Experts Come to Delaware to Address Bee Crisis

[Bennettoid]

NEWARK, Del.- Bee experts from across the nation are gathering in Delaware this week to figure out why honeybees continue to die off.

The Eastern Apicultural Society is holding its annual conference this week, and Colony Collapse Disease, what experts say is killing off the bees, is expected to be a hot topic.

Experts said last fall the bees began to mysteriously die. Some beekeepers lost 90 percent of their beehives.

According to beekeeper Bob Wellemeyer, "Most of them were still dead. Bees had disappeared, bees were gone...but basically no bees in the hive."

Officials said bees are not dying as fast as they were last year, but experts said this fall will be a critical time for them.

Maryann Frazier, an expert on bees from Pennsylvania State University said, "The food we depend on bees to pollinate are in jeopardy because we have no alternatives for pollination."

Experts said the bees might be dying because of diseases brought to the U.S. from other countries, or because of stress placed on the bees by being moved from farm to farm.

Experts have no definitive answers, but researchers are working to fix the problem.

"Now starts the CSI phase of this scientific investigation where we are going to be looking at many different hypothesis," said David Tarpy, another bee expert from North Carolina State University.

Because of the shortage of bees, local farmers said they are now paying more for beehives.

"We're paying a little more for each hive so it takes a little more money out of my pocket book," said Middletown farmer Cindy Filasky.

Cindy Filasky and her family have farmed in Middletown for a quarter century, and she said until now, her family had never had any problems with honeybees.

"We are very worried about the bees. We love the bees. They serve a purpose and help us out," Filasky said.

And as farmers pay more to pollinate their fruits and vegetables, consumers may also feel the pain as they head down the produce aisle.

According to Frazier, "Some of these crops could be in short supply. Some of them could be very expensive if they are present, or they could not be present because they don't have the bees to pollinate."

For now, both farmers and beekeepers alike say they hope something can be done to keep these bees buzzing around, and keep the price of produce in check.

http://wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6899147