Entomology Fashions, Inc. V. Apiary Reproductions

What This Site Is Near

Firstly, I give permission for employ of all material on this website for educational purposes so long equally it is attributed to ScientificBeekeeping.com.

This is non a "How You Should Go along Bees" site; rather, I'one thousand a proponent of "Whatever Works for Yous" beekeeping.  I'one thousand a "data over dogma" guy, and I implore my readers to right me on whatever information at this website that is out of appointment or not supported by bear witness.

"It'south what yous know for sure that keeps you from learning."

And I'm all about learning.  I'd like to go far perfectly clear that I do not consider myself to be the final arbiter on any matter!  In investigating many of these controversial subjects, my encephalon feels like a GPS unit, repeatedly proverb, "Recalculating" and sometimes even "Plough effectually when possible."   This is why I take care to hold no positions, and capeesh existence intelligently challenged on any indicate.   If something comes to my attention that makes me rethink or correct anything I've written, I am more happy to rebut myself on these pages.

I've visited beekeepers in many countries, and realize that there are every bit many means to keep bees as in that location are beekeepers.  The bees don't intendance whether y'all are a commercial or hobby beekeeper, nor whether your personal preference is Langstroth, Warre, top-bar, small cell, foundationless, "natural" or conventional beekeeping– the aforementioned biology applies to all .   My goal is to provide whatsoever and all beekeepers with a resource of readable and straightforward information on how to practise skilful bee husbandry, and  to exercise environmental and community responsibility.

This site is more or less a tape of my learning process as I utilize my formal training as a biologist to the exercise of running my e'er-evolving commercial beekeeping performance in California.  I have no interest in offering advice (there are plenty of beekeepers more than than eager to do that).  Rather, what I do offer is testify-based and scientifically-verified explanations of the biological processes occurring in the hive, as well as the furnishings of various management options.  I then leave information technology to each beekeeper to apply that information in club to make their own meliorate-informed practical management decisions.

In this "post-truth, information overload era" novice beekeepers can be overwhelmed by an internet and popular printing chock total of conflicting strong opinions and questionable communication.  If you are a beginning beekeeper looking for basic information, or an experienced apiculturist looking for a summary of mite treatment options, I suggest that you go directly to Basic Beekeeping.  Otherwise, I suggest that you lot click on the bluish categories to the right of each page to see which articles are available, or go toArticles Past Publication Date, or use the Search function at the top of each page to look for topics.

My Background

I started keeping bees equally a hobbyist around 1966, and then went on to go university degrees in biological sciences, specializing in entomology.  In 1980 I began to build a migratory apiculture operation in California, and currently run around k-1500 hives with my two sons, from which we make our livings (update: Eric and Ian are in the process of taking over the performance–allowing me more fourth dimension for research).

In 1993, the varroa mite arrived in California, and after information technology wiped out my functioning for the second time in 1999, I decided to "hit the books" and use my scientific background to larn to fight dorsum.  I started writing for the American Bee Journal in 2006, and have submitted articles nearly every calendar month since then (see "Articles by Publication Date").

My writing for the Periodical brought me requests to speak at beekeeping conventions, which has too immune me the chance to visit beekeepers from all over N America and several other continents.  I read almost every scientific written report relating to beekeeping, and regularly correspond with beekeepers and researchers worldwide.

What I endeavor to practise in my articles and blogs is to scour scientific papers for practical apiculture applications, and to sort through the advice, opinion, and conjecture plant in the bee magazines and on the Spider web, taking no positions other than to provide authentic information to Joe Beekeeper, following the suggestion in 1922 by New Zealand beekeeping writer Isaac Hopkins:

That scientific accuracy, as opposed to rule of thumb, or approximate-work methods, is much needed in commercial product to achieve the success we should aim for, will be acceded by all intelligent beekeepers. At that place are many, nevertheless who do not realise this, or at all events, practice non sufficiently appreciate the principle in their practice, but are content muddle along in a slipshod fashion to their great loss.   From THE BEE WORLD Feb 1922

