Ohio State Beekeepers Association

Pesticide Research Institute Survey – Send them your feedback Now!

webmaster — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:46:55 +0000

The Pesticide Research Institute wants feedback from beekeepers about pesticide related issues. Now is our chance to be heard by the EPA. We encourage our members to take the survey and give them your input. The survey will be available though May at http://www.pesticideresearch.com. Additional information on the Pesticide Research Institute request follows:

——–

Dear Members of the Ohio State Beekeepers Association,

My name is Sandra Bustos, I am research assistant at Pesticide Research Institute and we are working with beekeepers from around the country to look at some of the effects of pesticides on beehive health. At the moment, we are looking at the immediate effects that pesticides may have on beehives, and are trying to understand if there are particular crops that pose higher risks for exposure. We are requesting that you help us by distributing a survey on pesticide-related bill kills to beekeepers in your association and beyond.

With the help of the beekeepers, we have created this survey to help evaluate the effectiveness of the pesticide label in controlling pesticide damage to pollinators and provide suggestions for improvements in label language to protect bees. The results of this survey will be presented to the USEPA Pesticide Program Dialog Committee (PPDC), an advisory committee that provides input to EPA staff and decision-makers.

We will accept survey submissions through the end of May but encourage that you submit survey as soon as possible. Additionally, we want to emphasize that all beekeepers should complete the survey independent of whether the beekeeper has experienced pesticide-related bee kills.

Gathering as much data as possible will allow us to submit comprehensive results to the USEPA PPDC committee. The information you provide is anonymous and will be grouped with other beekeepers’ data, so you will not specifically be identified. If you would like a copy of the survey results, there is a box at the end of the survey to enter your email address. This information will be removed prior to submission of the data to US EPA.

Help by taking the survey now.

Please distribute the survey widely to any and all beekeepers: commercial beekeepers with thousands of hives or hobbyists with a single hive. This anonymous information will contribute to research that will help protect beekeepers and pollinator health.

Thank you for your consideration,

Sandra Bustos
Pesticide Research Institute
2768 Shasta Rd.
Berkeley, CA 94708

Phone: (510) 759-9397
Fax: (510) 848-5271
E-mail: sandra@pesticideresearch.com
Web: http://www.pesticideresearch.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pesticideresearch

OSBA in the News

webmaster — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:10:10 +0000

Four days in April Deadly for Bees

While Ohio agriculture officials look for the cause of another mass die-off of commercial honeybees, beekeepers say they know what’s killed them — a popular insecticide.

Hundreds of thousands of dead honeybees were discovered outside hundreds of hives last month in Delaware, Fairfield, Hardin, Miami, Pickaway and Ross counties.

Read the entire article…

Also See:

Report Your Pesticide Bee Kills

webmaster — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:35:35 +0000

In response to many recent reports of possible pesticide kills of honeybees at Ohio apiaries. The Ohio State Beekeepers association has started to independently collect information on possible kills to help in the fight to protect honey bees. If you suspect a poisoning OSBA urges you to:

Contact your local inspector to verify the kill.
Take pictures of the hives and collect as much information as you can, e.g. when you last saw the colonies and they appeared to be healthy; personality of the colonies (actively flying, signs of nosema,etc.) direction of the wind, crops growing (or to be planted) in fields nearby; present activity of hives; dead drones? Dead pupae being kicked out?…etc.
Collect 50-100 bees in or on the bottom board and freeze asap. Do not collect bees that have been lying on the ground as they deteriorate quickly. Leave ~ 100 bees for ODA to collect. They may not take bees that you have already collected.
Contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at Reynoldsburg Ohio. – 614-728-6373. They should send someone to inspect the bees and collect samples for testing to determine what pesticide killed the bees. They will also attempt to determine who was responsible for the pesticide spraying. It could take 4 or more months to receive their report. According to recent accounts by an OSBA member, you have to be insistent that they do something and may even have to get the media (newspaper and TV) involved before you will get a response.
Contact the EPA
Report the kill to the Ohio State Beekeepers Association. This information will help us bring the problem to the attention of the appropriate authorities. Fill out the pesticide kill reporting form.

Additional information about pesticide kills, the law concerning pesticide application as it relates to honey bees and how to protect your bees can be found at http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/pesticides-and-honeybees/

Please help spread the word to your fellow beekeepers and local association members and report any suspected poisoning at: http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/resources/pesticide-kill-reporting/

The more information we have on this problem, the more effective OSBA can be addressing the issue.

Pesticide Kills in Ohio

webmaster — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:42:19 +0000

Recently in Ohio there have been several reports of beekeepers with piles of dead bees in front of their hives. This is a classic sign of a pesticide kill. Once you see this there is little you can do besides cross your fingers and hope the hives recover. With luck the queen will still be alive and the colony will recover.

