Kitchen Garden Forum

I saw an interesting letter recently in the Country Smallholder regarding the reduced population of Bees it was written by a bee keeper.

I have seen Newspaper, TV and Radio reports on the subject that attributes the reduction of the Bee population to the Varroa mite

This letter writer points to an extensively used seed preparation treatment for oil seed rape, sugar beet against insect attacks. He/she goes on to say that the vital functions of the bees are affected severely by sub-levels of Imidaclopridor (Isn’t this the same chemical that has caused all the manure problems this year?) when they harvest the contaminated pollen. Apparently the use of these chemicals have been suspended throughout France but NOT in the UK.

Maybe JohnBoy, with his extensive agricultural background could fill in a few more details.... for example are the boffins looking in the wrong place?

Dear Weed, the herbicide that was causing the problems in the manure was, Aminopyralid.

I was wondering if the reduction in Bees was the same all over Europe?

according to the mole valley farmers november newsletter the eu has started the process of banning the majority of the pesticides used in agriculture, due to take effect in 2011, mvf is taking the line that this is due to the number of green party polititians in the eu parliament and is a case of idealism overriding common sense and will result in the halving of cereal yields, the doubling of potatoe prices etc.... we can only wait and see what developes

I had heard of the possible involvement of pesticides in connection with the reduction in bee numbers. I know that this is usually put down to varroa mite, which appears to be widespread now in Europe.
There is some information on imidacloprid HERE
A quick google will throw up lots more.
If this is a factor in bee decline it is perhaps a candidate for banning. The loss of bees would have a far more catastrophic effect on crop yields than the banning of a pesticide.

On Sunday morning I was talking to a local Bee Keeper and he reports that he has had a very good year but with one hive out of his four not doing very well at all. He has taken around 300lbs of honey and this year he will have some for sale whereas he has not had any for sale for the previous 3 seasons. The strange thing is that he puts his increases down to the large amount of Oil Seed Rape grown in this area. Now I have no doubts that somewhere along the line that pesticides have played a part in the demise of bee populations but not to the extent as is being suggested. I think there are a variety of different causes that means that the issue is clouded. I certainly think that DEFRA are not playing the part that they should be and certainly research should be funded as a matter of extreme urgency but it would appear that DEFRA have turn their usual deaf ear to the beekeepers.
It seems that at present we have a totally toothless PSD and DEFRA want a squib strategically place before they will act on anything.
JB.

Hi Richard,
Mole Valley Farmers have certainly hit the nail on the head. If the EU propose legislation goes through it will mean that food prices will increase massively. In order to have the same amount of potatoes growers are going to have to use up to 50% more land and with wheat possible 100% more land.
It is going to turn European growers not only farmers but the horticultural trades on their heads.
Growers of turf will have to supply turf full of weeds and the bedding plants will be so expensive that sales will suffer terribly. This is not a very clever move by the EU but it has yet to be finally voted on by the full parliament but alas it has every chance of becoming law. Brassica growers say that quite frankly they are ready to throw the towel in and grow something else. Things like cauliflower would be almost impossible to grow commercially.
I heard a farmer who will be organic as from next season say that his yield of wheat will go down from 3 tons plus to the acre to about 1.4 tons to the acre. A large tract of his ground is now so weedy since he has been in intervention that he will no longer be able to use it for arable crops and this is due to wild oats which he will cut and either make hay or ensile it. To me this is utter madness.
JB.