Deaths of honey bees Palo Alto Issues, posted by Alice Danielson, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on May 22, 2007 at 9:42 am
I understand that the latest theory on the deaths of our honey bees is that a mite is destroying the queen honey bees.
Several years ago in Palo Alto we had mites that were destroying our fuchsias and Eugenia hedges. Santa Clara County introduced a wasp or some other organism into the atmosphere. I believe that the control was effective. My son has a Eugenia hedge that is flourishing now. My orange trees do not seem to have as many white flies. I do not know about the fuchsias; I gave up on mine.
I hope the scientists are going to try the wasps or some predators to try to attack the mites.
Evidently, the bumble bees have not been affected by the mites; so if our honey bees become extinct, we may become dependent upon the bumblebees for our crops.
Posted by KCM, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on May 22, 2007 at 9:59 am
There are 3500 species of native North American bees that pollinate flowering plants. The honey bee is not native to this continent and was introduced by European settlers for the beeswax and honey it produces.
Posted by trudy, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on May 23, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I read an article that said the problem was beekeepers transporting their hives long dstances, stressing the bees and spreading disease among other bee populations.
If people would keep bees in a natural manner, and growers had permanent beehives, perhaps the problem would vanish.
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