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Times-Advocate, 1986-01-29, Page 23Apiarist breeding bees for Ontario beekeepers Times -Advocate, January 29, 1986 Page 7A Mites pose Threat to beekeepers, others who rely on pollination Apiarist Bill Ferguson, RR•2 Hen - sal!, is no longer just producing honey. He is also producing bees. Last ear he was one of a handful of On- tario breeders supplying bees to wholesalers for resale to Ontario's 5,000 beekeepers. Ferguson, vice-president of the On - p A HANDFUL — Bill Ferguson holds a handful of beeswax cells that will eventually house queens. THE EQUIPMENT Apiarist Bill Ferguson displays a mold for mak- ing queen cells from beeswax, and one of the frames to which the cells are attached. CHECK-UP — Bill Ferguson examines one of the frames in a nuc eus ' full of bees being wintered in the truck bay of his honey house. The ' nuclei will be sold to bee supply houses in early spring. Mary's Musings 1 know why college is for kids. It takes a lot of energy to be a student For teachers it's more of an en- durance test. At least that's the way I'm finding it. Sure. some of the full time teachers may have a few special privileges. But 1 have quickly learned that there is little in store for part time instttuc- tors. when it comes to rank or power. I have just completed my second week as an instructor of Communica- tions at F'anshawe College in London. 1 go in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, to teach four different groups of about 25 students each. So far I'm finding it a real test of strength and energy. The first test is just getting there through blowing and drifting snow. Leaving home iittric at 6:45 a.m. isn't much fun er er --especially for someone who will openly admit that she is not a morning person. Traffic in London is thick at 7:50 a.m. and the parking lot at Fanshawe fills up quickly. You probably think that a special parking lot is set aside for instructors. Well. there is. but they pay a price for the permit to use that lot. 1 was advised that since i only come on two days a week, it wouldn't be worth it. So f park with the students for 50t a day. in a parking lot that I'm sure is miles front the col- lege The first day, there was so much blowing snow that 1 couldn't even see the college huilding4 when 1 left my car. 1 won't even tell you how much fun it is trying to walk through an icy parking lot with a heavy briefcase, while students are trying to run over you. By Mary Alderson tarlo Beekeepers' Association, has been aware fora number of years that infestations of the acarpis woodi tracheal mite and the varroa jacob- soni mite in Europe and South America threaten not only Canadian beekeeping but many other facets of Canadian agriculture that depend on bee pollination. Ferguson is convinced that one of the best countermeasures is breeding native bees rather than rising the possibility of importing infected foreign stock. He had been ex- perimenting with raising large numbers of his own queens since 1982, motivated by therAf ican bee scare. He was doubly certain he was on the right track after hearing about the mite threat. Canadian apiarists became alarm- ed in 1984 when tracheal mites were discovered in bees in the southern U.S. These parasites live and multiply in the bee's trachea, establishing themselves within the first nine days of a bee's life. Tracheal mites weaken their hosts and shorten their lives. Bees that can't fly as far or as long, and die before their time, do not pro- duce as much honey as healthy bees. A severe infestation suffocates and kills the bee. The mites have been spread throughout America by migratory beekeepers moving their hives across the country to pollinate everything from almond trees in the south to - clover fields in the midwest to apple orchards in the north. Neighboring New York State is now heavily infested. . The varroa mite is a less im- mediate but more deadly threat. Originating in Java, it was brought from Japan to Argentina in the early seventies, but has not yet appeared in North America. The varroa mite lays its eggs in bee brood cells, and mite larvae feed on the bee larvae in the pupal stage. Emerging bees are often grossly deformed; usually in the wings, and unable to work. The female mite emerges from the cell at the same time as the bees - mature, fertilized, and ready to begin the cycle once more. Varroa mites are able to winter over with the hibernating bees. They can destroy a hive in three or four years. When the Canadian Honey Council met in 1984, eastern beekeepers wanted the two mites named as diseases in federal legislation so of- ficials would have authority to destroy affected hives and compen- same thi owners, but westerns honey producers used their majority to vote. against the proposal. They were also against extending the ban which has been in effect with European coun- tries for over 60 years by closing the Canada -US border to bee imports. Ferguson explains, that