Arizona -- where varroa are toast in summer and beekeepers keep a low profile

Pollination of Arizona's cotton, seed, fruit and nut crops is now suffering from a lack of honey bees. Losses of 50% of colonies from varroa are reported as typical. But two interesting things have emerged in an article in the Tuscon Citizen.

Beekeepers aren't finding many varroa mites in the hot weather: “They are very crispy here because they don't have wax on them to keep them from drying up,” Diana Sammataro, a researcher, said. “If they fall off the brood, they are toast.”

But the pollination problems are being exacerbated because beekeepers are often criticized for having beehives anywhere near populated areas.

“There are very few hobbyists anymore,” [Jim Hawk, owner of Southwest Bee Supply] said. The number of colonies in Tucson has dropped from an estimated 3,000 hives 20 years ago to fewer than a dozen today.

“There are very few hobbyists anymore,” he said. The number of colonies in Tucson has dropped from an estimated 3,000 hives 20 years ago to fewer than a dozen today.

“It's not fun anymore to keep bees, especially with these mites,” Sammataro added. “Everyone wants to be inside doing computer stuff.”

Oh yeah?!