Bee Friends
            Re;Nick Wallingford President. N.Z.  Beekeepers  Comments  The
suggestion that viruses  maybe present in all bees is not a reason for US
beekeepers to not be concerned about the introduction and spread of more
viruses from imports. {Note currently the only bees being imported to the US
come from Canada and Canada imports from N.Z. and N.Z. reports 12 to 14
honeybee disease and pests present on their bees. ... ABOUT D Anderson being
THE preeminent scientist on bee viruses . Does the rest of the honeybee
scientific world agree wuth this ? I would expect the N.Z. beekeepers to
think so as they pay him a lot of money to disspell the concern about bee
viruses as the N.Z. bees seem to have all the viruses known about in the bee
world and the N.Z beekeepers have lots of end of season bees they want to
sell each year before going into their winter.N.Z. beekeepers are advanced
and skilled markeeters "BUYER BEEWARE"  D. Anderson was asked to be involved
with the USDA  survey because why ? I don't know probably because the USDA
has been without a bee sensitive person in Washington ever since Dr.
Shimanuke spent his vacation (6wks) in N.Z.How shameful that the United
States of America could get so far behind in protecting the US honeybees.
Sure Gov.money is getting scarce and when has the USDA made any pleas to the
bee industry for help in getting more money for bee research. When has the
US bee keeping  industry been alerted about the eminent dangers to honeybee
populations with mites and viruses by USDA or industry associations or
publications.
          D.Anderson finds different serological strains in N.Z ., Canadian
and US bees .Well that what he was looking for. Research without an
oversight committee to keep objectivity has been proven to often have tunnel
vision.  Finally for the readers to be directed to the writtings of D.
Anderson titled "Kashmir Bee Virus a relativly harmless virus of honeybees"
should tell it all. Why doesn't Mr. Wallingford also suggest reading  the
writtings of others who feel quite strongly that Kashmir Bee virus is FAR
form being a "Harmless virus to honeybees" i.e. B. Ball, England  & T. Liu,
Canada .  When will the USDA sound the alarm that honeybees with mites and
viruses have NO chance to survive. Instead we get a decertation about
P.M.S.and our US  honeybee headaches from the US preeminent honeybee
scientist Dr. Shimanuke.
          According to the N.Z. beekeepers home page the average hive
production of honey in N.Z. in 1995 was about 40 lbs per hive . With the
majority if the beekeeping happening on the North Island in NZ with a
similar  climate as places in the US with better averages per hive Colorado
60lbs, N.Dakota 108lbs, S.Dakota 85lbs.,Kansas67lbs.,Ohio 62lbs. Michagan
92lbsWashington 60lbs., Oregon 52lbs. WHY maybe we should ponder these facts
regarding the health effects of bee viruses.
 
      Concerned and curious
 
Walter & Elisabeth Patton,  27-703 A Ka' ie'ie Rd., Papaikou HI.,96781
    Ph./Fax. 808-964-5401       E-Mail  hihoney@ilhawaii
 
Beekeeper and Bed  & Breakfast Owner in Hawaii
 
  http://www.alohamall.com/hamakua/hihoney.htm
http://www.alohamall.com/hamakua/beeware.htm
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