while most apiarists in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes keep their bees alive over the winter, .western apiarists kill theirs off in the autumn and order packages of queens and workers from the U.S: the following spring. Western producers can afford to sustain some decrease in their production, which averages 200 to 250 pounds of honey per hive compared. to 70 to 100 for those further east. Ferguson. suspects western apiarists are reluctant to change a lifestyle that means little work in winter, and for many a combined business -holiday trip to California to pick up next year's supply of bees. An agreement now being worked out between the US department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service and Agriculture Canada setting out the terms under which package bees and queens will be allowed to enter Canada may force some changes. The agreement re- quires that a state have an eradica- tion program acceptable to . Agriculture Canada in place if the state has been found to have tracheal mites. A state mite survey must have been made between June 1, 1985 and the start of the 1986 shipping season, and queen cell -rearing apiarists must be checked after February 1. Only bree4ers whose bees are free of mites wit allowed to ship. This will please the eastern apiarists, who lobbied federally and provincially for border closings as well as more research into safe methods to eradicate the pests. On- tario apiarists want controls until other preventatives are found. Pre- sent insecticides are expensive and ineffective; some kill both host and parasite, and compounds tested so far have also been carcinogenic. Last year Ferguson was one of a number of representatives from the Ontario B keeper's Association tak- ing part in a discussion of the situa- tion with Agriculture Canada's chief of emergency programs and his pro- vincial counterparts. The delegation was asked who would supply bees if the US source was cut off. As Ferguson has always preferred to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem, he volunteered to assist in developing a program to supply bees on a large scale. Six apiarists, including Ferguson. put their heads together at the Milton OMAF office, and decided to make up nuclei instead of packages. A package of bees is a wooden box containing a queen, one kilogram of bees (8,000) and some syrup, and sells for around $30Bees shipped this way arrive at their destination stressed, and take some time to recover before settling down to normal activity. A nucleus is made up of three frames containing a queen, brood and honey. it is more expensive, but can be put right into a hive with very lit- tle disturbance. There are other disadvantages for part time instructors who start in the middle of the year. I don't get an of- fice. in fact, I don't get a: desk. I don't even get a coat hanger. There is a chair I can sit in, but it in fact, belongs to another teacher who comes in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Not having a desk means that 1 have to carry all my books, papers and files with me everywhere I go. i now have a bulging briefcase and a very tired, long arm. The students, at least, have lockers. Because I'm a rookie instructor, my classes are scattered all over the college. Twice a day i make the long, cold trek outdoors to a portable classroom. The rest of the time i am kept running from A block to E block , back to B block and even outdoors again to G block. i spend a lot of time studying the maps on the walls, try- ing to figure out where 1 am and how i can get to the next building in 10 minutes. it's the most exercise I've had since I was a student. Taking video equipment to a class is like trying to run an obstacle course. l tried pushing a television on a high cart down the hall, but i couldn't see where I was going. i ran down a ping pong player in the mid- dle of a game. i have had one very pleasant sur- prise. Contrary to popular belief, col- lege students are not illiterate. i just finished marking their first essays, and they can read and write. Some even quite articulate, and i've got a feeling they are going to keep me on my toes. 'ibe six worked out a standard nucleus consisting of a queen, one and a half pounds of bees, one frame of honey, and two frames with brood. Fifty percentof the brood cells were caPPed; the rest were in every stage from egg to newly hatched adult. Each unit retailed for approximate- ly $49. Ferguson produced 270 of the 1,000 "nukes" sold across Ontario in the spring of 1985. Buyers later reported better crops of honey than had been obtained previously with packages brought in from the US. Ferguson prepared another 300 nuclei last summer. These are winter- ing in the climate -controlled truck bay of his honey house, ready to be shipped out in April to pollinate the or- chards at blossomtime. - "We proved that Ontario can pro- duce its own bees", Ferguson says with justifiable pride. Preparing the nuclei has