the programme is newand the packers are still willing to send an auditor at no cost.This situation may change with time.

The first audit is on-farm. If all is in order the next review canbe a desk audit which consists of a review of the beekeeper'sdocumentation and records. This is conducted at an off-farmmeeting and gives one year of certification under the B-Qualprogramme. If the desk audit shows discrepancies, an on sitefarm visit is initiated. Audits are conducted annually.

In some states beekeepers who qualify as primary producershave been able to access funding through AAA FarmBis(Agriculture - Advancing Australia) to assist with the cost of thetraining and first audit. Not all states offer the assistance and itis not available to hobby or part timers who have to pay the fullprice of the cost of training. The beekeeper who takes an AAAFarmBis subsidized course pays on average $80 for the trainingcourse. Others pay, on average $300, depending on the fee setby the course organizers. For this fee they also receive the B-Qual Honey Standards Manual. Follow up audits are at theexpense of the producer.

The standards set by B-Qual are not only for honey but also forqueen bees, pollination, pollen, propolis, biosecurity andorganic honey. The B-Qual system is expected to provide a self-policing means of ensuring the highest standards are kept forindustry Best Management Practices and will meet the domesticand export market demands.

Varrox ®VaporizerOxalic acid (vaporization method ) fortreating beehives against varroa mites isinexpensive, effective in broodless coloniesand well tolerated by honeybees. The Varrox ®Vaporizer is easy to use, justinsert it through the entrance with a 12 Vbattery hookup. The cost is $145 plus 7%GST and shipping.For more information or to purchase theoxalic acid Varrox ®Vaporizer contactDaniel or Beatrice Ficza, 902-675-3690 [email protected]

BQUAL continued from pg 13Commision continued from pg 17

samples from the queen pro-duction and mating apiaries.Bee colonies will be examinedas follows:

A. Visual examination ofbrood for symptoms of AFBor EFB is required. Beecolonies used in queen pro-duction and mating apiariesshould be free from visibleclinical evidence of AFB orEFB. If AFB or EFB is found,queens would not be allowedfor shipment from this apiary.At least three brood framesper hive should be inspected.

B. Colonies should beassessed by alcohol washingof bee samples (200-300bees/colony). The sample ofbees should be placed in abasket, immersed in a solutionof alcohol and the basketshould be shaken for a periodof at least two minutes. Ifvarroa is not detected or isunder 1% queen shipmentswill be allowed.

C. If varroa is found at levelsabove 1%, bee colonies in thequeen rearing apiaries shouldbe treated with a product thatis registered in Canada.Treated colonies must beretested prior to collecting thequeens and attendants toconfirm that the level ofvarroa is below 1%.

D. Visual examination forsmall hive beetle is required.Colonies lids, bottom boardsand frames should be inspec-ted for the small hive beetle.Colonies from which queensare collected should show noclinical evidence of the smallhive beetle.

2.0 The queens originate froman apiary free of genes of the

sub-Saharan type of theAfricanized honey bee, Apismellifera scutellata.

2.1 Africanized honey beeshave not, in the past one year,been detected within 100 milesof the apiaries of queens’origin.

Based on current maps andsurveillance programs forAfricanized bees, a certificatefrom an authority of the StateDepartment of Agriculturemust be included in the exportdocumentation.

2.2 Mitochondrial PolymeraseChain Reaction-DNA (PCR-DNA) testing results do notshow signs of A. m. scutellata


The Canadian HoneyCouncil (CHC) ad hoc

Committee on the Importa-tion of Honeybee Queens metin Kelowna, BC, on October21-22, 2003 to developindustry recommendations tothe Canadian Food InspectionAgency (CFIA) regardingproposed permit conditionsfor importing honeybee queensfrom the continental USA andother importing countries.The committee recommendedthe following protocols.

The honey bee, Apis mellifera,queens imported under CFIApermit will be eligible for entryinto Canada provided thatqueens are accompanied by ahealth certificate issued by anofficial from the Departmentof Agriculture from the export-ing state of the USA within45 days prior to the importa-tion conforming to sections1.0 through 2.2 below.

1.0 The queens originate froman apiary that does not haveany visible clinical evidence ofAmerican Foulbrood (AFB),European Foulbrood (EFB),Varroa mites or small hivebeetles.

Five percent of the coloniesor a minimum of 25 beecolonies (which ever is greater)should be randomly selectedand examined from each ofthe queen production andmating apiaries from whichqueens will be exported.Inspection for AFB, EFB,Varroa mites and small hivebeetles should occur within45 days prior to exportingqueens. Queens would beallowed for shipments if noclinical evidence of AFB,EFB, varroa, and small hivebeetles was found in the

in the progeny of the breederqueens.

