Declining Bee Populations

[FloatLikeAButterfly]

What's the latest research saying in terms of bee decline? I want to do my part my starting out beekeeping and I want to educate my friends and family about what they can do other than boycott Monsanto products.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Thirty years ago, before Varroa mites arrived, bees could quite easily survive in the wild. Now, because of Varroa and its associated viruses, bees are far less likely to survive without human help.

Therefore, if bees are declining (and it's a big if) it's because the number of colonies kept by beekeepers is declining. In other words, either the beekeepers on average have a smaller number of hives or there are less beekeepers. The membership of the BBKA is increasing so it maybe that there are fewer professional beekeepers with large numbers of colonies. Maybe it's more difficult to make a living selling honey when imported rubbish is selling so cheaply.

Somebody will be along soon with some statistics but there's no doubt that Varroa mites ( and possibly certain pesticides) are having an impact on bee numbers, especially in the wild.

CVB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What's the latest research saying in terms of bee decline? I want to do my part my starting out beekeeping and I want to educate my friends and family about what they can do other than boycott Monsanto products.

nothing to do with monsanto so that would be misinform rather than educate. honeybees aren't in decline either

 

[madasafish]

What's the latest research saying in terms of bee decline? I want to do my part my starting out beekeeping and I want to educate my friends and family about what they can do other than boycott Monsanto products.

You should stop believeing what you read in newspapers for a start. Honey bees are not in decline and anyone who says so has done no research or is lying.

And if you think Monsanto are responsible for the loss of woods, flower meadows , uncut verges and concreting/planking over gardens - thus reducing the foliage available to bees, then by all means boycott Monsanto.

So if you want to educate anyone, I suggest you start with yourself.. There are lots of studies available of the impacts of pesticides. Surprisingly enough, they kill insects. Gardeners use them apart from farmers so start by looking at the users as well as the makers. And why they use them . And the alternatives..

 

[Dadnlad]

I'm asked on an almost weekly basis by members of the public "how are those poor bees doing ? I read they have some horrible disease ?"

Some seem genuinely dissappointed when I tell them that my honeybees that are looked after, treated and fed if required are positively thriving

Honeybees are an easy target for lazy media types - bumbles and other pollinators are in greater danger but get less media attention

 

[Birdie Wife]

What's the latest research saying in terms of bee decline? I want to do my part my starting out beekeeping and I want to educate my friends and family about what they can do other than boycott Monsanto products.

Personally, I think helping bees by keeping honeybees is a bit like helping birds by keeping chickens...

Having said that, wild bees have been in decline for about 80 years due to many different factors, the largest being loss of habitat through agricultural intensification. There are some good statistics on the charity Bumblebee Conservation Trust website. The Trust was formed in 2006 to raise public awareness and support habitat restoration. They monitor bumblebee populations and raise funds for conservation work.

 

[user 6228]

Thirty years ago, before Varroa mites arrived, bees could quite easily survive in the wild. Now, because of Varroa and its associated viruses, bees are far less likely to survive without human help.


CVB

I think prof tom seeley might disagree with you there

 

[wightbees]

There's wild bees near me that should be dead by now! Yes I hear the comments like, a swarm has moved in! But this isn't so, in actual fact swarms have left.. I think something natural is happening or they will be dead this winter? Who knows.....

 

[For want of a better word]

There are no feral bees in the British Isles and have probably not been since the mass importation of Mediterranean type sub species since around 1850 that brought in new and novel virus diseases that possibly wiped them out*.

There are still feral colony sites that beekeepers bees swarm into and populate in cycles.

Decline in honey bee populations are due to economics... and the decline in beekeepers prepared to spend so much time with them in preference to their family and grandchildren!!

Nos da

* and continue to do so as long as 1000000s of foreign type queens are imported annually so that beekeepers can requeen every 2 years!!!

 

[wightbees]

There are no feral bees in the British Isles and have probably not been since the mass importation of Mediterranean type sub species since around 1850 that brought in new and novel virus diseases that possibly wiped them out*.

There are still feral colony sites that beekeepers bees swarm into and populate in cycles.

Decline in honey bee populations are due to economics... and the decline in beekeepers prepared to spend so much time with them in preference to their family and grandchildren!!

Nos da

* and continue to do so as long as 1000000s of foreign type queens are imported annually so that beekeepers can requeen every 2 years!!!

It would seem that they not sharing then

 

[bingevader]

Maybe it's more difficult to make a living selling honey when imported rubbish is selling so cheaply.

It's not all rubbish, or cheap.
We run a fairtrade stall.
The honey we sell is organic too and so has jumped through both sets of hoops!
It's from individual countries and often good enough to be certified as from an individual crop.
It's more expensive than the local honey.
To be honest it's better than the Himalayan Balsam rich stuff we get round here!
Heresy I know!

