NEWLY IDENTIFIED VIRUS AFFECTS HONEYBEES submitted by beekeeper Gerard

A new virus that adversely affects honey bees has been identified.  It is on the order of the Deformed Wing Virus and also spread by varroa.  So the importance of varroa control is that much more important.  The newly identified virus is called Varroa Destructor Virus-1 or VDV1.   Follow this link for more information.

https://beeinformed.org/2017/10/10/varroa-destructor-virus-1-its-here/

ECWBA CLUB MEETING--OCTOBER 21st

The next club meeting is in two weeks on Saturday, October 21st.  It will be at the Ripon Public Library in the Silver Creek Room at 9:30AM.   Feel free to invite other beekeepers or people thinking about beekeeping to the meeting.

Members are encouraged to bring a sample of their honey for tasting by other club members.  Gerard will supply dipping crackers so that we won't get our fingers sticky.

The primary discussion will be about final winter preparations.

On the few warm days remaining before winter the bees will be in a robbing mood.  Make sure you have installed your entrance reducer.  As a minimum the entrance should be on the 3-4 inch opening; although even the 1 inch opening would be OK now that it is cooler.

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS!!!

Make your mark in saving the honey bee!  The UW-Madison has received a grant to study overwintering survival of honey bees.  They will be monitoring hive temperature, humidity and weight throughout the winter season.  They are also looking for participants to provide data on mite levels, mite treatments, survival, and honey production.

Contact Hannah Gaines Day if you would like to participate.   I believe they will be looking for data only from you, not monitoring of your hives. She can be contacted at her email or phone shown below.

Hannah Gaines Day
hgaines@wis.edu
774-392-0498

Or follow this link:  http://go.wisc.edu/5t3d93

NEONICTINOIDS FOUND IN 75% OF HONEY SAMPLES

Follow this link:

https://phys.org/news/2017-10-bee-harming-pesticides-percent-honey-worldwide.html

Here is a 2nd link with basically the same information.

https://www.popsugar.com/food/Pesticide-Contamination-Worldwide-Bee-Population-44118267

Here is a short video on the same topic:

https://www.voanews.com/a/bees-are-carrying-pesticides-into-most-of-the-worlds-honey/4060808.html

SOMETHING NEW

Here is an article on a new varroa control method.  I haven't ever heard or seen of this prior to today.  I did a little internet searching and it may just not be for sale in the US yet; hence our ignorance of this idea.   It is similar to a mouse guard with round holes.  Bees entering and exiting the hive must pass through the holes which are coated with a miticide.   Follow link for a description.

https://beecare.bayer.com/media-center/news/detail/a-new-way-of-protecting-bees-against-varroa-mites