Organic Beekeeping - Uni Hohenheim · Peter Rosenkranz; Organic Beekeeping SS 2013 19 Life cycle of...

L A N D E S A N S TA LT F Ü R

B IENENKUNDE

Dr. Peter Rosenkranz

LA Bienenkunde, Universität Hohenheim, D-70599 Stuttgart

peter.rosenkranz@uni-hohenheim.de

Organic Beekeeping

Special thanks to Remigius Binder, professional advisor for beekeeping at the Regierungspräsidium Tübingen, who provided information on the regulations and some of

the pictures

2 Peter Rosenkranz; Organic Beekeeping SS 2013

Content

1. Honey bee biology and social Evolution in bees

2. Economic value of bees

3. Annual life cycle of a honey bee colony

• Under natural condition

• Under beekeeping condition

4. General aspects and problems of organic beekeeping

5. Specific regulations of organic beekeeping

6. Pesticides and honey bee health

(according to the recent discussion on Neonicotinoides)

7. Summary

Systematic of bees

Class Insecta

Order Hymenoptera

Aculeata

Family Apidae

Stingless bees (Melipona spec.)

Bumble bees (Bombus spec.)

Honey bees (Apis spec.)

Worldwide about 20.000 Bee species

In Germany about 600 Bee species (most of them solitary)

“What are bees”?

Pecularities of Bees

• Use of Pollen and nectar for nutrition

• Visiting plants during foraging

• Many species live in social communities

Important pollinators

Social Community and Evolution

“... I will confine myself to one special difficulty

which at first appeared to me insuperable, and

actually fatal to the whole theory (of evolution).

I allude to the neuters or sterile females in insect

communities”

Darwin’s enigma

How can sterile females be explained

within the framework of an evolutionary

theory based on survival of the fittest?

In other words:

Social Community and Evolution

Darwin’s enigma “This difficulty (of sterile workers), though

appearing insuperable, is lessened, or, as I believe,

disappears, when it is remembered that selection

may be applied to the family, as well as to the

individual, and may thus gain the desired end”

Solitary Eusocial

Communal

Semisocial

„Social Evolution“

Honey Bees

Apis mellifera in Ethiopia

Apis dorsata in Asia (Giant Hone Bee) Apis florea in Asia

Dwarf Honey Bee

Worldwide distribution of honey bees (Apis) and Stingless Bees

Honey bees

Honey bees & Stingless bees

Stingless bees

Social organization of a honey bee colony

Males:

“Drones” deriving from unfertilized

eggs. The only “task” is mating

with the queen.

Female castes:

• Queen: reproduction

• Workers: all working tasks within in the colony

Both derived from fertilized eggs, no genetic

difference between workers and queens

Economic value of honey bees

Products provided by Bees

• Honey

• Wax

• Pollen

• Propolis

• Royal Jelly

• Bee venom

• Pollination

Pollination by bees

• 1/3 of the agricultural production worldwide depends on

pollination

• Economic value (estimated):

- Worldwide: ~ 100 Billion € (honeybees)

- USA: ~ 40 Billion € (bees in general, Morse 2001)

- Germany ~ 2.5 Billion €

• Bees are the most effective pollinators among the insects.

They perform about 50% of insect pollination.

Agricultural Biodiversity

http://www.cbd.int/agro/ (accessed on May 7th 2012)

Pollination by honey bees

Jordan (Strawberry)

During spring a honey bee colony is able to perform about 10,000,000

visits of flowers per day!

Almond (California)

Importance of the Honey Bee as Lifestock

Photos: www.tierportrait.ch

Life cycle of a honey bee colony

Bee beekeeping techniques

Population dynamic of a honey bee colony

Anzahl Bienen/ Brutzellen

Bienen

Long-living winter bees

Sensitive Phase!

Growth Phase

• In Central Europe there exist no sustainable feral honey bee population

• In contrast to the the tropics where only about 90% of the total honey bees are kept as managed colonies

Swarm catching in Brazil

• There hardly exist any beekeeping management system that use the natural life cycle of the honey bee colony!

