# Good news!



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

It doesn't seem to be getting picked up by many media outlets but here are a couple of recently released nationwide statistical surveys that reveal these interesting facts. 

Bee losses are trending lower!
http://beeinformed.org/2014/05/colony-loss-2013-2014/

Colony numbers are trending higher!
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Todays_Reports/reports/hony0314.pdf


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

That IS good news, especially considering the rough winter we had!



Rusty


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Interesting. I thought this past winter was supposed to have been some sort of apocalyptic type problem. 

Jim don't let facts get in the way of a good argument! Remember: The sky is falling, neonics are killing all the bees, if your/my bees didn't die we don't have to deal with neonics.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Thanks for posting Jim, being old fashioned i always like to hear good news.

Couple comments, I try not to be a cynic. But. -

I never really believed the spin being put on those apocalyptic headlines from the past few years. There would always be some story of some "well respected" beekeeper who had lost maybe 75% of his hives and was totally mystified as to the cause, and this was always seized on by inexperienced beekeepers as evidence that something mysterious was afoot, beekeepers with good results were media ignored. The reasoning went, even XXX commercial beekeeper who has been in business XX years has lost most of his hives, wow, something really bad is happening. But this never tallied with guys here on Beesource practising good common sense beekeeping and doing way better, kinda been wondering. Some of these events coincided with Taktic being withdrawn from the market and guys got caught. Are they going to admit that? Course not, when asked they don't know what killed their bees. This year that stuff has been sorted people got their act together, back to business as usual controlling mites whatever which way, record small losses.

just a theory.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Bad news is so much easier to believe and sell. This will get no traction though (and because) it's great news.


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## tabby (Jul 11, 2012)

Our local NBC news channel had a story about the bumper crop of bee swarms this year. Apparently the spring weather was perfect for the bees and there were so many swarms the swarm catchers couldn't answer all the calls. The news story also had instructions for folks to call the local swarm hotline and NOT to poison the bees.


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## melliferal (Aug 30, 2010)

I try not to get too excited about _any_ news, good or bad. But, this particular news makes me very happy indeed.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Six replies so far?

Bees in decline everyone has theories and questions.

Hive numbers growing, losses down, not so much interest.

Which question should beekeepers focus on?

Why are some hives dying?
Or
Why are some hives thriving?

How much honey does a hive that isn't dying produce?


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Bad news sells and is easier to believe for most people. Certain groups and their agendas can be furthered with bee related bad news reports (anti-neonic/big-Ag/Anti-corporate folks in particular). Good news, doesn't offer that same opportunity. They move on to reports that offer greener pastures for their beliefs.


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## CessnaGirl (Jan 7, 2014)

We have bees coming out of our ears practically here in South Florida. Just caught another swarm (#5 this year in my own backyard) this morning without trying and they are not my bees. I have never purchased bees except for a queen. Didn't catch squat last year. Had one cut out abscond last year but no hives of mine have died out. Believe me, I am knocking on wood. I have moved 3 hives to 2 other properties to hedge my bets (other people's backyards). I have given away 2 hives to new beeks (alive so far). I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. I just hope it doesn't.....BTW, they are not hot. I have one that's a bit runny but only at night if you bump them. Nobody is crazy defensive......yet.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

D Coates said:


> Bad news sells and is easier to believe for most people. Certain groups and their agendas can be furthered with bee related bad news reports (anti-neonic/big-Ag/Anti-corporate folks in particular). Good news, doesn't offer that same opportunity. They move on to reports that offer greener pastures for their beliefs.


One is naive to believe that there aren't lots of agendas on all sides of the argument of bee losses. I didn't post this to reignite arguments as much as simply to report facts that sometimes get ignored.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Fully Agreed. With that said, there's an undeniable reason this has not been picked up by major media outlets and this post has so few hits versus ones that highlight honeybee bad news.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Actually there is one thing that would have got this story big headlines, and that would be if neonicitinoids had been banned in the US last year.

Can you imagine them neonics bashers strutting and crowing with their proof that it was neonics all the time. It would be all over the media everywhere.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Oldtimer, you know the US media better than many US folks. Any yes you're correct about the neonic bashers strutting and it being hyped everywhere if there would have been a ban enacted. It would also give other like minded groups the confidence to push for similar bans without any scientific proof or backing too. No longer would actions be scientifically evidence based, they'd be more based on public perception. Groups would spend their money on PR machines that would push even harder to adjust public perception instead of actually finding and acting on the scientifically supported truth.

Sounds merely awful until you're on the whipping end of that stick. Then it's terrifying.

On a side note, I was in Auckland NZ in August '13 for 3 days on business. Beautiful country, great people and had a wonderful time. I look forward to coming back. I was amazed at what pure Manuka honey sold for there.


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## melliferal (Aug 30, 2010)

Controversy draws eyeballs. Science - real science - usually closes them. Unless it creates controversy, of course.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

melliferal said:


> Controversy draws eyeballs. Science - real science - usually closes them. Unless it creates controversy, of course.


Ha ha, that's clever I will have to quote that sometime. 



D Coates said:


> Oldtimer, you know the US media better than many US folks.


Well it's exactly the same here, the media can be very shallow, people are the same everywhere.



D Coates said:


> On a side note, I was in Auckland NZ in August '13 for 3 days on business. Beautiful country, great people and had a wonderful time. I look forward to coming back. I was amazed at what pure Manuka honey sold for there.


Thanks for the kind words about my country. 

Yes Manuka honey is an interesting phenomena. Since the natural antibiotic properties of it have been discovered it has gained a status in countries like China as a health food and they pay huge money for it, China is a country where they pay for bear bile, tiger bones, etc, and Manuka honey slots right into that mentality, luckily, with honey, no endangered animals get hurt. Chinese business people will give it as a gift to a business associate, or it's a special gift within families etc. So with huge money being paid for it overseas, beekeepers will not sell it here unless they get similar returns. This has caused a ripple effect, most of our honey is exported and all NZ honey is now being highly valued, in fact average honey prices are double what they were only 4 years ago. Beekeepers who used to be struggling are now rich, it's a great time to be in the industry. I don't sell honey but am getting excellent prices for my bees, sometimes wonder how long the gold rush will last though.


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## melliferal (Aug 30, 2010)

Here's a nice article with some balance.


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