Pollinator Update

A recent survey states that in the past year more than two out of five American honeybee colonies have died with most dying during the summer. The annual survey shows that since last April, beekeepers lost 42.1 percent of their colonies, the second highest loss rate in nine years. What's the cause? The report says a combination of mites, poor nutrition and pesticides are to blame for the bee deaths. But there is good news on several fronts. Beekeepers tend to split hives as one dies off and that allows for more new bees. A number of organizations are working to create bee-friendly zones with plants and flowers that help support the bees. In addition there are other pollinators that have been seeing upswings in numbers like butterflies. Butterflies are important pollinators that also serve an aesthetic purpose as well. A recent Washington State University study found that vineyards that create nearby natural habitats have three times the number of butterfly species and four times more butterflies than conventional vineyards. Those habitats would also help support bee populations as well. The 2015 fruit crop is well underway and it does appear that pollinators have done their work. Research is continuing on the die off problem.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.