Dry weather affects hay harvest
It?s usually not this dry in May, but on the other hand its been dry since the first of the year.
According to the local rain fall measurements, McMinnville is short just under 11 inches of rain since Jan. 1. It also shows that what we?ve had since Jan. 1 is 11.24 inches. That?s pretty close to getting about half the rain that we?re used to for the first five months of the year.
If nothing else, it?s good hay harvest weather.
We?ve had about 10 days of dry weather for folks to harvest hay. The crop is so light that it also dries fast. We?re also getting it put up at an earlier date than most years. This means the hay will probably have more nutrients than most years, but there?s a whole lot less of it. I?m hearing that folks are making 30-50 percent of what they made last year.
If the weather allows, keep cutting. The quicker you get it up the sooner you?ll start growing a summer crop. Give me a call and I take a few samples of your hay and we?ll see if it will cover feeding a cow next winter without a lot of supplements.
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?Mystery Illness?
affecting bee colonies
I received the following information from Dr.John Skinner, a bee specialist with the UT Extension Service in Knoxville.
Dr. Skinner is working to find more information about a new bee problem that is affecting beekeepers across more thatn 22 states. They are calling this problem Colony Collapse Disorder.
There is much confusion about this disorder because no causative agent has yet been discovered. It is called a ?disorder? because it cannot be labeled a disease. There is no known causative agent We need more definitive information.
The major concern is that 22 states have reported losses of large numbers of honey bee colonies during 2006 and 2007 as beekeepers examine over-wintered colonies for the first time with onset of warmer temperatures. These honey bee colony losses cripple their ability to play an important economic role as pollinators of numerous crops valued in excess of $14 billion annually.
The situation started with a migratory beekeeper who annually moves 3,000 colonies of bees from Florida up the east coast to pollinate oranges, apples, blueberries, cherries and pumpkins. In October he discovered he had lost 2,000 colonies for some unknown reason.
Researchers, regulatory and extension personnel from the USDA, several state agriculture departments and Universities were contacted to determine the cause for the high losses. Other states started to report unusually large colony losses up to and exceeding 50 percent of their colonies.
Members of a CCD working group convened in January 2007 to better understand CCD and develop strategies to solve the problem. Researchers are looking for the causative agent(s), examining possibilities including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses and other cumulative stresses.
The symptoms of CCD are defined as:
1) In collapsed colonies
a) The complete absence of adult bees in colonies, with little or no build up of dead bees in the colonies or in front of those colonies.
b) The presence of capped brood in colonies.
c) The presence of food stores, both honey and bee bread (pollen stored in cells)
i) Which is not robbed by other bees.
ii) When attacked by hive pests such as wax moth and small hive beetle, the response is noticeably delayed.
2) In cases where the colony appears to be actively collapsing
a) An insufficient workforce is present to maintain the brood (developing bees).
b) The workforce is made up of young bees.
c) The queen is present
d) The cluster is reluctant to consume feed, such as sugar syrup and protein supplement.
When we examine symptoms from collapsed or collapsing colonies individually, several can be attributed to the presence of tracheal and Varroa mites (loss of adult bees, not enough adult bees to maintain brood, no build up of dead bees in the entrance, presence of unconsumed food stores, and young age of adults). If you add stresses due to frequent moving, fluctuating temperatures, and the presence of chemical contaminants in the wax comb (that may have accumulated over time to levels that cause sub-lethal effects on brood), the picture is not clear. A multitude of factors can cause stress that when added together cause colony mortality.
All these factors must be considered to understand what is happening.
The CCD working group and Bee Alert Technology, Inc (BATI) are asking for the assistance of beekeepers to report suspected instances of CCD to narrow down management practices and environmental factors that are common to these losses. To participate in the survey, go to www.beesurvey.com The diligent cooperative work of the CCD working group and BATI should be commended because a team approach best utilizes the expertise of the participants and avoids duplication of effort. If the survey can narrow down potential causes then a solution can be found sooner and future losses due to CCD can be greatly reduced or eliminated.
We do not know if CCD is present in Tennessee at this time. Some beekeepers have discovered losses higher than normal, while others have lost few colonies, apparently from definable causes.
Beekeepers should watch their bees closely for the symptoms listed above and they should monitor for Varroa mites using ether/sugar rolls or sticky board traps. To detect microscopic tracheal mites, a sample of quick-killed bees (60+) can be placed in 70 percent rubbing alcohol (enough to cover), sealed in leak-proof unbreakable container and sent to the local county extension office. The agent can send the sample of bees to the bee laboratory at the University of Tennessee.
Beekeepers should avoid contaminating wax combs with chemicals by not using the same miticide that was used last year to treat for mites, especially if Checkmite(R) (coumophos) or Apistan(R) (fluvalinate) were used. Old brood combs that have been used several years during treatments should be replaced with new foundation to remove potentially contaminated wax.
If you have bees or need more information give me a call. If you have a swarm of bee please call me or the Extension office. I have several beekeepers that will come and collect the swarm.
The Extension Service in Warren County offers its programs to all eligible participants, regardless of race, religion, color, sex, age or handicap. We like to work with whoever calls or walks through our door.
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TOMATO SPOTTED
WILT VIRUS
This year, this disease is occurring in central and eastern Tennessee.
TSWV is characterized by purplish to bronze colored specks on the leaves, followed by chlorosis (yellowing) and blighting of the leaves. The leaf discoloration sometimes appears as blotching, rather than as discrete specks. The symptoms sometimes appear first in the upper part of the plant.
This characteristic aids in diagnosis of the disease. Fruit symptoms include an uneven yellow and red color and the occurrence of “alligator” skin. For commercial growers, fruit quality is a problem even in mild cases of TSWV. TSWV is spread by a tiny insect called thrips. Thes insects, which are difficult to see, are favored by mild temperatures. Thrips enter a field or garden from nearby areas or can be carried into a planting on the wind from some distance. They reproduce well on tomatoes, and can continue to spread the virus throughout the growing season.
Control is difficult on susceptible varieties. BHN seeds has developed a couple of resistant varieties, but they are not widely grown. Reflective mulches are effective in delaying the onset and in reducing spread, but they must be applied at planting time. Pruning out affected parts of plants is not effective in control, because the virus has already spread systemically throughout the plant by the time symptoms appear. Roguing (removing) affected plants is not recommended, because of the possibility of exciting the thrips and causing them to move to uninfected plants.
After the planting of a susceptible variety the only control method is the use of insecticides. Insecticides should be applied early and often, for this method to be effective in suppressing TSWV spread. Commercial growers can use Admire (soil applied), Lannate, or SpinTor according to label directions. Gardeners have fewer options, but could try pyrethroid insecticides such as Bug-Be-Gone. Give me a call here at the Extension office if you need more information.