Honey Bee Collapse Now Worse on West Coast

“It's worse than last year, and last year was worse than the year before. So, it's bad. And there are a lot of good, big beekeepers that are having a lot of problems. I think we're coming in for a big train wreck.”

- Gilly Sherman, Beekeeper

Western honey bee, or European honey bee (Apis mellifera), gathering pollen from purple aster. 34% of American honey bees in commercial hives have disappeared this spring of 2008, in a persistent mystery known as “colony collapse disorder.”
Western honey bee, or European honey bee (Apis mellifera), gathering pollen from purple aster. 34% of American honey bees in commercial hives have disappeared this spring of 2008, in a persistent mystery known as “colony collapse disorder.”

April 10, 2008  Gainesville, Florida - On April 5, 2008, England's BBC News carried a report entitled, “U. S. Fears Over Honey Bee Collapse.” A California beekeeper, Gilly Sherman, was interviewed and he said sobering words:  “It's worse than last year, and last year was worse than the year before. So, it's bad. And there are a lot of good, big beekeepers that are having a lot of problems. I think we're coming in for a big train wreck.”

I took that quote to Jerry Hayes, Chief, Apiary Section, Florida Department of Agriculture, and President of the Apiary Inspectors of America in Gainesville, Florida and asked for his comment.

 

Click here to subscribe and get instant access to read this report.

Click here to check your existing subscription status.

Existing members, login below:


© 1998 - 2024 by Linda Moulton Howe.
All Rights Reserved.