New Zealand Beekeeper - December 2016

Beekeeper - December 2016

DECEMBER 2016 | VOLUME 24 No. 11

Expressions of interest sought for ApiNZ Focus Groups ApiNZ Board Nosema breakthrough Plant & Food Research Testing manuka nectar Dr Megan Grainger NZ flax for summer Linda Newstrom-Lloyd and Angus McPherson Making your hard work pay off Frank Lindsay

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NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Solomon Islands community project

Expressions of interest sought for ApiNZ focus groups Apiculture health and safety programme formed

Star performers part 2: New Zealand flax for summer

UK apprentices in New Zealand: part one 22

Sphecophaga vesparum: establishment and recovery rates

Fostering an “active culture for beekeeping”

Nosema breakthrough reported

From the colonies

Testing nectar to select manuka trees for high-grade honey

Making your hard work pay off

Front cover: Honey bee taking nectar from New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax ‘Tricolor’) in the Flax Collection at Landcare Research, Lincoln. Photo: Finn Scheele ©Trees for Bees NZ.

EDITORIAL/PUBLICATION (excluding advertising): Nancy Fithian 8A Awa Road, Miramar, Wellington 6022 Mobile: 027 238 2915 Fax: 04 380 7197 Email: editor@apinz.org.nz ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Certa Solutions, PO Box 2494, Dunedin 9044. Phone: 0800 404 515 Email: beekeeper@certasolutions.nz PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE: Frank Lindsay 26 Cunliffe Street, Johnsonville, Email: lindsays.apiaries@clear.net.nz DEADLINES FOR ADVERTISING AND ARTICLES: Due on the 6th of the month prior to publication. All articles/letters/photos to be with the Editor via fax, email or post to Nancy Fithian (see details above). Articles published in The New Zealand BeeKeeper are subject to scrutiny by the Apiculture New Zealand management committee. The content of articles Wellington 6037 Ph: 04 478 3367

The New Zealand BeeKeeper is the official journal of Apiculture New Zealand (Inc.). ISSN 0110-6325 Printed by Certa Solutions, PO Box 2494, Dunedin 9013, New Zealand ApiNZ website: www.apinz.org.nz

does not necessarily reflect the views of Apiculture New Zealand. © The New Zealand BeeKeeper is copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the Publisher, Apiculture New Zealand (Inc.). CONTACTS TO THE NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPING INDUSTRY: Rex Baynes, AFB PMP Manager PO Box 44282, Lower Hutt 5040 Email: rbaynes@ihug.co.nz Ph: 04 566 0773 American Foulbrood Management Plan www.afb.org.nz

MANAGEMENT TEAM: Chief Executive Officer Karin Kos Email: ceo@apinz.org.nz Secretary Email: info@apinz.org.nz Accounts and Subscriptions Pauline Downie Email: memberships@apinz.org.nz PO Box 10792, Wellington 6143 Ph: 04 471 6254 APICULTURE NZ BOARD REPRESENTATIVES: Dennis Crowley

AsureQuality Limited Phone: 0508 00 11 22 www.asurequality.com EXOTIC DISEASE AND PEST EMERGENCY HOTLINE 0800 80 99 66 www.biosecurity.govt.nz

Barry Foster Stuart Fraser Sean Goodwin John Hartnell Ricki Leahy

Pollinator Incident Reporting Form: http://www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/ Pollinator_incident_reporting_form_2014. docx

Peter Luxton Russell Marsh Paul Martin Bruce Wills (Chair)

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST SOUGHT FOR APINZ FOCUS GROUPS APICULTURE NEW ZEALAND

Expressions of interest are being sought from ApiNZ members and participants in the wider industry who would like to be considered for a position on the following four focus groups.

ApiNZ Science and Research Focus Group There are up to 10 positions to fill, including one chairperson. The Science and Research Focus Group’s purpose is to ensure that the New Zealand apicultural industry benefits from relevant research undertaken both in New Zealand and overseas, by facilitating and directing funding to research priorities, and communicating relevant research outcomes. The scope is Bee Health only; Market access and Biosecurity research is done by other focus groups in collaboration. The goal is to make the industry stronger and more profitable by leading policy and programmes to protect the health of NZ’s bees, and that support the ongoing growth and value of the apiculture industry. Technical skills set relevant to the focus group are required. Actual and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. The focus group will report to the Apiculture NZ Board. A member of the Board will sit on the focus group. Expressions of interest can be sent to info@apinz.org.nz with the subject line ‘Science and Research Focus Group application’ by 5.30pm Saturday, December 31, 2016. Please include a CV and a 100-word statement detailing why you should be considered for a position on the focus group. Selections will be made by a sub-committee of the Apiculture NZ Board.

ApiNZ Biosecurity and GIA Focus Group There are up to 10 positions to fill, including one chairperson.

