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From:
allen dick <[log in to unmask]>
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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 27 Mar 2005 09:52:37 -0700
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> There are huge problems in beekeeping in the USA, and Canada,
> but, as I have said, they are mostly economic...

To extend this thought, I should point out that, as far as I know, few
beekeepers have sold much of last year's honey.  Prices and domestic bulk
honey sales volume dropped precipitously in late sumer/early fall, and both
buyers and sellers held back to see what happened.  Beekeepers' warehouses
are full, and, as a result, many bank accounts are empty.

Returns on honey in the USA have been insufficient over the past decade or
more to sustain the industry, let alone grow it.  Risks have increased, too,
reducing the attractiveness of the business, and the current younger
generations are less interested in hard, dirty work, making recruiting
labour and replacement beekeepers more difficult.  As Medhat points out, we
have seen a decline in the numbers of US hives and beekeepers over a long
timespan now.

Would we be where we are now if the price of honey had not been in decline
relative to purchasing power over that time?  I doubt it.  Mites are a drag,
but mites can be managed if the incentive is high and sufficient money is
available.  Some are managing just fine.  I talked to quite a number of this
latter group at the US meetings, but they were quiet and careful not to crow
about their good fortune.

This brings me to the point.  It is hard to get a handle on what is really
happening by looking at an average, or even exceptional anecdotes.  A lot of
things are happening at once.  It would be nice to be able to talk about the
average beekeeper, and many do, since some numbers are available for the
average, but without a clear idea of the shape of the distribution around
that mean and the deviation, we remain in the dark.  It is entirely possible
for the 'average' to be quite comfortable while 25% or even 50% find
themselves in dire straits. Some beekeepers are doing quite well, while
others are not, and some may be eating up their equity, while others are
adding to their savings.

Interestingly, in countries where the price of honey is attractive compared
to the local wage, even countries which have a severe or even worse
beekeeping conditions and pests than the US, beekeeping is thriving to the
point of driving world honey prices into the ground.  Thus, I can only
conclude that the problem in the US, and increasingly in Canada is that
risk/reward and price/cost here is too marginal, resulting in inability of
most beekeepers to replace and grow, and even more importantly, respond to
emergencies.

In other words, if the truth be told, beekeeping is unsustainable in much of
the North American continent at current prices.  That brings us to the
topic.

I, too heard stories at the US meetings and elsewhere about big losses.
They *seemed* to be associated with beekeepers seeing mites, but I know that
many never really looked before; many beekeepers just treated and trusted,
but are now looking all the time -- for the first time.   I also have heard
stories about what beekeepers have been putting into their hives and the
quantities of the chemicals and oils that have been applied in the past.  As
another writer suggested, there are anecdotes about losses, but no real
numbers, and that brings me to this...

Having been around a while, I am finding that this is like deja vue all over
again (and again).  I seem to recall having heard the same before, whenever
honey prices were high and beekeepers robbed their hives too close, and then
the price of honey crashed and beekeepers were unable to feed sufficiently,
or on time.

When margins are slim, it is hard for a beekeeper to resist taking as much
honey as possible.  This results in disturbances of the brood chamber in
some cases, and also can leave hives starving until feed arrives, or if
expected flows do not materialize.  As I have reported before, both brood
chamber disturbance late in the season and even near starvation, or
starvation for a few days can result in colony damage that is not
immediately apparent, but which has effects that linger for many months, and
can result in high winter loss, even if the bees are later fed up to weight,
a loss that is hard to explain unless the history is known.

Anyhow, it would be nice to have some real numbers on this.  I hear things
like 50% of the hives in California, etc.  I know lots can believe this sort
of thing, but, like Thomas, I need proof.  "50%" sounds 'way to much like a
statistic made up on the spot.

I'd like to have done a better job of this article, but I've gotta go.  The
kids are coming over soon for our Easter dinner .

Best of this season to all.

allen
A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/
Not up-to-date, since I was on the road all last week

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