Beekeeping in Israel 2012Beekeeping in Israel 2012 84,000 Hives 450 Beekeepers 6,100 Pasture & migration spots 3,200 Tons of honey 40 Kg. of honey per hive 3,600 Local consumption (tons) Annual turn over - 10 millions $ 60,000 Hives for pollination Income from pollination - 2.4 millions $

Actual value - 480 millions $Actual value - 480 millions $ Added value - 275 millions $Added value - 275 millions $

up to 150 hives73% beekeepers

more then 501 hives 10%beekeepers

151-500 hives17%

beekeepers

Segmentation of hives and Segmentation of hives and beekeepers in Israelbeekeepers in Israel

20122012

Organization of the beekeeping sector

The industry is organized and administered by a number of institutions:

The Department of Beekeeping in the Ministry of Agriculture: Responsible for training beekeepers, helping to solve problems in the field, transmitting new research and information and participation in new field trials and development of new breeds.

Organization of the beekeeping sector

The Veterinary Services: Responsible for controlling bee diseases, bee pests, and regulations concerning the import/export bee and apiary products.

Organization of the beekeeping sector

The Triwaks Bee Research Center at the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem: conducts research and courses for students and beekeepers.

Organization of the beekeeping sector

The Israeli Honey Board: Responsible for the registration of beekeepers, the distribution of pastures and crops, and supervision of honey marketing channels.

Organization of the beekeeping sector

The management Council: Composed of a Representative of each of the aforementioned organizations, the council is responsible for coordinating the various activities in the branch.

Organization of the beekeeping sector

The Israeli Beekeepers Association: Represents the beekeepers, supervises the modernization of beekeeping equipment and maintains contact with beekeeping organizations around the world.

בעולם הדבש בעולם מחירי הדבש לטוןלטון$ $ CIFCIF מחירי

20122012 – –16001600$$

בצורות )אוסטרליה ובדרום אמריקה(, שיטפונות )מרכז אירופה( ושאריות אנטיביוטיקה בדבש הסיני

Honey bee worker sting and tip of a needle in a scanning electron micrograph.

Mammal!

פרחים אבקת פרחים גרגרי אבקת גרגרי

בין 200 - 5בגודלמיקרון

עמלה רגל זיפי גבי על פרחים אבקת גרגרי

30 מיקרון

The honeybee as a social insectThe honeybee as a social insect SuperorganismSuperorganism•A Colony. A Colony. •A Nest. A Nest. •The individual depends on the colony.The individual depends on the colony.•Female dimorphism: one queen and Female dimorphism: one queen and workers. workers. •Workers-Division of labor.Workers-Division of labor.•Brood & Queen tending.Brood & Queen tending.•Communication.Communication.•Food gathering & storage.Food gathering & storage.•Homeostasis Homeostasis ((THERMO -REGULATION).THERMO -REGULATION). •Annual life cycle.Annual life cycle.

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Brood Bee population

Honeybee Annual life cycle in Israel

Citrus blooming

Honey Bee Honey Bee colonycolony

EnvironmentEnvironment

Climatic Climatic condition and condition and

weatherweather FloraFlora

Pollination Food

Pests and PredatorsPests and Predators

Brood diseasesBrood diseases and Parasitesand Parasites

Noninfectious DisordersNoninfectious Disorders Poisoning andPoisoning andAbnormalitiesAbnormalities

Adult diseasesAdult diseases and Parasitesand Parasites

Honeybee Adult DiseasesHoneybee Adult Diseasesand Parasites and Parasites )Israel 2012()Israel 2012(

•NOSEMA (NOSEMA (ProtozoaProtozoa).).•VARROA (VARROA (MiteMite).).•TRACHEAL MITE (TRACHEAL MITE (MiteMite).).•CHRONIC BEE PARALYSIS (CHRONIC BEE PARALYSIS (VirusVirus). ). •ACUTE BEE PARALYSIS (ACUTE BEE PARALYSIS (VirusVirus).).

Honeybee BroodHoneybee BroodDiseases and Parasites Diseases and Parasites )Israel 2012()Israel 2012(

•AMERICAN FOULBROOD (AMERICAN FOULBROOD (Bacterial Bacterial -- Paenibcillus larvaePaenibcillus larvae(.(.

•EUROPEAN FOULBROOD (EUROPEAN FOULBROOD (Bacterial Bacterial --Melissococcus plutton +Streptococcus facalis & Bacillus Melissococcus plutton +Streptococcus facalis & Bacillus alvei alvei ).).•SACBROOD (SACBROOD (VirusVirus).).•BLACK QUEEN-CELL (BLACK QUEEN-CELL (VirusVirus).).•CHALK BROOD (CHALK BROOD (FungusFungus - -Ascosphera apisAscosphera apis ).).•VARROA VARROA ((Mite -Mite -Varroa destructorVarroa destructor).).

