Infobee2

Volume 2, Issue 2
April 2006
CAUTION URGED
Communication
TYLOSIN HAS CONCERNS
This is the fifth OHIO INFOBEE to be sent and we are asking for information fromyou, the reader. While we are The product Tylan (tylosin tartrate) while being hailed as a great replacement for Terramycin (oxytetracycline) also has some serious concerns associated people around the state andattend meetings we would with it. Like many medications Tylan is effective when used properly; however, the user should also consider the negative aspects of the product.
What is your localassociation doing? What are Tylan went through many years of testing before finally gaining FDA approval in October 2005. The FDA concluded that the data demonstrated that TYLAN doing? Is there a beekeepingproblem in your area? E-mail (tylosin tartrate) Soluble, when administered as a dust of 200 mg per hive in 20 grams confectioners sugar once a week for 3 weeks, is safe and effectivefor the control of American Foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae) in honey bees.
A few items to be taken from that statement 1) it is a control product—not apreventative, 2) dust in confectioners sugar—not in syrup or patty form, 3) Contact
once a week for three weeks, 4) use a specified amount and, 5) is safe when Information
TYLAN comes in a 100 gram bottle which would require 22 pounds of confectioners sugar and would result in 500 doses of medication, or enough Ohio State Unversity Extension1680 Madison Ave.
American Foulbrood at anygiven time, and if they do Dr. Tim MiklasiewiczApiary Inspection Supervisor (that may be addressed indifferent article). You need to get a scale and
continued on page 4
Information contained within this newsletter is not an endorsement of any particular product. Neither Ohio State University Extension nor Ohio Department ofAgriculture or any employees thereof may be held liable for the outcome of using any of the information contained herein.
TASK FORCE FORMED
be more active on the comb during inspection, running and often flying rather than tendingbrood. They may readily abscond if disturbed, A task force has been formed to look into particular locality. Proportionately more comb aggressive honey bee incidents. The original is devoted to brood, less to food stores. They catalyst was that with an increasing number swarm more frequently (often >10 times per of states reporting Africanized Honey Bee year in warm climates) and tend to accept colonies it is only a matter if time before Ohio smaller cavities for nest establishment. Of will be confronted with such a colony. That puts the beekeeping industry and the general public on a collision course for confrontation.
defend their hives more aggressively. They sting more readily, recruit more bees to join in overall plan as well as looking into setting up the attack, and follow targets much further away from the hive vicinity. They tend to rob Africanization. This is an on going project any neighboring colonies relentlessly, if they with much work remaining; we will keep you can get away with it. Africanized colonies are considered by some to be unable to coexistwith European colonies within the same area, MORE ON AFRICANIZED HONEY
because they tend to infiltrate docile colonies and replace the European queens withAfricanized queens.
It is possible, even likely, that we will have some movement of Africanized honey bees (AHB) into Ohio during the next several years. Eventually this may become commonplace, because this public reaction to stinging incidents may result type of honey bee has now been found in all the states along the Gulf Coast except Mississippi (for a current online map, see http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/ Anyone who observes bees that are unusually aggressive should handle them with caution, expected that AHB will continue to increase its population density in these states and to extend should report suspect colonies ASAP to the ODA Apiary Section for further investigation.
inspectors, and anyone working around apiaries WHAT’S IN BLOOM
should be aware of some of the differences between AHB and the European types of honeybees, with which we are familiar.
Honey bees have been observedto visit the flowers of all of the Compared with their European counterparts, Africanized bees tend to be smaller in adultworker size and have smaller brood cells.
These differences are so slight that they require shaded areas); snowdrops, winteraconite (cultivated flowering bulbs, The behavior of these types of bees can bedramatically different. Africanized bees tend to continued on page 3
TIME FOR MASON BEES IS AT
hornfaced bees are active, several types of leafcutting bees will use the same type ofnesting hole, or slightly different hole sizes.