The Biosecurity and GIA Focus Group will have the purpose of:

• progressing GIA so ApiNZ has good biosecurity plans in place • working on opposing the import of honey and bee products from countries of known risk • working with Government to keep pests and diseases out of New Zealand • ensuring NZ bee products are acknowledged for their authenticity and integrity, through the development of best practice policy for industry. The focus group will report to the Apiculture NZ Board. A member of the Board will sit on the focus group. Technical skills set relevant to the focus group are required. Actual and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. Expressions of interest can be sent to info@apinz.org.nz with the subject line ‘Biosecurity and GIA Focus Group application’ by 5.30pm Saturday, December 31, 2016. Please include a CV and a 100-word statement detailing why you should be considered for a position on the focus group. Selections will be made by a sub-committee of the Apiculture NZ Board.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

ApiNZ Education and Skills for Jobs Focus Group ApiNZ invites interested participants to be considered for a position on this focus group. Education and Skills for Jobs will liaise with industry and government on setting national standards that ensure continued pathways for skills development. • It will provide leadership, analysis and advice that contributes to the development of National standards for Training New Zealanders to have appropriate Skills for Jobs • It will work with the relevant agencies to establish national and technical standards, as well as protocols that are necessary for delivery of the standards. • It will ensure delivery of efficient and practical training and skills, policy formulation and priority setting that meets the needs of the industry. The focus group will report to the Apiculture NZ Board. A member of the Board will sit on the focus group. Technical skills set relevant to the focus group are required. Expressions of interest can be sent to info@apinz.org.nz with the subject line ‘Education and Skills for Jobs Focus Group application’, by 5.30pm Saturday, December 31, 2016. Please include a CV and a 100-word statement detailing why you should be considered for a position on the focus group. Selections will be made by a sub-committee of the Apiculture NZ Board.

ApiNZ Māori Engagement Focus Group ApiNZ invites interested participants to be considered for a position on this focus group. Māori engagement is of significant importance to both industry and government and will require a wide range of expertise and thought leadership to deliver: • analysis, advice and action that contributes to the development of pathways for engagement within existing and future Industry activity • establishing proactive partnership and lead roles with Government and Industry agencies to establish procedure and protocols that are appropriate and accountable • it will participate in development of pathways to policy formulation and priority setting that meet industry needs. The focus group will report to the Apiculture NZ Board. A member of the Board will sit on the group. Contributory skill set with know how/want to/can do attitude is required. Expressions of interest should be sent to info@apinz.org. nz with the subject line; ‘Māori Engagement Focus Group application’, by 5.30pm Saturday, December 31, 2016. Please include a one-page CV overview and a 100-word statement detailing why you should be considered for a position on this focus group. Selections will be made by a sub-committee of the Apiculture NZ Board. Successful applicants will be notified by January 30, 2017.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

WE WANT YOUR HONEY!!! All Honey varieties required Sean Goodwin at 100% Pure New Zealand Honey inTimaru is waiting for your call: Phone: 03 688 7150 Mobile: 021 872 583 Email: sean@purenewzealandhoney.com Post: 15 Treneglos Street, PO Box 2155, Washdyke, Timaru 7910

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the earthquakes in North Canterbury and the myriad quake and weather disruptions inWellington and elsewhere. Stay safe.

APINZ HOLIDAY CLOSURE DATES The ApiNZ office will be closed from 23 December 2016 through to 6 January 2017, reopening 9 January 2017. On behalf of CE, Karin Kos, newly appointed Chair, Bruce Wills and the ApiNZ Board, we

wish you a bountiful season, and safe and happy holidays.

THANKS, EVERYONE: SEE YOU IN FEBRUARY! The Publications Focus Group (Frank and Mary-Ann Lindsay, Serena Richards and Jenny Nelson) and journal editor Nancy Fithian wish you all a safe, happy and healthy festive season, and a bumper crop for 2017. We hope you will be able to take some time to be with family and friends before resuming work. Sincere thanks to our advertisers, without whom the journal would not be published— please support them! We are also grateful to everyone who has contributed articles and photos over the past year. Thanks also to the members of the ApiNZ Board and Management Team for their tireless efforts on behalf of all ApiNZ members, and to Certa Solutions for a job well done again this year. NB: The deadline for the February 2017 journal is Monday, 9 January, with a cutoff date of 16 January for articles and advertising. Please mark the date in your 2017 diaries now.

LAND USE AGREEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Apiculture New Zealand has developed two Land Use Agreements that will be available to members at a significantly discounted price.

The two land use contracts now available for purchase from the ApiNZ website are: • Apiary Land Use Agreement – Land Owner/Beekeeper Profit Share: For those beekeepers offering a crop share arrangement. • Apiary Land Use Agreement – Site Rental: For those beekeepers paying a set apiary site rental or per hive rate to the land owner.

The agreements will be $195 +GST for ApiNZ members and $455 +GST for non-members.

These can be found on the ApiNZ website here: http://apinz.org.nz/land-use-agreement/

The agreements will be personalised to the purchaser, so on application you will need to answer some questions which will be added to your document. Once payment is received this document will be sent to you via e-mail. If you have any questions, please contact the ApiNZ Management Team on 04 471 6254 (Monday to Friday 8.30–5.30) or e-mail info@apinz.org.nz.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

APICULTURE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAMME FORMED Apiculture New Zealand is proud to have formed a partnership with OnFarmSafety New Zealand to provide essential Health and Safety programmes for its members.

ABOUT ONFARMSAFETY OnFarmSafety New Zealand is a nationwide company which specialises in helping business owners to take control of their health and safety needs, and implement individualised workable risk management procedures that look after everyone. They support businesses to take ownership of, customise, and implement their health and safety programme. Module 2: Beekeeping Member price: $200 | Non-member price: $325 This module provides safe operating procedures when working with your bees and hives, including transporting hives, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and a Master Hazard List. Module 3: Honey Processing Member price: $200 | Non-member price: $325 This module provides safe operating procedures for your honey extraction process, and a Master Hazard List. Module 1: On Farm/Hive Site Member price: $200 | Non-member price: $325 This module provides systems relating to Health and Safety in the management and operation of your hive sites, including landowner-related documents, safe working procedures and a Master Hazard List.