I regularly update the articles on this site as new information becomes bachelor, and solicit constructive criticism or comments.  Perchance the all-time venue for such discussion is at the Informed Word of Beekeeping Problems and Bee Biology.  Be sure to subscribe to updates, and I'll e-mail you monthly when I add content to the site https://scientificbeekeeping.com/scientific-beekeeping-newsletter/

Please Donate Here

It is the appreciative feedback that I receive from beekeepers (and researchers) worldwide is what keeps me going (thanks).  If you notice this website to exist of value, please support it (and my independent research projects) with your donations.  You can donate via Paypal below.  Notice:  I will, for tax purposes, treat your donation as a "gift" —  given with "detached and disinterested generosity"  out of "affection, respect, adoration, charity or like impulses."

Or Personal checks tin can be mailed directly to me at:

Randy Oliver
14744 Meadow Dr.
Grass Valley, CA 95945

Be certain to specify whether the bank check is a "Souvenir" or whether y'all are going to claim it as a deductible "Expense."

Cheers!

News and Blogs

In order to be notified by e-mail of updates and additions to this website, delight sign up at ScientificBeekeeping Updates (I will not share your personal info or email with anyone, nor clog your inbox; I update once every few months at best).

I get a lot of questions almost my inquiry into extended-release oxalic acrid.  This treatment is not all the same canonical for use in the U.S., but I suspect that it will be a game-changer for managing varroa.  Researchers can notice details on how I created the test sponges for my 2020 trials at the finish of Mite Control While Honey is on the Hive: Role iv

I've created a very useful varroa control model for all to utilize–cheque it out here.  Information technology is designed to run in Excel, and can exist used to run simulations for mite management in your own performance.

Nicole from Heritage Acres interviewed me about the land of bees, convenance for mite resistance, and extended-release oxalic acrid, treatment-costless beekeeping, mite drift, and my recent research.  Yous tin can listen to it at this  podcast

My assistant Brooke Molina shot a quick video of me demonstrating how to apply my domicile-made plastic cups to perform a swirl-type mite wash–showing how information technology takes less than four minutes per hive.  Randy's Mite Wash Video

Extended-release oxalic acid

There is a crying need for a safe and constructive varroa treatment for use during hot weather, when there are honey supers on the hive.  I am working with USDA-ARS to get this application method approved by EPA.  My latest update is at: Extended-Release Oxalic Acrid Progress Report

An objective assessment of the neonics

I was recently asked to write an cess of the neonics targeted for the nursery trade grouping–the Academy of California Nursery and Floriculture Alliance.  It'south brief and simple.

You tin can read information technology here: link

My colony age distribution chart

I get a lot of requests for the colony historic period distribution chart that I created from Lloyd Harris' data from Manitoba hives.  Thanks to beekeeper Kat Satnik for pointed out a typo in previous versions.   You tin can download a copy here.

Mite control updates 25 January 2018

Many of you take noticed the recent discovery that lithium salts may be of use in varroa control.  I've gotten some lithium citrate and will be testing this season.  It is currently legal to feed colonies  a lithium salt as a nutritional supplement, but I cannot recommend putting it into your hives prior to further formal testing.

Re oxalic acid in glycerin (oxalic shop towels), I've made big strides in developing protocols for incubator trials this wintertime to examination various formulations for best efficacy against the mites, coupled with minimal adverse effects to the bees.

These cup cages in my home incubator allow me to place precise amounts of various oxalic acrid solutions on a measured square of cellulose fabric (notation the blue piece of towel in the left hand cage) sized to be proportional to the surface area of the combs in a hive (using a piece of beeswax-coated plastic foundation as proxy).  The screens at the bottoms of the cups allow me to measure the percentage of mites killed by the treatment.

I've also recently perfected a protocol that allows me to rapidly titrate the amount of oxalic acid that actually gets transferred to the bees' bodies (annotation the pink indicator solution in the loving cup with bees).  I've only run 1 formal trial using this method so far, merely information technology shows great hope for me to exist able to speedily screen for the optimal application method for distributing oxalic acrid within the hive.

I thank y'all all for your donations in support of this research.  I will continue to publish and post updates.

