> Does this mineral deficiency also apply to bee colonies that range over a 
> limited area?

I would imagine it might well be the case.

Also, equally of concern, is the possibility of a region being contaminated 
by elements or compounds occurringf naturally or from industrial activity. 
Jerry has spoken of this before.  Bees pick up whatever is out there, and 
even as smart as they are, they cannot always know what is good for them or 
avoid toxins.

> Anyone know if the bee malnutrition is geographic?  I can see pollen 
> shortages in arid, perhaps, regions.  Here on the east coast of the US, 
> bees are bringing in pollen from spring to fall and the combs are packed 
> with pollen.  Can malnutrition occur under East Coast conditions?

It is right under your nose and you assume it is normal.  Bees kick out the 
drones when nutrients get scarce, not because they started to annoy them. 
Bees cut back on brood rearing when food gets scarce.

We assume this is natural, and it is, but keeping bees and expecting them to 
support us is unnatural, so we earn our portion by assisting against nature 
to some extent.  That is true of all livestock.  They are mostly able to 
take care of themselves, but if we want to have them generate a surplus, 
then we have to figure out how to do better than they can in nature.

We are no longer hunter-gatherers, taking whatever we can and moving on 
after driving our prey to extinction.  At some point we moved beyond being a 
predator and became a symbiant.  At least we are working at it.

Our relationship with animals changes them and it changes us.  Some argue 
whether man domesticated the dog or the dog domesticated man.

At any rate, we need to have sympathy with our critters and understand that 
if we expect them to serve us, we must first serve them. 

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