Beekeepers fear sting of imported Australian hives

[Adsos Letter]

Source: AP/TBO

By GARANCE BURKE
Associated Press Writer

ATWATER, Calif. (AP) -- Beekeepers who are battling a mysterious ailment that led to the disappearance of millions of honeybees now fear the sting of imported Australian bees that they worry could outcompete their hives and might carry a deadly parasite unseen in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed shipments of Australian bees to resume despite concerns by some of its own scientists.

Australia had been airfreighting the insects across the Pacific for four years to replace hives devastated by the perplexing colony collapse disorder. But six weeks ago the Australian government abruptly stopped the shipments, saying it could no longer be certain the country was free of a smaller, aggressive bee that has infested areas near the Great Barrier Reef, U.S. officials said.

Early this month, the USDA decided to permit the bee shipments to resume with some precautions, and the first planeloads arrived in San Francisco last Monday.

Beekeeper Ken Haff of Mandan, N.D., says he fears the foreign hives could kill off his apiary.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DISAPPEARING_BEES?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[Ecumenist]

1. I went to highschool in Atwater. Foreign hives in Merced county?

That's all they need.

[Eurobabe]

2. Interesting clip here

Ironically from a website in Australia. About possible causes of CCD, and the consequences.

http://www.nuganics.com.au/2008/01/05/vanishing-of-the-bees-colony-collapse-disorder/

[Adsos Letter]

3. Hey! It's 12:30 a.m. ....

shouldn't you be in bed?

Your bird picture keeps cracking me up...they have an amazing presence about them. Man I wish I could read minds...much more fun to speculate, though.

Given the context you supplied, they are all probably simply thinking "cat"...

[SpiralHawk]

4. Ya have to wonder whether the genetically mutant corporate crops are...

a Big Stinking Factor in the TERMINATION of the Bees and other pollinators...

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. Great! Kudzu worked out really well

when it was imported. Who knows what will happen with this move??