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  • From: Marty Hanks <marty AT justbeenc.com>
  • To: Walter Starks <walterstarks AT icloud.com>
  • Cc: Orange County Beekeepers Association <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Required reading
  • Date: Mon, 23 May 2016 11:50:20 -0400

Thanks Walter for sharing. 

I think what is missing from this paper is the correct distinction that the main driver it seems is "beekeepers" and NOT urban settings over rural. That is a huge oversight or misread of the data i feel. The urban hives are there because that is where all the NEW beekeepers live. 

I read this and see validity in the knowledge that over manipulation & mishandling of colonies by well intended beekeepers are the sole driver for this increase on stress & pathogens. Knowing stresses on hives increase susceptibility to viruses & disease id of like to seen that acknowledged. Knowing those feral colonies were left alone & not "managed" they were stronger. Manipulated colonies can also breed pathogen through swapping out equipment. Also all of us keepers make mistakes with bees as we learn the craft...and there is the difference in the 2 sites.

At Just Bee we have both urban & rural sites and all are "kept" under same "style" of beekeeping. Our urban sites always do better and have a slight higher survivor rate. We are a more hands off philosophy driven farm so that may explain it. 7 different settings to compare and all are 10% or more under the national average in yearly bee colony loss. 

I feel there maybe a missing part of this study that points the summary in the wrong direction. Not sure why/how its overlooked but feral colonies do not have keepers, but 100% of urban hives do. 

I feel they should do a follow up study to remove this variable. 

Just my 13 cents worth

Marty

Sent from my iPhone

On May 23, 2016, at 10:10 AM, Walter Starks <walterstarks AT icloud.com> wrote:

Required reading (or at least it should be). A study by Dr. Tarpy et al showing how the current beekeeping fad is actually harming your bees and the species as a whole.
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0142031

______

Walter


You never can tell with bees. ~ Winnie-the-Pooh
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