Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, IA
06-24-07
Disappearing honey bees threaten industry
By MATTHEW WILDE, Courier Staff Writer
HAZLETON --- Thousands of honey bees swarmed around A. Victor Collins.
As the rural Hazleton honey producer checked hives, some combs full of fresh
honey, he said people would never know the health of the bees --- and the
beekeeping industry for that matter --- are in grave danger.
Honey bees are mysteriously disappearing in Northeast Iowa and across the
country. Collins had 50 swarms (one swarm equals one colony or hive) last fall
and only 16 left this spring.
"Just notice how fast they are coming in and out (of the hive). They're going like
mad," Collins said. "They're out collecting honey."
He just hopes they continue to work and come back.
Last fall bees stopped returning to their hives in large numbers. If the problem
isn't solved, industry officials believe it could have a significant impact on the
country's food supply and prices, and not just for honey.
About one-third of the nation's food supply comes from flowering plants and trees
--- apples, strawberries, almonds and pumpkins, just to name a few --- that
require pollination to produce an adequate crop. Honey bees are the most
efficient and popular pollinators.
Poor yields could cost growers billions. Having to pay more for bees to pollinate
crops would add to price pressures, which would be reflected in grocery stores.
Dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder by researchers, more than a quarter of the
bee colonies in the United States, about 2.5 million, have vanished since last fall.
Some local beekeepers are struggling to stay in business by buying costly
replacements, like Collins.
"The bees are just gone," said Louise Johnson, a Guttenburg beekeeper and
leader of the Northeast Iowa Bee Club. "I think it will have a terrific impact on
pollination and honey production."
Johnson said she lost 65 percent of her 90 hives during the winter and three
more in the last two weeks. In Iowa, industry officials say, a 20 percent winter
mortality rate or less is good. Johnson has spent more than $4,000 to replace
lost bees so far, with no guarantees they won't die off again. A typical hive
averages between 80,000 to 90,000 bees and costs about $65, up about $15
since the disorder was discovered in October.
Johnson said the mystery needs to be solved soon. She's not sure how long she
can endure the economic hardship. Others who lost everything are already giving
up, she said.
"The last three hives lost made it through the winter strong and already had the
first honey box half full, some with two boxes full. We have no clue what
happened," Johnson said.
Researchers are baffled as well. When diseases or parasites threatened the
industry in the past, usually there were dead bees to test and find answers. That
is not the case this time.
The federal Agriculture Research Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, mobilized a team of scientists late last year to study and hopefully
solve the problem. Jeff Pettis, team leader based in Beltsville, Md., says the
USDA is doing everything it can to find answers.
A productive hive averages 60 pounds of honey a year. A 1-pound jar can fetch
about $3 at farmers markets, Johnson said.
In Iowa, there are more than 350 registered apiaries. Johnson, on the Iowa
Honey Producers Association board, says the actual number far exceeds 1,000.
"It's a serious problem, but the general public has not been impacted yet," Pettis
said. "But if food growers have to pay more for pollination, they will have to pass
on the cost."
Within the last year the cost to rent a hive for pollination has doubled, averaging
about $150. Renting hives is popular, especially in California where the majority
of the country's fruits, vegetables and nuts are grown. For example, bees are
instrumental in producing the state's $6 billion almond crop.
The loss of honey bees is also a concern close to home. Some farmers claim
supplemental pollination by honey bees adds up to 10 bushels per acre in
soybean yields. Since Iowa is the largest soybean producer, that's huge.
Apple growers Gary Tedore of La Porte City and Lynnette Fevold of Iowa Falls
say honey bees are instrumental in making their trees productive.
Each of the growers also raises some fruit and vegetables like strawberries,
squash and pumpkins to make a living.
"All rely on honey bees," said Tedore, a former botany and horticulture instructor
at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo. "Anyone growing fruit, absolutely
it's a concern. I hope they can find an answer. ... Try to grow these (without bees)
and there might be a short crop."
Researchers are studying hives throughout the country trying to come up with a
solution. None has been found, though some possibilities have been ruled out.
Some beekeepers believe cell phone towers are interfering with the natural
homing instincts of bees. Others say genetically modified crops are killing bees.
While others think insecticides and pesticides (especially lawn sprays) are the
culprit.
The cell phone theory is an urban legend, Pettis said. Colonies are disappearing
even where cell reception is nonexistent. Researchers have fed geneticallyaltered corn pollen to bees and they survived. Joyce Hornstien, an Iowa State
University entomologist, recommends people look at labels to see if a pesticide
is toxic to bees, but that wouldn't necessarily account for the massive death or
disappearance rate.
At this time, Pettis believes a primary stressor is weakening bees, like excessive
transportation (moving hives across country), low-level pesticide exposure, poor
nutrition and parasitic mites. And an unknown pathogen is killing them.
"It's like pneumonia. It hardly ever kills a healthy person, but it can be deadly to
someone already sick and weak," Pettis said.
Collins thinks GMO crops are partially to blame. Bees not only visit soybeans,
now virtually all genetically modified, but many apiaries feed honey bees corn
syrup, often made from GMO corn, as supplement to honey in the winter. It is
cheaper than sugar water and plentiful in Iowa.
Collins fed corn syrup last winter. An Amish neighbor fed his bees sugar water,
he said.
"All we know is bees on corn syrup didn't make it, and those that ate their own
honey and sugar cane did make it," Collins said.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship isn't oblivious to the
problem. Ag Secretary Bill Northey said a state apiarist will be added to the
payroll next month to assist beekeepers.
The state's role is more promotion of the industry than disease research, he said.
It is too soon to judge the economic impact of the disorder statewide, Northey
said, though it could be significant.
"There's certainly interest in Iowa to help the industry," he said. "We're looking at
ways to grow."
Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.