been a learning experience for Ferguson, a man who likes a challenge and lives by the philosphy "If you can't find the piece of equipment you need, invent it". Ferguson devised a gadget made of pieces of dowling on which to form beeswax queen cells. Cells are fasten- ed to a frame containing three long bars, 18 cells to a bar. Ferguson carefully grafts into each cell a tiny bee larva the size of a pinhead. These are fed royal jelly for nine days. On the tenth day, when the queens are ready to hatch, a cell is placed In each queenless hive. If on- ly a queen is to be shipped, she is removed 10 days later. The process of producing and removing queens can continue until mid-August. From then on, they are left in the frames to build up their nuclei. "Maybe I'll concentrate on just raising queens when 1 get older and can't do as much lifting," Ferguson jokes. The aspiring bee breeder is content- ly perfecting his craft. During the summer he removes cells from his top -producing hives, which are scat- ted around the countryside in over 40 locations. Colonies that have wintered well also supply breeding stock. The mating and breeding yards are separated, to guard against in- breeding, and to ensure a large genetic pgol for the queens, when each mates with seven or eight drones. Determining the right conditions to bring bees through the winter was also reached by trial and error. Ferguson found air conditioning un- suitable. He has installed- large ven- tilating fans in the truck bay to bring in a constant flow of fresh air and pre- vent the build-up of carbon dioxide. The temperature is maintained at a constant 40. degrees 1 ahrenheit. Ferguson believes he and his fellow bee producers are riding the wave of the future. If the mites can be kept out, a strong bee -supplying industry can be built up north of the border to eventually sell bees to American apiarists. ' "Ontario and Quebec are in the best position to do this, as we are north of a great body of water that should pro- tect us from the mites, and the longer we can hold off the better chance we have of finding a way to deal with them". Ferguson explains, adding that man has been the primary cause of the spreading mite -infestation. Ferguson has a word of warning to professionals and hobbyists: When travelling outside Canada, resist the temptation to sneak an easily conceal- ed queen bee through customs. You may be bringing in more than you in- tended to. CONSOLATION WINNERS z— The Parkhill Lions Novice hockey team won the "B" trophy in Alvinston recently. In the back row is Jamie Grenier, Mike Willemse, Danny Willemse, Philip Carey, Mike Stanlake, Andrew Sharen, and coach Ken Eraser. -In the -front is -Jenny Sharen—Ryan Taylor; -Mark -Fraser Kyle" Vermeulen, and David Hendrick. Stanley roc officIals elected Lowell Mount was elected chair- man and Jim Kirkton, vice chairman of Stanley Township Recreation Com- mission at their meeting on Tuesday, January 21. Sandra Johnson is the secretary, Richard Erb and Bill Dowson are council representatives. Other members are Debra Rathwell, Ken McCowan, Arnold Taylor and Wayne Keller. - Programs planned for the early part of the year are a nine -week series of ballroom dancing instruction, a spring dance on April 2s6, and canoe races in April in connection with the Sesquicentennial Annual meeting Varna United Church's annual meeting was held after the service on Sunday. There were 18 present for all or part of the meeting. Following the reading of last year's minutes by recording secretary Joyce Dawson, a decision was made to send a copy of this year's minutes to all members shortly before next year's meeting, along with a notice of the meeting date. Those present felt that many are unaware of the amount of a'tivity there is in a year in our congregation. The Session reported there were two weddings, no funerals and one per- son transferred to Varna. There are 31 children enrolled in Sunday School. The U.C.W. reports showed a busy year, with much accomplished and a Thames Road YC annual, Sunday Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Hunkin on the birth of their first grandson, Wednesday. Mr. and -Mrs. Arnold Cann were Wednesday evening supper guests • with Mr. and Mrs. Bill Rohde. Barbara Miller, Toronto, spent the weekend at her home here. Saturday evening, she and Brian Miller visited with Mr. and Mrs. Barry E. Miller and girls. Play euchre at Shipka 0y MRS. HUGH MORENZ A full house with 12 tables in play, were out to the progressive euchre at the Community Centre here Wednes- day night. Scores were: higti lady, Mary Moser, Shipka; low lady, Dorothy Bullock, Exeter;. high. man, Harry Sheppard, Parkhill; low man, Bill Rammeloo, Shipka; most lone hands, six, won by Lorne Fenner, Shipka. It was announced another euchre will be held in two weeks. Personals Milton Sweitzer is a patient in St. Joseph's hospital, London, after fall- ing at home and fracturing his hip. Out of town relatives visiting him Wednesday were