Projapi: janeiro 2011

UNACCEPTABLE THE AFRICAN RACES OF HONEY BEES!!!

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UNACCEPTABLE THE AFRICAN RACES OF HONEY BEES!!!

By Nikolaos Argyrios Mitsiotis - São Paulo, SP. – BRAZIL

The colonies of African honey bees, generally, with a few exceptions, are more populous compared with those of native species (Melipona quadrifasciata and other eusocial species), theirs field bees begin to forage earlier, with lower atmospheric temperatures, with greater number of scouts bees, collecting preferably those foods which naturally can be collected more easily, operate with greater speed and objectivity, carrying larger quantities of food, recruiting field bees faster and in greater numbers, sending them to each newly discovered pasture and coming and going from the source to the hive more quickly, use wider feeding area and cease foraging later, almost at night fall.

The act of foraging of the African honey bee species of the plants of native flora can be considered literally as robbery of these foods and as a result the native bee species (native melissofauna), since 1956, have been subjected to a noiseless, uninterrupted, unsuspected and uncontrolled extermination by starvation.

In the district of Jaragua - Sao Paulo - SP - Brazil - for example, where I conduct my research live approximately 120 - 150 species of native bees, but most of them do not live in a system of organized society (are not eusocial, but solitary species) and it is therefore more difficult to give them primacy ( * in the exploration of flowers).

For the native bee species, the most effective method of protection would be the immediate elimination of the African honey bees. This is not possible, however, because there are millions of feral colonies of African and / or Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) living in the forests (* their population is estimated at between 200 - 400 million of feral colonies in Brazil). While, with the lowest percentage of colonies of African and or Africanized honey bees (* approx. 1% to 2%), living in apiaries.

So what is the protective intervention that we can implement in order to stop the extermination of native bees definitively?

Yes, there is a protective intervention which has been known about for a long time, although it does not interrupt the extermination of bees, of native species, immediately. The ensured prohibition of keeping colonies of African and hybrid bees and their substitution with European species, in all American Nations, is key to the solution. This should be combined with new training to beekeepers and the availability of books which teach the techniques of keeping docile species of honey bees in any environment already infested by African and Africanized honey bees. Apiculture based on European species is a solution which can fulfill agricultural requirements, providing completely controllable pollinators for cultivated mellitophilous plants while interrupting the supply of new swarms to the forests.

The fauna of exotic species of bees of the American Nations, is theirs own wealth, while theirs fauna of native bees, which consists of 500, 600 or more species of bees, presents the natural wealth of humanity (Natural Heritage of Humanity).

The civilized nations of the Earth have the right and the moral duty to intervene and to safeguard this Natural Heritage of Humanity, and I wish to make it known that I have discovered and identified, the indirect and noiseless form, that is, how African honey bees exterminates these precious native creatures ( the native bees).

With the production of a documentary film, we will produce scientific evidence aiming to protest against the governments of the American continent which, until now, have not taken any measures to protect the indigenous melissofauna. Through this film, countries would be assisted to ensure the preservation of native melissofauna provided they develop and maintain apiculture based exclusively on European species. This is because the European honey bees are completely controlled and are much more dependent on humans for survival. (* In Americas, European honey bee colonies are unable to survive for more than 1 to 3 years without assistance, when they live in the same environment as colonies of African honey bees).

Alongside this, governments also need to assure the prohibition of the breeding and rearing of African honey bees and promote their bondholder extermination by any direct or indirect method on the American continent and their islands, declaring their presence unacceptable.

What did the person who introduced African honey bees to Brazil allege?

The introducer of African species of honey bees, in a book, whose forewords was written by himself (by means of * personal information), allege that crossbred honey bees, the Africanized, "had replaced in a short time, the other bees in the region within the parallels 34 S and 34 N ". He is understood as pollinators' replacement (?).

We all know that in nature, the insects antagonize with each other for their survival (only) and not as pollinators, because the insects naturally, by itself, does not is conscious of having been created (*created by God for the task, mission) to execute the pollination of flowers.

Consequently these are "unaware" of, that are pollinators. Therefore, DOES NOT "have replaced the other bees", which are of different species, integrants of indigenous melissofauna (* is unacceptable to allege that, the Africanized honey bees, had replaced perfectly on pollination efficiency the bees of all native species).