•ABNORMALITIES and ABNORMALITIES and NONINFECTIOUS DISEASES NONINFECTIOUS DISEASES (GENETIC, (GENETIC, CHILLING…..).CHILLING…..).

• POISONING POISONING (PLANTS, (PLANTS, PESTICIDES and MEDICATION).PESTICIDES and MEDICATION).

Honeybee Pests and Predators Honeybee Pests and Predators )Israel 2012)Israel 2012((

•Wax MothsWax Moths((Galleria mellonella Galleria mellonella & Achroia& Achroia grisella).grisella).•Wasps Wasps (Vespa orientalis).(Vespa orientalis). •Birds Birds (Merops apiater).(Merops apiater).•BadgerBadger (Mellivora capensis (Mellivora capensis wilsoni).wilsoni).•Ants Ants (Durylus fulvuse).(Durylus fulvuse)...

Tropilaelaps clareae

מ”מ 1

Braula coeca

Varroa destructor

Varroa MiteVarroa MiteVarroa destructorVarroa destructor

1.5 mm

Global distribution of Global distribution of Varroa MitesVarroa Mites

1904190419981998

Grower”, September 1996”

California Agriculture”, March-April 1998”

AmericaAmerica’’s Honeybees are in a bad ways Honeybees are in a bad wayAssociated Press”, Jun 1996”

Tropilaelaps

Global distribution of Global distribution of Tropilaelaps Tropilaelaps 19981998

2 .Mite enters cell with larva of 5-5.5 days

9 .Adult females leave celwith emerging bee.

Male and immeture stages stay in cell.

The life cyle of Varroa destuctorThe life cyle of Varroa destuctor

1 .Adalt bee, with varroa feeding on hemlymph

3 .Mite in larvas food

4 .Mite feeds on prepupa

5 .Female lays first egg 60 hours after cell capping.Female lays subsequent eggs at 30 hour intervals

10 .Mites transfer throughClose contact between bees.

6 .1-6 eggs developing from egg to larva to protonymph to deutonymph

Female deutonymphFemale deutonymphProtonymphProtonymph

8 .Mating within cell

Adult maleAdult male

Bees and brood with heavy varroa infestationBees and brood with heavy varroa infestation

Post varroa syndrome (brood)Post varroa syndrome (brood) Deformation of the wingsDeformation of the wings

•I.P.MI.P.M•Resistance/Tolerance of honeybee coloniesResistance/Tolerance of honeybee colonies

Varroa ControlVarroa Control

•Chemical controlChemical control

Varroa control by IPM Varroa control by IPM Drone cells “traps”. Uncapping the brood cells or removing them from the hive. Treating against varroa when there is minimum brood or

while requeening. Heating the hive. Traps on the bottom of the hive by placing sticky and/or

screened board. Using smaller cell foundations in the brood chamber. Introducing copper (Cu).

Reported honeybee coloniesReported honeybee coloniesresistance/tolerance resistance/tolerance

mechanisms against varroa mechanisms against varroa

Grooming behavior. Hygienic behavior. Shortened post - capping stage periods. Disability of varroa female to multiply in the capped cells

brood.( abortion and/or reduced fertility). Weakening of attractiveness of varroa mites to brood cells. Length of phoretic period.

Tolerance of honeybee colonies to Tolerance of honeybee colonies to varroa mitesvarroa mites

Natural tolerance was found in a number of honeybee colonies population in Uruguay, Tunisia, Brazil, New Guinea & Argentina.

Selection of tolerant bees are in progress in U.S.A., Russia, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

In Israel we have some encouraging results with tolerant bee strains (Buckfast from Sweden).

Pesticides based on natural Pesticides based on natural compounds:compounds:

Thymol & essential oilsThymol & essential oils: Apiguard, Thymovar and Apilifevar.Formic acidFormic acid: Api plus.Oxalic and citric acidsOxalic and citric acids.

*Their efficiency in the hive is temperature dependent.

Synthetic pesticidesSynthetic pesticides

Pyrethroids: Fluvalinate - Apistan (Mavrik). Acrinathrin - Gabon.

Flumethrin - Byvarol. Amitraz: Apivar and by Tak-tic fumigation. Organophosphate: Coumaphos - CheckMite+

and Perezin. Malathion - Mixed with

sugar powder or flour.

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Supers Bee population Varroa Varroa 2

Honeybee and varroa Annual life cycles in Israel,timing of treatments

*One hour after fumigation with amitraz on the sticky bottom board.

6 weeks6 weeks