The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has waived certain?notice of loss requirements for 2023 for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish?(ELAP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). This move is an effort to streamline assistance to support access to critical 2023 natural disaster recovery assistance. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is waiving the requirement to submit ELAP or LIP notices of loss within …
Parasite Hijacks Iron in Honey Bees
(USDA/ARS) — An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) entomologist has discovered the Nosema ceranae parasite that causes major problems and death in honey bees works by hijacking its host’s iron for itself. Iron is as essential a micronutrient for honey bees as it is for people. Honey bees usually get enough to meet their needs from their flower pollen diet. They use iron …
Which of the Five Common Breed of Honeybees is Best for You?
Cathy Isom has covered many different areas of raising and care of bees. In todays program, she tells you about five breed of honeybees, and a little about finding the common breed of honeybee that is right for you. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When it comes to honeybees, there are more than just one species and …
How Bees Defend Themselves from Predators
In this part of her series on raising bees, Cathy Isom lets you know about how bees defend themselves. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Honeybees tend to take excellent care of themselves, however, unlike most animals we care for, we have very little control over what happens when a busy bee leaves its hive in pursuit of …
You Can Help Bring Back the Bee Population
Without our pollinators, there would be no food. Cathy Isom continues her series on bees by telling us what we can do to help bring back the bee population. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bees are the winged wonders that are really important to us but unfortunately are a dwindling population. Bees occur on every continent except …
How to Sell Your Honey and Beeswax Harvest
In this, the third segment of her series on bees, Cathy Isom fills you in on how to sell your honey and beeswax harvest. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. What do you do when you have a surplus amount of honey and beeswax? You find someone who wants to pay you for it, of course! If you …
Best Flowers to Grow for a Bee Garden
In her previous program Cathy Isom let you know about raising your own Queen Bee. She continues her series today filling you in about the best and most beautiful flowers for a bee garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A garden full of bright, seasonal flowers can nourish your local bees through every season. Consider planting these …
Honeybee Losses Jumped Sharply Higher Last Winter
Bee colony death numbers are continuing to climb. The Bee Informed Partnership released its latest survey last week, saying U.S. beekeepers lost 40 percent of their colonies last winter. That’s the largest number of overwintering hive losses since the survey began more than a decade ago. The total annual loss in 2018 was estimated to be slightly above average. An …
The Buzz: Pollinators are Essential
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. (ACES)— In the spirit of National Pollinator Week, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System salutes pollinators everywhere who are irreplaceable pieces of the puzzle in gardens, cropland and flowerbeds. Bees are more than honey-makers and hive builders. Bees are essential to the most important part of the food chain—pollination. Importance of Pollinators Bees are essential for the pollination of one-third …
Georgia NRCS Promoting the ABC’s of Pollinators
Many in agriculture have been celebrating National Pollinator Week this week, as the event was designated by the U.S. Senate twelve years ago. Numerous groups like The Honey Bee Health Coalition, Farmers for Monarchs, and the Environmental Defense Fund have been working to expand pollinator awareness through education. But USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia is also celebrating …