The Health and Safety documents can be ordered via the ApiNZ website’s online shop at significantly discounted prices to members. The core Health and Safety programme covers your Policies, Code of Conduct, Employment, Hazard and Risk management, Hazardous Substances, Vehicles, Business Training, Emergency Procedures, Accidents and templates that you can use. Through business support OnFarmSafety New Zealand can work with all members to help develop their Health and Safety policies and rules so that understanding and communication is clear and defined from the owners, management, workers, and any other person who enters your workplace. This programme will be customised to reflect your business by adding your business name, details and logo. When purchasing the documents, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire with these details for OnFarmSafety New Zealand.

Apiculture Health and Safety Programme Member price: $450 | Non-member price: $750 This is the core Health and Safety programme providing an effective Health and Safety operating system for your business that covers the key components to become compliant once implemented and continuously maintained. Additional modules are available to assist you to focus more on various health and safety issues with their business.

For more information or to purchase your Health and Safety Programme visit the Apiculture NZ website – www.apinz.org.nz or phone (04) 471 6254.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

SPHECOPHAGA VESPARUM: ESTABLISHMENT AND RECOVERY RATES PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL

B.J. Donovan, Donovan Scientific Insect Research, Canterbury Agriculture and Science Centre, Lincoln E-mail: Barry.Donovan@Plantandfood.co.nz

I was the scientist in the Entomology Division of the old DSIR who instigated and managed the wasp biocontrol project from 1979 to mid-1992, and thereafter operating privately until the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology terminated my funding in 2005.

At Pelorus Bridge, 1,034 developing wasps had been killed in one nest. The nest was poisoned on 16 May 1988 when still very active, so if the colony had been left to die naturally some weeks later, the number of wasps killed would have been even greater. This nest was 625 m away from the nearest parasitoid release box, so parasitoids flew at least that distance to attack the nest. Barlow, Beggs and Moller (1998) believed that the parasitoid was increasing its population about three-fold annually, and in subsequent years was spreading at a mean rate of 1 to 1.5 km per year, and by 1993 up to 22,950 nests would have been parasitized. Now, after 28 years, nests up to 42 km away could be being attacked. But at Pelorus Bridge one attacked nest was found 7.1 km from the parasitoid release site in the third year after the first parasitoid release (J. Beggs pers. comm.), which means that parasitoids had dispersed at a mean annual rate of 2.36 km per year. At this rate, after 28 years parasitoids could by now be up to 66 km away. So because established parasitoids could have been dispersing widely from a release site, we cannot be at all sure as to how many separate establishment events there may have been. However, the large distances between some of the earlier recoveries suggest that there were probably at least half a dozen separate establishment events in the Canterbury area alone. This further suggests that over the country there were probably a great many. If so, an extrapolation from the data of Barlow, Beggs and Moller (1998) indicates that many millions of wasps have been and are being killed annually. Far from“failing so miserably”, the wasp parasitoid has been and is being very successful.

Groenteman (2016) says the imported wasp parasitoid Sphecophaga vesparum vesparum which our team released widely over the country is established at only two sites, and so has “failed so miserably”. The facts are that following the first release of parasitoids at Pelorus Bridge in Marlborough in 1987, the parasitoid was found to have attacked two nests of the common wasp Vespula vulgaris by 1988. Later the parasitoid was recovered from a German wasp nest, V. germanica , in east Christchurch, and from a common wasp nest in the Botanic Gardens in central Christchurch. Subsequently attacked nests have been found in 12 sites ranging from Ashley Forest and Mount Grey (30 km and 40 km north of Christchurch, respectively), and 10 other sites in the hilly areas to the west and northwest of Christchurch from View Hill near the Waimakariri River about 50 km from Christchurch, to near Hawarden about 65 km away in a straight line in North Canterbury. These later recoveries were made mainly by Mr Geoff Watts, with the most recent being the View Hill discovery in mid-April this year. Most of the sites are from 10–20 km apart. During summer 1990, a staff member of the Tararua District Council reported the discovery of eight parasitoid cocoons in a piece of comb 10-cm square from a nest of the German wasp in the Tararuas. The attacked nest was about 800 m from a parasitoid release box. On 12 May 2014, comb from a common wasp nest collected at Wainui on the western shore of Akaroa Harbour, Banks Peninsula, was placed into a sealed container at the Canterbury Agriculture and Science Centre at Lincoln. Seven days later, an adult parasitoid

emerged from the comb, with another on the eighth day. Previous studies of the life cycle of the parasitoid showed that at least nine days elapsed from the laying of eggs to the first emergence of adults, so the appearance of an adult on the seventh day suggests that the nest was attacked in the field. From another common wasp nest collected and handled similarly, parasitoids emerged eight days after it was collected in Akaroa. Comb of the common wasp collected by Geoff Watts from Mt. Thomas, Canterbury, March 1998. One hundred and thirty cells contain cocoons of the parasitoid Sphecophaga vesparum vesparum , most of which appear orange. For each cocoon, one developing wasp has been killed.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

