On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:25:06 -0700 (PDT), Derek wrote: >Apparently the bees are vanishing. Has anyone out >there noticed any difference in their paddlings? I could write volumes on my experiences as a backyard beekeeper here in southern Vermont , the same backyard in which I have a small pond in which I practice my kayak rolling skills (just to keep this germaine). It's been about 5 years since I have had a hive winter over successfully and it's due mainly to the increase in the varroa mite http://snipurl.com/1edzo , a nasty parasite that has become pesticide-resistant. However, last summer I had a yearling black bear infesting my hives which, while entertaining, was nevertheless just as devastating as the mites. He (or she) totally ignored the three layer electric frence system on several occasions and waving my greenland paddle didn't have much effect either. This year I'm taking a break from apiculture and hoping that some of the efforts to breed mite-resistant queens will work. I'm less sanguine about the possibilities for a bear that doesn't like bees. --allan *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Mar 29 2007 - 19:14:59 PDT
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