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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:34:27 -0500
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> Can honey bee populations get out of sync with the bloom dates? 

I think this is the central point. Honey bees are generalists and live in most climate zones. This is one reason I resist the drumbeat for "local adaptation"—if that even happens in the short time scales we live in. Bees were dragged from the Alps and plunked down from Massachusetts to Sydney to Siberia. They seem just about as adaptable as humans, dogs and rats. 

On the other hand, it has been shown that change in bloom times can be very disruptive of the lives of other pollinating insects whose life cycles are tethered to soil warming, bloom species and whatnot. If I instinctively come out of the ground looking for Siberian squill and it's already come and gone, I may not have a fall back plan. 

On the third hand (you have one of those, right?)—every season is different and climate change seems to have accentuated the swings. Here in my home town we had two nights of -12F the first week in Feb. (not a record) and then it went up to 68F yesterday (a record). Those numbers in C are -24 and +20. I worry that fruit trees will bloom early and then get frosted. But that mainly hurts fruit growers.

PLB

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