In The Days

• Source: Palm Beach Post
• News Date: 5/19/09
• Author: Susan Salisbury
• Submitted By: Ernest Gregoire

Honeybee losses nationwide continue at a level that is economically unsustainable for commercial beekeeping, according to a 2008-09 survey released Tuesday.

To view dictionary popup window put your cursor on the blue scripture words.

Perplexity

“…upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity•Strongs 640: ajpori÷a aporia, aporia, ap-or-ee´-a; from the same as 639; a (state of) quandary:—perplexity.
•Strongs 639: aporeo, ap-or-eh´-o; from a compound of 1 (as a negative particle) and the base of 4198; to have no way out, i.e. be at a loss (mentally):— (stand in) doubt, be perplexed….”
—Luke 21:25

Famines and Troubles

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines•Strongs 3042:limos, lee-mos´; probably from 3007 (through the idea of destitution); a scarcity of food:—dearth, famine, hunger. and troubles•Strongs 5016: tarache, tar-akh-ay´; feminine from 5015; disturbance, i.e. (of water) roiling, or (of a mob) sedition:—trouble(-ing). these are the beginnings of sorrows•Strongs 5604 din, o-deen´; akin to 3601; a pang or throe, especially of childbirth:—pain, sorrow, travail.
•Strongs 3601: odune, od-oo´-nay; from 1416; grief (as dejecting):—sorrow..”
—Mark 13:8

The survey, which encompassed 20 percent of the nation’s roughly 2.3 million honeybee colonies, found a 29 percent loss of managed bee colonies. This compares with losses of 36 percent and 32 percent in the winters of 2007-08 and 2006-07, respectively. The Apiary Inspectors of America and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, Md., conducted the survey from September 2008 to April.

“If you are a small businessperson in any activity, how long can you sustain 29 percent losses or greater each year?” said Jerry Hayes, assistant chief of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant and Apiary Inspection in Gainesville.

While total losses decreased slightly, the average operational loss increased to 34 percent in 2008-09 from 31 percent a year ago.

Hayes prepared the survey’s preliminary results along with entomologists Dennis vanEngelsdorp, of Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture and president of the AIA, and the USDA’s Jeff Pettis.

A more detailed report will be published this year.

Experts blamed Colony Collapse Disorder, the malady characterized by the complete absence of bees in dead colonies that has been decimating the U.S. beekeeping industry in recent years, for some of the losses. The cause of the disorder is still unknown, but about 26 percent of apiaries surveyed reported that some of their colonies died of the collapse disorder – down from 36 percent of apiaries in 2007-08.

Other causes include premature queen death, starvation, cold, pests such as the varroa mite and pesticides, Hayes said.

Dave Hackenberg, a beekeeper who winters his bees in Florida, criticized the survey for not asking the right question. He said his hive numbers dropped from 3,500 in October 2008 to 2,800 this January, within the time period of the survey. But by February, he had lost 300 more hives.

“It’s spring, but the hives aren’t growing. I’m finding them blown out, dead or gone,” Hackenberg said from Maine Tuesday.

Hayes added: “There have been beekeepers out there who have taken another phenomenal loss this year. Honeybees simply are not healthy.”