R.O.B. Manley
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bert" Orlando Beater Manley (1888-1978) was a British Beekeeper
, an authority on commercial honey
farming and developer of the popular Manley moveable frame hives and frame systems.
that originated on the Isle of Wight
extended over the UK devastating all the native bees and only the Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera ligustica colonies survived. Whilst Brother Adam travelled to Turkey to find substitutes for the native bees for the first Buckfast strain
, (a very productive bee resistant to the parasite), R.O.B. Manley began breeding Italian bees and the pair quickly became the most influential bee-keepers in Britain, with Brother Adam concentrating on a breeding programme and Manley developing modern commercial honey farming methods.
In 1948 R.O.B. Manley became the first man to manage 1000 colonies in England
, having kept bees through the fine summers of the 20's and 30's.
As well as being the first man to manage 1000 colonies, inventing the Manley frame system (still in common use today), R.O.B. Manley is the source of the practise of feeding sugar to bees in its modern form, stating that "all hives that have been to the moors should be fed 10lb sugar as a precaution against dysentery caused by long confinement during severe winters". This advice is not found in earlier publications (A. Pettigrew 1870, Rev Thomas WM Cowan 1881). Manley adds that while heather honey was not suitable as winter food during periods of confinement, he 'knew of nothing better to encourage a rapid spring build-up'.
in syrup intended for winter feeding in order to prevent fermentation and the growth of mould. Manley's thymol recipe has also proven useful in controlling Varroa mites.
Manley's recipe has become a standard and even if the requirement is for a stronger solution, this is often specified as '3x Manley strength' or '4x Manley strength'. His original recipe was one ounce of thymol crystals dissolved in five fluid ounces of surgical spirit
to make the stock solution. Then half a fluid ounce of this mixture was added to 1 Cwt (112 lbs) of sugar, which he dissolved in 7 imperial gallons (8.75 US Gal.) of water for direct use as winter feed.
Faced with the problem of drips of honey running down the sides of jars, the 'production line' featured an ordinary vacuum cleaner to 'suck' the last drops away. Rumour has it that this was the domestic vacuum cleaner from the house and that Mrs Manley was entirely opposed to this, but this rumour appears to have been started by R.O.B. Manley himself, so may lack veracity and is included here rather more to provide an insight into the dry wit of this man.
Beekeeper
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen, royal jelly; pollinating fruits and vegetables; raising queens and bees for sale to other farmers; and/or for purposes satisfying natural scientific curiosity...
, an authority on commercial honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
farming and developer of the popular Manley moveable frame hives and frame systems.
Achievements
In 1914 a parasite, Acarapis woodiAcarapis woodi
Acarapis woodi is a mite that is an internal parasite of honey bees, originally described from the Isle of Wight. Tracheal mites are related to spiders and have eight legs. Acarapis woodi live and reproduce in the tracheae of the bees...
that originated on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
extended over the UK devastating all the native bees and only the Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera ligustica colonies survived. Whilst Brother Adam travelled to Turkey to find substitutes for the native bees for the first Buckfast strain
Buckfast bee
The Buckfast bee is a honey bee a cross of many species of bees into a stable race developed by "Brother Adam", , who was in charge of beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey, where the bees are still bred today.-Origin:...
, (a very productive bee resistant to the parasite), R.O.B. Manley began breeding Italian bees and the pair quickly became the most influential bee-keepers in Britain, with Brother Adam concentrating on a breeding programme and Manley developing modern commercial honey farming methods.
In 1948 R.O.B. Manley became the first man to manage 1000 colonies in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, having kept bees through the fine summers of the 20's and 30's.
As well as being the first man to manage 1000 colonies, inventing the Manley frame system (still in common use today), R.O.B. Manley is the source of the practise of feeding sugar to bees in its modern form, stating that "all hives that have been to the moors should be fed 10lb sugar as a precaution against dysentery caused by long confinement during severe winters". This advice is not found in earlier publications (A. Pettigrew 1870, Rev Thomas WM Cowan 1881). Manley adds that while heather honey was not suitable as winter food during periods of confinement, he 'knew of nothing better to encourage a rapid spring build-up'.
Thymol
R.O.B Manley propagated the idea of using thymolThymol
Thymol is a natural monoterpene phenol derivative of cymene, C10H14O, isomeric with carvacrol, found in oil of thyme, and extracted from Thymus vulgaris and various other kinds of plants as a white crystalline substance of a pleasant aromatic odor and strong antiseptic properties...
in syrup intended for winter feeding in order to prevent fermentation and the growth of mould. Manley's thymol recipe has also proven useful in controlling Varroa mites.
Manley's recipe has become a standard and even if the requirement is for a stronger solution, this is often specified as '3x Manley strength' or '4x Manley strength'. His original recipe was one ounce of thymol crystals dissolved in five fluid ounces of surgical spirit
Surgical Spirit
Surgical Spirit is a British situation-comedy television series starring Nichola McAuliffe and Duncan Preston that was broadcast from 1989 through 1995. It was written by Peter Learmouth, Graeme Garden, Raymond Dixon, Annie Bruce, Annie Wood and Paul McKenzie...
to make the stock solution. Then half a fluid ounce of this mixture was added to 1 Cwt (112 lbs) of sugar, which he dissolved in 7 imperial gallons (8.75 US Gal.) of water for direct use as winter feed.
Trivia
Despite being the first man to have 1000 colonies in the UK and being one of the most revered commercial commercial beekeepers in Europe, R.O.B. 'Bert' Manley did not actually enjoy the taste of honey.Faced with the problem of drips of honey running down the sides of jars, the 'production line' featured an ordinary vacuum cleaner to 'suck' the last drops away. Rumour has it that this was the domestic vacuum cleaner from the house and that Mrs Manley was entirely opposed to this, but this rumour appears to have been started by R.O.B. Manley himself, so may lack veracity and is included here rather more to provide an insight into the dry wit of this man.