OT- the ccd, bee thing

[patrick mitchel]

In all of the articles that mention the colony collapse disorder that's affecting the commercial honeybee industry, there's no mention of the disorder affecting any of the feral honeybees. Anyone run across such info? Just curious.... Pat

[Steve Peek]

[cloud dreamer]

Hmmm...I was reading that feral bees were unaffected which is why they're concentrating on the beekeeper's practices as being the cause. Apparently, word is that organic beekeepers are not having the same problems.

Certainly, the feral bees seem to be around here in normal numbers.

..

Zone 5b in Canada's Far East.

[Ann]

cloud dreamer expounded:

There are plenty of feral bees, what has happened is what should have happened in the beekeeping industry. The bees that survived the mites are the ones that should be bred, the problem is, people make their money by beekeeping, they don't have time for natural selection. Which is most unfortunate, because it's caused the heavy use of chemicals. Combine that with the already heavy use of chemicals and GM products in agribusiness, and you end up with CCD.

[gonzo]

This spring has been like no other I can recall in my (brief) gardening career. Been at this site for nigh on nine years, and this is the first year the bees aren't out in any numbers to speak of. Zone 5 in Iowa.

Normally the pussywillow tree and berry bushes are literally alive with the buzz of the bees. This year I've seen only a few solitary bees.

I'm a little concerned 'cause this is the first year in a long time I have melon plants that look like maybe they can do something, instead of the bugs eating them. Have several heirloom varieties, 2 are in heavy bloom, cucumbers about to blossom, but it really is very quiet out in the garden. Mosquitoes mostly.

[Charlie]

Same here, south of ya in MO.

I had two, yes two, honeybees working the chive blossoms earlier, haven't seen one since.

Lookin' grim. Hope we don't have to resort to hand pollination.

Charlie