Re:[CH] bees
Intergalactic Garage (igg@igg.com)
Sun, 24 Jan 1999 09:32:46 -0500
Bee lovers, gardeners, and fans of all forms of pollination!
I keep the archives of the 'Biodynamic Honeybee Symposium,' which is
available through the menu at http://www.igg.com/bdnow/
The 6th Symposium (which I won't have web-published until later this
evening) deals extensively with the varroa mite and other 'parasites' of
the european honeybee. (Incidentally, the mites are spread by BEES, not by
honey. The infestation in the US was hastened because it is common for US
beekeepers to buy their queens from a few suppliers in the southern US. For
two years in a row, these suppliers shipped queens that were carriers of
these parasites. By the time the source of the infestation was discovered,
varroa was well established here in the US. (Here in West Virginia, 'wild
bees' are considered to be entirely extinct,due to the "success" of this
lethal parasite. Only carefully monitored hives which are medicated with
toxic 'apistan' or herbal oils are likely to survive winter here. )
Just thought I'd toss in these facts about an unbelievably tragic event
that's happening right now in this country: the eradication of honeybees
and the loss of the strongest ally a gardener has in pollination.
If you want to help, not only the bees, but also wild and domestic
vegetation in your neighborhood, think about getting a couple of hives and
learning how to take care of them. Once a very passive occupation,
beekeeping has become a very pro-active pastime (but you can maintain a
hive with less than an hour of your time a week - and that only during the
'active' season). Without husbandry, the European honeybees simply will not
be able to survive.
-Allan Balliett
igg@igg.com
>>Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 09:37:27 -0500
>>From: "Byron Bromley" <Byron.Bromley@gsd-co.com>
>>Subject: [CH] bees
>
>> Just read article about mites killing bees.
>
>This is the Asian mite or Asian bee mite. You might want to do a
>web search for it.
>
>The problem is not limited to USA so there should be plenty of
>information. In South Africa we too have this imported pest.
>>From what I have heard the bees do eventually build up a
>resistance to it but in the process a large percentage of swarms
>will be killed off. I believe that it can and is transported in
>honey and that probably explains the spread.
>
>> Its easier the have the bees do the garden pollination than
>> doing manually
>
>My chile plants have their own private pollinators by having a
>hive of what you would call "killer bees" in a big old oak tree
>real close to them. My rocotos are under this tree and this
>year doing real well.
>
>I see ants crawling all over my chile plants and always in and
>out of the flowers. Do ants play any part in pollination of this
>species?
>
>Cheers
>Peter
>
>-- Peter Moss
>
>"Well, let's just say, 'if your VCR is still blinking 12:00, you
>don't want Linux'". - Bruce Perens