Old-time beekeepers , now in their sixties and seventies , who practiced beekeeping in the late 70s and early 80s , sit around the table in amazement and despair and ask the question , “ What has happened to our bees ? Once we used to obtain an average of 30 kg of honey annually per hive , and now only receive 10 to 14 kg per hive . Those swarms were strong and very aggressive , but not our swarms of today .” Throughout the country where beekeepers operate there are reports of the decline of bee populations . Gardeners report the lack of bees about their gardens when in previous years bees were always seen about the flowers , but not these days . Farmers lack bees just to pollinate their veg gardens and beekeepers have to replace 20 % of their swarms annually to maintain their numbers to perform their annual pollination contracts . Fruit , nut and seed producing farmers in America , Japan and other countries are having to hand- pollinate their trees to obtain crops and will we in this country also one day be faced with these problems ? However despite the decline we are experiencing , we still have bees , therefore let ' s take care of them . The first question we ask is , “ How come we do not see those swarms of moths at night about the lights and those many butterflies during the day ? Is there something in the polluted air that is killing these moths at night and our butterflies and bees during the day ?” The second question , “ Do all insecticide sprays contain an ingredient that penetrates the systemic structure of plants ?” Moths and butterflies lay eggs on plants , worms hatch , the larva feed on the plants , bees gather the poisoned pollen which they feed to their young , both results being , no more bees , moths and butterflies . Secondly while on the insecticide subject , is there an ingredient in the insecticide composition that the farmers
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spray that causes the bees to become disorientated and are not able to return to their hives ? This is called Colony Collapse Disorder , or CCD . Of course the insecticide manufacturers deny this possibility and say CCD is due
BEEKEEPING
Factors & practices that weaken your hives
Another in our series of articles on apiculture by veteran beekeeper Peter Clark , chairman of the Eastern Highveld Beekeepers Association
Continued on page 15