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From:
"J. Waggle" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:10:32 -0400
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Hello,

I have a collection articles from honeybee mortality years in the archives 
of the Historical Honeybee Articles Archive, appropriately placed in 
folder 13.  As a side project to the mortality folder, I had spent a few 
moments last winter correlating some of the major die offs to volcanic 
eruptions.  The project is shelved it for now,  it’s  basically winter 
work, and I hope to work on it more this winter.    

First heres a few links that are related:

How a Volcano Eruption Wiped Away Summer
1816, the "year without summer."  NPR Audio Recording:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15448607

Notable Volcanic Disasters
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Hazards/Effects/Fatalities.html

Although there have been many years that have had bee dieoffs.  Some of 
the more devastating dieoffs seem to be after a volcanic event.

“…In certain years
the losses have been excessive. The season of 1884-85
stands out in the history of American beekeeping as one of
terrible devastation….” 
Pg. 343, E.F. Phillips, BEEKEEPING (1915)

Volcanic Activity:
Krakatau Indonesia 1883

=====Some New During the Time====

The Galveston Daily News
Tuesday, September 09, 1884 Galveston, Texas

“McKinney, September 8. —The rainfall has
been less this summer than any year since
1881... The honey crop of
this county is a total failure this year. …”

=====

Iowa State Reporter
Friday, January 16, 1885 Spirit Lake, Iowa

“… with great unanimity
they denounce the honey dew as
the cause of the unexampled and ruinous
losses of bees during the past winter.
One bee-keeper loses fifty-one out
of fifty-three colonies, and the two left,
are miserably weak. Others have lost
ninety-five per cent Perhaps the excessive
cold weather may have helped
to produce these losses by destroying
all the more readily the bees greatly
weakened by disease caused by the
unwholesome food….”

==========


“…During the winter of 1903-04 probably
seventy percent of the bees in New England died…” 
Pg. 343, E.F. Phillips, BEEKEEPING (1915)

Volcanic Activity:
Soufrière St. Vincent (1902)
Mount Pelée Martinique (1902)
Santa Maria Guatemala  (1902)

=====Some New During the Time====

Grand Rapids Tribune
Wednesday, March 16, 1904 Grand Rapids, Wisconsin
Hard on the Bees.

Bee keepers report that the present
winter has been an exceptionally hard
one on the swarms, and that as a consequence
there will be a great loss to
keepers. Reports from other sections
of the country are to the effect that
the same conditions exist in many localities.
Beekeepers are divided in their
opinion as to the cause of the unusual
mortality among the bees. Some
ire of the opinion that' it is because
the excessive cold has been so steady
and long that the bees have not been
able to move about enough to keep
them in health, while others say that
it is because there were very few
young bees went into winter quarters,
the consequence being that the natural
death rate depletes the swarm until
here is nothing left of it.
Whatever is ,the cause, it is the general
opinion that honey will be scarce
next. season and that it will bring a
high price.

====

The Galveston Daily News
Saturday, May 20, 1905 Galveston, Texas

DULL TIME FOR BEES.

Hard Winter and Too Much Rain 
Curtails Industry.

SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

Beeville, Tex., May 19.—Dr. C. S. Phillips,
president of the Nueces Valley Beekeepers’
Association, states that the bee industry
within the boundaries of his association is
at the lowest ebb that it has reached in
years. This condition Is due to the severe
winter and the continuous heavy rains during
the spring. Last winter the beekeepers
suffered a loss, of probably 50 percent of
their stock, and The rains during the spring
have been detrimental to the honey flow in
the flowers up to this time. Ho thinks, however,
that the beekeepers will, if rains do
not prevent, recoup their losses during the
blooming season of mesquite 
in June. Mr. W. H. Laws, a committeeman
from this association, has recently returned
from a meeting In San Antonio of the committee
of the National Beekeepers' Association
of America. This association will hold
its annual convention In San Antonio In October.
An Interesting program has been
prepared, and It is anticipated that a pleasant 
time and delightful entertainment, will
be extended to the delegates In attendance,
It being the first convention of the National
association ever held in the South. Every
State in the Union and the Dominion of
Canada will be represented.

Best Wishes
Joe
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/

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