Joe asked...Anybody have "report published last week by 
researchers in  Pennsylvania and Florida"
 
I don't know that the report has been published, released for general  
distribution.  I have a copy, suggest that you contact Jerry Hayes.   I'd be glad to 
publish it on our web site, if Penn State and the Florida  participants give 
us permission.
 
The report DOES not provide any answers - it acknowledges that this is  a 
real problem, but no one knows the cause.
 
I've just spent the week in Florida, and my colleagues have been to  
Pennsylvania and Georgia.  We hear reports of the same in Texas - hope to  get down 
there next month -- and possibly California.
 
First impressions -- affected colonies have NO old bees, nor are there any  
dead bees in the hive or in front of the hive -- often not even the normal die  
off.  In most cases, the queen is still present, and a cup or two of young  
bees are working hard to re-establish the colonies.  Brood chewed out,  
emerging adults stuck in cells, some with tongues out.  Curious note, even  the hive 
beetles are gone -- and none of the hives are being robbed out.   Occasional 
wingless or deformed wing bee.
 
Colonies are in all types of habitat and crops, no common  denominator.  Most 
cases in Florida are migratory bees from New York,  Maine, Wisconsin, 
Pennsylvania.
 
No common management -- i.e., mite treatments, etc.
 
Some evidence that there may be transfer of problem from hives set side by  
side, but so far has not spread to nearby (few hundred yards) beeyards.
 
We see some clues concerning colonies, points of origin.  We ask  anyone on 
the list who experiences this set of problems to contact us.  We  want to try 
to map out the origin, distribution, and spread of this  phenomenon.  Thanks
 
Jerry
 
J.J. Bromenshenk
 
 
 
 
 
Puzzling 

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