permaculture

[Keith Morris <earthsurfing@yahoo.com>]

Hello,

Thanks, Darren for sharing an Aussie perspective.  I appreciate hearing more 
about APT, that type of diversification of 'the experience' and the potential 
to inform mainstream environmental education with "participatory ecology" (as 
I call it) sounds promising, and hopefully can influence the very disparate 
efforts to do youth PC education here in North America (and Hawaii).  
And thanks Steve, for insight to the French system.  It has me realize 
(again) the tremendous value of our network and this list-serve.  

Anyone from Britain or the UK care to share details of your certification 
organization?  Kiwis?  Any other countries well-organized out there?

Steve, one thing about here in the states, there hasn't been any functional 
'Diploma' organization at all.  The few designers with Diplomas I know have 
them from the British Institution.  I know there may be some people working 
on a different system..  maybe we can here from them?

Thanks again, everyone.

In Spring,
Keith


Keith Morris
  Prospect Rock Permaculture
  earthsurfing@yahoo.com
  (802) 734.1129
  PO Box 426 
  Jeffersonville, VT 05464
   
  "If we do not do the impossible, we shall be faced with the unthinkable."
  -Murray Bookchin (1921-2006)

       
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] 1.1 Million Bee Colonies Dead This Year .
Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 18:36:34 -0400
From: jcummins <jcummins@UWO.CA>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

The Bee Keeper
Kim Flottum
5.3.2008 4:10PM
1.1 Million Bee Colonies Dead This Year ...
Analysis: What We've Learned to Date About Colony Collapse Disorder
The information provided here was generated by a survey conducted by the
Apiary Inspectors of America. They took the survey in January and
February this year, and in the process, gathered information from 18% of
the colonies in the U.S.

The survey found that about 35% of all the colonies in the U.S. died
last winter. Of those that died, 71% died of natural causes, 29% from
symptoms that are suspect colony collapse disorder. Doing the math that
comes to at least 10% of all the bees in the U.S. last year died of
Colony Collapse Disorder. I believe that is a significant number of
colonies.

Unfortunately, the survey had to be conducted early on to get numbers to
congress and the surveyers weren’t able to count the bees still under
snow banks in the north. Now that the snow has mostly melted, the losses
there have been found to be staggering, but it’s not known yet what
proportion, if any, died of CCD. In any event, the losses now are
estimated, by my survey this week anyway, to be, instead of 35%, closer
to 44% of all the U.S. bees died last winter. Again, doing the math,
that comes to 1.1 million colonies, just shy of what’s needed for almond
pollination next spring. Hmmmm....

This survey, conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) in
collaboration with the USDA-ARS Beltsville Bee Lab was done to not only
count dead beehives, but to help determine the distribution of various
bee parasites and pathogens. Preliminary results from this survey reveal:

Nosema (a gastrointestinal disease) levels tended to be higher in
colonies collected from CCD-suspect apiaries

Average varroa mite-infestation levels over all sampled colonies were
approaching critical levels (9.5 mites/100 bees), but levels did not
differ between colonies in CCD-suspect and non-CCD suspect apiaries.

Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) was found in 9 of the 11 states
sampled, and in 47% of all sampled colonies.

The last of these finding begs the question, "What should beekeepers do
who are or suspect their colonies are infected with IAPV?" To answer
this question a review of both published and the most current data from
multiple research efforts is in order.

What do we know about IAPV as of May, 2008?
What is IAPV's linkage to CCD?

As published in September 2007 (Cox-Foster et al, Science, 2007)
Among pathogens, IAPV is the most consistent indicator of CCD
Kasmir Bee Virus (KBV), Nosema apis, and Nosema ceranae are also
indicators of CCD
Additional "stress" factors may be needed to activate IAPV
No cause and effect between IAPV and CCD was demonstrated
How many strains of IAPV exist in the US?

At least two strains, or "families", of IAPV are present in the United
States (Journal of Virology, in Press)
One lineage is most prevalent in apiaries from the eastern and
northwestern U.S. and probably was present before importation of
Australian bees into the US in 2005.
The second strain is more frequent in sampled colonies from the western
U.S. This strain matches more closely to several isolates sequenced to
date from Australian package bees.
The strain of IAPV found in Israel that defined this newly described
species, is distinct from those in the US and Australia.
Extensive variation in the genetic sequence of the virus suggests that
the virus is rapidly changing in the U.S. or has been present as
multiple lineages for some time.
What happens to IAPV infected colonies?

On-going research in Israel and the U.S. supports the assertion that
IAPV can impact adult bee health and result in rapid mortality of
infected bees.
Not all colonies with IAPV are in poor health
Some colonies that have IAPV can "clear" their infection to below
detectable levels over time; this is perhaps due to resistance in these
colonies to either varroa and/or viruses
How can IAPV be transmitted?

IAPV can move from uninfected to infected colonies within an apiary
While not demonstrated for IAPV, other bee viruses (DWV, SBV, BQCV) can
be brought to colonies on forger pollen loads, suggesting an outside
reservoir for some bee viruses (Singh, et al, poster at Eastern Branch
ESA, 2008, from PSU)
IAPV has been detected in non-apis bees in the vicinity of IAPV positive
colonies in 2007. (Singh, et al, poster at Eastern Branch ESA, 2008,
from PSU)
How widespread is IAPV in the US?

As of Fall, 2007, IAPV was found in at least 19 states; and thus, the
virus is widespread.
IAPV has been present in the US since at least 2002 (Chen and Evans, 2007).
IAPV seemed to have a more limited distribution in 2004 than at present
(Cox-Foster et al 2007).
Considering all these factors, undue concern over IAPV detection is not
warranted. While IAPV's role in colony losses remains a priority in
ongoing research, we do know that high levels of other common bee
viruses, such as KBV, DWV, and ABPV, have also been linked with certain
incidences of high colony mortality or decline in worker numbers. We
also know that nearly all bee colonies are infected with at least one
type of virus and that all these viruses are potentially pathogenic.