From: MLive
By Rosemary Parker
HOPKINS, MI — A U.S. Department of Agriculture report that Michigan has dropped from 7th to 9th nationally in honey production stings.
But for Kenneth Hoekstra of Hopkins, who raises bees, so does the news that only four of the 10 bee hives he had going into winter have survived.
How bad was the winter, and how hard have Michigan beekeepers been hit by the mysterious combination of maladies that seem to be killing more honeybees than ever?
April 8, 2013
From: Staunton News Leader
Written by Laura Peters
State bee populations have been dropping drastically. But, it’s not just this year. It’s a problem that’s been plaguing the area for more than a decade.
According to Virginia Tech Entomologist Richard Fell, the average annual winter loss from 2001 through 2012 has been more than 30 percent in Virginia.
Virus, mites and certain pesticides could be to blame for the drastically dropping bee population.
According to Fred Hollen of the Shenandoah Valley Beekeepers Association, this isn’t something new — it’s been going on since the mid-1980s.
April 5, 2013
From: University Of Pittsburgh release
While many questions remain, a new study by University of Pittsburgh researchers suggests contaminated soils as a possible culprit in bee colony collapse disorder.
Beekeepers and researchers nationally are reporting growing evidence that a powerful new class of pesticides may be killing off bumblebees. Now, research at the University of Pittsburgh points toward another potential cause: metal pollution from aluminum and nickel.
April 3, 2013
From: Press Release
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, Apr 02, 2013 via PRWEB – Honey bees are essential to the world’s agricultural system and food supply. More than a quarter of the food produced in the U.S. is dependent upon honey bees because of their efficiency and utility as pollinators. Although colony losses are typically expected following the winter season, experts have expressed concerns about the severity of this winter’s colony losses.
April 2, 2013
From: FarmingUK
Two new pieces of research commissioned by the UK Government have found no evidence of a link between neonicotinoid insecticide use and bee health.
During a debate in the House of Commons on 26 March, agriculture minister David Heath confirmed that the results of research into the field effects of neonicotinoid seed treatments on bumble bee colonies showed no relationship between colony growth and neonicotinoid residues in pollen or nectar in the colonies.
The research, conducted by the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), reinforces previous advice by Government scientists and the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides that the evidence available does not indicate harmful effects of neonicotinoid use on bees under field conditions.
March 31, 2013
From: Huffington Post/Science
By Sid Perkins
The electric fields that build up on honey bees as they fly, flutter their wings, or rub body parts together may allow the insects to talk to each other, a new study suggests. Tests show that the electric fields, which can be quite strong, deflect the bees’ antennae, which, in turn, provide signals to the brain through specialized organs at their bases.
March 29, 2013
From: Farmers Guardian
By Alistair Driver
DEFRA has published two pieces of research suggesting the risk of neonicotinoids seed treatments to bee populations in the field is low.
The two pieces of research, including a field trial from the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), contradict the findings of an EU risk assessment and are likely to reinforce the UK’s opposition to a proposed EU ban.
The European Commission is planning to suspend the use of three neonicotinoid products – imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin – for two years from as soon as this July.
March 27, 2013
From: RedOrbit
Brett Smith
As the mysterious plunge in bee populations continues, researchers are scrambling to understand the cause for the widespread decimation.
One explanation could be “idiopathic brood disease syndrome,” or IBDS, a newly described condition that appears to increase a colony’s risk of collapse, according to a new study in the journal Preventative Veterinary Medicine.
Study co-author David Tarpy, an associate professor of entomology at North Carolina State University, said IBDS was difficult to identify at first.
March 25, 2013
From: The Daily Princetonian
By Paul Phillips
The two bee colonies maintained by the Princeton BEE Team died two weeks ago due to a parasite infestation in the hive.
The cause is most likely the Varroa mite, a parasite that sucks bees’ blood, Penn State researcher Elina Lastro Nino said after examining the hives.
The Varroa mite is by no means unique to the Princeton area, and is the number-one killer of bee colonies, BEE Team founder Michael Smith ’10 said. Lastro Nino explained that the Varroa mite poses an especially large danger to beehives because of its ability to transmit viruses and to lower the immune response in bees, making them vulnerable to disease.
March 22, 2013
From: Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune
By Aaron Hinks
Honeybee samples from across the country are expected to start coming through the doors at the National Bee Diagnostic Centre soon as the facility officially opens April 1.
Located at the Beaverlodge Research Farm, the NBDC is a state-of-the-art laboratory offering a one-of-a-kind national service.
Come April 1 beekeepers from across Canada can submit live or frozen samples of honeybees to the centre for diagnosis.
NBDC applied scientist manager Dr. Carlos Castillo will monitor the research taking place at the diagnostic centre.
March 20, 2013
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