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In North America bees are mostly an agricultural tool. Honeybees are the only reliable way to polinate large numbers of crops effectively. Bees will be trucked
by bgorman 9y ago
In North America bees are mostly an agricultural tool. Honeybees are the only reliable way to polinate large numbers of crops effectively. Bees will be trucked around all over the country for an entire growing season - always heading where pollinating is needed. The threat isn't so much with our bees as it is with our ability to continue industrial agriculture.
- mistrial9 9y agoPlease understand that this shipping of bees, by truck, as pollinators is NEW, is and always has been CONTROVERSIAL. Industrial agriculture is rife with blunders on huge scale. (supporting references on request)
- bgorman 9y agoMy main source for this is my dad, who was a beekeeper in the 70's. It can't be that new of a practice.
- tptacek 9y agoCommercial beekepers lose hives over the winter --- always have. "Colony collapse disorder" is defined as an increase in the rate at which they lose colonies. Either way, the commercial response is the same: you buy new queens and split colonies. Has the price of new queens skyrocketed? Is there reason to believe livestock management techniques won't adapt?
- DFHippie 9y agoI was a beekeeper in North America. I've given up. Buying new nucs for your hives is expensive.