Hey Ya'll

Well, for those of us allergic, we might think "Cool, less buzzing,
less chances of getting stung!"
but
Without our honeybees, we could end up with a produce shortage AS
the 'least' of our problems!

I've been following this story since I first heard it on the news a
few weeks ago. This morning another news station had a similar story,
below are both stories:

Mystery Illness Killing U.S. Honeybees by the Thousands
— A mysterious illness is killing tens of thousands of honeybee
colonies across the country, threatening honey production, the
livelihood of beekeepers and possibly crops that need bees for
pollination.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251365,00.html

The Case Of The Vanishing Bees
Beekeepers In 22 States Report Insects Disappearing In Huge Numbers,
But They're Not Sure Why
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/eveningnews/main2471672.shtm
l

***
So could this just be a fluke? Could it be caused by man's global
warming?, nature's global warming? pesticides?, imported produce
carrying a non-native critter like our fireants? Could africanized
bees be carriers of some new disease? Just a bad year? After effects
of all those hurricanes in 2005?
...Things that make you go...hmm.
***

I do remember noticing the lack of honeybees several years ago, and
found out later that their population was down due to some kind of
mite.
The past few weeks, during nice sunny afternoons, there should have
been honeybees out and about...and I have not seen any.


Whatever is causing this, we will need our wasps, hornets and yellow
jackets and other pollinators even more...or could they also be
doomed?

Oh my, how am I gonna stop 'wanting' to kill these dudes, when they
buzz to close to me. Say to them "hey, nice seeing you", while I
cringe inside?
Yep!

It has been a warm winter, wildflowers are popping up everywhere, I
have carpets of white clover growing like crazy and should be
blooming soon, I hope and pray I will see honeybees out and
about...but I am already missing them.

Hope ya'll have a nice spring!
Stay safe and bee careful
:)
Robin
down in Louisiana