Identifying the climatic drivers of honey bee disease in England and Wales

[RJC]

Some interesting evidence and discussion in this paper, for those that have not seen it - can be accessed here, and PDF attached Identifying the climatic drivers of honey bee disease in England and Wales - Scientific Reports. Rob

 

[enrico]

Now I understand where the headlines came from that honey bees were being wiped out by claimants change! Good paper, thanks

 

[oxnatbees]

Thank you, this looks interesting. I'd seen mention of paralysis diseases being more common in the northern US states than southern ones, but nothing this specific before.

 

[Boston Bees]

Now I understand where the headlines came from that honey bees were being wiped out by claimants change! Good paper, thanks

Do you?

I mean, it's a nice attempt to find a relationship, but I am not sure, having read it, that they have.

Not much in the way of significant correlations between weather and disease was found. And those that were found (rain and wind cause varroa?) could easily be coincidence. The time period in question (10 years) is VERY short to establish any kind of relationship between weather and disease.

Good first step though, perhaps, to build on in future.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They seem to spend their time over there looking for someone else to blame for why their bees are dying

 

[Finman]

Thank you, this looks interesting. I'd seen mention of paralysis diseases being more common in the northern US states than southern ones, but nothing this specific before.

Paralysis virus is connected to varroa.
Varroa is easier to treat in north where is a good broodless period. In the south brood period is long and more mites can be produced.

 

[enrico]

Do you?

I mean, it's a nice attempt to find a relationship, but I am not sure, having read it, that they have.

Not much in the way of significant correlations between weather and disease was found. And those that were found (rain and wind cause varroa?) could easily be coincidence. The time period in question (10 years) is VERY short to establish any kind of relationship between weather and disease.

Good first step though, perhaps, to build on in future.

I didn't mean I agree with it!!!! Just that I see where the tabloids got their sentaionalising headlines from without really reading it!

 

[madasafish]

There was a clear local correlation between AFB and companies using honey in food production . That is until the users started to seal used imported honey drums after use and not leave them open to feeding bees.

 

[gmonag]

They seem to spend their time over there looking for someone else to blame for why their bees are dying

Who do you mean by "they"? The authors are not necessarily beekeepers.

 

[bobba]

The whole paper reads like they were looking for a climate/disease correlation from the get go.

I think it is note worthy to point out the paper accepts climate change and an increase in temperature in the UK as a certainty. (Because climate models have such a great track record!)

They conclude:

"We highlight how such climatic shifts can contribute to the development of serious diseases such as EFB and varroosis."

Well, why not just compare bee health in different climates? Instead of just looking in a single climate and concluding that bee health will get worse.

So we should be able to see what our bee keeping future will look like by viewing a hotter country where it rains more - right? Say, Thailand. Well the bees seem to be doing just fine in Thailand, so panic over.

Perhaps there are more bee diseases because more people have bees, so population is more dense - NO, the paper only looked at a single factor, then on the basis of a correlation with no explanation of the mechanism drew their conclusion!

This paper was funded by a University and a Bee Disease Insurance Company. And concludes climate will change and disease will increase, well that's a surprise! But its ok, as the authors declare no competing interests.

Simply put, it was a paper to support their hypotenuses rather than a paper to test their hypotenuses.

They present some good data, and I do agree the hypotenuses is worth investigating as it could be true. But I do not draw the same conclusions as they do from their data.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Simply put, it was a paper to support their hypotenuses rather than a paper to test their hypotenuses.

They present some good data, and I do agree the hypotenuses is worth investigating as it could be true. But I do not draw the same conclusions as they do from their data.

Hypotheses

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Simply put, it was a paper to support their hypotenuses rather than a paper to test their hypotenuses.

Prettty difficult to square all that up

 

[Murox]

I get the impression that he paper simply fulfilled some required academic criteria rather than offering valid insight or even investigation. Odd really because we all know that in winter more illness is more pronounced/prevalent in most creatures; some don't make it through, and some fade away in the spring.

 

[Finman]

.
This climate things are difficult, or even impossible, because when you know the reason, you cannot move with your bees to better environment.

If I move with bees to Central Europe, the yields will collapse, because Central Europe has a huge hive density. And in China floods would take away my hives.

In Ukraine price of honey is so low, that it is not better place to keep bees.

 

[bobba]

Hypotheses

Typical me, but still not as good as when I used piratical instead of practical. So I am afraid JBM still has the award for spotting my most amusing gaff on this forum.

 

[bobba]

.
This climate things are difficult, or even impossible, because when you know the reason, you cannot move with your bees to better environment.

If I move with bees to Central Europe, the yields will collapse, because Central Europe has a huge hive density. And in China floods would take away my hives.

In Ukraine price of honey is do low, that it is not better place to keep bees.

No obviously we cannot all move around the globe with our bees to more favorable climat, but the other option is to obtain bees from a comparable climate.

If it turns tropical, then you need tropical bees. If it gets freezing cold then get some Arctic bees. Another problem solved by Bobba........

 

[elainemary]

Who do you mean by "they"? The authors are not necessarily beekeepers.

Think 2 of the authors were experienced bee inspectors /NBU researchers - Mike Brown and Giles Budge. Giles Budge is doing the current work on CBPV

 

[Murox]

No obviously we cannot all move around the globe with our bees to more favorable climat, but the other option is to obtain bees from a comparable climate.

If it turns tropical, then you need tropical bees. If it gets freezing cold then get some Arctic bees. Another problem solved by Bobba........

2 things come to mind. 1. that spellchecks aunt wot they ust to be. and 2. plant better bee pastures. thats something we can all contribute to in bigger or smaller ways .

 

[Finman]

but the other option is to obtain bees from a comparable climate.

That has been done for decades. But diseases won't go away. There are few diseases and pests, which depend on climate. But you do not need correlation to notice that.

 

[Buzzlodge]

Do you?

I mean, it's a nice attempt to find a relationship, but I am not sure, having read it, that they have.

Not much in the way of significant correlations between weather and disease was found. And those that were found (rain and wind cause varroa?) could easily be coincidence. The time period in question (10 years) is VERY short to establish any kind of relationship between weather and disease.

Its all about getting grants and getting your research approved and getting funding.

In the current research 'climate', a researcher is more likely to get funding for a project "Identifying the climatic drivers of honey bee disease " than a project "Identifying the drivers of honey bee disease " Thats the way the system works.