The Avenger Posted February 24, 2010 Posted February 24, 2010 Hmm....I'm (very) keen on crops, crop issues and prices, and husbandry (I'm probably the only sap far and wide around, that forks over the six extra bucks per month to TW cable for their RFD channel, so I can get the ag reports). A radio show I listen to every Saturday 6AM morning recently had a noted person saying that the problem is fading, and I've also heard and read that from some other sources. The problem seems to be that the affected colonies are under stress and it some point the proverbial straw breaks the camel's back and worker bees do not come back or make it back to the hive and it dies. The reason the big migratory operations see these far more than hobbyists like myself is that their bees are already under a trendous amount of stress being trucked from crop to crop, working a single crop and being fed high fructose corn syrup. It's been compared to being a marathon runner being fed only candy bars - it'll povide energy but not much nutrition to someone working very hard. They aren't finding anything present in colonies hit by CCD that they aren't seeing in comonies like mine - mites, disease, etc. - the difference is that my colonies can cope with it where others can not. So what is the proverbial straw? Pathogen? Peticide? Somehing yet to be identified? Sadly, I think the reason reported cases are on the decline are because these migratory operations are simply going out of business and are no more - the people who were getting hit hard don't have bees any more. There hasn't been any great breakthrough in prevention or treatment. Like I said earlier, there aren't that many people who have migratory operations, but those who do and have had huge losses over the past few years have moved onto another line of work.
stuckincincy Posted February 24, 2010 Posted February 24, 2010 The problem seems to be that the affected colonies are under stress and it some point the proverbial straw breaks the camel's back and worker bees do not come back or make it back to the hive and it dies. The reason the big migratory operations see these far more than hobbyists like myself is that their bees are already under a trendous amount of stress being trucked from crop to crop, working a single crop and being fed high fructose corn syrup. It's been compared to being a marathon runner being fed only candy bars - it'll povide energy but not much nutrition to someone working very hard. They aren't finding anything present in colonies hit by CCD that they aren't seeing in comonies like mine - mites, disease, etc. - the difference is that my colonies can cope with it where others can not. So what is the proverbial straw? Pathogen? Peticide? Somehing yet to be identified? Sadly, I think the reason reported cases are on the decline are because these migratory operations are simply going out of business and are no more - the people who were getting hit hard don't have bees any more. There hasn't been any great breakthrough in prevention or treatment. Like I said earlier, there aren't that many people who have migratory operations, but those who do and have had huge losses over the past few years have moved onto another line of work. Yes - there is much to be figured out. My concern is that it's become a bit of a cause celebre...
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