Mitochondrial (PCR-DNA)testing is done on randomsamples of workers represen-ting the progeny of the selec-ted breeder queens used bythe queen producers. ThePCR-DNA testing should beconducted within 180 daysprior to exporting queens inthe spring. Workers collected,one each from each of thebreeder queens, may be pooledand run as a single sample ifappropriate for the technique.If the test indicates thepresence of A. m. scutellata,whether from a single bee orfrom all pooled workers, thatqueen producer would not begiven certification to exportqueens. The PCR-DNAtesting should be carried outby an accredited or StateLaboratory.

RECOMMENDATIONS FORPROPOSED IMPORT CONDITIONS

Darlene McCue, GressIsle Consulting, Victoria BC


Le Comité ad-hoc du Conseil Canadiendu miel (CCM) sur l'importation desreines d'abeille s'est réuni dansKelowna, octobre 21/22.2003 pourdévelopper des recommandationsd'industrie à l'agence canadienned'inspection d’alimentaire (l’ACIA)concernant des conditionsd’importation proposées pour importerdes reines d'abeille des Etats-Uniscontinentaux et d'autres paysd'importation. Le comité a proposé lesconditions d’importation suivante

Les reines (espèce Apis mellifera)importées en vertu d’un permis del’ACIA ne pourront entrer au Canadaque si elles sont accompagnées d'uncertificat sanitaire délivré au plus 45jours avant la date d’importation par unfonctionnaire du ministère del'Agriculture de l'État américainexportateur, et ce, conformément auxexigences exposées dans les sections 1.0à 2.2 ci-après.

1.0 Les reines doivent provenir d'unrucher qui n’affiche pas de signescliniques manifestes de la présence deloque américaine (AFB), de loqueeuropéenne (EFB), du varroa oud’Aethina tumida.

Cinq pour cent des colonies ou unminimum de 25 colonies d’abeilles (lenombre le plus élevé étant retenu)doivent être choisies au hasard etexaminées pour chaque production dereine et chaque rucher de reproductiond’où les reines seront exportées. Auplus 45 jours avant l’exportation desreines, il faut effectuer une inspectionpour détecter la présence de la loqueaméricaine, de la loque européenne, duvarroa et d’Aethina tumida. Les reinespourront être expédiées si aucun signeclinique de la présence de ces ravageursn’est relevé dans les échantillons de laproduction de la reine et des ruchers dereproduction. Les colonies d’abeillesdoivent être examinées comme suit :

a) Un examen visuel du couvain doitêtre effectué pour relever tout signe de

la présence de la loque américaine ou dela loque européenne. Les coloniesd’abeilles utilisées pour la productionde reines et dans les ruchers dereproduction doivent être exemptes detout signe clinique visible de la présencede ces ravageurs. Si on constate laprésence de ceux-ci, les reinesprovenant de ce rucher ne pourrontêtre expédiées. Au moins trois cadresde couvain par ruche doivent êtreinspectés.

b) Les colonies doivent être évaluéespar un lavage des échantillons d’abeillesà l’alcool (de 200 à 300 abeilles parcolonie). Les échantillons d’abeillesdoivent être déposés dans un panier etimmergés dans une solution d’alcool. Ilfaut ensuite secouer le panier pendantau moins deux minutes. Si la présencedu varroa n'est pas détectée ou si elleinférieure à 1 %, le chargement dereines pourra être expédié.

c) Si la présence du varroa estsupérieure à 1 %, les colonies d'abeilledu rucher d’élevage de la reine doiventêtre traitées avec un produit homologuéau Canada. Les colonies traitéesdoivent ensuite être vérifiées denouveau, et il faut que l’on confirmeque la présence de ce ravageur estinférieure à 1 % avant de procéder à lacueillette des reines et abeillesaccompagnatrices.

d) Un examen visuel doit être effectuépour détecter la présence d’Aethinatumida. Les couvercles, les panneauxinférieurs et les cadres des ruchesdoivent aussi être inspectés. Lescolonies d’origine des reines ne doiventafficher aucun signe clinique de laprésence clinique d’Aethina tumida.

2.0 Les reines doivent provenir d'unrucher ne présentant aucun gèned’abeilles africanisées du typesubsaharien ( Apis mellifera scutellata).

2.1 Aucune abeille africanisée ne doit,au cours de la dernière année, avoir étédétecté à moins de 100 milles desruchers d'origine des reines.