The 2017 Eclipse

Thanks to Idaho beekeepers Steve Sweetness and Kevin Duesman  for inviting Stephanie and I to join the Treasure Valley Beekeepers Clan in camping out and viewing the eclipse direct under the path of totality!

Nosotros also shared the experience with some other bee researchers–Annette Bruun Jensen (from Kingdom of denmark), Dennis vanEngelsdorp, and Steve Sheppard.

Update 10 March 2017 to the OA shop towel link beneath

There has been huge interest in my commodity from the Jan ABJ on extended-release oxalic acid dissolved in glycerin, and practical on store towels.  Please go to  this link for updates: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-store-towel-updates/

Updates: January 29, 2016

California almond season is upon us!  Nosotros've had it easy the past few seasons in almonds, since the lack of rain during our drought kept the orchards relatively dry.  Not and so this year!  The orchards are a mess, and many are impassable.

My sons Eric and Ian, and I spent the by week welding up our new boom loader (original design, on the truck to the far correct, largely constructed while working under a tent during the rain).  We got a 3-twenty-four hours interruption in the rain this week, and used the window of opportunity to commencement moving our hives into the near problematic orchards.  I took the photograph of Eric and Ian with our three trucks as nosotros arrived in the morning for offloading.  Information technology was relatively dry upon arrival, but it started raining presently thereafter, and was a sloppy mess by the time we had finished unloading two hours later (after having to supervene upon one loader motor, and swap a battery between the trucks–the usual almond problems).

The drought made apiculture really tough last season, and we had to feed a tape amount of pollen sub and syrup to our colonies in late summertime and fall.  Varroa just added to our problems.  Simply we poured TLC (and dollars) into our hives, with the effect that our colonies are looking OK for almonds (knock on wood).

I've added several new articles to the website, continuing on Colony Buildup and Decline, besides as investigating the fermentation of beebread (encounter https://scientificbeekeeping.com/manufactures-by-publication-engagement/).

I also updated my ppt on oxalic acid.

Beekeeper Jeff Anderson (and coplaintiffs) accept recently filed a lawsuit against EPA to remove the current loophole that allows growers to institute pesticide-treated seed without the normal restrictions regarding pesticide application. EPA interpreted existing law every bit such:
Treated seed (and whatsoever resulting dust-off from treated seed) may be exempted from registration under FIFRA as a treated article and as such its planting is not considered a "pesticide use."
The above loophole has allowed serious problems with planting dust to remain unresolved.  The lawsuit explains that the current EPA guidance document:
 states there volition not be investigation or enforcement against whatsoever of their bee kills or other harm caused past neonicotinoid-coated seeds or resulting contaminated dust because the kills and other impairment incidents are "not considered a 'pesticide use.'"

Although I am not of the anti-neonic camp, and experience that seed treatments are perhaps the best use of neonics, they are indeed potent insecticides, and anyone (including the guy pulling the seeder) should have training in pesticide application, and follow restrictions to reduce pesticide drift.  Thus I feel that beekeepers should support Jeff in this important lawsuit.  Read more at: (Broken Link!) http://pollinatorstewardship.org/?p=3903

On the subject area of pesticides, Dr. May Berenbaum has recently published the most succinct summary of the history of insecticide use that I've had the pleasure to read.  Read it at: (Cleaved Link!) Does the Honey Bee "Risk Cup" Runneth Over?

We're now pushing 30 years with varroa, and from the look of it, in many operations varroa is winning.  Lately I've been giving presentations on "A New Era in Mite Management," which I plan to spin into a series of manufactures.

I've as well got a backlog of enquiry trials that nosotros've done (funded by the donors to ScientificBeekeeping), but have not yet had time to publish.  There just haven't been enough hours in my days, due to building our functioning and my many speaking engagements.

The expert news is that we've finally reached the point that my sons are getting ready to take over the reins of our business (now at around 1200 hives), which I hope will free up time for me to catch upwardly on the home front and concentrate on beekeeping research (as well as to meliorate the website).

