Dear New England neighbours-

Have any of you, *any* of you who know the difference between a bumble
bee (apis bombyx) and a honey bee (apis millifera) seen any honey bees
this year? I have seen precisely one honey bee this year. One. The
clover field in my back yard should have fed thousands, thousands. We
live in the age of CCD, Colony Collapse Disorder. It doesn't affect
bumble bees, but it is lethal to honey bees. The newest theory (and
there have been dozens, everything from pesticides to cell tower
radiation) cites the combination of two pathogens that together are too
much for the honey bees to combat. I certainly have no idea. But I have
noticed the complete absence of honey bees in my yard and garden. Last
year was bad. This year was...annihilation. As a former beekeeper and
current gardener and someone who simply enjoys eating *food*, the
absence makes my blood run cold. Many people plain hate bees, but honey
bees are pollinators of a multitude of crops. If you are curious, here
is a list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crop_plants_pollinated_by_bees

And here is a honey bee:
http://www.insectidentification.org/imgs/insects/honey-bee.jpg

Here is a bumble bee:
<http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bctR_X5-7Is/SL7Q_izAf9I/AAAAAAAAADU/JpHfC-xhUpo/s320/bumblebee.jpg>

Bumble bees are the really big ones with fur. They are actually so
docile that you can pet them. Not recommended with a honey bee. Please
contact me off list.

Thank you,
Alexandra in MA

[Posted in FML 6784]