When bees swarm, they scout around for a new home. One may assume that they consider various factors, not just the shape of the place. As beekeepers know well, they sometimes choose a space in the walls of a house, which is certainly not round. However, in my own hives, I attempt to give them extra space above and below the brood, because that is likely closer to what they would have in the wild.
--- Devin Cooper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Scientist Continues To Investigate Colony Collapse Disorder - A UC > researcher, who discovered the SARS virus in 2003, believes he may have > found the cause for the disappearance of honeybees across the country. Tests > from a California hive point to a microbe that once affected only Asian bees > according to officials. However, USDA scientists remain skeptical. To date, > U.S. beekeepers have lost one-quarter of their colonies which is > approximately five times the normal winter losses. Since November, CCD has > spread to 27 states including reports from Brazil, Canada and parts of > Europe. Follow this link for important information for growers of bee > pollinated crops. > > > > Thought this article from recent Washington State Hort Newsletter would add > to the discussion > > _____ > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Philip Smith > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 7:23 PM > To: Apple-Crop > Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: Re: BEES & COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER > > > > Humans did not evolve living in square boxes either, but it seems to be > working out OK. I am only able to think like a human, as do those who > believe we have done damage to bee society. > > > > Poisoning(by pesticides, I assume) is much more an acute problem rather than > one that has affected bee evolution. There's no question that the mix of > flowers has changed over time. I don't know what you're suggesting in > regard to GMO's. > > > > Here's an interesting question. What portion of the worldwide honeybee > population lives in square boxes? > > > > Philip Smith > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Nadean <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Summers > > To: Apple-Crop <mailto:[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 8:36 PM > > Subject: RE: Apple-Crop: Re: BEES & COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER > > > > Bees did not evolve living in square boxes, and for a human to believe he > can think like a bee is probably somewhat shortsighted also that is only one > adjustment in the way they have to live. It may not be mistreatment but what > about poisoning, loss of native flowering habitat,genetically altered crops, > etc,etc. Whether good or bad they have had to go through some substantial > changes since man started dealing with them. > > > > Jim Friedler > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of Philip Smith > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 6:43 PM > To: Apple-Crop > Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: Re: BEES & COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER > > I find it difficult to believe that giving bees a square house to live in > constitutes some sort of maltreatment. Were I a bee, I'd be tickled pink > that someone had provided a roomy, fairly tight house complete with > foundations upon which I could build a comb. > > > > Philip Smith > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: alan <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> surprenant > > To: [email protected] > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 6:56 AM > > Subject: RE: Apple-Crop: Re: BEES & COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER > > > > bees, bees, bees, so much on our minds these days.... and well they should > be (no pun intended). > > for those with the inclination and the time (perhaps a rainy day), a small > booklet i read many years ago has altered my whole relationship to the bees > in my orchard. The Bee Lectures (1922?) given by Rudolf Steiner to a > gathering of beekeepers in germany. In these lectures Steiner predicts the > situation(s) we find ourselves in today with the bees. > > the questions raised by D. Del Boca are good ones and here are several more > raised by Steiner to the bee keepers of his day. (1) what are the long-term > effects of 'forcing' a spiral living entity into the square box shape of the > modern day hive? ever watch a swarm? or uncover a bee hive in a tree trunk? > watch how cells are created? all spirals. (2) what are the effects of > raising bees primarily for honey production (as related to feeding, breeding > queens, how we harvest honey, the use of miticides etc). (3) if indeed our > manipulation of the bee does result in lowering immunity, what will the > effects of that be? (i think of varoa and tracheal mites, of hive collapse). > > i'm not trying to open up a debate on who's right and who's wrong about the > reasons our bees are in the state they are now. i'm trying to add to the > information and understanding that we all have to work with while dealing > with this situatiion. the health of the bees is of utmost importance, we all > know that already. what we can do as growers, researchers, and/or beekeepers > to help the bees,is for me, the important task at hand. > > thank you(this list serve)for the information on keeping water avaliable and > the effects temps have on pollination and bee activity. > > alan surprenant brook farm orchard ashfield, massachusetts > > > _____ > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Reply-To: "Apple-Crop" <[email protected]> > To: "Apple-Crop" <[email protected]> > CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Apple-Crop: Re: BEES & COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER > Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 16:21:40 -0700 > > > >And what of the previous question regarding predation on honey bees > >by wasps and yellow jackets, hornets? > > > >A few more questions while we have the topic: > > > >Is it true that honey bees are being genetically morphed to be > >single-purpose creatures (super-pollinators); that is they no longer > >are capable of multiple functions such as making honey, feeding the > >queen, maintaining the hives, extending the species, etc.? > > > >What is the impact on the immune system of honey bees from the > >stress of being trucked coast to coast in 18-wheelers, industrial > >style, by large, commercial beekeepers and being fed only high > >fructose corn syrup enroute? > > > >I know that applicators restrict the time of their entry into fields > >being pollinated to minimize kills, but what can you tell us, in a > >larger way, about the genetic or colonial impacts of pesticides and > >genetically altered organisms that have been artificially spliced > >into many field crops that bees pollinate? > > > >Thanks, > >D. Del Boca > >N.W. Washington > > > >On Friday, May 11, 2007, at 01:40 PM, Kim Flottum wrote: > > > >>Wasps and yellow jackets do essentially no pollination....they may > >>visit a flower on occasion, but because they have essentially no > >>hair on their bodies, they don't pick up and transfer pollen from > >>one flower to another; nor do they return to their nest with pollen > >>on their bodies and get it transferred inhive to another bee who > >>will vist another apple blossom. There are solitary bees that are > >>efficient pollinators, but seldom are there enough of them in an > >>orchard to make a significant dent....unless they are brought in > >>intentionally...the Blue Orchard bee, the mason bee...those that > >>are managed specifically for this purpose. > >> > >> > >>Kim Flottum > >>Editor, BeeCulture > >>623 West Liberty Street > >>Medina, Ohio 44256 > >>V - 800.289.7668 Ext 3214 > >>Fax - 330.725.5624 > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>www.BeeCulture.com > >> > >> > >> > ><image.tiff> > >> > >>From: [email protected] > >>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 4:04 PM > >>To: Apple-Crop > >>Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > === message truncated === On another topic, the federal law governing organic foods was recently amended by lobbyists hired by some manufacturers. This will allow synthetic ingredients to be added to organic-labeled foods. If this is important to you, please visit my website, www.RestoreOrganicLaw.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard <http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for the content.