• Example: Old German tradition („Strohkörbe“): The honey bees are kept rather than managed

Natural life cycle

• Autumn: The colony prepares for wintering, reduces brood and subsequently bee population and produces long living winter bees (up to 6 month). The honey from the season serves as food storage. During winter the colony forms a „wintercluster“. The colony is active throughout the whole winter („heating“ the cluster by muscle movements use of storage!)

• Spring (February/ March): The bees start pollen foraging, the queen starts egg laying and the winter bees feed the first larvae some weeks later the size of the colony increases (winter bees die, new hatching bees contribute to the bee population) from about 8,000 bees in February up to 30,000 bees + 35,000 brood cells at the middle of the year.

• Swarming (during spring and early summer): This is the reproduction of the colony! If the colony is strong enough and the conditions favorable, half of the bees leave the colony with the old queen, the remaining part of the colony breed a new queen that becomes mated and establish again a colony.

• Problems: To find nesting sites for swarm and enough food to establish a new colony and food storage (about 15 – 20 kg) for wintering.

Beekeeping

• Autumn: The beekeeper feed the colony (honey has been removed), perform treatments against Varroa mites and “organizes” size of the hive, combs etc. for wintering.

• Spring (February/ March):The beekeeper “organizes” again size of the hive, prevents swarming and breed and exchange queens. He makes colony splits to increase size of the colonies.

• Summer: The beekeeper removes the honey and feeds with sugar/ syrupe.

Advanced beekeeping techniques

Photos: Wolfgang Stöckmann

Photo: Thehoneygatherers.com

“Hi-Tech” Honey harvesting

Photos: Wolfgang Stöckmann

Organic beekeeping in the EU

• Organic beekeeping was first regulated in 1991 with the EU Regulation 184/91

• Organic beekeeper have on average more colonies

• North and Central Europe are not self-reliant, neither for conventional nor for organic honey

• Germany is a “key player” in the import

• Most organic honey is imported from Latin America (Brazil, Argentina)

• In Latin America the price for organic bulk honey is about 20-30% higher

• In 9 EU countries between 0.1 and 8 % of the hives are managed according to regulations of organic beekeeping

• The demand of organic is high, however organic production in Central EU is difficult: low honey yields, complicated market access, prices of organic honey often do not cover production costs

Organic beekeeping in the EU (2011) General problems of organic beekeeping

General problems of organic beekeeping

• Meaning of “natural” and “organic” in beekeeping (most beekeeper consider themselves to perform natural management)

• Foraging range and nectar/pollen sources

• Multiplication of colonies

• Breeding/ selection of queens

• Bees wax, residues

• Varroa treatment

• Feeding

• Material for the hives

• Control of production rather than control of product

Organic organisations vs. EU regulations

EU-Reg. Bioland Demeter

Conversion

• Partial conversion possible (minimum time period 1 year)

• All colonies have to be converted

• Trademark can be used 1 year after conversion at the earliest

• All colonies have to be converted

• Conversion period 3 years; during this period a “conversion trademark” can be used

Foraging range

Area of a circle = r2 x π r

Area F

r = 100 m F = 10.000 m² = 0,01 km² = 1ha

r = 250 m F = 196.000 m² = 0,196 km² ~ 20 ha

r = 0,5 km F = 0,785 km² = 78 ha

r = 1 km F = 3,14 km² = 314 ha

r = 2 km F = 12,56 km² = 1256 ha

r = 3 km F = 2826 ha

Apiary • „Substantially“

only organic crops

or natural habitats

with low

environmental

pollution within the

flight range of 3

• No negative

impact should be

expected for

honey bee

products from

nectar sources

within a radius of 3

• No migratory

beekeeping in

conventional

orchards allowed

• Only organic crops

or natural habitats

within the flight

materials

• Only natural

materials

without

negative

impact for the

environment

• Wood, litter or

clay. Exceptions

possible for the

roof, minor parts

of the hive and

the bottom

• Natural materials

like wood, litter or

clay. Exceptions

possible for the

roof, minor parts

of the hive and

the bottom

• Must originate

from organic

production

• Naturally built combs;