Updates: Jan 9, 2016

A recently-filed lawsuit by beekeeper Jeff Anderson deserves our support, in order to close a huge loophole in pesticide regulation.  Currently, the EPA does not allocate pesticides applied on treated seed as pesticide "applications," and are thus exempt from the restrictions and liability due to drift or misuse as are other pesticide applications.  The registration of seed treatments every bit pesticide applications will let amend monitoring of the overall environmental impact and fate of seed-applied pesticides (non only the neonics).  For more information, run into: (Broken Link!) Pollinator Stewardship News.

As well, come across my updates on oxalic acidat Varroa treatments

Updates: Nov 2

There take been a couple of fantabulous and objective reviews of our state of knowledge on the effects of neonicotinoids on bees.  Both are open up access.  The lay reader may wish to simply read the summaries in the second link.

A restatement of the natural scientific discipline evidence base concerning neonicotinoid insecticides and insect pollinators

A restatement of contempo advances in the natural science prove base concerning neonicotinoid insecticides and insect pollinators

I've updated my analysis of the contempo paper Neonicotinoid pesticides severely affect honey bee queens.

I too suggest the reading of an excellent Master's Thesis by Julia Goss of the Swedish Academy of Agricultural Sciences: Neonicotinoids and Honeybee Wellness.  Julia tracked varroa, nosema, and virus levels in 96 colonies, equally divided between 16 fields of oilseed rape, one-half seed treated with clothianidin, one-half equally untreated controls.  She measured parasite levels before (June) and later on flowering of the ingather (late July-early on August).  Results: despite the confirmed exposure of the Exam colonies to clothianidin at much higher rates than we ever run into in Due north America, there were no differences in whatever of the parasite levels following exposure to the insecticide.

Update: Baronial 23: I was asked to comment on Harvard Medical School's Dr. Lu's contempo paper on neonics in Massachusetts.  This may exist of involvement to those re a full general discussion of the upshot of good scientific discipline vs. poor science.  Read it at A Review of Dr. Lu's Latest.

Update June 26: I added a mail service that I made to Bee-L on monitoring varroa at Monitoring Varroa.

Update May 9: I've updated Get-go Year Beekeeping, an added  Oxalic acid dribble tips.

April 29: I've been derelict in updating the website, and have about 12 manufactures to mail.  A number of ABJ readers have asked me to post the following graphic from one of my contempo manufactures.

You can view a full-sized version at Colony Demography.

I occasionally annotate on bee issues or the news, or link to interesting blogs by others on apiculture, bee biology, or the surroundings.

The "Flow Hive"

In recent months there has been a corking deal of buzz most the "Menses Hive," adult past a father/son team of Australian beekeepers.  The device consists of an system of molded plastic parts that act as foundation upon which the bees build beloved combs, but which can and so exist shifted by the turn of a handle to suspension open the cells of ripe honey and allow it to drain out of the hive through  tubes.  Although innovative, it is similar to a patent from 1939 (http://world wide web.freepatentsonline.com/2223561.pdf).

The Menstruum Hive is likely the most well-funded beekeeping device ever brought to marketplace, due to its inventors incredible media-savvy marketing via crowd sourcing on the internet.  Past means of producing vivid and compelling fundraising videos, they have raised enough money to bring their product to market.  Kudos to them!

I suspect that much of their funding has come from not beekeepers, who have ever been fascinated by the promise of hive from which liquid love could exist directly taken without the demand for actually handling bees.

The question regarding the Period Hive is whether information technology will turn out to exist practical, especially with regard to cost and whether information technology volition stand up upwards to repeated use.  Longtime beekeepers tend to exist skeptical, since nosotros've seen and so many beekeeping inventions come and go over the years.

But who knows?  I'thousand as eager every bit anyone to run into whether the Flow Hive proves to exist a revolution in beekeeping.  We'll encounter one time the completed hives go delivered to buyers.  I wish the developers the best of luck.  Only time volition tell whether the device really flies or flops.

