Published: April 13, 2008 11:14 pm      

Area bee hives bounce back a year after dieouts

HASTINGS — Local beekeepers are finding their hives in far better shape this spring, a year after as much as a third of the nation’s honey bee hives was lost through colony collapse syndrome, or CCS.

Reports from a statewide survey indicate hives in others areas snd those of larger commercial beekeepers also had improved winter survival rates over 2006.

“I’m only down 10 percent, so it’s great,” said Ted Kaminski, a Hastings beekeeper who calculated his 2007 loss at 35 percent to 40 percent of his 30 hives.

“I lost three hives (over the winter), and the others are bringing in pollen. There’s a lot of bees flying around,” he said.

The first indication of hive dieout came in late 2006. By spring 2007, beekeepers in the region and elsewhere were sounding the alarm.

John Bishop, a beekeeper for more than 70 years, maintains three honey hives at his home overlooking Cresson. His bees made it through the winter in good condition.

“Last year, I lost them all and had to get new ones,” said Bishop, 90. “Now they’re flying around out there.”

Bees are essential to the pollination of more than 90 crops. Without them, there would be no apples, blueberries, pumpkins, zucchini or cucumbers – just a few of the local crops that require the bees’ services.

In early 2007, a team of Penn State entomologists and infectious disease researchers began investigating the mysterious colony collapse syndrome. They are finding a “strong correlation” between colony collapse and Israeli acute paralysis virus, which showed up in the U.S. a few years ago.

“That’s what we currently think is going on. But we still think there are additional factors,” said Penn State professor Diana Cox-Foster, a principal researcher in the hunt for the cause.

Some of those factors are thought to be the presence of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides in the hives.

“They’ve found there are many more chemicals in hives than we ever thought,” Cox-Foster said.

A statewide survey that included some local beekeepers shows a greater hive survival rate than last year.

“That’s generally what we’re hearing. Even some of the larger ones fared better,” said Cox-Foster.

Weakened hives caused by CCS and an ongoing problem with mites combined with the mild winter of 2006-07 to create the disaster, said the president of a regional beekeeper organization.

The best winter scenario is for it to get cold and stay cold. Warming trends cause bees to move around and eat more honey, said Ken Hoover of Dysart, president of 2 C’s and a B Bee Keepers, a 100-member organization.

Kaminski agrees that many factors are involved in CCS.

“I don’t think it’s any one thing,” he said. “I think it’s a lack of natural cavities for bees to live in, the pesticides, the weather.”

Meanwhile, Cox-Foster said it’s important to continue the research and find a way to remedy colony collapse.