Give me hope! (Bangor, Orono, Old Town: houses, to live, restaurants)

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Ay-up

I like mead too, but have been having issues with colony collapse.

Have you had any luck identifying a cause, such as mites, depressed immune system or the use of neonictinoid pesticide (Imidacloprid) in the area? Or some possible combination?

I also noted that in some areas it seemed like some of the trees were fooled into budding/blooming too early this past Spring.

[forest beekeeper]

The US Ag Dept has not locked onto any cause.

This problem is not isolated to any one state, nor nation.

Some are saying mite load, however most beekeepers do already monitor their mite infestations and treat for mites. I do.

Some are saying the influence on magnetic navigation from microwave cellphone towers.

Some are saying this is an effect of GMO crops.

Others are saying pesticide load. However nobody has found any pesticide whose usage has increased much during the past ten years.

I attended a beekeeping workshop this past fall, the small beekeepers seem to be hardest hit [50% to 100% per year]. Whereas the bigger guys [600 to 800 hives] are losing smaller percentages of their hives, maybe only 40% per year.

In Ct, I had two hives and lost both of them two years in a row.

Now here in Maine, I just do one hive, and have not been able to get a colony to survive to spring yet.

[moughie]

Forest, perhaps at the upcoming Common Ground Fair, you can chat with other beekeepers .. What a horrible problem with severe long term implications.

[forest beekeeper]

Yes, they usually host a few workshops for us beekeepers. I attend annually.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

The US Ag Dept has not locked onto any cause.

This problem is not isolated to any one state, nor nation.

Some are saying mite load, however most beekeepers do already monitor their mite infestations and treat for mites. I do.

Yes, I see where the Europeans have been experiencing a similar phenomenon. I was just wondering if you might have been able to identify a local cause that was particular to your colonies.

Some are saying the influence on magnetic navigation from microwave cellphone towers.

Yes, some people think so, especially the nutcases that listen to Art Bell. However, if it could be established that navigational difficulties were a contributing factor, I would be more inclined to think that the natural shift of the Earth's magnetic field would have a far greater effect.

At least one study I read indicated that there was no difference in behavior among hives in which EM sources were located, as compared to control groups which had no EM sources. I would say that that fairly well establishes a negative causality for the cell-phone theory.

I have to wonder if the practice of transporting large colonies over long distances (such as the bees brought to Washington County from the Carolinas to aid in the pollination of the blueberry crop might be spreading an epidemic whould would have otherwise remained localised.

A thought just occured to me, which I have not had time to research yet- is the same phenomenon being observed in Africanized bee populations? Or could the Africanized bees play some other role such as the introduction of a new disease for which the *native* (in quotes...aarrgg...doesn't handle quotation marks well either... because they are not originally native to the US) populations have no defense?

[K-Luv]

I agree with happyhappy. I spent twenty-three years in Califronia and saw just how damaging these big box stores can be on small towns. I also witnessed the same when I spent ten years in Minneapolis.

Wal-Mart might bring in a little extra cash into a community, but with that is going to come the essential growth that is needed to sustain a store of this size. With that will also come the Starbucks and KFC's and Firdays that will eventually put the small ma and pop shops out of business. It happens everytime.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

I agree with happyhappy. I spent twenty-three years in Califronia and saw just how damaging these big box stores can be on small towns. I also witnessed the same when I spent ten years in Minneapolis.

Wal-Mart might bring in a little extra cash into a community, but with that is going to come the essential growth that is needed to sustain a store of this size. With that will also come the Starbucks and KFC's and Firdays that will eventually put the small ma and pop shops out of business. It happens everytime.

I agree, just seeing what has happened in our "small community" that isn't so small anymore. They put in a WM Super Center 3 years ago. Now, the whole area around the store on 3 sides is FULL of strip malls, fast food restaurants, 2 new hotels, etc., none of which were there 3 short years ago. It's quickly becoming a little city. We're talking about a community of only 8500 people. And along with the rapid growth, we've seen a rapid increase in crime in the area.

This is exactly the kind of commercial growth we are wanting to escape. I agree that the need for proper goods and services at affordable prices can't be overlooked, but I'd so much rather drive 30 minutes to the next town to shop. That won't hurt a bit!

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Zymer

... I have to wonder if the practice of transporting large colonies over long distances (such as the bees brought to Washington County from the Carolinas to aid in the pollination of the blueberry crop might be spreading an epidemic whould would have otherwise remained localised.

Bees go out away from their hive, and do not return, the colony population 'collapse's. Without enough mass in her colony a queen can not keep her colony going, so they die.

It would seem that for now, the only folks who are hit the least by this are the big guys who truck their bees. They take their bees North for the summers, and South for the winters. Their bees never experience 'winter'. They 'only' lose about 40% of their hives per year. But their bees continue to swarm, allowing new queens to be born and to divide the colonies. So even through these huge losses, they are producing new colonies.

It is the small beekeepers that are completely wiped out year after year.

As for 'localized', this is an issue felt world-wide. Every beekeeper, in every nation of the planet has lost hives. Every farmer in every nation has lost production from 'Colony Collapse'.

I am not sure of how to 'localise' it. Now of how to speak of it in terms of it being local.

[ruthere04976]

I guess it wouldn't surprise me if Walmart had won over the Belfast residents. They do need SOMETHING in that town. I dont' think Walmart is the answer, but you do need to be able to buy clothing other than the "what fell off the truck" clothing that Reny's stocks lol.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by ruthere04976

I guess it wouldn't surprise me if Walmart had won over the Belfast residents. They do need SOMETHING in that town. I dont' think Walmart is the answer, but you do need to be able to buy clothing other than the "what fell off the truck" clothing that Reny's stocks lol.

ruth very good point,,,maybe mardens will go there!! lol