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We've got a bumble bee nesting in our greenhouse on the lottie, but no interest in the bee house here at home.
There was a report at the weekend that part of the problem may be that most of the honey bees are from southern european stock that are less hardy then the native black honey bee. But because they are less aggressive most beekeepers prefer to keep them. The suggestion is that weather conditons and a range of disease, mites and pesticides has undermined the "softer" european import.
There are a few remaining black bee colonies that they are trying to use as a basis for reintroducing across the country in the hope that it may prove to be more resistant. It is bigger and hairier so should be able to handle more easily our changeable weather conditions. Don't know how right this will be but they obviously need to look at all angles as the experts reckon we would run out of food in less than four years if our bee population collapses completely.
Not a happy thought.......
_________
"..I went from adolescence to senility, trying to bypass maturity.." Tom Lehrer
There was a report at the weekend that part of the problem may be that most of the honey bees are from southern european stock that are less hardy then the native black honey bee. But because they are less aggressive most beekeepers prefer to keep them. The suggestion is that weather conditons and a range of disease, mites and pesticides has undermined the "softer" european import.
There are a few remaining black bee colonies that they are trying to use as a basis for reintroducing across the country in the hope that it may prove to be more resistant. It is bigger and hairier so should be able to handle more easily our changeable weather conditions. Don't know how right this will be but they obviously need to look at all angles as the experts reckon we would run out of food in less than four years if our bee population collapses completely.
Not a happy thought.......
_________
"..I went from adolescence to senility, trying to bypass maturity.." Tom Lehrer
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