Neonics in Ontario

A contempo hotbed of anti-neonic activism is Ontario, Canada, in which an unlikely coalition of a few beekeepers and some media-savvy NGO'southward is pushing the regime to ban these insecticides.  Permit me country very clearly that I myself back up organic and sustainable farming, use of Integrated Pest Management, and greatly reduced employ of pesticides.  That said, I experience that any pesticide regulations, and agricultural recommendations, should be based upon sound science.

An exemplar of this philosophy is Dr. Terry Daynard, formerly a professor and Assistant Dean of the Ontario Agricultural Higher, and currently a farmer himself.  Daynard recently received the "2014 Farm & Nutrient Care Champion" award from Subcontract and Nutrient Care.org, with the introduction that "Daynard is a champion of agronomics in many ways. He is respected as a farmer, scientist, innovator and agricultural advocate, speaking upwardly and advocating audio science even in the presence of criticism by those that don't agree with him."

Dr. Daynard applies a sound and scientific assessment of how misinformation tin taint well-intentioned environmental regulation in his blog "Critique of "A Proposal for Enhancing Pollinator Wellness.""

We all want to minimize agriculture's negative effects on the surround.  This includes greatly reducing our reliance upon pesticides.  Merely such reduction needs to evolve as we acquire (or re learn) alternating and more sustainable strategies for growing food.  This is best done past rational and sober scientific assessment of current and culling practices.  I commend Dr. Daynard pointing this out.

I'm besides  impressed by a recent blog by Dr. David Zaruk, who is a Gamble Governance Analyst at Risk Perception Direction and an Assistant Professor Offshoot in Communications at Vesalius College, VUB, and Facultés universitaires St-Louis in Brussels.  He blogs under the name of the "Take chances Monger."  He recently posted about the existent-life agricultural and ecological consequences of the politically- (equally opposed to scientifically-) motivated suspension of neonic seed treatments in the EU.  http://risk-monger.blogactiv.eu/2014/09/30/the-save-the-bees-ban-failed-crops-and-another-precautionary-fail-who-is-to-blame/

Read previous blogs here:

https://scientificbeekeeping.com/news-and-blogs-folio/

Dec 2, 2013 If you have interest in the contempo petitions to ban the neonics, I recommend reading a letter to the respected journal Nature by a British bee researcher, Lynn Dicks, in which she points out the issues with hurried setting of policy based upon political force per unit area rather than upon conscientious scientific evaluation of the evidence  http://world wide web.nature.com/news/bees-lies-and-evidence-based-policy-one.12443

Such a careful evaluation of all evidence is what I'1000 all about, even if that is unpopular with those who don't want to be confused past the facts.  I currently feel that the trouble with planting dust from corn seeding has finally reached the indicate where the manufacturers either have to take responsibility for compensating beekeepers who suffer losses due to the awarding of their products, or EPA and PMRA need to restrict the apply of neonic seed treatments to simply planters that pass grit emission certification.  However, I feel that to date at that place is not plenty evidence to phone call for a complete ban on the neonics–there are but too many beekeepers successfully keeping healthy hives in areas of seed-treated crops.  Conspicuously this is a hot outcome, and the neonics, along with all pesticides need to be closely watched and regulated.  Information technology appears to me that our regulatory agencies are doing a good job at this, even if progress seems to be excruciatingly slow.

The most recent web log of interest is on the real people involved in biotechnology (GMO's).  Steve Savage writes:

"Every bit with any new technology, the development and commercialization of biotech crops is a story most people.  Its a story almost people with ideas and vision; people who did hard and creative work; people who took career or business risks, and people who integrated this new technology into the complex business of farming…  Their story is important, just information technology tends to go lost in much of the conversation near biotech crops.

Many narratives about "GMOs" leave out the people side, presenting it instead as some faceless, monolithic phenomenon devoid of human being inspiration, intention and influence. Thats non how it happened.  Other narratives about "GMOs" demonize those who made biotech crops a reality. Such portrayals are neither fair or accurate.  The existent stories of these people matter, because trust in a technology is greatly influenced by what people believe well-nigh those backside it."

Read the rest at:

http://appliedmythology.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-people-side-of-gmo-crops-part-i.html

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