A Parasite Devastates Bees, and Farmers Are Worried

NY Times ^ | May 2, 2005 | IVER PETERSON

[editor-surveyor]

"Erl sounds like Yankee talk"

Pretty much everywhere I've been in the Mississippi valley, or delta, that is what they call the stuff.

[Carry_Okie]

Another exotic pest escapes the US government. What a shock.

More than 300 years after the initial introduction (of honeybees), a beekeeper also imported honey bees (and a very serious problem), perhaps from Brazil, despite a quarantine that had existed for several decades. That person was not the first to break the quarantine; all too often the quarantine had been ignored by others hoping to "improve their strain." Unfortunately, this time the imported bees harbored a voracious parasitic mite, Varroa jacobsoni, soon to populate all contiguous states and Alaska.

Source

[Carry_Okie]

When the weather cycle turns warm again, the mites will die off, and the bee populations will rebound.

I doubt you have sufficient data to be certain of that claim. California has a big varroa problem. If the warmer weather in here is any indication, you may not have a respite. The article from which I quoted above might interest you.

[Texas_Jarhead]

"Someone needs to open the jar and pour in some knowledge. If you like to eat, then you'll be concerned."

Oh I comprehend. I have family that raise bees but thanks for insulting me nonetheless. My favorite insults are those from fellow FReepers. FReegards & Semper Fi.

[stands2reason]

Do they "warsh" their clothes there too?

[editor-surveyor]

"I doubt you have sufficient data to be certain of that claim."

I can almost guarantee that you are correct on that point, as I was only going by my own anecdotal evidence, but his hives did rebound by 88. I don't pretend to see the future.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Here in NM, the bears not only kill the bees and destroy hives (for the honey), they also eat the apples.

[neverdem]

Why do they have to be imported?

I don't have a clue.

[SierraWasp]

Well... they were also the years this great nation was catching it's breath from the devastation and demoralization of four years of "Malaise" brought to us by the most pathetic excuse for a president we've ever had!!!

And he called himself a Christian, too!!! Have we really ever had a President who unequivocably said he wasn't?

[passionfruit]

Oh yeah! During apple season walking through the orchard (full of bear poop) is a three step process.

1. Step in it.

2. Skid in it.

3. Fall in it.

[editor-surveyor]

"they were also the years this great nation was catching it's breath from the devastation and demoralization of four years of "Malaise" brought to us by the most pathetic excuse for a president we've ever had!!!"

You're just another mean-spirited wee-publican who can't recognize greatness (/sarcasm)

"And he called himself a Christian, too!!! Have we really ever had a President who unequivocably said he wasn't?"

Even the Klintons carried their By-Bulls with them.

[pepsionice]

This is one of those little things that people didn't notice...until it was very obvious. My guess is that that amount of poisons people use on flower gardens and lawns....basically took most of the bee population. I've seen people put way too much out...and it has to have some kinda effect.

[E.G.C.]

BTT!!!!!!!

[KeyWest]

I keep bees. Varroa came in two different ways (and two different Varroa), one by a beekeeper in CA and the other with Africanized honey bee from Brazil. AHB seems to exist quite well with Varroa while the European Honey Bee does not.

Varroa in an EHB colony will eventually kill it unless it is treated or the bee is one of the imported resistant bees which seem to tolerate Varroa. Varroa has developed resistance to most current authorized pesticides. It can be controlled by Formic and Oxalic acid, the former is authorized in many states, the latter in none but extensively used in Europe.

If you think domestic bees can pollinate current crops since they were here before, good luck. We did not have the kind of intensive agriculture before the honeybee was brought to America by Europeans. Many farmers who lived off "free" pollination since there were both "wild" bees and beekeepers in the area are suffering because both sources have dried up and are having to bring in pollinators at a cost. There are some trees, like cherries, where domestic bees have been used for pollination. It does cost more to manage them than it does the honeybee.

Varroa is serious, mainly because it has driven out so many hobby beekeepers so local pollination suffers. But many of us just plod along and work the problem. I lost one hive last fall but none over the winter.

[Redleg Duke]

These parasites were discovered during the Clinton Administration, but couldn't become a threat until a Republican Administration.

[Miles the Slasher]

To bee, or not to bee.

[steve8714]

Lipo on Senator Eddie could run the boilers of Boston for a month.

[cogitator]

Thanks for your informed comments.

[Fury]

I have friends who had a bee business in Washington State in the 1980's, and possibly still do. They moved hives of bees from orchard to orchard during apple blossom season. They were hired by the orchardists who wanted to have a better crop, and they sold the most amazing delicate apple blossom honey. This wasn't because of any kind of mite. Just good orchard practice.

Have ~500 acres of apple orchards across the road and also one field over in the back of the house. The farmers have had the "bee boxes" (that's what I call them) brought in yesterday and in Thursday I predict the flowers will bloom (supposed to have some really nice weather tomorrow and Thursday). The air smells incredible and there are bees all over the place!

[sandydipper]

It never crosses your mind until the orange trees that were full of bloom - have no oranges. The peach tree has no peaches and the guava tree is the same. We need these little workers.