Bee-gone

Bee-gone Farmers are literally "bee sides" themselves wondering where all the bees have gone. When most of us see bees, we think honey. But to farmers see bees as valuable little workers who pollinate at least $15 billion dollars worth of crops each year. Typically fruit and nut farmers will pay $30 to $40 to place a hive in an orchard while letting the beekeeper retain the honey, but this year, due to bee shortages, competition is brewing because almond growers in California are paying keepers up to $100 a hive. Like the gold rush of the 1800's, other beekeepers are rushing to California to make good, leaving farmers in the east short of bees. Most bee deaths have been attributed to the Varroa mite who arrived in the 1980's and began feeding on wild honey bees. Researchers are scuttling to find new methods to rid the mites that have become resistant to insecticides. One keeper has even imported a queen from Russia who's meticulous grooming and housekeeping keeps mites and dirt out of the hive, That's a true queen bee. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought. Source: NYtimes.com 05/02/05