 

[For want of a better word]

It's not all rubbish, or cheap.
We run a fairtrade stall.
The honey we sell is organic too and so has jumped through both sets of hoops!
It's from individual countries and often good enough to be certified as from an individual crop.
It's more expensive than the local honey.
To be honest it's better than the Himalayan Balsam rich stuff we get round here!
Heresy I know!

No wonder British bees and beekeepers are in a decline if all this foreign Jonny stuff is so good.

Then I use a Defender for work ... the foreign Jonny Suzuki eventually just rusted and fell apart!

All a matter of taste... some do not, it would seem, have any!!

Nos da

 

[Gilberdyke John]

It's not all rubbish, or cheap.
We run a fairtrade stall.
The honey we sell is organic too and so has jumped through both sets of hoops!
It's from individual countries and often good enough to be certified as from an individual crop.
It's more expensive than the local honey.
To be honest it's better than the Himalayan Balsam rich stuff we get round here!
Heresy I know!

Burn the witch.
Burn the witch.
Burn the witch.

 

[MerryBee]

There are around 250 different species of bees in the UK. Of these there are 20 something species of bumble bee and ONE species of honeybee.

So to think that by putting a hive of honeybees in your garden you are helping to "save the bees" is nonsense. As other commenters have already said honeybees are not in decline, but many of the other species probably are. We just dont know much about a lot of them.

The best way most people can help bees is by planting pollinator friendly flowers in their gardens. There is lots of advice on how to that on the internet.

 

[MerryBee]

Personally, I think helping bees by keeping honeybees is a bit like helping birds by keeping chickens...

 

[MerryBee]

There are around 250 different species of bees in the UK. Of these there are 20 something species of bumble bee and ONE species of honeybee.

So to think that by putting a hive of honeybees in your garden you are helping to "save the bees" is nonsense. As other commenters have already said honeybees are not in decline, but many of the other species probably are. We just dont know much about a lot of them.

The best way most people can help bees is by planting pollinator friendly flowers in their gardens. There is lots of advice on how to that on the internet.

Sorry, that sounded really harsh.
Yes please do start beekeeping. It is a wonderful and rewarding hobby. But make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.
There is so much mis-information in the general press, but if you can avoid the crap you will find there is good sound help and advice to be had. Not least on this forum.

 

[bingevader]

All a matter of taste... some do not, it would seem, have any!!

Just to clarify, whilst I turn a crispy brown.
The "foreign jonny" stuff (which we only sell once every 6 weeks or so) IS better than the balsam stuff, but that's my personal taste and opinion!
However, It's not better than the local wildflower or heather honey which I usually buy and prefer.
I only have to do this because the school honey is all sold out, practically before it goes in the jars!
I'd like to think we do a pretty good job supporting both valid and worthwhile markets.

Burn the witch.
Burn the witch.
Burn the witch.

Done on this side, please turn me over.

 

[pargyle]

Well ... I'm not going to turn the spit but I do have a problem with imported honey of any sort ... it's hard enough for our commercial beekeepers to make a living and for us hobbyists to keep our customers on track without potentialy introducing them to 'better tasting' foreign imports ...

And that's without considering the potential foreign bee diseases that could be carried in the honey - and find their way into someone's bees when an empty(ish) jar is carelessly disposed of ....

I'm all for fair trade ... just not fair trade HONEY !

 

[mbc]

Well ... I'm not going to turn the spit but I do have a problem with imported honey of any sort ... it's hard enough for our commercial beekeepers to make a living and for us hobbyists to keep our customers on track without potentialy introducing them to 'better tasting' foreign imports ...

And that's without considering the potential foreign bee diseases that could be carried in the honey - and find their way into someone's bees when an empty(ish) jar is carelessly disposed of ....

I'm all for fair trade ... just not fair trade HONEY !

Over 60% of honey on our shelves comes from abroad, some of it very good and some (maybe most) blended honey "from eu and non eu honey" which is invariably inferior to locally sourced honey. I think you'd be negatively impacting on the general health and wellbeing of the honey buying public by denying them the choice.

 

[pargyle]

Over 60% of honey on our shelves comes from abroad, some of it very good and some (maybe most) blended honey "from eu and non eu honey" which is invariably inferior to locally sourced honey. I think you'd be negatively impacting on the general health and wellbeing of the honey buying public by denying them the choice.

Yes ... well I also have a problem with the tens of thousands of tons of soil imported into the country which has lead to the potential demise of our native ash and elm trees ...

I can live with things that arrive here under their own steam - we can't really odds what nature and global warming will throw at us but ... how much restriction and testing is put on the importing of foreign honeys ...

We should be looking at how Australia handle their biosecurity - NO honey, NO Bee related products, NO bees ...