NOSEMA BREAKTHROUGH REPORTED PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL

Additional parasitoid introductions Yes, not enough wasps are being killed. This is why we went on to introduce two more parasitoids, the North American S. v. burra and the Middle Eastern S. orientalis. These two enemies of other social wasps did not have the genotypes of either of our two species of wasps as victims, and the thinking behind their introduction was that we wanted our wasps to be confronted by enemies that did not ‘speak’ to them, to use the terminology of Groenteman (2016). What we were looking for was an enemy that to wasps would be as lethal to them as varroa is to honey bees. Varroa originated from the Eastern honey bee and so does not ‘speak’to our Western honey bee, which consequently is unable to understand that it is being attacked. Whether the new parasitoids are established or not is unknown because the cancellation of funding by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology in 2005 meant that all work in this area ceased. But we had plans to introduce even more enemies specific to wasps, such as more strains of Sphecophaga from Asia and especially Korea and Formosa, four species of a beetle parasitoid in the genus Metoecus, and up to five species of parasitic wasps in the genus Bareogonalis (Donovan, 1996). All these enemies attack wasp brood, and we hoped that the more enemies we could establish here, the more they would interact synergistically in a wasp nest to foster a greater level of attack by each of them. The successful establishment and expansion of S. v. vesparum over the past 28 years shows that the importation of wasp enemies is a viable strategy. With luck, Landcare researchers will be able to expand their wasp biocontrol project to increase the number and range of enemies to the point where wasp numbers are permanently reduced. References Barlow, S. D., Beggs, J. R., & Moller, H. (1998). Spread of the wasp parasitoid Sphecophaga vesparum following its release in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 2 2(2): 205–208. Donovan, B. J. (1996, June). Progress with biological control of wasps. The New Zealand Beekeeper, 3 (5): 12–13. Groenteman, R. (2016, October). Wasp biocontrol updates: Sphecophaga again. The New Zealand Beekeeper, 2 4(9), 950–951.

The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

Our small but mighty bees are under siege from a range of pests and diseases. Thankfully, some relief may be in sight for these important insects from a particularly dangerous disease—one that can destroy entire hives.

Preliminary results from a pilot study undertaken by scientists at Plant & Food Research indicate that a breakthrough has been made in the fight against the pathogen Nosema ceranae. N. ceranae is a cousin of N. apis , which has been endemic in New Zealand since the 1800s. Both are spore-producing parasites that attack the gut lining of bees, leading to a shortened lifespan in adults. In severe cases, the entire colony can collapse. Because Nosema is primarily spread through faeces on contaminated honeycomb, preventing any infection is a near-impossible task for the beekeeper, meaning that bee health and commercial costs of Nosema have largely been seen as ‘a fact of life’. During the springs of 2014 and 2015 many New Zealand beekeepers, particularly in the Coromandel, experienced severe and unexplained colony losses—a pattern that had not been seen before. Affected colonies initially appeared strong and healthy coming out of winter. However, over a short period virtually the entire colony would disappear, leaving behind a healthy queen with brood and a few hundred worker bees. Productivity loss was estimated at between 40–60% for

the season. Nosema ceranae had first been identified in New Zealand in 2010 and was fingered as a potential culprit for the losses after the development of a diagnostic test by John Mackay from dnature Ltd. In response, a team from Plant & Food Research began a collaboration with Coromandel beekeeper Dr Oksana Borowik—initially confirming high levels of N. ceranae in affected colonies, and then exploring potential management initiatives to prevent the spread of the disease between hives. Their early findings are exciting: heat-treating the comb and hiveware to 50°C for 90 minutes killed Nosema ceranae spores, increased brood viability and ultimately increased bee numbers by 50%. The team will attempt to replicate these results and build on this initial study with further investigations into the effect of seasonality and long-term heat treatment on bee populations. If heat treatment is found to be a safe and consistent management option for beekeepers plagued by Nosema , this research has the potential to greatly improve the health and productivity of New Zealand beehives—and the lives of those tending them—well into the future.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

TESTING NECTAR TO SELECT MANUKA TREES FOR HIGH-GRADE HONEY RESEARCH

Dr Megan Grainger, Operations Manager–Food Division, Analytica Laboratories

Testing of mānuka nectar is a practical method to identify mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) plants that will contribute to higher-grade mānuka honey. Results can be used to rank the plants according to the dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and Leptosperin content of the nectar.

The benefit of nectar analysis Methylglyoxal (MG) is the compound in mānuka honey responsible for the non-peroxide activity (NPA). MG is formed from the conversion of dihydroxyacetone (DHA). A hive of bees will visit many flowers from various trees which will dilute the overall DHA and Leptosperin in a batch of honey; hence the more mānuka trees with high DHA and Leptosperin that are in the flight range of the hive, the higher the maximum MG value (and NPA) will be. At present, little information is known about the pathways of expression for both DHA and Leptosperin in the nectar, but the concentration of both compounds is known to vary between Leptospermum species. There is considerable interest from nurseries, landowners and beekeepers to find varieties of mānuka that express high levels of DHA. Collecting the sample Analysis of nectar requires representative samples of each tree to be collected; one sample is created by combining the nectar of 10 flowers from one tree. There are three recommended sampling techniques; these are summarised in Table 1. The more care that is taken when collecting a sample, the more reflective the results will be of the tree. Key considerations when sampling are to ensure that there is visible nectar on the flowers (Figure 1) and that it has not recently rained. It is recommended that a fine-mesh bag is placed over the branch a day before sampling to keep insects off the flowers; a plastic bag may cause condensation to form which will dilute the nectar.

