April 2015

This one is a bit urgent. Deadline 22nd December to sign, Please USA, sign this. I have. Thank you. Friends of the Earth U.S. : Tell the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: suspend neonics now! We only have until December 22nd to comment and tell the EPA to protect bees, not chemical companies’ profits, and suspend…

I wrote to the EU yesterday reiterating my concerns about the diminishing health of honeybees due to the ongoing use of neonicotinoud insecticides. Here is their response. It is a small step but certainly not sufficient… We must continue to voice our concerns. The major industry players will certainly continue to make sure their position…

This link is an excellent introduction to your knowledge of bees and beekeeping 2016 Bee Symposium: Keeping Bees Healthy | University of California, Davis campus This educational program is designed for beekeepers of all experience levels, including gardeners, farmers and anyone interested in the world of pollination and bees. In addition to our speakers there…

Another little blessing from the honey bee http://news.sciencemag.org/plants-animals/2013/12/better-berry-thanks-bees There is a Facebook page worth looking at called Beyond Pesticides https://www.facebook.com/beyondpesticides One of its posts is the following which those of you in the States who are concerned for your bees might want to sign. In Europe, we have begun our two-year trial ban on Neonicotinoids.

http://qz.com/107970/scientists-discover-whats-killing-the-bees-and-its-worse-than-you-thought/ Here is a little about the Bumble bee rather than honeybees. Equally fascinating and equally necessary http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/lifecycle/ http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0070182 Isabella Rossellini has a crazy series of films called Green Porno. The films relate the mating habits and rituals of various bugs and beasties Here is Isabella’s take on BEES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUsm2N0f6GE

It seems that slowly, slowly governments are waking up to the dangers of the neonicotinoid pesticides. Let us hope they do not drag their feet for much longer. How many bees have you seen this spring? We have far fewer feeding at the farm. In spite of a tremendous display of cherry blossom we have…