Beekeeper Bee Losses
|
| Aging Earth http://AgingEarth.com |
More Aging Earth Headlines >> 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - Aging Earth Home Beekeeper Bee Losses Feb 2007 - U.S. beekeepers are baffled by an alarming die-off of honey bees across the nation. Two dozen states have been affected by "colony collapse disorder" (CCD) and as more beekeepers in cold wintering locations get into their colonies, the number of states affected is expected to grow. Industry experts say the situation has beekeepers fighting for commercial survival and crop growers wondering whether bees will be available to pollinate their crops this spring and summer. "This has become a highly significant yet poorly understood problem that threatens the pollination industry and the production of commercial honey in the United States," said Maryann Frazier, apiculture extension associate at Penn State University. "During the last three months of 2006, we began to receive reports from commercial beekeepers of an alarming number of honey bee colonies dying in the eastern United States," Frazier said. "Since the beginning of the year, beekeepers from all over the country have been reporting unprecedented losses." "There is little doubt that honey bees are going to be in short supply this spring and possibly into the summer," Frazier added. Reports on their losses coming from beekeepers vary widely. Some commercial beekeepers are reporting their losses as about the same as the last several years. Others report losing thousands of colonies: one lost 11,000 of his 13,000 colonies; another 700 of 900; another 2500 of 3500; another virtually all of his 10,000. Researchers are scrambling to determine what is causing the affliction and to develop management strategies and recommendations for beekeepers. They contend that mites and associated diseases, some unknown pathogenic disease and pesticide contamination or poisoning are likely factors causing or contributing to CCD. Initial studies of dying colonies revealed a large number of disease organisms present, with no one disease being identified as the culprit. Ongoing case studies and surveys of beekeepers experiencing CCD have found a few common management factors, but no common environmental agents or chemicals have been identified. More Aging Earth Headlines >> 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - Aging Earth Home © 2009; Aging Earth .com |