In at least 22 states, a mysterious
condition
has killed tens of thousands of honeybee colonies,
and that is big
trouble for the nation's agriculture
industry.
The
ailment is called
Colony Collapse Disorder.
There
is some evidence that the die-off may have been going on for two years and
may even have ties to similar events as far back as 110 years ago.
The
size of the problem may start
to become clearer in the next few weeks as beekeepers get their first good post-winter looks at their colonies.
A
special study group trying to get to the bottom of the problem reported in
December [PDF]:
During the months of October, November, and
December 2006, an alarming number of honeybee colonies began to die along the East Coast of the United States. West Coast beekeepers are also beginning to report unprecedented losses. This phenomenon, without a recognizable underlying cause, has been tentatively been termed "Fall Dwindle Disease," and threatens the pollination industry and production of commercial honey in the United States. This has become a highly significant yet poorly understood problem for
beekeepers. States like Pennsylvania can ill afford these heavy losses; the
number of managed colonies is less than one half of what it was 25 years ago. Many beekeepers are
openly wondering if the industry can survive.
There are serious concerns that losses are so great
that there will not be enough bees to rebuild colony numbers in order service pollination needs and to maintain economic viability in these beekeeping operations.
The
Associated Press reports:Some
affected commercial beekeepers, who often keep thousands of colonies, have reported losing more than 50 percent of
their bees. A colony can have roughly 20,000 bees in the winter, and up to 60,000 in the summer.
"We
have seen a lot of things happen in 40 years, but this is the epitome of it all," Dave Hackenberg,
of Lewisburg-based
Hackenberg
Apiaries, said by phone from Fort Meade, Fla., where he was working with
his bees.
The
country's bee population had already been shocked in recent years by a tiny, parasitic bug called the
varroa mite, which has destroyed more than
half of some beekeepers' hives and devastated most wild honeybee populations.
Along
with being producers of honey,
commercial bee colonies are important to agriculture as pollinators, along with some birds, bats and other insects. A recent report by
the
National Research Council
noted that in order to bear fruit, three-quarters of all flowering plants,
including most food crops and some that provide fiber, drugs and fuel, rely on
pollinators for fertilization.
"For
instance, the state's $45 million apple crop -- the fourth
largest in the country -- is completely dependent on insects for pollination, and 90 percent of that
pollination comes from honey bees," Maryann Frazier, apiculture extension associate in
Penn State [University]'s College of Agricultural Sciences
says. "So the value of honey bee pollination to apples is about $40
million."
In
total, honey bee pollination contributes about $55 million to the value of crops in the state. Besides apples, crops that depend
at least in part on honey bee pollination include peaches, soybeans,
pears, pumpkins, cucumbers, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.
Frazier says to cope with a potential shortage of pollination services, growers should plan well
ahead. "If growers have an existing contract or relationship with a beekeeper, they should
contact that beekeeper as soon as possible to ascertain if the colonies they are counting on will be available," she advises. "If growers do not
have an existing arrangement with a beekeeper but are counting on the availability of honey bees in spring, they should not delay but
make contact with a beekeeper and arrange for pollination services now.
"However,
beekeepers overwintering in the North many not know the status of their colonies until they are able to make early
spring inspections," she adds. "This should occur in late February or early
March but is dependent on weather conditions. Regardless, there is little doubt that honey bees
are going to be in short supply this spring and possibly into the summer."
about the
problem from Penn State University.
Snow Heart Attacks
Al's Morning Meeting reader Ali Lanyon at
WHTM-TV in Harrisburg, Pa., reminded me of the
American Heart Association's warnings about snow shoveling and heart attacks.
The
AHA Web site says:One
study estimated that as many as 1,200 people nationwide die annually of coronary artery
disease during and after major
snowstorms. Another study, which was conducted at
William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., showed a dramatic rise in heart attacks during and after major
snowstorms. The researchers reviewed medical examiner records in three counties in the Detroit area and found that in the weeks prior to a snowstorm, there was
only one fatal heart attack related to snow shoveling. In the weeks during the snowstorms, the number
of fatal heart attacks climbed to 22. In the weeks
after the snowstorm, there were 13 fatal heart attacks.
Al's Morning Multimedia
I will pass along two pieces today.
Spring training begins in Major League Baseball next week.
The
Boston Globe has built an ambitious mini-site for Red Sox fans. The site is not just about baseball but how to take
in the whole spring training experience, from the beaches to restaurants to "inside baseball."
I think
NBC Nightly News has tapped into a topic that has the potential to captivate lots of baby boomers. The network has
produced
a series
of stories called "Trading Places," essays about boomers caring
for their parents. This week Brian Williams said the network received nearly
four thousand emails from viewers after the first installments --
which featured the stories of a few NBC staffers who care for their parents -- ran last week.
What started out as a smallish
project has taken on bigger proportions.This sounds like an idea tailor made for interactive online storytelling.
This is just part
MSNBC's FirstPerson
project. The network is soliciting all sorts of stories -- in photos,
videos and essays -- from readers on topics that range from vintage cars to caring
for senior citizens.
We are always looking for your great ideas. Send Al a few sentences and hot links.
Editor's
Note: Al's Morning Meeting is a compendium of ideas, edited story
excerpts and other materials from a variety of Web sites, as well as
original concepts and analysis. When the information comes directly
from another source, it will be attributed and a link will be provided
whenever possible. The column is fact-checked, but depends upon the
accuracy and integrity of the original sources cited. Errors and
inaccuracies found will be corrected.
The University of Montana also has bee experts. http://beekeeper.dbs.umt.edu/bees/ http://beekeeper.dbs.umt.edu/bees/science.html
