Honey Bee shortage in Europe?

[Perry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25656283

[Marbees]

Global trend, I'm afraid.

[LazyBkpr]

   neonic's are one of the reasons I try to keep my wax on a three year roatation.. no comb older than three years. More and more farmers are using it here in the corn and beans...    TBH I havent seen an issue with the soybean bloom. Walking the beans, checking for bees many times during the bloom hasnt turned up many bees among the tiny bean flowers. CORN on the other hand..  they really seem to like Corn pollen. the field corn, and sweet corn at my place is usually ALIVE with bees. You can hear the HUM of bees from a dozen paces away..
   Not knowing how to prevent the insecticide laced pollen from being brought in..  I just try to keep the wax fresh..

  As far as a shortage of bees..  As prices for pollination skyrocket, I think that problem will slowly begin to sort itself out as people realize theres money to be made. It will just take a bit of time for the beekeepers to catch up to demand.. sorting out the things killing the bees will help, if they ever begin to admit those reasons and deal with them.
   I also think it will be easier for the European nations to do than the US..   Here.. we have to PROVE guilt before....
   Wait, we already have proof of insecticides in the pollen and wax... 
   I'll rephrase that...
     HERE, you have to offer more MONEY to stop something than those who are causing the problems offer....

[blueblood]

Sad. I wonder how Aussie bee populations are doing though.  Isn't that where the majority of bees first originated?

[tecumseh]

I suspect the underlying problems <notice the s) are much much larger than the article suggest.  I am a bit cautious at throwing out alarming statements like 'honey bees are on decline world wide' since the basic numbers (total number of hives world wide and total honey production) pretty much should tell everyone that this is in fact not true.

certainly such pesticides as nionics, which as a product is sold for a variety of purpose beyond simply coating seeds, may be a very small part of the problem. I would suggest basic micro economic factor really tell you why in particular countries hive numbers are either increasing or decreasing.  At this time in places like Europe, the US and Canada increased acreage that need pollinators is really the larger issue.  the resolution to this problem I also suspect has economic factors built into the final solution < which is to say in all these places the number of hives available for pollination will be determine greatly by market price. 

[Perry]

Sad. I wonder how Aussie bee populations are doing though.  Isn't that where the majority of bees first originated?

Of interest Dave is this link I got. It appears this company in New Zealand bases most of its export sales to Canada. There is a shipment ordered and I looked them up.
The tube design for shipping is absolutely first rate/top notch. Almost every single bee goes straight into your box, the queen travels with the bees so no acceptance problems, etc.
Makes you wonder why bees are still shipped in boxes and then have the bee jeebers shook out of them when hiving?

http://www.aratakihoneyrotorua.co.nz/Package%20bees.html

[LazyBkpr]

Thanks Perry! I like the tube method as well. Seems it might get a bit hotter than a screened box though...

    most of the beeks I talk to around here are of the opinion...   "What CCD?"   We all lose hives, but I have not personally seen one that fit the description of CCD, nor do I know anyone that has in this area..  I hope that doesnt change. I prefer it to be a joke rather than a worry.

   I am with Tec in that I think there are quite a number of issues that cause it. Personal belief is that the commercial methods add that proverbial straw that breaks the camels back. As the Neonics are more widely used nearby, I guess I will be right in the line of fire to find out.

[Crofter]

In a country like Great Britain there is no warm place to take pollination bees to winter or to get the frame count up to do spring pollination. US is totally different scenario. As Tec mentions, bee numbers are higher than ever perhaps. Losses are hgher now than some periods in bee keeping history but bee extinction is mostly media hype.

Millions of acres of sunflowers almonds or other pollination dependant crops is a new phenomenon. You can be sure that research is being done to create self pollinating cultivars. Soy beans is now virtually self pollinating.

I cant give you links to it but have seen discussions where links were provided to the effect that bee losses were actually much more severe with the previous generations of pesticides before neo nics. There is fierce competition in the mass media for the most sensational stories. Sometimes a bit of digging will show that the information they are founded on is pretty dodgy!

[Barbarian]

Goody ....... Goody.               This news item will be good for UK beekeepers.

Over the last few years, the UK media have published a variety of items about the problems for bees and beekeepers. Ii is almost like a banker topic. The public's attitude has changed to a more tolerant concerned level. It is quite common to be asked "How are your bees doing/ coping with a disease or insecticide problem ?". Each year there are people taking up beekeeping ("To help the bees") or offering sites for apiaries. When collecting a swarm there is the expressed concern that the bees won't be killed.

UK honey production is below the country's demand for honey. Local honey carries a premium price. The above article makes it easier to obtain the premium prices.

[tecumseh]

dang do I enjoy Barbarian's marketing spin on this subject.

I suspect here Barbarian when the numbers are all counted up that hive numbers will be rising here primarily due to a very active and very growing hobby market.  for myself $ selling honey certainly allow me to spend $ on 'the girls'.  a obvious character flaw I guess?