Maybe ours was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but beekeeper Felicia Gilljam has now blogged her thoughts on Colony Collapse Disorder. Being scientifically cautious, I suspect, there’s a disclaimer: “Because I’m a beekeeper, apparently my opinion is considered ‘expert’.” More expert than many another commenter, I reckon. I’ll let you read it over there, but the executive summary is that Felicia is not sure how real the phenomenon is, especially in Europe. And perhaps the virus that has been associated with CCD gets a purchase because something else weakens the hive. She also raises the intriguing possibility that breeding bees to be better harvesters that are docile and don’t swarm may have brought along some other effects — like a weaker immune system — as hitchhikers.
Tangled bank
Tangled Bank 94 is up at Life before Death, full of biological diversity and goodness. Best part about it? The host is a bee-keeper! (I think I may have apiarist-envy.) She hasn’t actually posted on bees since 28 September, but it is winter so there can’t be all that much to write. I would love to have an expert’s view on the latest news on Colony Collapse Disorder in the US, which is that it is not the result of bees imported from Australia carrying a virus imported from Israel.
Bumblebees disappearing
New Tangled Bank
From the latest Tangled Bank blog carnival, a couple of relevant pieces. Felicia gives a personal account of her fascination with honeybees and there’s an account of the domestication of the dog (which I can’t seem to access). Lots more that is interesting, but not relevant to agricultural biodiversity.
Support for beekepers
Sweet news for Kenya’s apiarists: the European Union has advanced Sh13 million to increase the flow, marketing and returns on honey. More than 3000 beekeepers in seven projects across the country stand to benefit. Here’s hoping they don’t import any dodgy sick bees from Australia — current favoured culprits for the cause of colony collapse disorder. I wonder whether fruit and veg harvests might improve too.