# No Smoking Gun in Bee Health Crisis



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

In a newly released joint report by the EPA and USDA no one thing is responsible for the current Honey Bee crisis....a combination of factors has led to the current conditions.

Regards, Mike

http://www.agriculture.com/news/crops/no-smoking-gun-in-bee-health-crisis_2-ar31248


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

You know, I think part of why they can't find a cause is too many college educamated "experts".

I have a friend who mainly hangs drywall for a living along with general carpentry, he's a bee keeper but hasn't had any of the problems other bee keepers do. He's been paid to travel to various conferences to discuss his methods. No official training in beekeeping whatsoever it was just something he decided to do and did a little reading on the net then jumped in with both feet.

He attributes his success to the fact that he doesn't take so much honey as too have to supplement the bee's later with sugar water. He said if bee's were meant to live on sugar water, they'd make sugar water instead of honey.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

As with most endeavours we try to maximize production and minimize inputs.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Nitram said:


> As with most endeavours we try to maximize production and minimize inputs.


Understandable, but I've never been one to try to take late cuttings of hay or ruin a field just trying to get one cutting made if the grounds too wet. But I routinely have fields last twice as long as most peoples while still remaining productive.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I have been keeping bees for three years and have had nothing but problems trying to keep the hives alive. I have Russian bees as they are supposed to be the most resistant to the mites. I do not treat my hives with chemicals to kill mites and hive beetles as many say you have to do and I have not had any trouble with these pests. The ones I have lost seem to be die of starvation over the winter and I have never removed any honey so they should have had enough for themselves. I did have one hive last year that had 4 full boxes of honey and by January there was not a drop of honey left just a bunch of dead bees. Out of 8 hives I had only had 1 make it threw the winter. While I feel that a lot of people do take too much honey from the bees which is definatly a problem I don't think that's the main problem when there are healthy hives that should have enough to get them trough the winter are dying. To me it seems like they are not making enough for themselves or something is causing them to consume more than they normally should thus starving.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

One major problem is the conflict between growers of different products. I want a clean field with grasses only but the bee grower wants/ needs weeds er flowers everywhere! We spray to remove what is not advantageous but this will have negative effects for others. I wonder if the genetic weakness or something has occurred?


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I've had a few calls from bee keepers wanting to place hives by my hayfields, problem is they want me to let the hay go to full blossom, I tell em ideally their bees are going to starve as I'm not doing something right if it's in full blossom for any amount of time.

I seen on Facebook that my friend with the bees and 8 other's that have adopted his methods had a 92% survival rate this winter.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I seen my friend had this linked on Facebook. It's what he's been saying all along.

http://agrinews-pubs.com/Content/News/Latest-News/Article/Study--Sugar-diet-may-have-impact-on-honeybee-health/8/6/7139


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