Page 1 of 1

Transporting bees

PostPosted:19 Apr 2019, 08:44
by AdamD
From the ABJ (Americal Bee Journal)

"Cold temperatures inside honey bee colonies may cause colony losses during and after long-distance hauling, according to a preliminary study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists.

Every year almost 2 million honey bee colonies—nearly two-thirds of the managed colonies in the United States—are loaded aboard semi-trailers and shipped across the country multiple times to pollinate crops like California almonds.

But within days of arrival, some of these colonies will have few if any honey bees left to visit almond flowers, to provide essential pollination services to California’s 1.3 million acres of almond orchards".

Link here:
https://mailchi.mp/dadant.com/april-18-2019-weak-honey-bee-colonies-may-fail-from-cold-exposure-during-shipping?e=f1b1c039b6

What a wonderful way to stress bees and transfer disease!

Re: Transporting bees

PostPosted:19 Apr 2019, 14:31
by Chrisbarlow
You can see why some Americans beekeepers have issues. The figures involved are immense.