Table 1. Overview of three nectar collection techniques.

Sampling Method

Advantages

Disadvantages

Direct Method Collect pure nectar from 10 flowers into one tube

• Preserves flower • 100% nectar

• Impractical in-field • May produce very small sample volume • May dilute sample too much • May introduce extra sugars • Multi-step technique • Time consuming

Wash Method Take 10 flowers from tree and place in a tube with 1.5 mL water 10x10 Method Dissolve nectar on flower using 10 µL water; repeat for 9 flowers into same tube

• Quick and easy • Practical

• Sufficient volume for analysis

Figure 1. Visible nectar on a mānuka flower.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

Table 2. Summary of DHA in honey and nectar.

Analysis of nectar and normalisation of results Nectar is primarily made up of glucose (~40%), fructose (~40%), sucrose (~2%) and water (~20%). There are also minor compounds present (e.g., amino acids and phenolic compounds). Samples are analysed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to detect DHA, Leptosperin, fructose and glucose. The three methods for nectar collection dilute samples to various volumes (i.e., no dilution, 0.1 mL total volume or 1.5 mL total volume); hence results from different sampling methods cannot be directly compared without normalising the DHA and Leptosperin to the sugar concentration. Honey is made up of approximately 80% sugar (800 g sugar per 1 kg). Therefore the DHA and Leptosperin are reported per 800 g of sugar; this normalised result gives an approximate level of mg/kg that would be expected in a honey that was created entirely from the one sample, allowing samples to be compared. Historically DHA results were been compared to 80° Brix. This is a measure of the sugar concentration of a solution, which is equivalent to 800 g of sugar per 1 kg. The importance of chilling samples Once the nectar is collected, it is necessary to chill or freeze it due to the high sugar content which can cause fermentation (depletion of sugars). Alternatively, samples collected using the Wash or 10x10 methods can be preserved using a 10% alcohol solution. To illustrate the effect on the normalised result, a pure nectar sample was divided in two: one half was diluted with water and the other with 10% methanol to preserve the sample and prevent fermentation. The samples were stored at room temperature and analysed over four days to simulate samples sitting in the field and during postage. The DHA and Leptosperin concentrations did not change over this period; however, the sugar concentration in the sample diluted with water decreased by ~20% during this time due to fermentation. If we say that the original sample had 100 mg/L DHA and 20 g/L sugar, the normalised DHA would be 4,000 mg DHA/800 g sugar. However, if the sugar concentration dropped by 20%, then the normalised result would be 5,000 mg DHA/800 g sugar, making the tree appear to have a higher DHA content that could cause it to be wrongly selected.

DHA in honey

Normalised DHA in nectar

(mg/kg)

(mg/800g sugar)

Average

981

3,887

Median

817

2,940

Maximum

5,330

27,070

Total # samples

3,661

1,309

A tree which produces high levels of DHA, but does not produce many flowers or large volumes of nectar may not be as good as a tree with slightly less DHA, heavy floral density and good nectar flow.

Interpreting results to select good trees The normalised results for DHA in nectar can be very high (results over 20,000 mg DHA/800 g sugar have been reported). It is important to note that the concentration of honey will not be this high due to the dilution from other flowers. A set of 1,300 nectars and non-related honey samples (3,661 samples with < 4 mg/ kg HMF and >100 mg/kg DHA) analysed at Analytica Laboratories showed the nectar results were about four times higher than the honey samples (Table 2). In addition, a paper published in 2009 (Adams, Manley-Harris and Molan) reported the DHA in nectar was more than double the concentration found in honey. When selecting trees for planting, a number of factors need to be taken into consideration, aside from the DHA concentration. Physical properties of the tree are important, such as floral density, and volume of nectar and resilience of the tree to the environment also need to be taken into consideration. A tree which produces high levels of DHA, but does not produce many flowers or large volumes of nectar may not be as good as a tree with slightly less DHA, heavy floral density and good nectar flow. The flowering period of the species of mānuka tree needs to line up with the latitude of planting—plants that flower early in the season will perform poorly if planted too far south because it will not be warm enough for them to produce nectar at the time of flowering. Kauri Park (2016) has collated data on a number of mānuka varieties which includes their natural flowering time. For example, trees in the Far North flower in weeks 39 to 44, while Hawke’s Bay varieties flower in weeks

49 to 1. Further south, varieties fromWestport flower in weeks 51 to 3. Therefore, if the Far North variety was planted too far south, it is unlikely to provide the bees a sufficient nectar source. Obtaining the most information from a site For beekeepers and landowners wanting to understand the variability over a hive site, the way a site is sampled may differ depending on whether it is a naturally planted site or if the trees are from a nursery. The higher the number of plants analysed from one site, the greater the amount of information that will be gained. Samples could be collected, then combined, to get an average concentration for a site, but this comes with the risk of masking high-producing plants. For example, 10 trees were sampled from a naturally planted site. The results were analysed as individual samples and a portion of each were combined to created one sample. Eight of the 10 samples were below detection limit, and the remaining two samples had high DHA (8,243 and 27,070 mg/800 g sugar). When the concentration of individual samples were averaged, the result was 3,531 mg/800 g sugar; however, the composite sample was below the detection limit of the method (see Figure 2 on page 15). In comparison, samples collected from 10 trees on a site that had been planted with nursery-supplied trees had only a 2% difference between the average results and the composite result. The popularity of nectar testing is growing due to the information that can be learned about a floral variety or a hive site. The normalised results are used to compare sites

continued...

