[ExI] bees again

[spike]

Doh!  The bee disease causing colony collapse may have come from Australia,
mate.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/09/06/bee.disorder/index.html

 

It makes sense in a way.  Australian bees have been bred for less time than
American and European bees.  They tend to be only so-so pollinators and
honey makers, but they have a lot of natural resistance to diseases.  This
article suggests that Australian bees introduced a virus into the American
domestic hives to which the Aussie bees were themselves immune.

 

When I found eleven dying bees this spring, I noticed they all had symptoms
that look like what they are describing, yet I saw no varroa mites or
trachea mites on any of the bees.  I only managed to successfully dissect
one bee to verify it had no trachea mites.

 

This ruins a business idea I had: to breed Australian bees and sell or rent
the colonies.  I wouldn't be surprised if it soon becomes illegal to import
Australian bees.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

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