On antagonism, the insects which collects the food of the others; do not execute replacement, but a literal extermination by starvation. Therefore (I think), with this manner, he (the introducer) admitted that, the "Africanized" honey bees, has exterminated "the other bees" (in the nature).

Why do I disagree with the introducer of the African honey bees?

Even 30 years ago, only a small percentage of African and hybrid bee colonies were in apiaries while millions of them were living wild. In forests, they establish exposed nests (combs) on tree branches or hidden nests in the hollows of trees, thus occupying the natural refuges of native bees and birds. In regions with low vegetations, African honey bees build their nests in abandoned termite mounds.

Demographically, Brazil is densely inhabited by African bees. In savanna areas, in the state of Mato Grosso - Brazil (* 1971 before the division of the state) the introducer encountered 107.5 colonies of African honey bees per square kilometer (1). One colony per hectare and we all know that the honey bees feed them on pollen and nectar and not on air. (* are not aerophagous, do not eat air). Obviously (so), these foods are "robbed" from melissotrophic pastures, that belonging to indigenous bees.

The depletion of melissotrophic pastures of native flora by the African honey bees, literally represent robbery of foods or degradation of native flora, and as a result tens or even hundreds of species belonging to the indigenous melissofauna, since 1956, inevitably submitted, and remain, under a noiseless, uninterrupted and without backtracking process of extermination, by starvation.

Why extermination and not replacement?

Since 1980, with a set of transparencies which I prepared, I started to teach my students (over 1500) that African bees of the exotic specie Apis mellifera scutellata, which live free in nature, amount to millions of feral colonies with population levels (between 100 and 50'000 to 60'000 individuals). These bees take the pollen from the flowers of many different species of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa, and others), which are native flora of this continent, and the bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and the carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.) are unable to complete the pollination process due to the absence of pollen in the anthers of the flowers' stamens to dust their own thoracic "pelage".

The bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and the carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.) do not collect the pollen from the passion fruit flowers for their own food, but only nectar, due to their long proboscis (glossa), whereas the African honey bees with a short proboscis are unable to collect nectar but able to collect pollen from the anthers of stamens. In areas of the Americas where the African honey bees has not invaded, bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.), unwittingly and without awareness of what recompense pay to the Nature, for the available nectar to them produced by the passion fruit flowers, transport the pollen grains on their thoracic hairs, from flower to flower ensuring cross-pollination.

The presence of African honey bees, in the ecosystem of these Continent, has literally made unserviceable the special work of the bumblebees and carpenter bees, as divinely predestined exclusive pollinators, responsible for the perpetuation of the species of passion fruit, but I ask you please to pay attention to pernicious detail, particularity that (* the presence of the African honey bees) caused uniquely the inutility, uselessness but not the replacement of the species of pollinators (* bumblebees and carpenter bees).

The African honey bees deliberately denudates the anthers of pollen, of Passion fruit flowers but do not execute pollination, due to the honey bee's small size in comparison to the flowers and its sexual structure (with protandry). Consequently the fructification of various species of passion fruit, of the nation (*Brazil) and the Continent, within the ecosystem of the parallels 34N to 34S, where the African honey bees were introduced, has been stopped or it is systematically downgraded, and in time, will disappear from the Earth's face and with them many other species of animals, integrants of the native fauna.

Are the "Africanist" beekeepers, environmental protectors?

The European beekeepers are aware that they are protectors of the environment, simply by rearing honey bees (* of native species. In Europe Apis mellifera is native).

The beekeepers of the American nations that rear African or Africanized honey bees, also believe that they are protectors of the environment, but, unfortunately, self deceive (self deluded), because in depth ignore the reality and unwittingly contribute as exterminators of native fauna (* because African honey bees, for the Americas are invasive alien species).

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Article published in the review <MELISSOKOMIKÓ BHMA> of OMSE; Federation of Greek Beekeepers' Association www.omse.gr. Year 3, Volume 16, September-October, 2005.

Contact the author: nikeeper@terra.com.br

The additions in brackets marked with an asterisk are from the author of the article, and aim to facilitate translation into other languages, from the translation of Portuguese - Brazil.

