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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Brian Ames <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:58:32 -0400
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On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:02:36 -0400, James Fischer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


>
>"Pesticides can't be an explanation for why
>organic beekeepers are losing their colonies."
>(quoting Dr. May Berenbaum)
>


thanks you for the quotation Jim.

Of course the obvious question is was there more then two organic beekeepers? Many of us are 
skeptical as a self diagnosis might be involved in this so called scientific sampling or survey. 

Lloyd Spears summed up my observations and those of many of my friends in a recent post. 

"I live in an area populated by lots of medium size to very large (by
East Coast standards) migratory beekeepers.  Those that take their
bees south for spring build up and then move them into one or two
pollination crops before settling for the summer honey production do
not seem to be suffering CCD-like symptoms, nor do those that keep
their bees home for the winter.  Those that try to fill 6-10
pollination crops (with the same hives), then summer honey production,
complain of CCD-like symptoms." 


I sell at the mpls farmers market and interact with probably 100 regional small to medium sized 
beekeepers over the course of the April-Nov market season. This in addition to university and bee 
supply house contacts and contacts within the migratory sector - so its not like I live under a rock 
and come into the big city twice a year.

If we have a couple of big boys reporting CCD to Jerry B that must be about it for this area cause 
none of the beeks I talk to every weekend know of anyone who has CCD.  It just is not present  
here in MN/WI/IA with the small - medium stationary folks.  I suspect any data points that 
suggest otherwise are what we call outliers and might be self diagnosed ME TOO CCD.

So while there may be some political reasons for this idea to be kept alive that its every where and 
affecting all beekeepers - out here on the ground there is zero evidence in this part of the USA 
and I get kind of offended when someone who lives 1000 miles away tries to convince me 
otherwise. 

Can other posters from other regions confirm or deny this in their area please? Lets skip over that 
old survey and hear from others "on the ground" as this could be very informative. 

Disclaimer: 
My comments should not be construed to mean I have no sympathy for those outfits that have 
been devastated, nor do I suggest CCD is not real. I am commenting on my region and the small-
medium and or organic stationary claims. 

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