Scientific Silence, Amid Incessant Chatter About Bees

We've been off to the Eastern Apicultural Society Conference for a week, so haven't had much time to check in, but the conference is complete and over 400 beekeepers had the opportunity to meet and greet and listen in on over a hundred different lectures, demonstrations and hands on workshops during the week. Many of the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) scientists were present at this conference, but, disappointingly, nothing new was released. It's now apparent that something is afoot relative to viruses, imported (or illegal) bees, and CCD, and that the scientists involved, who were all there, aren't saying anything until that Scientific paper is published.

After talking with the beekeepers at the meeting, who are from all over the eastern part of the U.S., I get the feeling that the beekeepers at the conference aren't having much of a problem with CCD. That doesn't mean none, and, like the commercial beekeepers who first reported it, those that have it, have it pretty bad. Losing all, or over 90% of one's hives wasn't uncommon. Of course, when you have only 30 or so hives, when compared to 3,000 - 4,000, like some, losing 90% doesn't seem so bad. But tell that to the beekeeper ... and the bees.

The biggest problem for bees and beekeepers this summer however, is the weather. Too hot, way too hot in much of the east, and too dry to go along with it. But then there's the rainy sections that didn't seem to get enough heat or sunshine ... good weather this summer seems in short supply ... or at least not good for bees and beekeeping.

One comment heard at the meeting stuck with me. It was made by James Fisher, one of the writers who has been on this site (See Pathogen (And Human Greed) Caused Bee Collapse) who lives in Manhattan. He said that beekeepers are refraining from wearing their beekeeping T-shirts anymore because they don't have time to talk to everyone they meet about bees, honey, beekeeping and CCD. Personally, I would have never thought that a beekeeper would ever tire of talking about bees ... but I guess some have.