The hives or bees do not have to be directly sprayed to come in contact with pesticide. They could visit plants that have been sprayed and can bring the residue or pollen back to the hive. Ideally the pesticide contact kills the bee quickly so she doesn’t return to the hive, but in the recent spraying events this does not seem to be the case.

News coverage of one recent pesticide kill:

So what can you do to protect your bees:

Ohio law requires that you:

Register your apiary with the state. Registration must be renewed every year by June 1st. This information is given to the pesticide operators when the call in to check for apiary locations. Without the information on this form the applicator does not know who to contact and you may have no recourse if your bees are sprayed. It is best to register an apiary as soon as possible instead of waiting for the June 1st date so the state has correct information. The application can be downloaded from the Ohio Department of Agriculture website.
You must post your name and phone number in every apiary. It does not need to be a large formal sign, and is only required to be visible when in the apiary. It helps to post a sign stating that an apiary is nearby close to a road so that applicators know that hives are back there.

Ohio law requires the pesticide applicators give beekeepers as 24 hour notice of using a product that is labeled to be toxic to honey bees if the crop to be treated is in bloom and the field is greater than half an acre and within half a mile of any apiary (see rule below). This is not a lot of notice and given that you can only effectively close up hives at night, gives the beekeeper a very short period of time to protect their bees. Thus you must be prepared in advance to act on a short notice. Having enough enough screen boards (used for moving hives) or double screen boards for at least one apiary is recommended. It also helps if you have screened bottom boards on your hives.

From the Ohio Revised code 901:5-11-02
(B) No person shall:
(15) Apply or cause to be applied any pesticide that is required to carry a special warning on its label indicating that it is toxic to honey bees, over an area of one-half acre or more in which the crop-plant is in flower unless the owner or caretaker of any apiary located within one-half mile of the treatment site has been notified by the person no less than twenty-four hours in advance of the intended treatment; provided the apiary is registered and identified as required by section 909.02 of the Revised Code, and that the apiary has been posted with the name and telephone number of the owner or responsible caretaker.
(16) Apply pesticides which are hazardous to honey bees at times when pollinating insects are actively working in the target area; however, application of calyx sprays on fruits and other similar applications may be made.

Before the spraying event, replace the inner cover with a screen board and elevate the telescoping cover or prop it up so as to give excess ventilation. Remove the sheet from the screened bottom board to allow for more ventilation. After the bees have returned for the evening or in early morning before the bees begin flying, close all entrances. Duct tape or wooden blocks will work, but #8 hardware cloth is better to allow for ventilation. Make sure there is no hole big enough for bees to get out. This should allow enough ventilation so you can keep the bees in the hives for 2-3 days until after the major threat of pesticide poisoning has passed. On very hot days it would be wise to provide a water source in the hive (boardman feeder) or periodically spray water in the hive to assist the bees cooling the hive.

You can also make sure that all the adjacent farmers to your apiaries know you have bees. The fact is the beekeeper rarely will be notified of spraying, so notifying your neighbors and kindly reminding them of the law may be your best protection.

What to do if you suspect poisoning (it may not be a spray!):

Contact your local inspector to verify the kill.
Take pictures of the hives and collect as much information as you can, e.g. when you last saw the colonies and they appeared to be healthy; personality of the colonies (actively flying, signs of nosema,etc.) direction of the wind, crops growing (or to be planted) in fields nearby; present activity of hives; dead drones? Dead pupae being kicked out?…etc.
Collect 50-100 bees in or on the bottom board and freeze asap. Do not collect bees that have been lying on the ground as they deteriorate quickly. Leave ~ 100 bees for ODA to collect. They may not take bees that you have already collected.
Contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at Reynoldsburg Ohio. – 614-728-6373. They should send someone to inspect the bees and collect samples for testing to determine what pesticide killed the bees. They will also attempt to determine who was responsible for the pesticide spraying. It could take 4 or more months to receive their report. According to recent accounts by an OSBA member, you have to be insistent that they do something and may even have to get the media (newspaper and TV) involved before you will get a response.
Contact the EPA
Report the kill to the Ohio State Beekeepers Association. This information will help us bring the problem to the attention of the appropriate authorities. Fill out the pesticide kill reporting form.

So what about my dead bees?

If the hive dies completely you will need to buy more bees. The state will not replace the bees. If they find the pesticide applicator responsible they may fine or in repeat cases revoke the applicators license. They cannot obtain compensation for your bees. You will be required to take the applicator to court and sue for damages. The state will provide you with their findings which you can use in court and may testify on your behalf as to the findings.

