[doodad]

Very true and very troubling. No clues yet as to the source of the problem. This decline has been happening for years and is now epidemic. I am no entymologist, but it seems to coincide with the africanized bee scare.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

it seems to coincide with the africanized bee scare.

the following would seem about right re the Afros reaching the US......

"Tracheal mites (Acarapis woodi) were first reported in the United States from Texas in 1984. By 1992, severe colony losses due to tracheal mites were recorded throughout Ohio. Tracheal mites are microscopic parasites that live in the breathing tubes of adult honey bees where they feed on bee blood. Suffering colonies have dwindling populations, do not cluster well, and often die in the winter, frequently leaving behind large amounts of honey. Infested adults may act irritated or disoriented. Weak adults may be found crawling aimlessly near the entrance of the hive. Unfortunately, tracheal mites cannot be positively identified without dissecting the bees under a microscope. Two materials, vegetable oil patties and menthol, are useful in suppressing tracheal mite populations. Eradicating mite populations is not practical. Since any material only suppresses mite populations temporarily, beekeepers should be prepared to contend with tracheal mite infestations indefinitely."

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2164.html

more on bees/mites:
http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=bees+tracheal+mites&btnG=Google+Search

[arthurus]

That's "entomologist" An entymologist would be, perhaps, one who studies the origin of Insects' vocabulary?

[Quix]

The Africanized bees have a resistence to another bee problem--a bee mite. But then the Africanized bees are not so nice to have around.

[Mamzelle]

I don't think the precipitous drop in bee population can be blamed on insecticides alone. There must be some pathogen.