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

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NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

or trees relative to each other and can estimate if the site will produce high-grade mānuka honey. At right: Figure 2. Results for 10 trees analysed from one site. Samples were analysed separately. In addition, equal portions were added together to form one composite sample that was below the detection limit of the method. References Adams, C. J., Manley-Harris, M., & Molan, P. C. (2009). The origin of methylglyoxal in New Zealand mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey. Carbohydrate Research, 344 (8), 1050– 1053. Kauri Park. (2016). Manuka provenances [Pamphlet]. Northland, New Zealand. KEY POINTS • Analysis of the nectar of mānuka trees is a useful tool for beekeepers, landowners and nurseries to identify trees that will contribute to higher-grade mānuka honey. • Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and Leptosperin are present in mānuka nectar. The concentration of these compounds differs between varieties of mānuka. • DHA is converted to methylglyoxal (MG), which is responsible for the non-peroxide activity (NPA) in mānuka honey. • Samples are collected by combining the nectar from 10 flowers on one tree.

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honey with nectar from many mānuka and non-mānuka flowers. • Northland varieties of mānuka flower early in the season; flowering occurs later in the season the further south the trees are. If Northland varieties are planted too far south, they will flower before the weather is warm enough for nectar to be produced. • When choosing good trees, floral density, nectar production and resilience to disease are other factors that should also be considered.

Samples may be 100% nectar or a form of dilution (either 0.1 mL or 1.5 mL liquid to dissolve the nectar). • Samples must be chilled so that fermentation of the sugar does not occur. • Concentrations of DHA and Leptosperin are normalised to the sugar content, which gives an approximation of the mg/kg that would be found in a honey solely created from the one tree. • The reported result for the nectar is at least double the concentration that will be found in a honey, due to bees diluting the

These bees were behaving perfectly, showing off their clever handiwork on their brood frame. Photo: Donna and Jeff Montrose, Warkworth.

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

Ceracell Beekeeping Supplies (NZ) Ltd 09 274 7236 (Auckland) | Fax 09 274 0368 24 Andromeda Crescent, East Tamaki, Auckland PO Box 204184, Highbrook, Auckland 2161

Honey = Money! The most serious threat to hive vitality is Varroa destructor. Varroa mite numbers track brood growth UNLESS you intervene. Use Apistan now to hammer adult female mites and build clean bee numbers before your peak honey flow. Follow all label and safety instructions. Then after the honey is taken off use Apiguard to knock back any varroa carried through and go into next winter with very few mites. Rotation with these products is a good varroa management plan. Apistan used in rotation with the thymol based Apiguard almost guarantees you will not develop mite resistance in your hives

The Vita Europe American Foulbrood (AFB) Diagnostic Test Kit is an effective, efficient, in-the-field tool to confirm the presence of the disease. Just like a pregnancy test kit, one line in the window tells you the test is working. Two lines means you have AFB. Inform AsureQuality, get a fire permit and burn the hive to stop the disease from spreading. A single use kit only.

AFB Diagnostic Test Kit

AFB can be eliminated from NZ if it is identified and those infected hives are burnt. But you don’t want to burn false positives. Keep an AFB test kit handy every time you visit your apiaries. Save time and hassles.

Don’t Be a Sergeant Schultz! For more information and videos demonstrating how to use their products visit Vita-Europe’s website, www.vita-europe.com

Yes! We are open right through Christmas except on Statutory holidays

East Tamaki Shop Hours Open Sat 24th Dec 2016 (9am - 1pm) Closed 25th 26th & 27th Dec 2016 Open 28th, 29th, 30th & 31st Dec 2016 (9am - 5pm) Closed 1st, 2nd & 3rd Jan 2017 Normal hours resume on the 4th Jan 2017

Ohinewai Shop Hours Open Sat 24th Dec 2016 (9am - 1pm) Closed 25th 26th & 27th Dec 2016 Open 28th, 29th, 30th & 31st Dec 2016 (9am - 4.30pm) Closed 1st, 2nd & 3rd Jan 2017 Normal hours resume on the 4th Jan 2017

The team at Ceracell would like to thank all our valued customers for their continued support & business throughout the year. We look forward to working with you all again in 2017

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

SOLOMON ISLANDS COMMUNITY PROJECT INTERNATIONAL BEEKEEPING NEWS Abridged from report provided by World Vision

Ian is a 27-year-old teacher in the village of Bethel, in East Malaita, where beekeeping has changed the course of a community. As a father of three, Ian said life in the village was challenging, and the standard of living was low, with poor road access, and limited ways to earn money.

