Latest News from Project Apis m.
Visit us on the Web at
www.projectapism.org
May 27, 2009
(Editor's note: This
edition is being re-sent due to some broken links. We apologize for the
inconvenience.)
Welcome to the latest edition of the Project
Apis m. Newsletter
What is Project Apis m (PAm)? A
non-profit organization focused on finding practical solutions to beekeepers'
challenges by supporting practical, results-oriented in-field research.
- Donate
now to PAm! -- Why PAm? Because PAm funds
bee research that is selected and guided by beekeepers. We are suggesting
$1 per colony to support PAm’s research efforts that seek to find
practical solutions for managed colonies. Click
here to donate.
If you
sent hives to Paramount Farming Co. orchards, during the 2009 pollination
season, Paramount will generously match your contribution to PAm,
dollar-for-dollar. Write your check to PAm, send it our address below,
and include a note that you were a Paramount beekeeper. “A buck a hive” becomes
two bucks and will go a long way to help resolve our many bee challenges. Do
your part, and Paramount will help!
-
PAm’s research - - PAm
has infused over $330,000 into bee research in the last two years
alone. The CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture awarded PAm a 2007
Specialty Crop Block Grant to work on bee health evaluations. PAm
has funded research at Penn State, UC Davis, UC San Francisco, Washington
State U, U of MT, the Connecticut Experimental Station, and USDA in Tucson
and in Weslaco. PAm’s funding provides pesticide screening at PSU
for beekeepers at half the cost. PAm’s research has delved into the
quality of HFCS, pollination capability of Australian packaged bees, virus
detection, translocation of systemic neo-nicotinoids into nectar and pollen,
and mite, Nosema and pathogen detection. For more on PAm’s research,
click here
- Summer and Fall bee notes for
almond growers - - If you’re an almond
grower, your thoughts have turned from pollination to nut set, disease and
pest control, irrigation management and your many other concerns. But don’t
forget about your beekeeper during the summer and fall months.
Click here
to learn how to prepare
for the 2010 pollination season.
- California State University,
Channel Islands - Now a bee research facility –- the newest CSU
campus will have a pollination biologist as Dr. Ruben Alarcon moves from his
post-doctoral position at the Tucson Bee Lab to the CSU campus and assumes
the role of Assistant Professor while continuing his work in honey bee
pollination and his collaboration with the Tucson Lab.
Click here
to learn more.
- Top Ten Reasons Colony
Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been good for the beekeeping industry - - PAm’s
research efforts have had exposure already this year at the American
Beekeeping Federation (ABF) meeting in Reno, the American Honey Producer’s
meeting in Fresno and at the joint meeting of the Apiary Inspectors of
America and the American Association of Professional Apiculturists meeting
in Gainesville, FL. Chris Heintz, PAm’s executive director, in one
of two presentations given at the ABF, gave “the top ten reasons CCD has
been good for the beekeeping industry”. To view this list,
click here.
- Almond pollination model ready by year’s end- -
The USDA-ARS bee facility in Tucson will showcase in the coming months a
pollination model built to predict nut set. This computer model will take
into account various factors including different almond varieties, acreage,
canopy size, number of honey bee colonies, frames per colony, and
poor-to-average-to-excellent weather conditions (bee flight hours) to
predict crop yield. The model will allow a grower to look at many different
scenarios that affect pollination, for instance, how varietal bloom overlap
can vary according to the weather. Another example of what the model will
do – assess the impact on yield of more colonies vs. fewer colonies with
more frames of bees. Stay tuned for more information on the almond
pollination model. The project has been funded by the Almond Board of
California.
- CA Dept of Food and
Agriculture hears from PAm –- PAm was asked by
grant administrators to present the accomplishments so far from its 2007
Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) to the CDFA Board as an example of the
success of the SCBG program. In late March, as a prelude to the
announcement of the new round of SCBG funding for 2009, the Board was
briefed on the program and PAm’s project was selected as a model
project to showcase for the Board. Efforts under PAm’s CDFA grant
have helped to combat CCD and improve honey bee health via assisting in: 1)
centralizing information on bee health and diagnostics, 2) locating and
coordinating research nationwide, 3) streamlining funding sources, 4)
initiating research in Montana, Pennsylvania, California, Florida,
Connecticut, and Arizona, and 5) providing outreach opportunities to put
more information in the hands of beekeepers.
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Got News?
Please send us your news item to Christi Heintz
christi@projectapism.org
Donations.
Suggested contribution: A buck a hive -
beekeeper and grower. Write this contribution for research into your pollination
contracts. Send your tax deductible contribution to:
Project Apis m.
1750 Dayton Rd.
Chico, CA 95928