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Bees’ health outlook isn’t as dire as dreaded, say experts
 
By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent
 
RALEIGH, N.C. — Colony collapse disorder (CCD), varroa mites, tracheal mites, harsh winters, lawn fertilizers – the list of problems facing beekeepers seems endless. Some experts have painted a bleak outlook for these apiary enthusiasts.
 
“Within beekeeping, we are adapting,” explained Dr. James Tew, retired bee specialist from The Ohio State University. “Beekeepers and bees are adapting and are accepting our situation. And our situation is that bees don’t thrive like they used to decades ago.”
 
Tew was hesitant to point blame for the decline in bee colonies on things like tracheal mites, varroa mites or even CCD. “The commercial bees are working their tails off for us, and perhaps too much is expected from those bees,” he said, “but in general bees are not as hardy as they once used to be.

 “In years past, local beekeepers could expect between 15 to 30 percent loss in their hives. And that 30 percent was high. Nowadays, that 30 percent is a good number. But these new beekeepers are fine with that and they deal with it.”

 Dr. Dick Rogers, entomologist and manager at the Bayer Bee Care Center in Research Triangle Park, N.C., said the outlook for bees and beekeeping in general isn’t as dire as some think. “Although my track record in predicting the magnitude of winter colony losses over the years has been pretty reliable, I know there are plenty of variables that can have a major influence on whether the news is good or bad,” he said. “After looking over a number of factors, I believe beekeepers have a reason for optimism in 2017.”
 
Colony losses over the winter can happen and are often expected. In fact, most bee experts consider losses up to 15 percent to be tolerable. Unfortunately, the spring of 2016 revealed an entirely different situation, as beekeepers reported an average colony loss of more than 28 percent.

 Rogers blamed an extraordinary high infestation of varroa mites that year.
 
“Across the country, our survey samples and those of independent experts were reporting autumn mite populations at levels that were three to four times above what is known to be harmful to colonies,” he said. “While there are many factors that affect the health of honeybees, perhaps none is more harmful than this parasite. I do expect that we will see modest improvements on average across most colonies.”
 
Rogers cited many reasons for a more positive outlook this season. First, mite surveys of hives across North Carolina and elsewhere show the infestation is much lower, around 16 percent: “It’s a step in the right direction.” Second, he said colonies have built up rapidly thanks to surviving the winter and experiencing a relatively warm spring. Third, most beekeepers have done a better job of protecting their colonies against the mites and have been able to keep losses attributed to the mites below 10 percent.

 “While it’s too soon to expect a sudden and dramatic turnaround, I’m encouraged by the steps our industry is taking to improve the survival of U.S. honeybee colonies,” Rogers said.

 And the number of people entering this hobby of beekeeping are encouraging as well – a record 425 attended the 36th annual Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School in Loveland last month.
 
“New beekeepers haven’t lived in the past and don’t know of these struggles keepers of the past have been through,” Tew said. “New beekeepers have a wholesome outlook on beekeeping. And beekeepers these days are physicians, farmers, lawyers, teachers … they’re a diversified group.” 
5/11/2017