2012 Dieback Already?

[squarepeg]

understood, thanks ian.

[Dancing Bee Apiary]

The poisonings in Ontario were widespread. Enough so that beekeepers were meeting directly with Bayer and OMAFRA (Ontario Min. of Agric.Food and Rural Affairs) to discuss the problem. It was a real kick for lots of beekeepers because the bees finally wintered well, only to be hit with poison.
Dust that Ian mention is thought to be the main issue... also some theory of dust landing on dark soil of field, and bees collecting their water from this soil early in the season because it has been warmed by the sun.
Also, this poisoning has many beekeepers wondering if this has been going on for years.... but this season because of the dry conditions, made it more obvious.

[squarepeg]

very interesting dba, thanks for the reply. a tragedy for sure. do you know if there were any results from the meetings?

[Ian]

not an un common sight to have 400-500 feet of dust blooms over the seeding equipment this year

[benstung]

i hope this insnt the end of beekeeping the way we know it, im just getting started

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/20...not-even-a-bee

[camero7]

i hope this insnt the end of beekeeping the way we know it, im just getting started

Many beekeepers are keeping bees very close to corn. I have one yard next to a corn field. I don't see an end to beekeeping in my lifetime.

[Ian]

Same here, some being our fields in fact,
I also have alot of canola, clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, sunflowers, bush, pastures

If corn were a honey producer, I bet there would be no complaints from this side,

[benstung]

yes we also have many yards near corn, but i thought we were blaming chemicals used on corn for all this.

[benstung]

so you guys think that its just as good if the yard is near corn or not?

[benstung]

hey camero
a few more years like this and you might be eating your words.
Many beekeepers like my self will not have bee's for sale this spring like some years.
If there arent nucs and packages and brood for sale where will the small timers get bee's ?

[camero7]

hey camero
a few more years like this and you might be eating your words.
Many beekeepers like my self will not have bee's for sale this spring like some years.
If there arent nucs and packages and brood for sale where will the small timers get bee's ?

Nationally there is a surplus of bees right now... 2 million hives to CA last year. I believe your problem is a drought, not pesticides.

[Ian]

so you guys think that its just as good if the yard is near corn or not?

dont get any honey off the corn, but that obvious
hives fly over the corn to get to the flowers
no difference in yard production or health here

[Ian]

i hope this insnt the end of beekeeping the way we know it, im just getting started

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/20...not-even-a-bee

weird way to prove a point. of course there will not be as many insects walking through his plot in the middle of a field. That goes with a wheat field , and a canola field, and a sunflower field and a clover field also . . .
bring those crops into bloom and life arrives! after bloom finishes, life leaves. This is not something specific to corn
thats a fact that agriculture will not get away from,

funny thing they focus on the corn

[jim lyon]

So would the complete abscense of insects (including bees) in the field be interpreted as a lack of any live bees in the area or could it be seen as proof that bees simply don't spend any time in corn fields and therefore dont have any exposure to the potential harmful effects.

[camero7]

I see my bees pulling pollen from the corn near my hives. Doesn't seem to bother them, even though corn pollen is not that nutritious. And I see lots of insects in the corn and this is silage corn that is treated seed.

[mark g]

I'm going back to the dieback of this thread. I have experienced the same symptoms stated earlier on this thread. My hives still seem to be going down. I have dribbled acid 3 weeks ago, not a huge drop, in most had to look to find mites. I treated the hives with thymol mid sept. (could not get on time). I have treated later in the past without seeing this. I need opinions on weather they will quit crashing and can be move south or is it a lost cause.

[Keith Jarrett]

Mark G, were you able to feed any sub to them.

[mark g]

No I have plenty of pollen all year long

[wildbranch2007]

I see my bees pulling pollen from the corn near my hives. Doesn't seem to bother them, even though corn pollen is not that nutritious. And I see lots of insects in the corn and this is silage corn that is treated seed.

You do have to remember the amount of corn around your hives doesn't come close to what is seen in agricultural area's. I've got lots of corn around my hives and see no problem, but there is more areas of non corn than corn.

[rainesridgefarm]

Last year we had a mild winter with lots of hives overwintering. In Wis and IL we are hearing of very high dieback this fall. Most of it looks like old queens. A lot of beekeepers did not requeen after the spring buildup and now those 2011 queens are pittering out.