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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