The cheeky title notwithstanding we are honored to participate in a new endeavor with the folks at Backyardhive.com. We suggest clicking the link to their site to learn more but will happily paraphrase below:
We are all hopefully somewhat familiar with the importance of bees relative to our society. In simplest terms, no bees, no pollination, no life. The media does a fairly inadequate job in explaining these linear correlations and follows suit when informing us of an increasing prevalence of colony collapse disorder (CCD). The first assumption is that pervasive use of pesticides, which are toxic to bees, is the culprit and in many ways that has been the case. However, following a spate of awareness and hive relocation the problem persists and seems to be prevalent following winter months.
We’ve no interest in offending anyone but most folks with a brain appreciate climate change is a real thing. Corwin Bell, a researcher, educator and bee guardian has put two and two together and come up with a solution. As CCD levels continued Corwin was not only perplexed but hell bent on finding an answer. The solution was in the log books of a nearby weather station.
Temperature swings in a confined period (eg <24hrs) are on the rise. These violent moves (>40F) are hugely destructive to bee populations.
What is the solution? Insulate their hives, minimize the effects of extreme and sudden temperature movement – an increasing annual figure, and maintain the health of an all too vital element of the food chain.
As a proud collaborator please join us in saluting the efforts of BachYardHive. And by all means give them a call to learn how you can get involved; noting that keeping bees is not nearly the effort that some may assume. We did!
