Following the advent of acarine and varroa mites in North America,
are there any data on the survival of wild beehives?  If commercial
hives have to be treated regularly with Apistan to control varroa or
the hives die, then what is the status of (untreated) wild hives?  A
few months ago a person reported from a coastal area south of San
Francisco that honey bees were virtually absent from a wilderness
walk where a few years ago they had been abundant.
If wild honey bees have been markedly reduced, would not the
beneficial consequences for native bees etc. be major?  Yet there are
reports that some bees and wasps have been fewer this summer.
Has anyone been counting wild hives and bee numbers?
 
Regards to all.
Barry J Donovan
Canterbury Agriculture and Science Centre
Lincoln
Private Bag 4704
Christchurch
New Zealand.
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