Colony Management
This section offers practical strategies for preparing strong colonies for almond pollination with an emphasis on early colony buildup, proper nutrition, and Varroa management. In particular, late-summer brood rearing, supplemental pollen feeding, and controlled Varroa treatments to ensure colonies are at peak strength by February. You’ll also find tips for monitoring hive weight and preventing overcrowding, ensuring both successful pollination and sustainable colony health.
Sick Bees – Part 1
Sick Bees: Part 1 Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in American Bee Journal August 2010 Most any long-time beekeeper has noticed that bees are simply not as healthy as they used to be, and that we have been plagued with a spate of unusual colony collapses in recent years. As luck would have it, I’ve...
Sick Bees – Part 2: A Model of Colony Collapse
Sick Bees—Part 2 A Model of Colony Collapse Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in American Bee Journal September 2010 Over the past year, I have watched the experimentally-induced collapse of an apiary. The experience has helped me to understand the progression of colony collapse due to multiple parasite infection. Update: Be aware that what is...
Sick Bees – Part 3: The Bee Immune System
Sick Bees—Part 3 The Bee Immune System Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in American Bee Journal October 2010 In my previous article, I proposed a model for the in-hive positive feedback loops that may lead to colony collapse. Before I can further explain the model, we must understand more precisely how the bee immune system...
Sick Bees – Part 4: Immune Response to Viruses
Sick Bees—Part 4 Immune Response to Viruses Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in American Bee Journal November 2010 Table of Contents Bees vs. Viruses 1 Back to School 2 Practical Application 4 Viruses Fight Back 4 MicroRNA’s 4 Inapparent Virus Infections 5 Acknowledgements 5 References 5 Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that infect all organisms,...
Sick Bees – Part 5: Multiple Infections
Sick Bees Part 5 Multiple Infections Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First Published in ABJ in January 2011 Table of Contents The Problem of Co-infection1 The Battle of the Brood Pathogens 2 The Cost of Immunity 3 Opportunistic Pathogens 4 Varroa and Nosema 5 References 5 I ended the last installment of this series by asking...
Sick Bees – Part 6: Infection by Multiple Viruses
Sick Bees—Part 6 Infection by Multiple Viruses Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in American Bee Journal February 2011 We beekeepers hear from researchers that our sick bees are full of viruses. Understandably, we want to know what we can do about it. But to most of us, virus infections are a “black box”—a generally invisible,...
Sick Bees: Part 7 – Transgenerational Immune Priming
Contents Trans Generational Immune Priming. 1 Practical Applications. 4 What is RemebeeTm and How Does it Work?. 4 Natural Amplification and Spread. 4 Is Remebee Safe?. 5 Does it work?. 5 Results from my California Trial (continued) 5 How About Nosema ceranae?. 8 The Future of RNAi 9 Transgenic Bees?. 9 References. 10 Sick Bees—Part...
Sick Bees – Part 8: Time for a Paradigm Shift!
Contents Understanding Viruses. 2 Bee/Virus Coevolution. 2 Viral Quasispecies. 2 Regional Bee Stocks. 3 The Natural Situation Prior to Varroa. 5 What’s Changed?. 7 The Seasonal Progression of Virus Infections. 7 Enter Varroa. 9 Things are Different These Days. 12 Varroa and Viruses. 14 Holding Yards. 17 Beekeeper-Applied Miticides. 17 Varroa changed everything. 19 Practical...
Bromenshenk
TABLE OF CONTENTS The Paper What Do Bromenshenk and the Army Claim to Have Found? The Team The Tools A Novel Approach Back to the Paper Q & A Iridescent Virus Practical Applications Acknowledgements References Bromenshenk Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in American Bee Journal December 2010 A man walking along the street one night...
Sick Bees Part 18A: Colony Collaspse Revisited
Gone, or Just Taking a Breather? CCD in Retrospect? The Anatomy of Colony Collapse Relative Risk The Holst Milk Test Treating for Nosema Pollen Supplement Patties Yet Another Sign of Impending Collapse Ag Exposure as a Risk Factor Reliving History Acknowledgements References [8] The Holst Milk Test Sick Bees Part 18a: Colony Collapse Revisited Randy...
Sick Bees – Part 18A: Colony Collapse Revisited
Gone, or Just Taking a Breather? CCD in Retrospect? The Anatomy of Colony Collapse Relative Risk The Holst Milk Test Treating for Nosema Pollen Supplement Patties Yet Another Sign of Impending Collapse Ag Exposure as a Risk Factor Reliving History Acknowledgements References [8] The Holst Milk Test Randy Oliver In my article on almond pollination...
Sick Bees – Part 18B: Colony Collapse Revisited
Sick Bees Part 18b: Colony Collapse Revisited Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First Published in ABJ in June 2012 The “Harvard” Study A Healthy Skepticism Reality Check A Critical Analysis A Clarification of Terms Can You Trust Your Spin Doctor? Some Helpful Advice Some Examples of Spin Doctor Malpractice Example 1 – GMOs as the Cause of...
Sick Bees Part 18C: Colony Collapse Revisited – Environmental Factors
Sick Bees Part 18c: Colony Collapse Revisited Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com Originally published in ABJ October 2012 Beekeeper Management Practices Environmental Factors Ozone and Air Pollution HAARP (The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) Cell Phones/Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) Geomagnetic Flux Chilling WEATHER AND CLIMATE CHANGE HABITAT CONVERSION Summary So Far Acknowledgements Further Reading Citations Sorry for...
Sick Bees – Part 18D: Colony Collapse Revisited – Agricultural Exposure
Updates Geomagnetic Flux Driftwatch Back to the Suspects for CCD Ag Exposure A Pesticide-Free Control Group CRP Lands Good News Acknowledgements References Sick Bees Part 18D: Colony Collapse Revisited Agricultural Exposure Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com Originally published in ABJ November 2012 “It’s what you know for sure that keeps you from learning.” And I’m all about...
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