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Beekeeping
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Domesticating
an insect
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Summary:
Beekeepers manage honey bees and use these
insects to pollinate agricultural crops, as
well as produce honey and beeswax. While
beekeeping can be a hobby or business, fewer
new businesses are starting nowadays because
of problems with invasive species, mysterious
disorders, parasites, and diseases.
Jack
DeAngelis, PhD
OSU
Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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Beekeeping can
be a business or a hobby. Commercial beekeepers
employ honey bees to pollinate agricultural crops,
for which beekeepers are paid a fee, often
transporting hives long distances between fields or
orchards. Honey is also harvested and sold at the
end of the season. Hobby beekeepers, on the other
hand, generally are interested mainly in honey
production.
Besides pollination and
honey, a third valuable product of all this bee
labor is beeswax. Beeswax is a complex wax
secreted by bees and is used to build the structure
of the hive. Beeswax is used by humans to make high
quality candles, cosmetics and polish. Beeswax
candles burn very cleanly and won't drip or
smoke as much as paraffin candles.
Until recently
beekeeping was seen as a potentially lucrative
business or enjoyable, "back-to-nature" hobby.
However, in recent years several severe pests and a
hive disorder make profitable beekeeping a challenge
and have discouraged many hobby beekeepers.
common misspelling:
bee keeping
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Beekeepers now
face a number of serious new pests. A new,
invasive bee species, the highly aggressive
Africanized honey bee ("killer bees"),
can take over a colony and make it practically
unmanageable (see What
are Killer Bees?). And, a parasitic mite
called varroa mite which can weaken
and kill colonies, has become widespread.
Currently, however, the most important threat
to beekeeping is something called Colony
Collapse Disorder (see below). Anyone
considering starting beekeeping as a hobby or
profession should check with their local
county Agricultural Extension office, or
equivalent, about the status of these honey
bee pests in their area.
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Varroa mite parasites
Varroa mites (see photo
below) are external honey bee parasites. These mites
feed on the blood of both adult and larval bees but
most of the injury is done to larvae or brood (bee
larvae are called brood by beekeepers).
Compared to other
mites, full-size varroa mites are fairly large at
1-1.5 mm. These reddish brown mites are easy to see
on white bee larvae. Untreated infestations can
weaken and kill colonies and may go unnoticed unless
the colony is specifically inspected for the mite.
Control of varroa mite
can be tricky. Early detection is important so all
beekeepers should develop a regular scouting
program. New pesticidal materials are under
development. Miticides like Apistan (fluvalenate)
and essential oils like thymol are useful so check
with your local beekeepers association.
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varroa
mites - photo by USDA/ARS
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Colony Collapse
Disorder
Colony Collapse
Disorder is a condition in which honey bees abruptly
and mysteriously disappear from a hive, leaving it
empty. The reasons for the "colony collapse" are not
yet understood but researchers are focusing on
diseases and environmental factors such as
pesticides. (see What
is Colony Collapse Disorder?).
Whatever the cause the
widespread nature of the disorder should serve as a
caution to anyone thinking about getting into
beekeeping as a business, at least until some
solutions are found.
The European Honey Bee
The Threat of Africanized
Honey Bees
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Mission: To
provide accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information
for solving common insect and mite problems around
your home, business and landscape using least-toxic
methods.
Jack DeAngelis,
Ph.D.
Please see the Disclaimer statements as
well.
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