East Malaita is one of Solomon Islands’most vulnerable areas, with over 80 per cent of people there depending on fishing and subsistence agriculture for their livelihood. This exposes them to threats in the form of commodity price fluctuations, natural disasters, and the impacts of climate change. World Vision New Zealand partnered with the East Malaita community in 2014, and has an economic development programme in place, which sets up producing groups that save money, and invest back into local businesses. “People depended entirely on local food crops from their garden,” Ian said. “World Vision brought two honey bee boxes to my community, and one of them is almost ready for harvesting.” He said beekeeping was slowly growing as a viable business in East Malaita. “The first eight bottles we harvested in 2015, we shared only for the community members,” he said. “Now we are looking forward for a second harvest of the same beehive. We are going to sell honey to support our saving groups.” Ian said the community had high hopes for further expansion, making it a key part of the local economy. “Our plan is to increase the number of honey beehives and boxes amongst community members so that they will have ownership of it and manage it themselves,” said Ian. But the small beekeeping industry still faced obstacles, he said. “The challenges we have faced with this honey bee project is we cannot access any proper training that will teach us how to keep and manage honey bees and increase the numbers of beehives.” In addition to training resources for local people, the presence of the Asian bee also threatened honey production, according to a recent Activity Progress Report about the success of the programme. The Asian bee’s

parasitic nature has led to low or slow honey production, and the community does not yet have the technical capabilities to eliminate it. The report said the community’s understanding of how to manage the hives, and to do it in collaboration with others, was only in its beginning phases. “As a result, the beehives are not yet managed to their full potential,” the report said. “This will be prioritised by the team in Year 3, particularly with hands-on mentoring and coaching.” Once the expansion is complete, the honey producers will work on the harvesting and selling of their products. “There are 13 honey hives in place across eight communities, with training provided by the Dala Honey Bee Farmers Association,” said the report. “The team is continuing to increase the number of honey hives across these communities, with supporting farmers in the management of these hives a key focus for Year 3, in addition to harvesting, marketing, and selling of honey products.”

[Editor’s note: if you are interested in supporting this community project, go to https://www. worldvision.org.nz/ways-to-give/smiles/smiles- catalogue-fy17/1713-a-beehive]

Photos provided courtesy of World Vision.

... without the hard work into MONEY HONEY Turning

REVOLUTIONARY B ee k ee ping

This award-winning and patented mobile honey harvesting system makes beekeeping easy, enjoyable and profitable.

Convenient, Clean, Cost-Effective System The best innovations solve a painful problem. In Grant Engel’s case, the hard physical lifting, hours spent carting honey boxes and waiting in line for his honey to be extracted were the catalyst for inventing his mobile honey harvester. Now all suppliers to RevBee use Grant’s harvester and say that not only is their workload reduced but their honey is cleaner, and their hives healthier than before. So how does the honey harvester work? The mobile honey harvester is a lightweight stainless steel box that allows you to harvest honey directly from the frames right next to the hives. As you push the frame through the harvester, the honey and wax is scraped off the frame and flows directly into a food-grade sealable pail that sits underneath. The harvester comes fully MPI certified with an RMP. That sounds too easy! Well, it gets better. RevBee collects the honey from their suppliers at RevBee’s expense. The suppliers get paid (then more than a few like to go fishing).

8 Reasons the RevBee Honey Harvester is a Winner • Eliminates heavy lifting – you carry only a lightweight honey

harvester and pail. No need to remove and transport honey boxes. • Select frame harvesting – hand- pick quality honey frames and bank it. • Healthier hives – no honey boxes waiting to be processed and open to dirt and disease. • Remote locations are now accessible – set up hives in places that were previously too hard to manage. • Cheaper outlay – only one honey box is needed as it can be harvested multiple times. Run more hives at less cost. • Fast and convenient – no more booking or waiting in line. Your honey is collected from your door at RevBee’s expense. • Competitive honey prices and great cash flow – you receive prompt payment for your honey. • MPI certified – with RMP in place. Previously my boxes would sit for up to 2 weeks before getting spun out and that’s time when dirt and disease gets in. There’s none of that with this system – I harvest the honey directly into a food grade box, put the lid on and that’s done. Luke (Commercial) The machine is simple and lightweight. You can keep the hives to 2 boxes high so I’m working at an easy level. You’re just taking honey, not transporting heavy boxes and frames. And by harvesting directly into a bucket, you can see exactly what volumes are being produced from that hive. Mark (Large Commercial) Turn your honey into money! If you have 50 hives or more, please get in touch with Grant or Kim Engel to receive your free supplier information pack and join the RevBee revolution. This is my second year using it and I don’t think you can beat it. It’s quick, cost effective, and allows you to set up hives in locations that otherwise you wouldn’t bother going. It’s just too easy. Luke (Commercial) I can handpick frames to harvest so I control the quality of the honey – especially when Manuka is flowering. Stephen (Large Commercial)

The 4 Step RevBee Supplier System 1 Sign up as a RevBee supplier and start harvesting your honey with the mobile honey harvester. 2 Phone the RevBee team to arrange collection of your honey. 3 RevBee will collect your honey right from your doorstep at their expense . 4 Receive your payment – they do the rest!

Find out more and watch a demonstration of the mobile honey harvester in action at www.revolutionarybeekeeping.co.nz

Revolutionary Beekeeping Kerikeri info@revbee.co.nz 09 407 9923 • 027 749 9344

NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, DECEMBER 2016

Linda Newstrom-Lloyd (Trees for Bees Botanist) and Angus McPherson (Trees for Bees Farm Planting Adviser) STAR PERFORMERS PART 2: NEW ZEALAND FLAX FOR SUMMER TREES FOR BEES CORNER Trees for Bees has produced a new series of fact sheets showcasing the ‘best of the best’ bee plants that will maximise nutrition benefits for your bees. In this issue of the journal, the team explains why New Zealand flax is a ‘star performer’. For more information, see www.treesforbeesnz.org.

