Imported Bees Not Source of Virus Associated with Colony Collapse Disorder
BELTSVILLE, Md., November 19, 2007 -- Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that the Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), a virus recently shown to be associated with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) of honey bees, has been in the United States since at least 2002, according to a note published in the American Bee Journal, December 2007.
Colony Collapse Disorder
In the fall of 2006, a loud, new buzz began among beekeepers in a number of countries when managed honey bee colonies began to disappear in large numbers without known reason. By February 2007, the syndrome, which is characterized by the disappearance of all adult honey bees in a hive while immature bees and honey remain, had been christened “colony collapse disorder” (CCD).
Because honey bees are critical for agricultural pollination—adding more than $15 billion in value to about 130 crops—especially high-value specialty crops like berries, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, the unexplained disappearance of so many managed colonies was not a matter to take lightly.
In general, honey bee colony health has been declining since the 1980s, with the introduction of new pathogens and pests. The spread into the United States of Varroa and tracheal mites, in particular, created major new stresses on honey bees. At the same time, the call for hives to supply pollination services has continued to climb. This means honey bee colonies are trucked farther and more often than ever before, which also stresses the bees.
No matter what combination of factors is found to be involved, there is no question that, with increasing demands and more complex problems, beekeepers are facing an uphill battle in the coming years.
Boxer Pushes To Protect Honey Bees
In addition to representing her 36 million human California constituents, Sen. Barbara Boxer wants to serve the nation's billions and billions of hardworking honeybees. U.S. populations of pollinating honeybees are mysteriously collapsing, and that could cause irreparable damage to crops worth billions of dollars a year across the nation. That in turn could mean higher food prices, and because all kinds of wildlife depend on pollinated plants for food, the decline of pollinators could spell trouble for other animals.
Virginia Webb, Director of the American Beekeeping Federation, attended the hearing sponsored by Senators Barbara Boxer, Robert Casey and Susan Collins on April 9, 2008 on Pollinators and Agricultural Security: An Update on Research, Conservation and Legislative Opportunities
Virginia Webb is a commercial beekeeper and queen breeder from Clarkesville, Georgia. She has been a member of the American Beekeeping Federation for over 20 years. Virginia is the past President of the Georgia Beekeepers Association. She is a former state winner in beekeeping in the Tennessee 4-H program and former Tennessee State Honey Queen. In 1993, Virginia was named Beekeeper of the Year, for Georgia. In 2002 Virginia was named North Georgia Farm Woman of the Year by the Georgia Farm Bureau. She has been keeping bees since 1964 and she teaches Beekeeping Classes to beekeepers throughout the South.
Virginia and her husband Carl Webb are active in many local, state and national beekeeping organizations. Virginia is a highly sought after speaker on beekeeping and agriculture trends for the future.
