Farmall Cub

ya'll see the big bee dieoff on the news this morning?

No. Which news?

was on yahoo thursday in calif

Probably talking about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which has been occurring for several years. There's a lot of research going on to identify the cause(s) and come up with a solution.

http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/ColonyCollapseDisorder.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100324/ap_ ... aring_bees

It is real bad this year. Many bee keepers in California have lost 100% of their bees. This is scary, a lot of food crops depend on bee pollination


Chad!

I read an add in the local paper that this bee keeper had over 50 hives and lost all his bees and was selling everything.
I went to see him and bought one hive and he told me he tried everything and just gave up.My wife Regina loves to feed the deer and picks up apples and takes them back by the wood line.and watch for the deer to come .Well last summer she kept
saying no honey bees on the fallen apples.I hope my two hives will take, one under the apple trees,one by the clover field.

johnny j wrote:.........I hope my two hives will take, one under the apple trees,one by the clover field.

If the bees don't come, the the wasps, mud daubers and hornets will appreciate them.

Most of the colony collapse disorder have been with the big guys that move their hives around, though not all. like Don said there is a lot of research going on to get it sorted as far as cause. I still strongly believe that it has to do with the nicotine based insecticides being widely used now. from what i can tell the disorder is, bee's leaving the hive and not being able to find their way back home. an as i said before it kinda reminds me of life in the sixties. it's a shame that the whole picture isn't taken into account when these pesticides are made and also when they are not applied properly when hives are present. if you have an orchard and have to spray the spraying should always be done at dusk so that it will at least have a bit of time to subside and possibly be diluted with the morning dew. also never spray an insecticide when your trees are in full bloom.that's a recipe for disaster.

And don't locate your hive under the apple trees. No need to have hives that close as they will find the trees. They can pollinate a good-sized orchard in a day and then they range up to a mile away. A location where they get hit by the morning sun to get them warmed up and out early and shady and cool in the afternoon is ideal.

Where are you getting your bees?