Un certificat émis par une autorité duministère de l'Agriculture de l’État etdélivré d’après les cartes actuelles et lesprogrammes de surveillance des abeillesafricanisées doit être fourni avec lesdocuments d’exportation.

2.2 Les résultats de tests de réaction enchaîne de la polymérasemitochondrique (PCR-ADN) nedoivent pas révéler de signes de laprésence de A. m. scutellata dans laprogéniture des reines reproductrices.

Des tests PCR-ADN mitochondriquedoivent être effectués sur deséchantillons aléatoires d’ouvrièresissues des reines reproductrices choisiespar les producteurs de reines. Le testPCR-ADN doit être effectué dans les180 jours précédant l’exportation desreines au printemps. Les ouvrièreséchantillonnées (une de chacune desreines reproductrices) peuvent êtreregroupées et considérées comme unéchantillon unique si la technique lepermet. Si le test révèle la présence deA. m. scutellata, que ce soit sur uneseule abeille ou sur l’ensemble desouvrières regroupées, le producteur dereines ne pourra obtenir de certificatd'exportation. Le test PCR-ADN doitêtre effectué par un laboratoireaccrédité ou par un laboratoire del’État.

CONDITIONS D’IMPORTATION PROPOSÉES

Darlene McCue, GressIsle Consulting, Victoria C-B

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Mite-Away

Use Mite-Away Single Application Formic Acid Pads in the fallfor control of tracheal mites. See our web site at

www.miteaway.com. You can purchase Mite-Away at the following distributors:

Ontario: F.W. Jones & Sons Ltd, Toronto, 800-665-6637 Cook's Bee Supplies, Aurora, 888-645-9722 Better Bee Supplies, Cambridge, 519-621-7430 Benson Bee Supplies Ltd, Metcalfe, 800-214-7366 Peter Mewett, Stirling, 613-395-3225 Grey-Bruce Bee Supplies, Markdale, 519-986-4980Clovermead Apiaries, Aylmer, ON 519-773-5503

Quebec: F.W. Jones & Sons Ltd., Bedford, 800-665-6637 Maritimes: Country Fields Beekeeping Supplies,

Upper Coverdale, N.B., 506-387-6804 Western Canada: Hat Honey Farms,

Medicine Hat, Alta, 403-527-3997Vancouver Island Apiary Supply, Langley, B.C., 604-888-3823

Foundation

For all your foundation needs, any size, wired or without,organic or conventional,

place orders by phone 780-835-2115 or fax 780-835-2873 or email [email protected].

For SaleRV Comb Honey Trays - leak proof, clear plastic snap-on lid,

cream colour plastic base. Stop the leaks and finger punctures ofaluminum trays. Available in 100 or 720 per carton.

River Valley Apiaries, P.O. Box 142, Stirling, Ontario, K0K 3E0. VISA accepted.

Phone: 613-395-5398.

For SaleSet of 5 Honey posters, 24x18 inches. Specify French or

English. $10.00 including postage.

Dark green T-shirt with yellow CHC logo, sizes L and XL.$15.00 including postage. Contact Canadian Honey Council

403.208.7141 or email [email protected]

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Borage honey in drums and also beeswax. Contact Henry Nauta,

phone 905-640-1564, fax 905-640-7479.

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(Beeswax candle manufacturing company for sale. $100kexpected gross sales for 2004. All or part. Price and terms

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EasternJim Peirce, Kawartha Bee Supplies

R.R.2, Lindsay, ONPh 705-324-8633, Fax 324-5203

Guy Anderson, Kincardine ON 519-396-3529Central

MacGregor Wax Works, MacGregor MB 204-685-3080Manitoba Honey Co-op, 625 Roseberry St. Winnipeg MB, 204-783-2240

WestAlberta Honey Co-op, 70 alberta Ave.

Spruce Grove AB, 780-962-5573Stawn’s Honey, Vernon BC 250-542-9977 J.J. Bee Supplies 5693-176 St.,

Surrey BC Ph 604-574-3400 Fax 604-574-9728Flying Dutchman 6124 Metral Drive,

Nanaimo BC ph/fax 250-390-2313

BEE WORLD INDUSTRIESPLANET BEE HEALTH ALTERNATIVESQueens: May - OctNucs: Apr - JulyHoney: Specialty buy/sellBeeswax: Bulk Candles & SuppliesPollen, Propolis, Royal Jelly:

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may 2004 vol 17 # 2 2004 2 · importation meeting held in kelowna, october 2003, unanimously...

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