They’ve done it! Scientists have identified a pathogen associated with honeybee colony collapse disorder. It’s a virus (Israeli acute paralysis virus). And although it’s what differentiates dead colonies from healthy ones it may not be the single cause of this year’s dramatic bee deaths. Other factors could include drought or the mass trucking of bees from one region to another for pollination. There’s some good reporting on the topic at NPR and the New York Times.
Based on my own personal experience drought has little to do with nectar flow – the recent drought years here in Colorado were some of our biggest honey years yet. This year by contrast, a year in which we got a decent amount of spring and summer rain, has been a slim one for honey production. Go figure. Although I can’t speak with authority on the scientific relationship between drought and honey production – I’m leaning toward the mass trucking of bees as a second possible stressor related to colony collapse disorder. We’ll have to see…
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