The Buzz Newsletter

Page 8

Colony collapse disorder not a problem for beekeeper

Published Friday, July 6, 2007 1:03:30 PM Central Time
By ERIC HJERSTEDT SHARP
Globe Staff Writer

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP -- Beekeeper Amy Van Ooyen has been raising bees for about 33 years.

Although the recent colony collapse disorder hasn't really affected her hives, she does have her own ideas as to why it is an issue for beekeepers in the lower peninsula, southern Wisconsin and elsewhere around the country.

"It is a problem," Van Ooyen said. "But not really around here yet."

One of less than a handful of beekeepers in Gogebic County, Van Ooyen has gone from more than 50 hives to just five. She keeps one hive near her home in Ironwood Township, just off Lake Road on the way to Little Girl's Point.
She still finds it enjoyable, and has learned quite a bit about the art and science of beekeeping, having helped more than 10 people get a start in the honey business.

"I'm a hobbyist," she said. "When I had 50 hives, I was what they called a 'sideliner.' There are people around the country, that have between 3,000-8,000 hives, and rent them out to pollinate fields, and these people do it for a living."

These are the people with the colony collapse disorder problem, she said. Two types of mites can weaken the bees, requiring the hives to be medicated. Pesticides, severe winters, and improper management techniques all contribute to the issues which weaken the bees immune systems. Whether or not these factors -- or a combination of some or all of them -- contribute to the mysterious disappearance of bees is still not completely known.

Van Ooyen believes mites are the main reason for the disorder, particularly the varroa mite. She says some bee suppliers have started inserting a chemical strip with the packets of bees. This non-toxic strip guards against the mites, at least in this area, and seems to be keeping away the attacks of the mites, she said.

Cold weather does impact the bees in the U.P, and bee keepers often have to get a new swarm of bees to replace the ones that don't make it over the winter.
The mites attack the bees, then die and can be found on the bottom of the hive, she said. So far, only bees from Australian suppliers are free of the mites.

But scientists are not sure if is only the mites that cause the disorder. Van Ooyen said none of the beekeepers in Gogebic County have the thousands of hives that many do in the warmer climates, such as Georgia, Tennessee or California. Those beekeepers travel many miles with their hives, sometimes in semi-trucks, and rent the hives to farmers for pollination purposes.

Van Ooyen started the hobby several years after she and her late husband Claude moved to lower Michigan from Holland. She also remembers her father also kept bees when she was a little girl.

She anticipates the honey "flow" will begin next week, somewhat early this year. Then in September, with the fall flowers, another honey harvest takes place.

"The bees start making honey again in anticipation of the cold weather," Van Ooyen said. "They produce about 120 pounds of honey per hive. Downstate, they only produce about 70 pounds per hive."

The bees need about 100 pounds of their honey over the winter. She thinks the bees up here may be producing more because of the cold winters.
When she decided to reduce her number of hives, she sold the extra hives and bees to Lynn Austin of North Bessemer, whom she had introduced to bee keeping several years ago.

"He's done real well," she said. "The health food store and the grocery store in Ironwood both sell his honey on the shelf."

There is also a beekeeper in Bruce Crossing who has a large number of hives, and makes a living at it, she added. She also said he teaches other people how to keep bees and harvest honey.

"A lot of people start up, but very few continue on with it," Van Ooyen said. "You have to have a knack for it."

This article was originally published in the Daily Globe [Ironwood, MI] at http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0706bees.htm

www.ironwooddailyglobe.com
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