"Lazarus Cooke" wrote in message
news:140720072225048218%lazaruscooke@britishlibrar y.invalid...
As a beekeeper (brixton, london) can i just say that this year is bad
for some, not so bad for others. As someone said, the varroa mite has
been here for a while, and most beekeepers use a number of strategies
to manage it.

Possibly more troubling is that the recent run of hot, dry summers has
encouraged many beekeepers, (including me) to favour the yellowish
italian honeybee (apis mellifera ligustica) over the british black bee
(apis mellifera mellifera). the aml bees do fine when the weather's
good, but when you've had a june like the past one, the queens at least
just sit inside,

So you're the only one to blame!

unlike their amm counterparts ( now probably only
existing around the galtee mountains in ireland) who are used to
struggling out to gather nectar, pollinate, and make passionate love
even in irish weather.

According to Michael and other Irish breeders :-)

Mary