Mary Fisher wrote:
"Jim Jackson" wrote in message
...
Ian wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Apparently stores are going to run out of British honey by Christmas as
there is such a shortage of honey bees now. Bad news for honey-lovers
and
for gardeners. ;-(
I wouldn't believe such stories. They are either put out to boost
falling
sales
or as an excuse to increase prices. Shops will lie about there being a
shortage.
I have loads of bees stopping off in the gardens here, more than ever.
Bees are not in decline, it's shops being greedy and idiots believing
everything
they hear or even see on the Internet.
A local bee keeper says his production is down by over 30% this year, and
he reports other local keepers reporting similar.

Some have had good harvests and some average ones. There are geographical,
meteorological and management differences - as well as breeds.
I saw no honey bees this year, though there have been no shortage of other
bees.

I've seen very few solitary bees this year, fewer than average honey bees
and average numbers of bumble bees - but not all types.

And I know the difference.

Some idiots can be too cynical

There are differences among idiots too.


This might be interesting to some.


The great honey drought

http://tinyurl.com/55tvha

In 26 years of beekeeping, Ged Marshall has never seen anything as bad
as the 2008 honey harvest. A miserable summer that has confined his bees
to their hives following a winter bedevilled by deadly viruses means
that production this year will be barely a third of its usual level of
around five tonnes of honey.

Unfortunately for the nation's honey lovers and apiarists, Mr Marshall's
experience is far from unique. According to the British Beekeepers'
Association (BBKA), up to a third of Britain's 240,000 hives failed to
survive last winter and spring due to disease and poor weather. The
result is a drop of more than 50 per cent in honey production across the
country.

Bobbie.