In addition, if the bees die out, you may want to air out the frames and foundation in a building. After a week or more (otherwise foundation may mold), put the equipment in storage and not use it again until you receive the report from the state. Hopefully the pesticide breaks down quickly so the equipment can safely be reused. If the pesticide the state identifies does not break down quickly, the equipment may still be toxic and could pose problems for any bees you place in the equipment. In this case the equipment must be destroyed.

Section 18 for HopGuard Approved in Ohio

webmaster — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:12:36 +0000

The Section 18 for HopGuard has been approved by EPA and the registrant has registered the product with Ohio. I have let the registrant know they can start selling the product in Ohio. If you need more information on this subject please contact me.

Regards,

Diana Roll
Licensing and Registration Manager
Ohio Department of Agriculture
Pesticide and Fertilizer Regulation
Phone: 614-728-6394
Fax: 614-728-4235
Email: roll@agri.ohio.gov

Ohio Beekeeping – New 2nd Quarter Newsletter

webmaster — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:54:40 +0000

OSBA Summer Meeting – June 8th
Beekeepers Take Front Seat at Ohio State Fair
Upcoming events
Ohio Queen Initiative, and more…

OSBA President’s Newsletter – March 15th, 2012

webmaster — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 03:01:44 +0000

OSBA President’s Newsletter:

March 15^th, 2012

From: Dana Stahlman, President of OSBA

One of the major features of my two years of office as President of OSBA is to communicate with the bee organizations in Ohio and the OSBA board officers. I will be sending this communication out to those on my email list. If you want dropped from the list, just let me know to remove you or if you know someone who should be added, let me know. The emails are sent out blind so your emails are not copied and used by non authorized individuals. Please feel free to share the contents of this message with others. I have as a goal to visit every bee association in Ohio this year. If you want me to come to your association meeting and make a beekeeping topic presentation with a little plug for OSBA, contact me early so I can put you on my schedule: email: stahlmanapiaries@aol.com . I plan on sending out news on beekeeping issues in Ohio on a regular basis – Also the OSBA newsletter will be out four times a year. If you are not an OSBA member, consider supporting the work we are doing. Membership is up so far this year, the Master Beekeeper Program is off and running with a tremendous response, and the Ohio Queen Initiative is developing a development model this year to help Ohio beekeeping organizations raise 24 hour queen cells from selected stock.

As a former president of a local beekeeping association, I understand the importance of local associations. They are the first line of contact with beekeepers in their area and are involved in mentoring and sponsoring beekeeping events. Each and every beekeeping association in Ohio has my respect and support for your local activities. Your ideas and suggestions are the way to lead to a better OSBA. OSBA exist to support your local associations, promote beekeeping, and work for the welfare of all beekeepers. OSBA cannot forget it all begins with you.

Points and issues around the state:

1) A letter was sent to County Commissioners by a Knox County beekeeper, Brian Farmer, with three or so years of experience and an ax to grind advocating the end of County bee inspection programs in Ohio. OSBA has responded to his letter. It is important for local organizations to raise their voice and let County Commissioners know that you appreciate what they do for you. Now is not the time to remain silent if you appreciate what your county is doing to support beekeepers. You can visit the OSBA Web site: www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org to see the letter sent to commissioners and the response of OSBA.

2) OSBA has contacted Diana Roll with ODA regarding emergency approval of Hop Guard for Varroa mite treatment. Dr. Johnson has prepared the necessary documents to send to get approval. OSBA is sending a letter as well stating that we consider approval of the product as an emergency need. Hopefully, this will not take long to approve.

3) Regarding OSU: A) OSBA has given a check for $2, 477.50 to Dr. Johnson to support a honey bee research project to be conducted by his graduate student, Doug Sponsler with colonies started from packages in rural and urban settings. More on this research will be published later this fall in the OSBA Newsletter.

B) Denise Ellsworth is doing a great job at the OSU bee lab– OSBA supports her efforts to add to beekeeping education in Ohio. FYI, a reminder the OSU Bee Lab webinar series is a monthly webinar targeted to Ohio beekeepers and anyone else interested in honey bees that is broadcast live the 3rd Wednesday of each month – April thru October – from 9-10 a.m. This free program, which uses the new Adobe Connect web based inter-active format begins April 18. All sessions will be recorded and available for free viewing the following day, and may be found at: http://beelab.osu.edu Individuals can join the contact list by visiting the following link: http://go.osu.edu/beelablist

4) OSBA has entered into a Letter of Agreement with the Ohio Expositions Commission. OSBA has agreed to organize and manage an eight day beekeeping event during the Ohio State Fair from July 29^th, to August 5^th. The last eight days of the Ohio State Fair! We want to include you in the planning and provide your organization with a chance to showcase what you do in your region of the state.

