No IPM, no bees

Californian beekeepers are reported to be suffering heavy colony losses because of varroa resistant to their two main anti-varroa treatments -- Apistan and Checkmite+. And the almond harvest which faced such problems this year, looks set to be much worse next year.

“This season, the infestation built up before anybody even could recognize it and it was too late for a lot of guys. Some of the beekeepers that I know are 50 percent to two-thirds wiped out,” said Galt beekeeper Guy Rutter, a member of the California Farm Bureau Federation bee commodity advisory committee. “In our case, other than normal loss during the season, we are in OK shape. Until we get through the cold weather and into January we are not going to really know our losses for sure. It is going to wreak havoc with almond pollination as far as pricing and will even reflect into the other crops like cherries, plums, apples and the summer pollination crops.”

It seems that they have misused treatments by not alternating them in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme and are now paying the price.