On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 12:19:49 -0400, Aaron Morris <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Abbas Edun ([log in to unmask]) reports the Toronto globe and mail had an
>article on CCD.
>
>http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070402.wxbees02/BNS
>tory/Science/home



I nominate that article for the a http://frogstar.soylentgeek.com/wav/twilzone.wav  award, 
although it was not as gross as some. 

Read Doug Mcrory's (below) report first and then the globe and mail article. In the opening 
paragraphs of the G&M article the fantasy begins with the reporter claiming 3X average losses 
while Doug suggesting it increased from an average of 18% to a suspected 25-30% province wide, 
not even twice the average?

I also was amused by the Canadian researcher quoted as saying "It's an absolute catastrophe in 
the U.S.," said Peter Kevan, a professor who specializes in bees in the department of 
environmental biology at Ontario's Guelph University" Who knows the context of what that chap 
really said?  (maybe the rest of his quote included something like "for some individuals"?)

Quite a contastrophe when we just completed the CA almond pollination, albeit by a reported slim 
margin, but this type of "Jerry Springer-izing " of bee losses is becoming a standard practice.  
Right below that mention of catastophe its stated that I am apperently in one of the most affected 
northern states Mn. Oh my god run for the hills its closing in any day now!!

The inset map has some juicy headlines too, amped up with words like sudden, unexplained, 
massive but at least they did mention breifly that the existance of the disorder is still disputed

So now we also have a Canadian Map of Canadian Provinces Experiencing Massive Die Offs. Its 
every where and nowhere at apperently the same time according to the article? 

I'm curious as a northern stationary beekeeper how would a wintered over colony exerience CCD?  
Apperently the bees would fly away during cold and snowy weather and one finds nothing in the 
hive in spring? Not only are the bees disoriented but could have a sudden death wish to leave the 
hive and fly out into temps even well below zero? No dead bees on the bottom board left?  Really? 
we have reported cases of this? My sense is the credible cases occured in fall/early winter and in 
southern or wam climes. 

Of course for political reasons its nice to "package" some problems and losses into one story to 
get fed funds and I'm not denying this is not a good idea, thats the way America system works I 
guess. Perhaps we have the real CCD concerns and like the White House the story we tell the 
reporters or policy wonks? 



Report on Winter Losses of Honey bee Colonies in Ontario 2007
By Doug McRory
March 30, 2007

Normal winter losses of honey bees in Ontario since we have had mites have settled out at about 
18%.  This season several beekeepers in an area from St. Thomas in the west to Niagara in the east 
are reporting losses around 50-60% with one as high as 90%.  There is a line south of the 401 
where if the bees are south of the line the losses are more sever than north of the line.

As Provincial Apiarist, I have been expecting higher winter losses this season than normal.  I 
expect the loss to be in the 25-30% range across the province.  This is due to the fall conditions 
where there was not a strong honey flow in August and September to stimulate brood production 
which would result in baby bees to form a good winter cluster.  The affected area in Niagara and 
Haldimand-Norfolk was even worse for depressing conditions last fall.  Beekeepers reported very 
small clusters of bees going into fall.  The fall stayed warm and these small clusters of bees just 
dwindled away.  In these colonies we do not find even any dead bees. All of the bees are gone.

The fall weather was very mild and true winter weather did not set in until mid January.  The bees 
tried raising baby bees (brood).  It then turned very cold for about six weeks.  Once the bees have 
started a brood nest with brood, they will not leave it even to get food reserves that may be one or 
two combs away from them.  There is a large number of colonies that have died for this reason. 

As Provincial Apiarist, I do not believe that we have the CCD – Colony Collapse Disorder that the 
beekeepers of United States are experiencing. We do not have Small Hive Beetles in Ontario. We do 
not move the bees as much or over the great distances that they do in the United States. We do 
not have many of the other possible conditions that are suspected of causing the losses in United 
States.

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