More information can be obtained about thesebees from ODA Apiary Section or online The orchard mason bee (OMB, also known as the blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria) is asolitary bee that has been suggested as an What's In Bloom continued from page 2. . .
alternative to honey bees for pollination of someplants. Each nest is established by a single naturalized in some areas); Chinese witchhazel female, which collects pollen and nectar, combines them together to make a pollen pellet,lays an egg on it, seals the “cell”, then builds March – April: crocuses, squill, muscari, another. A nest is a linear series of cells; mud partitions are built between cells. Many females dandelions, red maple, willows, red deadnettle, may nest in close proximity, creating the illusion lungwort, leopard’s-bane, Cornelian-cherry of a colony. OMB prefer holes with 5/16 in.
diameter. If attempting to raise OMB, use
holes that are 6 in. deep to maximize the
serviceberry, crabapple, apple, peach, plum, usually a surplus of males, and females livelonger and work harder; more females = morereproduction and more pollination. Many typesof “housing” are acceptable, and can be easily LISTS DEVELOPED
made or purchased. Quite different from honey bees, OMB have an adult stage that lasts fromemergence (late March –early April) until late The Ohio Department of Agriculture, Apiary May – early June. The bees spend the summer program has been developing a list of those and fall inside holes, developing through the out-of-state companies that have filed proper immature stages, then overwinter as adults and health certificates to sell queens, packages, wait for warming spring conditions to emerge.
and nucs into Ohio. While doing this it was There is only one generation per year.
decided that it might be interesting to developa “distributor list” which lists the in-state These bees need to have plants relatively close, people who are obtaining these packages and because they fly only a few hundred yards from then selling or distributing them to other their nests in search of pollen and nectar.
beekeepers. This then developed into another Preferred plants are spring-blooming shrubs in list which are the in state people who will be the rose family, such as serviceberry, apples, raising their own queens for sale or using bought queens to make up nucs for sale.
The lists are still in their infancy, constantly There are 2 distinct subspecies of the OMB.
being updated, and certainly nothing fancy, The western subspecies is commonly sold by however if you would like to know the health online vendors, and unfortunately is poorly status of a particular supplier’s honey bees adapted to life in Ohio, preferring a drier before you buy give the department a call or climate. Somewhat similar, but much easier to raise, is the hornfaced bee (Osmia cornifrons).
After the spring period when OMB and THE OSUE BEE PROGRAM – 2006
While some of the expected changes may be considered undesirable, the OSUE Bee Lab is
still operational. That’s good. Even better - the
As most of you know, recent personnel losses recent spring meetings in Northeastern and and reductions have resulted in radical changes Southwestern Ohio were attended by nearly 1100 beekeepers. That’s really good! Each of conducted. Increasingly, this program – and all other extension programs – will be expected to important to the overall survival of the OSU and OSUE bee programs. Your help and support is operate the program.
Presently, theRothenbuhler Honey Bee Tylosin continued from page 1. . .
Research position isvacant at OSU, Columbus.
needed for your particular case. Do not try to
teaspoon weight may vary from 7—12 grams or 38—60 doses, which is a wide range when changes, change isinevitable. The imminent The stability of this type of product is measured in half life. The half life for Oxytetracycline is 7.6 addressed is, “How to meet the challenges of days while the half life for tylosin is 287 days! the near future but still satisfy the expectations Ohio’s commodity groups and citizens.” Bottom line: Be careful with tylosin, it is
So much as possible and as time and money effective but for practical purposes, any tylosin allow, I or someone from the OSUE Bee Lab, present in honey will not disappear with time.
would like to attend monthly county beekeepingmeetings to explain and discuss the majorchanges that are being implemented.
Increasingly, volunteerism will be important - ifnot expected - by the University Administration.
Your organization might consider thesequestions: 2. What present services or support would OSU Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Ex- tension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis withoutregard to race, color, age, gender identity or expression, disability, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administrationand Director, OSU Extension TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-

Source: http://www.medinabeekeepers.com/images/OhioInfoBee200604.pdf