Nearly half of US honeybee colonies died last year. Struggling beekeepers stabilize population

submitted by Drewski from apnews.com

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[–]iamonlyoneman 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (11 children)

The overall bee colony population is relatively steady because commercial beekeepers split and restock their hives, finding or buying new queens, or even starter packs for colonies, said University of Maryland bee researcher Nathalie Steinhauer, the survey’s lead author. It’s an expensive and time consuming process.

The prognosis is not as bad as 15 years ago because beekeepers have learned how to rebound from big losses, she said.

“The situation is not really getting worse, but it’s also not really getting better,” Steinhauer said. “It is not a bee apocalypse.”

Commercial pollination beekepers have adapted. Nice to know, thanks.

[–]sandmax 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

No matter how you spin the story in the news the bees are dying because they can't handle the pesticides they can't handle the pollution little tiny substances on their wings make them sick and when the bees get sick and die it will cause a massive reaction in the food chain and you will die

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I keep bees and study them. You are wrong - it isn't the pesticides; it is 100% the varroa mite, a new (within the past three decades) predator of honeybees. It has always been that and people trying to claim pesticides are wrong.

[–]Dragonerne 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

varroa mite

Varroa destructor, the Varroa mite is an external parasitic mite

oy vey

[–]sandmax 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Bees are dying there's too much information online about bees that are dying for it to be b*******

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

That's not true. Sorry, it's green terror - the honeybees are fine.

[–]sandmax 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Here in Switzerland, in June of this year, there will be a vote on whether or not pesticides should be completely banned in the future. I vote YES and I hope that more than 50% will do so.

Video: why the bees are dying

https://youtu.be/RWVzVrla8HQ

[–]iamonlyoneman 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Did you not even read the story? Come back when you understand the percentages is calls out, including the recent higher number, and what "winter" means to bees.

[–]sandmax 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I've done a lot of reading about bees and how they're not doing very well in our modern world.

[–]jet199 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Supporting mass pollution and poisons to own saiditors.

It's an original tactic at least.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]weavilsatemyface 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    https://theintercept.com/2020/01/18/bees-insecticides-pesticides-neonicotinoids-bayer-monsanto-syngenta/

    [–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I keep bees. It's the varroa mite. It has always been the varroa mite, and we've always known that was it. It was never some mysterious collapse disorder, and a normal hive splits every year into two hives because that's how they grow. The people loosing all their bees aren't caring for the mites - 100 years ago, you didn't need to care for bees, but in the past three decades, the mites have made them very hands-on. If someone isn't adapting to caring for the mites and is trying to just let the bees be, isn't splitting and treating their hives, will loose their hives.

    There is also a strain of thinking called Darwinian beekeeping that is about leaving the bees alone to stabilize against the mites to evolve that doesn't treat for varroa mites, so part of the issue is the beekeeping community, in general, trying to decide the logically best path forward with the mites.

    There are also plenty of naturalized wild honeybees. People who are worried about honeybees are trying to make you afraid of the environmental toll; honeybees are fine. Natural pollinators, however, are struggling hard, but honeybees are fine.

    [–]Drewski[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    archive.today mirror

    [–]IkeConn 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Aliens know that the easiest way to eliminate humans on Earth would be kill all the bees.