There has been
huge publicity about the current plight of the poor honeybee. There has
been large losses of colonies worldwide in recent years and it
continues. The honey bee is a highly complex creature with an even more
complex life style. Without doubt the causes of colony death are just
as complex. The high level of chemical toxins routinely used in the
environment and the parasitic Varroa mite seem to be the most likely
causes. The varroa mite (with the very apt scientific name of Varroa destructor) originates in East Asia but has been in the UK since the early 1990's.
It has wrought havoc amongst honeybees ever since.
The mites feed on the developing honeybee larvae and pupae that can
then fail to emerge as adult bees. Those adults that do emerge are
often infected with viruses and are crippled or paralysed, their life
span reduced. The population of the hive decreases as the population of
the mites increases and very soon the hive is dead. This has led to the
condition being described as Colony Collapse Disorder.
The native population of honeybees is all but gone and it is now seems
that it is the beekeeper alone that stops the bees from dying out
altogether. However this is an uphill struggle. There is no government
support, no grants, (though in many countries, beekeepers are given
support but not in U.K.)
This
webpage was last updated 1 January 2012 and it took ages!
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