(1) - MICHENER, C.D. The social behavior of the bees: a comparative study. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The belknap press of Harvard University Press, 1974, page 350

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This pdf is set up by Ricardo Dirickson - email: projapi@hotmail.com

African honey bees colony established in abandoned termite nest

African honey bees colony established in the hollow tree, that is, nested in the natural shelter that was once intended for the bees of native species.

A swarm of African honey bees standing on branch of mango tree.

THE ASSAULT

The presence of African honey bees, in the ecosystem of these Continent, has literally made unserviceable the special work of the bumblebees and carpenter bees, as divinely predestined exclusive pollinators, responsible for the perpetuation of the species of passion fruit, but I ask you please to pay attention to pernicious detail, particularity that (* the presence of the African honey bees), caused uniquely the inutility, uselessness but not the replacement of the species of pollinators (* bumblebees and carpenter bees).

The exotic Apis mellifera, European, African and the Africanized honeybees, collect the pollen, but do not achieve pollination. Then steal the pollen and disenable the function of bumblebee.

Scraping the anthers

"The European and African honey bees deliberately denudates the anthers of pollen, of Passion fruit flowers but do not execute pollination, due to the honey bee's small size in comparison to the flowers size".

Converted from SLIDE. Photo taken by Nikolaos Argyrios Mitsiotis, 1980 - Flower of Passiflora alata Dryand.

THE SOLUTION

"The ensured prohibition of keeping colonies of African and hybrid bees and their substitution with European species, in all American nations, is key to the solution.

This should be combined with new training to beekeepers and the availability of books which teach the techniques of keeping docile species of honey bees in any environment already infested by African and Africanized honey bees.

Apiculture based on European species is a solution which can fulfill agricultural requirements, providing completely controllable pollinators for cultivated mellitophilous plants while interrupting the supply of new swarms to the forests".

Author's apiary, Mr. Nikolaos Argyrios Mitsiotis, with gentle honey bees, Apis mellifera of European species. Photo taken in 1981 converted from SLIDE. Apiary in the backyard of his house in the center of the suburb Jaraguá- São Paulo- SP- Brazil. In this apiary received technical training, eight hundred students, including the founding members of APACAME. The founding members of the APACAME were students of Mr. Nikolaos Argyrios Mitsiotis.

Apiary of colonies with queens of European species, owned by Dr. Walter Soboll, Agriculturist (by ESALQ, USP-Piracicaba-SP-Brazil), in the municipality of Sarapuí, near Sorocaba city - SP - Brazil. It has been installed and supported by Mr. Nikolaos Argyrios Mitsiotis in 1983.

To Control and Preserve of Biodiversity of the Americas

"The ensured prohibition of keeping colonies of African and hybrid bees and their substitution with European species, in all American nations, is key to the solution.

Image converted from SLIDE - Photo taken by Nikolaos Argyrios Mitsiotis, 1980. Flower of Passiflora alata Dryand, showing its natural pollinator, native and specific for the perpetuation of this specie of passion fruit. It is a bee of the Bombus spp.

In commercial crops of Passiflora alata Dryand, established in infested regions by African and Africanized honey bees, to obtain satisfactory fructification, artificial pollination is done by people, which increase the cost of production. But in spontaneous plants of passion fruit in the Brazilian territory, many species of passion fruit are extinguishing, as none goes daily in the nature to pollinate artificially, flowers of wild passion fruit plants.

"Consequently the fructification of various species of passion fruit, of the nation (*Brazil) and the Continent, within the ecosystem of the parallels 34 N to 34 S, where the African honey bees were introduced, has been stopped or it is systematically downgraded, and in time, will disappear from the Earth's face and with them many other species of animals, integrants of the native fauna".

Emails:

projapi@hotmail.com

nikeeper@terra.com.br

Links/websites:

http://projapi.multiply.com/journal/item/2

http://www.melissotroficas.com.br/apis/ilha/01_visao.asp

http://www.apiariocosmos.com.br/telas/txt_apicbras.htm

http://www.avozdanatureza.com/fungos.htm

Journal “A Colméia”:

The following articles are in Portuguese but contain unexpected informations!

A Colmeia ninth edition, Page 106, topic: Who is the Doctor.....

http://www.apiariocosmos.com.br/imagens/pdf/numero9.PDF