Where are the bees?

[BigBoxaJunk]

A big contributor in the steep decline in honey bees in America has to do with the bee-keeping industry itself. When I decided to get into beekeeping more than twenty years ago, I got a book from a bee supply company and followed it's guidance. The book recommended the use of various antibiotics, acaricides (for mites), protein supplements, heavy sugar feeding, and the purchase of pure Italian honey bees from an apiary (all were located in southern states). Even if you captured a swarm of "wild" bees, the book recommended that you replace the wild queen with one of pure lineage from an apiary to maximize honey production.

Decades of breeding bees for maximum honey production, aided with all those artificial treatments, has resulted in a very shallow gene pool and pretty yellow-orange bees that can gather a ton of honey, but can't survive the elements. It's like comparing a native wild turkey; smart, able to survive the coldest winter and elude predators, with one of those fat white farm turkeys that will die like flies if they even got wet.

I currently have a couple of hives of bees from a wild swarm that I've propagated for twelve years and that get no treatments of any kind, other than a little sugar syrup if they really need it in the early spring. More and more small beekeepers are getting away from modern methods and going back to the old-school ways, but like many things, most just follow the corporate line.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

A big contributor in the steep decline in honey bees in America has to do with the bee-keeping industry itself. When I decided to get into beekeeping more than twenty years ago, I got a book from a bee supply company and followed it's guidance. The book recommended the use of various antibiotics, acaricides (for mites), protein supplements, heavy sugar feeding, and the purchase of pure Italian honey bees from an apiary (all were located in southern states). Even if you captured a swarm of "wild" bees, the book recommended that you replace the wild queen with one of pure lineage from an apiary to maximize honey production.

Decades of breeding bees for maximum honey production, aided with all those artificial treatments, has resulted in a very shallow gene pool and pretty yellow-orange bees that can gather a ton of honey, but can't survive the elements. It's like comparing a native wild turkey; smart, able to survive the coldest winter and elude predators, with one of those fat white farm turkeys that will die like flies if they even got wet.

I currently have a couple of hives of bees from a wild swarm that I've propagated for twelve years and that get no treatments of any kind, other than a little sugar syrup if they really need it in the early spring. More and more small beekeepers are getting away from modern methods and going back to the old-school ways, but like many things, most just follow the corporate line.

Is the honey output that much less? Just curious...

 

[katfishinking]

i went catfishin last fri. night, between shoals and Williams dam. there were millions of lightning bugs. as for bees, we have seen quite a few this year, but not as many as I remember as a kid.

 

[gunworks321]

Just some observations. We have twice the bees this year as last. Cherries, apples and pears are loaded due to spring activity. Have to be careful walking in the yard to not get stung. One of these days the cat is going to get it as she stalks them. Lightning bugs not so much, but also moths and skeeters are absent as well. Last summer drought could be a factor. Very few maple seed and cottonwood drops this spring as well. We'll see how the 17 year locusts go later in summer. That is all.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Is the honey output that much less? Just curious...

Not that I can tell, but I'm just a hobbyist. I don't try to "make" a lot of honey, I just keep bees because I enjoy it.

There is a guy in South Dakota who keeps bees for a living and he teaches the old-school methods that I use. He lectures all over the country about raising your own queens, using wild stock, and breeding for hardiness, and disease/pest resistance. My guess is that honey output is somewhat less per hive, but you more than make up for it in the long run by not having to spend money and time on treatments and by not loosing so many colonies each winter.

 

[Knight Rider]

Planted clover around the new garden/orchard last year and bees are heavy this year. Here's hoping.

 

[BigMatt]

A big contributor in the steep decline in honey bees in America has to do with the bee-keeping industry itself. When I decided to get into beekeeping more than twenty years ago, I got a book from a bee supply company and followed it's guidance. The book recommended the use of various antibiotics, acaricides (for mites), protein supplements, heavy sugar feeding, and the purchase of pure Italian honey bees from an apiary (all were located in southern states). Even if you captured a swarm of "wild" bees, the book recommended that you replace the wild queen with one of pure lineage from an apiary to maximize honey production.

Decades of breeding bees for maximum honey production, aided with all those artificial treatments, has resulted in a very shallow gene pool and pretty yellow-orange bees that can gather a ton of honey, but can't survive the elements. It's like comparing a native wild turkey; smart, able to survive the coldest winter and elude predators, with one of those fat white farm turkeys that will die like flies if they even got wet.

I currently have a couple of hives of bees from a wild swarm that I've propagated for twelve years and that get no treatments of any kind, other than a little sugar syrup if they really need it in the early spring. More and more small beekeepers are getting away from modern methods and going back to the old-school ways, but like many things, most just follow the corporate line.

These are my thoughts too.

I also listened to a program on NPR () that was about beekeeping and commercial beekeepers.

They truck billions of bees all over the country to follow the blooms of different crops. For instance, they said that the largest managed pollination event in the world is the almond bloom in California.

I happen to believe that the practice of transporting bees all over the country (which hasn't been going on to this scale for very long) is one of the main causes for spreading colony disease and colony collapse disorder.

I have no evidence for this, but it makes sense and I haven't heard one word about how transporting billions of bees from area to area can spread disease. The only thing I hear about is how anything from pesticides to Monsanto to cell phones are causing CCD.

Why California Almonds Need North Dakota Flowers (And A Few Billion Bees) : The Salt : NPR

 

[kwatters]

several years ago I noticed a lack of Bee's around my yard. This year they seem to have come back in force.

 

[yotewacker]

It's been several years since I've seen so many bees in my area. There everywhere this year.

 

[Tangowood]

here they are (or not)

At least 25,000 bumble bees found dead in Oregon parking lot | Fox News

 

[TomJefferson]

several years ago I noticed a lack of Bee's around my yard. This year they seem to have come back in force.

Agreed. I just found 2 new hives in my woods this year.

 

[flhultra]

I just started raising bees this spring, bought my first swarm , caught my 2nd swarm at Wallyworld in Corydon (they do have everything/whether they know it or not) the manager on duty was happy to see them gone so quickly.
the other day a friend shows up with a cardboard box filled with about 2000 bees and a lot of comb (brood / honey) will look again for the queen tomorrow (may have to introduce a new one this week)
apple trees and the wife's flowers have never looked better.
neat hobby with sweet benefits.