Phormium tenax harakeke flax New Zealand flax korari

Phormium cookianum wharariki mountain flax

New Zealand flax is a star performer because it has the highest protein that we have measured in pollen (ca. 35% to 45%) and plenty of pollen is produced in each flower. Flax flowers in late spring to summer (anytime from September to January), which can conflict with or complement the honey flow season. We worked with two species, Phormium tenax and Phormium cookianum in the National New Zealand Flax Collection at Landcare Research, Lincoln. We collected at several sites in East Coast/Gisborne as well. In the Flax Collection you can see a great range in height and number of flowering stalks and size of leaves. Flowers are usually red but some varieties have yellow or greenish petals. Pollen Access to pollen is easy for bees because each flower has six large anthers that protrude well beyond the top of the floral tube. Honey bees always mix the pollen with nectar to form large pollen pellets in their pollen baskets (Figure 1), but native bees (Leioproctus spp. and Lasioglossum spp.) pack their hairy back legs with dry pollen without nectar. In contrast, another type of native bee, the masked bee (Hylaeus spp.) consumes the

Figure 1. Native New Zealand Flax: Phormium tenax from Sealers Creek in Auckland Island. Anthers protrude from the top of the tubular flower. The honey bee has large orange flax pollen pellets on hind legs. Photo: Finn Scheele ©Trees for Bees NZ.

from egg to adult, then one single large plant with 10 to 20 stems can support from 70 to 80 bees (for example, the Gold Edge variety from Three Kings Island), but a small plant with limited stems will support fewer bees. Nectar New Zealand flax flowers produce bountiful nectar (ca. 100 μl) which sometimes fills the floral tube to the brim. Even honey bees with their short tongues can access nectar at the top of the tube (see Figure 2, next page). But the floral tube is too narrow and filled with stamens for honey bees to crawl

pollen to store in its crop (Figure 3a). This pollen is then regurgitated in the nest to make a ball of pollen to provision the fertilised egg, which will emerge as a bee the following spring. Competition for pollen between native and honey bees can be observed when bee densities are very high (as shown in Figure 3b). The pollen in one flax flower weighs on average about 5 mg (range from 2 to 9 mg depending on the variety). Some large prolific varieties of flax can produce over 2000 flowers per season but small varieties with few stems produce only a few hundred. Since one bee needs from 120 to 140 mg of pollen to grow

continued...

Figure 2. Flower of New Zealand flax from Sealers Creek in Auckland Island. The honey bee is taking nectar at the top of the tubular flower which is filled to the brim with nectar. If the nectar level is high enough, the bee’s tongue (7 mm) can reach it. Photo: Finn Scheele ©Trees for Bees NZ.

simultaneously. While flax can flower at the same time as mānuka, it could be an important pollen source since honey bees do not take mānuka pollen and need another pollen source at this time. Where planting along watercourses, it is important to ensure that the flaxes aren’t so close as to impede water flow in flood events. While the flaxes will tolerate being submerged underwater, larger plants can impede water flow, leading to damming and further flooding. It is best to establish grasses such as Carex secta adjacent to but still above the normal water flow level, with flaxes located further away from the stream margin and out of the flood zone if possible. Another issue with flaxes is that they can provide attractive nesting sites for rats when planted close together in groups. If this is an issue in your area, spread your flax plants out so that they don’t provide nesting sites around their base. With good planning and selection of the best varieties and convenient flowering times for your goals, flax can give a big boost to your bees because of their highly nutritious and abundant pollen.

very far into the flower. When the nectar is drained to a level below their reach, honey bees will sometimes access a little nectar at the base of the floral tube by inserting their tongue in between the petals. Honey bees are competing with nectar-loving birds like tui. If the birds take the nectar first, the honey bees will lose out. Planting advice New Zealand flaxes are widely used in Trees for Bees demonstration farms, primarily in riparian zone planting, but also as part of land stabilisation planting and wet areas, as excellent low shelter in shelterbelts, and as part of mixed native and exotic species plantings. It is a unique native plant used for weaving, cordage, landscaping and wetland restoration. For more information, go to http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/science/ plants-animals-fungi/plants/ethnobotany/ weaving-plants/information-sheets/harakeke- and-wharariki As noted earlier, the main species that we have used to date have been the common New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax ) and the mountain flax (Phormium cookianum) , with a wide number of varieties that can be used. It is important that the flaxes you plant flower

As flaxes typically flower between September and January, this can cause overlap with pollination services and

honey harvesting, which needs to be considered in your planting plans

as expected, especially the more cultivated forms. Phormium tenax grows quite large in time (up to 5–6m), and so it may not be suited where space is limited. In these situations, Phormium cookianum can work well as it only grows to about 2m, and can have narrower and more pendulous leaves, giving a softer appearance. As flaxes typically flower between September and January, this can cause overlap with pollination services and honey harvesting, which needs to be considered in your planting plans. Early settlers in New Zealand complained about flax nectar contaminating their clover honey as these can flower

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