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Randy,s Posts

Sick Bees – Part 18F5: Colony Collapse Revisited – Synthetic Pesticides

Sick Bees Part 18f5: Colony Collapse Revisited Synthetic Pesticides First published in ABJ May 2013 Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com Synthetic Pesticides Preadaptation Interactions Between Synthetic and Natural Toxins Toxicological Eras in Honey Bee Evolution The “Varroa Era” Conclusion Addendum: The Beekeepers’ Responsibility Acknowledgements References Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com OK, I hope that since explaining that bees have...

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What Happened To The Bees This Spring? (Part 1 & 2)

Part 1: Environmental and Biotic Factors Setting the Stage The Lead Up The Drought Lack of Good Forage Varroa Diseases Other Indicators of Impending Collapse An Unexpected Chill Feedback from Brokers The Silent Majority Beekeeper Management Part 2: The Contribution From Pesticides The Lynch Mob Debunking The Myths The Precautionary Principal See For Yourself Be...

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Mite Management Update 2013

Monitoring Mites by Sampling Frame-to-Frame Consistency of Samples Mite Recovery of the Alcohol Wash Sticky Boards Natural Mite Drop vs. Alcohol Wash Discussion Experimenting with MAQS Strips References and Footnotes Mite Management Update 2013 Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in ABJ August 2013 It’s that time of year again to get a jump on varroa...

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Reflections on the Honey Bee Health Summit

Reflections on the Honey Bee Health Summit (And Other Random Thoughts) Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First Published in ABJ in August 2013   Into The Belly of the Beast Plant Breeders Drop the Demonization Let’s Be Logical Take Home Sound Bites Colony Health The Varroa/Virus Complex Pesticide Issues Agriculture and Nutrition Toxins Sentinel Apiaries Weighing the...

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Sick Bees – Part 18F6: Colony Collapse Revisited – The Slaughter of the Innocents

The Slaughter of the Innocents Why the Current Hoopla on Pesticides? Ecosystems and Agriculture Our Creation of “Pests” The Slaughter of the Innocents Pesticide (Mis)use Today The Nitty-Gritty The Killing Fields Chronic Exposure Hitting the Colony Where it Really Hurts Progress in Reducing Pesticide Use A Brighter Future References Sick Bees Part 18f6: Colony Collapse...

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Winter Colony Losses

A Pesticide-Free Control Group 2011/2012 Beelogical Trials Discussion What Makes Dinks Dinks? The Midwinter Assessment (Size Matters) Another Trial The Winter Turnaround So What To Do With Dinks? Spread of Infection From Hive to Hive Coming References   Winter Colony Losses Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in ABJ September 2013 For nearly a decade now...

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Queens For Pennies Powerpoint Presentation

Queens for Pennies pdf The above file is saved as a pdf.  If you wish a Powerpoint version for audience presentation, please contact me. Updates:  I recently tested several models of lighted magnifying headlamps available from Amazon and was most pleased with the: Carson Pro Series MagniVisor Deluxe Head-Worn LED Lighted Magnifier with 4 Different...

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Small-scale Queenrearing

This page is not a finished product, but due to requests, I’ve posted a rough version. The Oliver “foolproof method” of queen rearing Step-by-step Oliver modification  of the “Modified Swarm Box” Starter/finisher colony Click the link below to download my Powerpoint presentation, minus my voice.  It is a large download and may take some time....

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Updates

October 2014: Hi All, I’m freshly returned from the Western Apicultural Society Conference in Missoula, where we got to see the state of the art in remote hive monitoring.  It won’t be long until we have some really user-friendly and affordable hive monitoring devices on the market. We’re also seeing a sea change in the...

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Sick Bees Part 18F8: Colony Collapse Revisited – Beekeeping Economics

Sick Bees Part 18F8: Colony Collapse Revisited Beekeeping Economics Originally published in ABJ Dec 2013 Randy Oliver www.Scientificbeekeeping.com     Beekeeping Economics The Truth Is The First Casualty Back To Reality Bee-pocalypse Beekeeping Economics Chasing The Bloom Biologically Productive Land The Dakotas Cotton And Citrus In The South Putting Plant Protection Above Pollinators Next Update...

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Does Oxalic Acid Treatment of Nucs Affect Honey Production?

BEEKEEPER-FUNDED RESEARCH Does Oxalic Acid Treatment of Nucs Affect Honey Production? Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com Originally published in ABJ Dec 2013 Last year I ran two trials to see whether I could take advantage of the brief window of opportunity which occurs 19 days after starting nucs with queen cells, during which the mites are forced...

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The Short Version

The Major Problems Facing Bees and Beekeepers Number one is varroa.  Varroa changed the virus dynamics within the colony.  If either the bees or the beekeeper don’t keep the varroa infestation rate down to fewer than 5 mites per 100 bees, colonies start to suffer.  At about 15 mites per 100, viruses go epidemic, and...

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Sick Bees Part 18F9: Colony Collapse Revisited – The Bee/Pesticide Problem Complex

Sick Bees Part 18F9: Colony Collapse Revisited – The Bee/Pesticide Problem Complex Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First Published in ABJ in January 2014 Examples Of Improved Technology The Transition The “Bee/Pesticide Problem Complex” Pesticide Hazard Quotients A More Relevant Figure? Wrap Up Acknowledgements Citations and Footnotes Part 1 In my lifetime I’ve witnessed a wholesale shift...

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An Improved, But Not Yet Perfect, Varroa Mite Washer

An Improved, but Not Yet Perfect, Varroa Mite Washer Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com Originally published in ABJ in Oct 2013 Update 4 July 2022 for the benefit of Aussie beekeepers. The simplest version of a mite wash cup is with two 16-oz clear plastic cups and a piece of tulle fabric: We no longer use alcohol. ...

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What’s Happening To The Bees? – Part 1

What’s Happening to the Bees? Originally published in ABJ Feb 2014 Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com I’m realizing that what I thought was going to be a quick review of CCD has turned into a very long series of detailed articles, and I’m not even near reaching the conclusion. So on this 20th anniversary of my first...

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