Preliminary reports from the US suggest that this could be the worst year yet for colony collapse disorder. As the almond pollination comes to an end in central valley, Eric Mussen , extension apiculturist at University of California, Davis, says that beekeepers’ losses this year in his state are ranging from 30-80%. Jeff Pettis, research leader for the US government’s Agricultural Research Service’s honey bee laboratory is quoted in the Washington Post as saying: “I am very concerned about this year based on what we have seen in California and other parts of the United States.”
This will be the fourth year of surveying honeybee losses across the US since CCD. In 2007, beekeepers lost 32% of their colonies, in 2008 it was 36% and in 2009, 29%. But when 2010 figures are published in May, they could be the worse yet.
This should come as no surprise to readers of A World Without Bees. The stress factors affecting bees have not changed. Take poor nutrition – a combination of our monoculture methods of agriculture, which forces bees to feed on pollen-inferior crops such as cranberries and blueberries in the States and sunflowers in Europe, and the junk food diet of corn syrup and pollen substitutes fed to bees as a supplement.
What about the pesticides and fungicides that tests have failed to prove aren’t harmfall to bees? They are still being used in the States. And this spring in the wet almond groves more fungicide than normal has been sprayed by almond growers trying to prevent “bloom rot”.
The bees are still being trucked across time zones and climates to pollinate the almonds in February and March, when it’s too early in the season for them to be doing such hard work. It’s still pretty cold and bee colony is still building up.
The scientists are still doing the research trying to find the right mix of factors to recreate CCD in lab conditions so that they can have a better understand of what’s causing the die offs.
But what exactly are they going to do when they finally understand what many of use already know - that stress factors are compromising the honeybees immune system so they are uable to fend off the mites, viruses and, fungal disease?
Are they going to: tell the agrochemical companies to stop producing bee harmful pesticides; tell US farmers to produce their crops more sustainably rather than planting mile upon mile of the same crop; tell commercial beekeepers that beekeeping on that scale in the age of the varroa mite and nosema is contributing to bee stress and we should go back to farmers getting a few hives from their local beekeepers during pollination?
Oh, but there aren’t any local beekeepers because there’s nothing for their bees to eat 50 weeks of the year near those orchards, or those orchards, or those orchards planted with one pesticide-treated crop.
Perhaps we’ll get it when there aren’t enough honeybees left?
Here in Seattle, 3 of my 4 colonies survived the winter, but north of Seattle, in the more agricultural area near Mt. Vernon, all three hives were lost due to CCD-like symptoms. One hive must have left in mid-autumn, as they had over 120lbs of honey in there, untouched. A local beekeeper here in Seattle with 6 years experience in the city (10 rurally) was hit by CCD this winter, losing both his colonies. It’s difficult to stay positive.
However, opening my colonies last week on a totally flyable day (over 60 degrees F and sunny) was just the cure for CCD blues. The bees were bursting with brood and seemingly going to be ready for the Maple bloom that is coming in two weeks. Bees are awesome and we have to address this crisis on an international level, especially by bringing the food we eat closer to home.
Good post. The causes of CCD are more to do with modern agricultural methods than any other factor, and without changing these, CCD will always be a problem (as long as we still have bees). That’s why I think it is so important that we all do our bit on a small sclae, local level, and starting to keep your own bees is one of the best ways to help overcome CCD.
Sir/Madam
I am a beekeeper of 30 years experience.
I have not treated my colonies with chemicals or sugar for 18 years due to the early licenced chemical treatments for the Varroa mite where killing my queens.
I have always believed there was a natural way of dealing with varroa. So my journey started in trying different experiments no matter how slight the pieces came together.
One thing became very apparent, what the Varroa mite did was esculate and highlight the problem to the media and masses of the ongoing problem that beekeepers have had for centuries.
Honeybees have been dying ever since mankind found honey and wanted to domesticate bees by putting them into logs, boxes,skeps and eventually beehives.
One must remember everything on this planet is where it is for a reason, what mankind has done is take honeybees away from their natural source of survival.
Yes I have found the answer and solution, why are my colonies thriving with no varroa?
Unfortunately so much funding has gone into a chemical or bacterial answer with no return on those investments my hypothesis is being ignored because it is free.
I am not a doctor, scientist, chemist or professor, I am just a passionate beekeeper that does not want his bees to die out and yours will, mine wont.
I have written a book about my discoveries but do you thing I can get it published, it is so difficult when you haven`t got the funds.
If anyone can help me get it published, please get in touch.
Honeybees live in an invisible world to what we can see.
John Harding
I am student from Croatia and I am doing my research paper about CCD! Is there anyone who can explain me somethings about this disorder? why is this phenomenon happennds? What will will happend if bees disappear? What measures have already been taken?