Since we launched Buzzfeeds, our weekly bee update, we've noticed a few things: one, lots of questions about colony collapse disorder are popping up in the threads – and two, many Buzzfeeds readers are experienced bee keepers. The comments are full of really interesting and important discussions, but because the threads close after three days, they always end early.
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Honeybee losses do differ according to region, geography and climate, but it is not clear what factors are causing this. In Argentina, for example, where much of world's honey now comes from, honeybee mortality is lower than in the US and Europe, but it's not clear if this is due to more varroa-resistant honeybees or more nutritious forage for honeybees, rather than the climate and geography of the country. Pesticides implicated in honeybee deaths are used worldwide so it is unlikely that their is less pesticide use in Argentina. If anyone has more information about bees in Argentina please let me know. Incidentally, the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists have just released figures on honeybee winter losses. Across Canada, 28.6% colonies perished but in some regions it was higher - 46%in Manitoba and 37.9% in Ontaria. While in Nova Scotia, where you saw many bees, only 17% of honeybee colonies didn't survive the winter. In Ontario beekeepers cited acute and chronic pesticide damage as a contributing factor. In Manitoba weak colonies going into the winter and ailing queen bees were reasons. The long winter and cold, wet spring across the country didn't help. I don't know Novia Scotia, but I'd assume there is much less pesticide use there, and much more wild forage, such as heather, which is all good for all types of bees - honeybees and bumble bees.You cannot vote for answers more than once.Votes 13