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

99% of the feral bees are already gone due to varroa & thoracic mites.
Steve
"patrick mitchel" wrote in message
...
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 wrote:
99% of the feral bees are already gone due to varroa & thoracic mites.
Steve
"patrick mitchel" wrote in message
...
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





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.



--

We must change the way we live,
or the climate will do it for us.

cloud dreamer expounded:

Steve Peek wrote:
99% of the feral bees are already gone due to varroa & thoracic mites.
Steve
"patrick mitchel" wrote in message
...
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





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.

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.
--
Ann
e-mail address is not checked

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.