Digest and discuss

[gavin]

The NZers are considering jumping on the CCD bandwagon.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/4973857/Fears-bee-colony-collapse-has-arrived
(http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/4973857/Fears-bee-colony-collapse-has-arrived)
First they get Varroa. Then it spreads for a few years. They try the usual control methods. Do they then stop working? And as if by magic, high losses. What should we blame now?! Read on .....

[lindsay s]

Pay attention to this site Gavin I posted this link 5 days ago. A good subject for Eric if he's ever allowed back.

[gavin]

Oops!!

Saw Eric tonight - he was in fine form and looking well (as was at least one current forum user).

[EmsE]

I have to say Gavin that was a really interesting talk on Varroa- very different to the norm. I'm going to learn how to search for bee videos on youtube now.

[gavin]

It was lovely to see you there Ems. This is the one I had to hunt in my pockets for:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSGa9DKraGA

As well as the part around 4 mins (with the bee on three legs, grappling using the other three with a Braula to give it a bite) there is one tackling a Varroa around 7 mins. When watching these bees you have to remind yourself that these are just insects, yet the behaviours they show and the dexterity and determination when grappling with their foes is amazing. You may have spotted by now that numpty scientists wind me up. There are persistent reports of one based in England who repeatedly claims that bees do not damage Varroa and that the 'damage' seen on mites is simply kinks in the carapace thing (idiosoma is the posh word) as mites dry out. He must never have seen this video.

This is the one that really belongs in my 'Communications' talk (may be giving that one in Kilbarchan in March next year) but shows the submission response well:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf89PR_R8so

For folk not at the talk, the up and down shaking is to tell the bees to ready themselves for flight. Bees usually submit by freezing with wings flattened down the back, but sometimes get confused and respond with the splaying of wings and curling of abdomen of a bee accepting an approach for grooming.

Some of the others were from the now defunct IWF.de site. These videos in talks are a real winner - a picture may be worth a thousand words but a video just keeps people totally engrossed. And cuts down on the need to think of things to say.

[EmsE]

Thanks Gavin, that's Gina's evening sorted for her without me losing my patience with youtube. The one with the bee getting the varroa is a must see- I was really surprised by it. I was hoping it would be the communication aspect of the bees for March's talks especially after Wednesday. It's a fascinating area but not really talked about over here.