We are bringing back the honey show to the Ohio State Fair after a number of years without it. OSBA is forming a committee to help determine what and how various events are managed. We want to include all beekeeping associations in Ohio with an opportunity to be involved. If you would like to serve on the committee or if your organization would like be involved with a display, contact me: Dana Stahlman stahlmanapiaries@aol.com OSBA will also be selling vendor space. The location of the honey bee display is the 100 x 60 foot DiSalle Center Patio covered with a tent of the same size. This is located at the main northern entrance to the fairgrounds next to the northern terminal of the sky ride. Most fair traffic enters from this point and we will have plenty of exposure. The Expositions Commission will provide OSBA with PR as a major event at the fair. Expect visits by leading Ohio candidates for political office, important guest possibly even the Governor, and many county commissioners. We have commitments from 4-H, OSU, and several other groups interested in honey bees to set up displays. Help OSBA put your organization on the map.

5) Become involved in support for honey bees and promote the value honey bees give to all of us. A good example of a beekeeping association taking action in reaction to what the Tuscarawas County Commissioners did to not fund the bee inspection program in their county. I applaud what they are doing!

Subject: Tuscarawas County Bee Inspection Program will not be funded

Dear Fellow Beekeepers

During our March club meeting, we learned that the Tuscarawas County Commissioners have decided that they will not fund the county apiary (bee) inspection program for our county for 2012. A letter has been sent to the commissioners on behalf of our club expressing our disappointment and concern that the inspections will not be funded this year. The letter also explains why the inspections are important in disease and pest prevention of hives as well as how the honey bee plays an important role in agriculture in our county.

Our club’s letter is just the first step in our response. We are asking that each county beekeeper and his or her family, friends and neighbors contact the Tuscarawas County Commissions to ask them to reconsider funding for the program. It is only through our grassroots response in sheer numbers that our issues may be addressed.

Not included in this message is their talking points to the commissioners but you can contact them at: cmlechlei@gmail.com for information. My comment — dts

Another way that we might “bend the ear” of our commissioners – as well as others in agriculture and who value agriculture – is at next Friday’s Crossroads R & D Ag Appreciation Breakfast on Friday, April 16 at the Brandywine Grange. The cost is $5 for a pancake breakfast. (Many of our area’s political representatives attend.)

Brandywine Grange
Old St Rt 39
Dover, Ohio 44622

For those who did not attend the March meeting, here is another issue that may have impacted the commissioners’ decision. We learned at the Wooster meeting that a beekeeper in Knox County named Brian Farmer has submitted a letter to every county commissioner in every county in Ohio stating his opinion that the county bee inspections are a waste of taxpayer money. He has also created a You Tube video that is very critical of the Knox County inspector, Eric Simpson. We don’t know if he has an axe to grind with his county inspector, but he has now made this a statewide issue due to his letter-writing campaign. The Ohio State Beekeepers have submitted a letter to all county commissioners in response to Mr. Farmer, but we fear Mr. Farmer’s letter may have had an impact on our own county’s funding. I have an electronic copy of Mr. Farmer’s letter and the OSBA response and would be happy to email it to you upon request – I wanted to be respectful of your in-box and not add the attachments unless you requested them.

Thank you for your time and patience in this lengthy, but we felt necessary, message.

Sincerely,
Connie Lechleitner, Tuscarawas County Beekeepers Club secretary

My personal thanks to the effort to get the bee inspection program refunded. By the way, I hope I see some of you at Friday’s Crossroads R & D Ag Appreciation Breakfast on Friday, April 16 at the Brandywine Grange. I consider it one of my duties to support local associations when something of this sort happens.

Dana Stahlman

Support Ohio’s Bee Inspection Program

webmaster — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:54:37 +0000

A letter was sent to County Commissioners by a Knox County beekeeper, Brian Farmer, with three or so years of experience and an ax to grind advocating the end of County bee inspection programs in Ohio.

OSBA has responded to his letter. It is important for local organizations to raise their voice and let County Commissioners know that you appreciate what they do for you. Now is not the time to remain silent if you appreciate what your county is doing to support beekeepers.

Brian Farmer’s original letter and OSBA’s response can be viewed below:

Brian Farmer’s Original letter to County Commissioners

OSBA’s Response – February 24 Letter Concerning Brian Farmer- Hardin County

Members’ Beekeeping Classifieds

webmaster — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:16:03 +0000

Looking for Nucs, Package Bees, Beekeeping Equipment, Honey and more? Check out our members’ classifieds ads and help support our members and Ohio businesses.

Systemic Pesticides – Approved Without Testing

webmaster — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:19:34 +0000

Dan Rather Reports, “Bee Aware”. We investigate growing questions about the impact of a new class of pesticides on honey bees — and ultimately our entire food system. Are government regulators taking the potential threat seriously enough? Many say the story of the honey bees demonstrates everything that’s wrong with pesticide regulation in the United States.

See the video at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTk8Sj6lrZ4