- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The case of the missing workers has frustrated investigators for years. There are no dead bodies and few clues; a "disease" is suspected, but can't be pinpointed. How can the culprit be foiled when there is no evidence of wrongdoing?
Entomologists all over the world are trying to figure out what, if anything, is going down in honey bee hives. The story has been widely publicized and made headlines again yesterday when the BBC News published an article and video focused on what has been called Colony Collaspe Disorder. The story notes that even that term is stirring controversy.
An Australian scientist...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Solitary, hard working leafcutter bees are being imported from Canada to help pollinate seed alfalfa, making the crop profitable in the San Joaquin Valley, according to an article published today in Western Farm Press.
“Economically, seed alfalfa cannot compete with other crops without the leafcutter bees,” the story quoted Bob Sheesley, an alfalfa breeder who is a former UC Cooperative Extenion farm advisor and county director. Working together with honeybees, leafcutters boost alfalfa seed yield 250 pounds to 300 pounds per acre, Sheesley said.
The story was written by Dennis Pollock, who is now doing freelance ag...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The headline, a play on the famous orchestral piece "The Flight of the Bumblebee," comes from the Web site tothecenter.com, which carried a rundown this week on the oft-publicized colony collapse disorder, a mysterious ailment that is severely curtailing the country's honey bee population.
The story appears as UC Davis news service distributes a news release about a new $125,000 contribution from Häagen-Dazs to help honey bees. Half of the money will be used to create a one-half acre Honey Bee Haven on the campus, the release says. Häagen-Dazs and UC Davis will determine how the...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Welcome to Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, which got its name from the popularity of online purchasing the first work day since the busy Christmas season began. According to Wikipedia, the prevalence of high-speed Internet in homes is diluting the shopping strength of Cyber Monday, so it may just become a day to honor the contributions of the Internet to American life.
Along those lines, I'll use Cyber Monday to bring you the latest cyber news coverage of UC ANR.
The Marin Independent Journal, reporting on the local olive harvest, quoted UCCE farm advisor Paul...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
California's approximately 6,000 almond growers are expected to harvest a record 1.5 billion pounds of the healthful tree nuts in 2008, according to a Bakersfield Californian article citing USDA statistics. It will be the third consecutive record crop.
The news comes even as almond farmers fret about colony collaspe disorder of bees and dwindling water supplies.
Reporter Jeff Nachtigal spoke to UC Cooperative Extension entomology farm advisor David Haviland, who speculated on possible causes of CCD, including bacterial infection, viruses or man-made problems.
“The bottom line is no one knows what’s causing it,”...