The meeting focused on a presentation by Isabel from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad about bee lining, an ancient practice of tracking and locating feral honeybee colonies. Isabel explained the equipment needed, the step-by-step process of capturing and marking bees, and how to track their return directions to locate potential hive locations. She also demonstrated the traditional bee beard practice where bees are placed on a person's face around a queen, which is performed annually at the state fair. The discussion included questions about feral colony genetics and resistance to varroa mites, as well as concerns about American foulbrood detection and testing kits. The conversation ended with updates about upcoming fair activities and new member registrations, including assistance needed for website login issues.
Please check out Arthur's September Guide!
Next steps
Arthur
- A hive at the Apiary may have foulbrood.
- Write to Lindsay (vet) to inquire if she has access to a test kit for foulbrood.
Curt
- Follow up with Shai regarding the request for a beekeeping field trip for their square dancing club, via the website contact form.
E.t.
- Call the Texas inspection service to inquire about a source for foulbrood test kits.
Jamie
- Double-check and correct the website to reflect the correct time (10:00 AM) for the September 12th apiary meeting.
- Contact Shai tomorrow to help with the club registration and login issues.
Roark
- Distribute fair parking and entry passes to volunteers once received, via email, pickup, or mail.
Summary
Isabell’s Thoughts on Feral Bee Genetics
As I thought more about one of the questions about genetics and wild bees, I realized I left something incredibly important out. Feral bee colonies are not succumbing to the pressures that commercial, hobby, or sideline colonies face. A feral colony has less mite pressure, is not trucked around the United States, and does not have a beekeeper messing with them. I regret not talking about these factors! I think for some of these reasons, it would be hard to use genetics of wild bees to improve honey bee health because even if we do, the environment is very different in commercial operations vs in the wild.
— Isabell —
— Isabell —
Meeting and Presentation
The meeting began with casual conversation about beekeeping practices from decades ago, including discussions about honey prices and comb production. The main business was announcing a meeting scheduled for Saturday, September 12th at 10:00 AM at the apiary, though there was a clarification needed about whether the time should be 9:00 or 10:00 AM. The meeting then transitioned to a presentation by Isabel from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad, who introduced their organization’s work with approximately 200 hives across 45 sites in the Twin Cities area, including programs for veterans and correctional facilities. Isabel began her presentation on bee lining, explaining its historical origins dating back to 8000 BCE and its evolution into commercial practices in medieval Europe.
Traditional Honey Hunting Practices
Isabell discussed traditional honey hunting practices around the world, including bee lining in Appalachia, honey hunting in Nepal and Indonesia, and the human-bird cooperation in Africa using honey guide birds. She explained why feral colony raiding is unsustainable in the United States due to Varroa mite issues and described the equipment needed for bee lining, including a bee box, bait square, dark cloth, and syrup. The discussion concluded with guidance on when and where to conduct bee lining, suggesting it should be done between major nectar flows in open spaces near forest edges.
Honeybee Colony Location Methods
Isabell explained the process of beelining, a method used to locate honeybee colonies. The procedure involves capturing at least 12 bees using a specialized box, feeding them sugar syrup with anise, and then releasing them one by one to track their flight direction. The time it takes for marked bees to return helps determine the distance to the hive, with returns within two to four minutes indicating a nearby hive. Isabell emphasized the importance of having a large open space for the bees to fly freely and noted that multiple people tracking the bees’ directions simultaneously improves accuracy.
Bee Lining Demonstration Process
Isabell demonstrated the process of bee lining, explaining how to mark and track foraging bees to locate feral bee colonies. She described the technique of marking bees with different colored paint dots on their thorax, recording the color, time, and direction of return, then gradually moving the bait trap in the direction the marked bees flew. Isabell noted that while bees can forage up to three miles away, the process typically takes significant time and practice, often requiring multiple moves of 50-200 meters in the direction of bee returns. She emphasized that this technique is rarely done more than once per summer and recommended practicing near known apiary locations.
Bee Hunting and Traditional Practices
Isabell explained her experience with bee hunting, noting that she had only practiced in a controlled environment and was unsure about finding feral colonies successfully in the wild. She discussed how bees in urban areas likely come from one or two hives, while rural areas might have more hives. The group also discussed the bee beard tradition, where Isabell described the detailed process of preparing for and transferring bees to multiple people at events like the state fair.
Bee Breeding and Training Practices
Isabell discussed bee beard practices, explaining how team members use live bees to create beards or bracelets for training purposes, with the bees measuring around 100 degrees when clustered. When Mike asked about using genetics from feral bee colonies to improve breeding programs, Isabell explained that while feral colonies’ survival without treatment is interesting, their genetics may not be directly applicable to commercial beekeeping due to regional differences and multiple resistance traits involved. Isabell noted that their breeding program focuses on mite resistance over time, with colonies needing to survive multiple winters without treatment to be considered for breeding.
Bees and Varroa Resistance Discussion
Curt discussed the return of bees to a building after a few months of absence and mentioned the importance of removing all traces of wax and honey during structural removals to prevent their return. The group explored the concept of breeding bees resistant to viruses, with Isabell expressing skepticism about the effectiveness of this approach due to the complex relationship between Varroa and various viruses. E.t. shared information about ongoing projects in France and Texas involving natural selection and Varroa resistance, and Isabell confirmed that a replacement has been found for Marla at the Minnesota Lab, though details are not yet public.
Queen Breeding and Safety Discussion
Isabell explained the current status of her queen breeding program, which involves selecting for mite resistance and other desirable traits, though it is still in early development and only distributed at a small scale in Minnesota. The group discussed the need for fall brood test kits, as the European company that manufactured them has discontinued the product, and Arthur will reach out to Lindsay and others to source alternative test equipment. The conversation also touched on beekeeping safety practices, including the use of head coverings and protective gear, and ended with a brief mention of volunteer work at a farm and rehabilitation center.
Bee Education and Program Updates
The group discussed their bee education program at James Ranch, where they completed their fifth and final cohort for the year, teaching children about bees through both classroom lessons and hands-on hive visits. The discussion then shifted to American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB), with participants noting that AFB requires burning hives to treat it and is currently more of a concern in specific regions like New England cranberry pollination areas. Brooke announced that volunteer passes for the upcoming fair would be distributed soon, with parking and entry passes to be sent to volunteers, and confirmed that bee beards would not be part of this year’s fair activities.
Beekeeping Club Field Trip Planning
The meeting covered several topics related to beekeeping and club activities. Roark shared his address for picking up passes and mentioned he would notify everyone when they arrive. Shai and Tamar joined the discussion, seeking help with registration and expressing interest in joining the Berkeley trip, though Steve confirmed all spots were filled. The group discussed a potential field trip for a square dancing club, with Steve suggesting they use the website’s contact form to explore this opportunity further. Mike shared his experience with Vladimir, who demonstrated the abundance of feral bee hives in the Almaden area, which sparked interest in organizing another field trip. The conversation ended with reminders about an upcoming apiary visit on the 12th and the start of the fair in a couple of weeks.
