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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Worst Honey Crop onRecord

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  • From: "Kieran &/or Donna" <holycow@frontiernet.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Worst Honey Crop onRecord
  • Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:21:06 -0500

I can believe this. When it rains a lot it dilutes the nectar, (which makes it easier for fireblight to infect blossoms) and then not only do the bees have to do more fanning to evaporate the water and concentrate the stuff, but the humidity was chronically high all summer. Trying to dry laundry outside, or even inside hanging in an open shed, was nearly impossible. I remember one summer when it was really rainy up north, some beekeeper said the rain was beating the pollen off the flowers so the bees were suffering from protein deficiency. Plus he said that pollution from China was falling down with the rain as well. The latter might have been controversial 6-7 years ago, but I don't think it is anymore. Next spring we may be more dependent than ever on those little solitary bees that slept through most of the mess. I had very poor apple set because it rained so much during apple bloom. My trees are small and the few that bloomed are far apart, but they did bloom as they weren't part of last year's massive overcropping. Donna




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