for comb foundation

wax from uncapping

of honey combs from

Bioland enterprises

• Naturally built

combs; for comb

foundation wax from

uncapping of honey

combs from Demeter

enterprises

Combs • No specific

requirements

• Possibility for the

construction of natural

combs during the

season

• Naturally built combs

within the brood nest;

in the honey supper

comb foundation

allowed

Bees wax

Multiplication

and breeding

• No

regulations

• Preference of

natural breeding

and multiplication

• Artificial

insemination with

exceptional

permission

• Multiplication by

swarming

• “Swarm

management”

possible

• No artificial

queen breeding

allowed

Buying of

colonies

• Colonies from

organic beekeeping

• max. 10%

conventional

queens or swarms

(if kept on organic

combs)

• Buying from Bioland

enterprises

• If not available from

organic beekeeping

• max. 10%

conventional queens

or swarms (if kept

on organic combs)

• No permanent

buying-in of

colonies allowed

• Bying exclusively

from Demeter

enterprises

• “Foreign” colonies

have to be

included without

combs into the

enterprise

health

• Organic acids,

registered thymol

compounds

• Drone brood

removal

• Organic acids

• Biotechnical

methods

• Organic acids

• Heat treatment

• Brood removal

• Artificial swarm

Honeybee diseases

Varroosis (Varroa destructor):

• Parasitic mite, sucks hemolymph from adult bees and brood stages

• Vector for secondary infections (Bee viruses)

• In temperate climate, infested coloneis die within 2-3 years without

treatment Most important threat to beekeeping worldwide

• Most tropical bees are tolerant toward Varroosis!

Varroa life cycle

egg 5 egg 4 egg 3 egg 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

protonymphe deutonymphe adult male/ female

mother mite mating

1-3 daughter mites

Days after invasion of the brood cell

Rosenkranz, Aumeier, Ziegelmann, 2010, review in JIP

Varroa life cycle

Population dynamics

Anzahl Bienen/ Brutzellen

Bienen

Varroa

Long-living winter bees

Sensitive Phase!

Growth Phase

Host damages

Mainly through parasitation of the brood:

Weight loss, shorter life span, less productive

Activation and transmission of viral diseases

Disorder of social behaviour

desorganisation of the „superorganism“

Damage threshold in autumn: ~ 10% adult bee infestation Varroa infestation in autumn is the main factor for colony winter losses!

Secondary infections are the main problem

Virus and Bacteria

(Winter-)

Feedíng

• Organic honey

• Organic sugar

• Organic syrupe

• Winter feeding

preferably with honey

• Bioland feeding; if not

available:

• Organic feeding

• No pollen substitute

allowed

• Winter feeding

preferably with

honey; mind. 10%

• Organic feeding

• No feeding fpr

colony “stimulation”

allowed

• No pollen substitute

allowed

Honey • According to the

EU honey

standards

• No residues from

chemotherapeutic

• No heating

< 40°C

• Water content

max. 18%

• HMF max. 10

• Invertase min.

10 U/kg

• Storage in

foodsave

material

• No heating

< 35°C

• Water content

max. 18%

• HMF max. 10

• Invertase min. 10

• Honey should be

stored before first

cristallisation

Control • Min. once a

• Documentation

required

• Min. once a year

• Detailed

documentation

required: Apiary,

honey yield,

honey sale,

Varroa

treatment,

residue analysis

• Min. once a year

• Detailed

documentation

required: Apiary,

honey yield,

honey sale,

Varroa

treatment,

residue analysis

Additional

“Honey bees might

also forage on non-

organic fields”

“Honey bees might

also forage on non-

organic fields”

Summary

• So far, the number of organic beekeeper enterprises in Central Europe

• The difference towards conventional beekeeping is lower compared to other livestock

• In Germany, it is difficult to cover the costs for organic production with the price for organic honey.

• In Latin America organic production for the export is more value-adding.

• The main problems for the regulations are “control” of foraging (flight range), treatments of pathogens, feeding and the prevention of the contamination of bees wax.

• Animal welfare might be of minor significance.

Do Honey Bees become extinct?

