> I'm new to this list, so I don't know if that's a compliment or not,
> judging from the tone of this discussion.
It used to be lively but AHB, mites, beetles, viruses, now CCD and the
ever
increasing use of pesticides and GMO crops aggravated by ever decreasing
regulation, only the most determined fated beekeepers or rank novices yet
to
be tested still make the odd appearance. It may be there is a new work
ethic where people expect a quick return for little effort. Beekeeping has
always been the opposite of that. Prices of equipment might have something
to do with it along with money of decreasing value. Suppliers have ****fted
their emphasis to the larger beekeeper too, that's always a bad sign,
there
are larger minimums for wax processing for instance. Perhaps it's General
Creeping Malaise, GCM, add it to the list.
> I think there is some evidence that poor brood patterns
> within an apiary can result from inbreeding--that is, developing brood
> can spontaneously abort, and be removed by the workers, leaving an
> empty spot in the capped brood pattern that is visible to the
> beekeeper.
That's interesting and may answer a question from way back in those years
when I would have only one hive coming through the winter. On building up
in
the Spring I noticed these types of spots in the brood pattern and thought
it was a failing queen, now maybe just bad breeding. I live in a place
that
could be considered isolate.
I have a short season anyway. It's not beekeeping country especially now
that global warming is changing the traditional patters of rain we used to
get in the Spring to a late Summer monsoonal period. In these dry Springs
plants that supplied bees with an abundance of nectar now only release
enough in the mornings and evenings to attract insects for seed
production.
I don't think plants can evolve quick enough to start blooming in mid
August
to take advantage of our new weather.
> Alas, I can not refer you to any
> scientific journal to back up what I have said, but I gleaned this
> from a discussion I had last summer with Dr. James Ellis, of the
> University of Florida, Gainsville.
That's too bad, a theory then. Still the wily ways of bees have always
been
hard to know for a reliable return on investment. I've always admired them
for that. At least they have not been subject to cattle breeders who use
'line' breeding techniques that would pass for ***** in humans.
> Well, that was far more long-winded than I intended.
I like reading. It didn't seem long-winded to me.
--
CK
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