> In New England, beekeepers that have experienced heavy losses attributed to unseasonably warm weather causing starve outs and not colony collapse disorder (CCD). This new killer has been associated with perhaps over stressed bees for commercial pollinators and a possible link to a midacloprid [sic] chemical that poisons honey bees. Additionally, genetically modified insect resistant plants could be playing a role with a possible connection between genetic engineering and diseases in bees. This phenomena is being coined as a potential "AIDS for the bee industry". The characteristics of this sudden loss of colonies vary and what applies in one case may be different elsewhere. Generally speaking there is almost a complete lack of adult bees yet evidence of recent brood rearing. In some cases the queen and a small number of survivor bees may be present in the brood. Honey is usually present with an unusual delay in hive robbing and slower than normal invasion by common pests such as wax moth and hive beetles. This suggests there is something toxic in the colony itself, (a pheromone) repelling them. There is evidence of almost all known bee viruses in the few surviving bees found in the hives after most have disappeared; a sign that the bee's immune system may have collapsed. The jury is still out on this serious epidemic pathological condition.

[This certainly is an interesting synopsis, being distributed in the
USDA Honey Market Report for April 2007]

-- 
Peter L. Borst

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