„Bienensterben“

„CCD“ (Colony Collapse Disorder)

Pesticides („Neonicotinoides“)

FAO Database (1961 – 2008)

Country 1961 2008

Germany 1.997.000 900.000

USA 5.514.000 2.400.000

Austria 466.619 298.000

Albania 95.100 171.000

Greece 680.000 1.315.000

Argentina 650.000 2.970.000

Brazil 310.000 850.000

Uruguay 54.548 620.000

1. Since about 10 years, The Neonicotinoids are blamed to be a major

reason for the decline of honey bee colonies and mortality

2. Two weeks ago (April 2013) the EU decided to suspend the

registration of 3 Neonicotinoides that are toxic to bees from all crops

that are visited by bees.

The discussion on Neonicotinoids

1. At the end of the last century the companies were faced to increasing

problems and restrictions on the “classical” insecticides (Carbamates,

Organophosphates) pressure on development of new insecticides

2. Start in 1991 with Imidacloprid (Bayer CS).

3. “First generation” of neonicotinoids: Imidacloprid, Thiacloprid (both

Bayer CS) Nitenpyram (Takeda), Acetamiprid (Nippon Soda) (1996).

4. “Second generation” of neonicotinoids Thiamethoxam (Syngenta

1998), Clothianidin (Takeda/Bayer 2002).

5. Most important insecticides worldwide with enormous economic

value: Imidacloprid is distributed in more than 120 countries.

6. In 2006 worldwide annual sales of neonicotinoids accounted for 1.56

billion US$ (Jeschke and Nauen 2008).

„History“ of Neonicotinoids

Gina Tanner (2010) Development of a Method for the Analysis of Neonicotinoid Insecticide Residues in Honey using LC-

MS/MS and Investigations of Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Matrices of Importance in Apiculture. Diploma Thesis Univ. Vienna.

Chemical Structure of neonicotinoid Insecticides

1. Polar character systemic properties better protection of growing

plants against biting/ sucking insects

2. Longer persistent in target plants

3. Specificity to insects compared to mammals

4. High toxicity to target insects lower amount of active ingredient

needed

5. No cross-resistance of neonicotinoids to longer-established insecticide

classes (carbamates, organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids)

1. Polar character availability of active substance in nectar

2. Some neonicotinoids have an extremely high toxicity to bees contact

of active substances with bees must be excluded

3. Longer persistent in target plants accumulation?

Application of Neonicotinoids

Three main aspects that drive the controversal

discussion on Neonicotionids

1. Extremely high toxicity to bees of some active substances

all sources of contamination have to be excluded

2. A assumed correlation of honey bee colony collapse and

the use of Neonicotinoids in sunflower in France 10 years

ago (Imidacloprid: Goucho)

3. Honey bee damages in the Rhine valley in spring 2008

Differences in toxicity of Neonicotinoides

to Honey Bees

Honeybees - Acute 48 hour LD50 (μg bee-1)

Imidacloprid 0.0037 oral very high

Thiacloprid 17.32 oral moderate

Recent example: Bee death in the Rhine valley in spring 2008

Greatest documented Bee disaster in the German history

12.000 colonies of ~ 800 Beekeeper damaged!

Clothianidin-dressed maize seed was distributed by dust to blooming fields

Different possibilities how honey bees come into

contact with neoticotionoids

Direct contamination

Guttation (systemic/ water) Dust from dressed seed during sawing

Systemic (pollen/nectar) contamination

Different possibilities how honey bees come into

contact with neoticotionoids

However, within the “German Bee Monitoring” (DEBIMO) we

analyzed since 2005 more than 950 samples of bee bread

only in 6 samples we detected traces of (1–3 µg/kg)

Neonicotionoides with high bee toxicity.

It is an EU-wide regulation

It will calm down the emotional discussion

It will give some time for further research (including wild bees) and

discussion between beekeeper and farmers

It will sensitize politicians (and farmers?)

It will presumably not decrease the winter losses of honey bee

colonies

It will focus to much on pesticides (and even a single group)

Effect of the suspension of the registration of 3 Neonicotinoids?

Still the major problem for honey bee health: Monoculture and intensive agriculture

Thank you

Organic Beekeeping - Uni Hohenheim · Peter Rosenkranz; Organic Beekeeping SS 2013 19 Life cycle of...

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