May2007.indd

last month sponsored by The Foundation for the Preserva- several research initiatives about the disorder and new reports about its effects. According to its Winter 2007 Newsletter, The Eastern Apicultural Society2 has provided $5,000 in ad-dition to that already donated by the Florida State Beekeepers Asso- “Beekeepers that have been most affected Association, the National Honey Board and others. The total is now soybeans, canola, sunfl owers, apples, vine crops In addition, The American Beekeep-ing Federation’s (ABF) delegation visiting Washington got a sympa- hearing is available at http://agri-
culture.house.gov/hearings/state-
ments.html and you can listen to the
entire hearing at http://bee-quick.
com/ccd/
while Tylan has not been tested as an EFB control agent. We know that Terramycin works for the treatment of EFB.
of Varroa mites, treat them using soft chemicals, such as Apiguard, (Malpighian tubule) problems simi-lar to those seen in colonies treated bees always seem to have a fungus on plants treated with these products. found in the bee’s mid-gut and some- Instead they may bring the pollen and nectar back to the hive and store it in their comb to use later. The young fi ed several likely factors that could bees raised on this (contaminated) be causing or contributing to CCD. impaired immune response. Of course, treating for Varroa mites with soft diseases and viruses, some unknown months after exposure to neonicoti- contamination or poisoning. I have noids and up until recently the cause been in CCD group discussions from the beginning. I have had detailed Mr. Hackenberg concludes his
talks with affected beekeepers, re- letter with a plea to growers to use
searchers, bee inspectors, growers, something beside the following
products this season: imidacloprid7
tives and anybody that might be able (brand names: Confi rdor, Merit,
to contribute any useful information. Admire, Legend, Provado, Encore,
The picture that has emerged so far Gaucho, Premise); thiamoxetham
has many people in this industry ex- (Actara, Platinum, Helix, Cruiser,
Adage, Meridian, Centric, Flagship);
“Beekeepers that have been most acetamiprid (Pristine, Tristar, As-
affected so far have been close to corn, sail, Intruder, Adjust); clothianidin
cotton, soybeans, canola, sunfl owers, (Poncho, Titan, Clutch, Belay,
apples, vine crops and pumpkins. In Arean; thiacloprid (Calypso); and
conversation with farmers, growers dinotefuran (Dinotefuran).
sentatives we have learned that there has been a big change in pesticides “First, some people referred to this used to treat these crops. From what as ‘disappearing disease’ because the I have learned so far, I am convinced bees literally disappeared. The sec- that neonicotinoids may play a role in ond symptom is that bees left behind CCD and exposure to these materials frames of brood (young baby bees) is something that is under our con- and boxes fi lled with honey that no trol. From research on the internet I for Varroa control and malnutrition other bees came in and robbed out as have learned that neonicotinoids are normally happens. The third symptom systemic insecticides used to control is that the small hive beetle and wax sucking insects on plants, everything moth would not move into the hive for from corn, tree crops, most vegetables, at least three weeks as if something cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, toxic was in the hive. When you place cotton, canola, ornamentals, forestry a dead CCD hive on top of a live hive nearby you kill the hive below. This “I think that the reason neonicoti- makes us think that there must be noids may be so damaging to honey- CCD, stated in a response:8 “Please be something toxic in the hive from CCD. bees is that they are found in fairly But when aired out for several weeks low “sublethal” levels in the pollen the toxicity levels seem to go away. and nectar of the plants. The fi eld The last symptom is that the dead bees often do not die when working cessed March 20, 2007 http://maarec.
Beelines and “Chuckle With Chad.” 6. Accessed March 20, 2007 http://www.
bees, four to fi ve frames of brood, no 8. Bee-L Discussion List, dated March 19, to three to four frames or less of bees, 9. Bee-L Discussion List, dated March 10, to take, analyze – just don’t have the – and at this point, we’re not short 11. Melksham Beekeepers Beelines web had a truly different outlook on life if vanish, ‘without a trace.’ The thing (“Marie Celeste” Syndrome) there were failures in queen mating. These viruses, for which the Varroa mite 2. Eastern Apicultural Society web site, 3. House Subcommittee on Horticulture &

Source: http://beeculturemagazine.net/content/ColonyCollapseDisorderPDFs/2%20Colony%20Collapse%20Disorder%20Update%20by%20Malcolm%20Sanford.pdf