Mrs. Elsie Comfort, Alice and Ted Leadley, Keith Com- fort, all of the Welland area. The month of February is designated as "Heart" month. Cap- tains canvassing this area for the heart and stroke foundation are Bren- da Love and Nola Ratz. Please give generously when they call on you. A number of beef farmers from this area attended the dinner at Clinton, Friday, when Agriculture Minister John Wise addressed this large gathering on the subject of beef marketing. Solo players visiting Hugh and 1 for a few games last week were Lorne and Loreen Devine, Grand Bend and Melvin and Gertie Stade, Dashwood area. • Mr. and Mrs. Bill Rohde visited Saturday eveining with Mr. and Mrs. Phil Johns. Sunday, the Rohdes were supper guests with Mr. and Mrs. Alex Rohdes, Mitchell. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Thomson, Woodham, visited Sunday evening with the Rohdes. Church Service The Third Sunday After Epiphany Church Service was in charge of Rev. Robert Matheson. We sang the childrens' hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth" and Rev. Matheson told the childrens' story "The Treasures of the Snow". The Scripture Lesson was read from Nehemiah 8:1-4a, I Corinthians 12:12-30, Luke 4:14-21. The sermon was entitled "Chunneling our Faith". Ezra challenges those who follow- ed him home from Exile to be united under the Law. Recall books out to draw those of Jewish descent back to their roots. Paul wants to see Christians united in their actions despite the fact we are individuals. Each of us has a different role but we also are called to serve the same God. Christians are not to be robots or zombies. In explaining, he is the fulfillment of prophecy Jesus is calling people to be united in him. This proves to be too great a challenge for some. The Explorer meeting will be held Wednesday, January 29 at 7 p.m. at Elimville United Church. Girls nine, 10 and 11 years are welcome to come. Those interested in Confirmation classes, please contact Rev. Robert Matheson by January 31 in order to enroll. The annual meeting will be held next Sunday, February 2, following the worship service and a pot luck lunch. We celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Sunday, February 9 at both Elimville and Thames Road United Churches. The February meeting of the United Church Women wilt be held Monday, February 3 at 8 p.m. • healthy balance in the treasury. Near- ly $600 was sent to Mission and Ser- vice from envelope and loose offer- ings. Mission and Service givings from the congregation were down considerably from the previous year. Treasurer Bernice Reid also gave the general financial report. The year 1986 started with a balance of $650 less than 1985. The VIM fund is still open for anyone who still wishes to contribute. Following a break for a potluck lunch, Rev. W. Brown presided. The manse committee planted trees near the lot line and installed a sump pump in the basement. A new stack control was installed on the furnace. The Ministry and Personnel Committee reported the minister's salary for this year. Rev. Brown announced that she is staying until the end of June, as she is not covered adequately with disability insurance while on study • leave. She will be available for a new pastorate: but still wishes to write about "Faith and Ministry in the Rural Church", and would like input from local people to help in her research. About 90 percent of new or- dinands have no rural experience, but are sent to rural charges, sometimes in remote areas, with little support or assistance for problems they encounter. The Every Family Plan for the Observer will continue. Ivan McCly- mont will remain for two more years as the charge's Presbytery represen- tative, with Elmer Hayter of Goshen as the new alternate representative. Joyce Dawson was again elected to be recording secretary. Joyce has resigned from the Session after a term of several years. Carol Simons is the new elder. Stewards for 1986 are Blaine Stephenson and Bob Stirling, chair- man and secretary, and Doug McAsh, Tom Consitt, Don Rathwell and Jim Kirkton. New stewards will be Bob Webster and (tentatively) Mark Taylor. Date of the barbeque is June 25. Janet Webster and June Webster were again appointed to audit the books. All other Boards and Commit- tees are unchanged. Mildred McAsh has resigned as regular organist,but will help occas- sionally. Floyd McAsh has agreed to play on a part-time basis. Music stu- dent Julie Webster will approached to play occasionally. Treasurer Bernice Reid and caretaker 1k1ary Chessell were each given a raise of $25. The organist's salary was raised t6 El5 per Sunday. The meeting radiated a feelig of good fellowship and freedo of discussion. The lunch hour in the fid- dle probably contributes somew at to this. Congratulations to Ron and Joyce Taylor on the birth of another grand- son, little Taylor Hesselwood. Parents of Sunday School students- remetnber to dress your children warmly next Sunday for the sleighride. •