2017 Bee Report - Family Plot

David Glover, The Bartlett Bee Whisperer, talks about the latest science about bees. The official numbers for the past year show that in the state of Tennessee, beekeepers lost about half their bees. David says this number looks scary but you need to look beyond the number to where the number came from. In Tennessee only 60 beekeepers reported their losses. The thousands of other beekeepers did not report numbers either way. So the losses are probably less than was reported, possible much less. In the United States, we are at an all-time high of number of colonies. The largest number of bee losses happen with migratory beekeepers. They move their bee hives around the country over the course of the year. Their bees come in contact with many other colonies that are also moving around and can pass diseases or other problems back and forth.
The USDA says that the number one killer of bees is the varroa mite. In addition to the damage the mite does on its own, varroa is the vector for many bee diseases. The number two reason colonies die is starvation. Pesticides do not make the top ten on the list.
A month ago, there was a study from Europe about neonicotinoids and bees. The study was conducted in Germany, Hungary and the UK. It found that neonicotinoids harmed bees but David points out several problems with the study and other factors that could have causes hive loss.
for more on bees and beneficial bugs Watch these videos:
Basic Beekeeping: • Video
Bee Report 2016: • 2016 Bee Report - Fami...
Beneficial Bugs: • Video
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[@shaneashford3889]

So serious question. I just bought a abandoned backhoe and its is chilly outside so when I went to get the backhoe I didn't see any signs of bees but when I got it home the next day we had a warm spell and I noticed there was a massive swarm all over the middle arm of the back of the backhoe. This arm is completely closed In except for o e hole about the size of a coke can layed down. How would you remove a nest in that situation. Im not going to cut the metal arm and jeopardize the structural integrity of the arm. And if im correct, I'd guess the arm is 3/4 full and the arm is 8-10 feet long and the smallest end towards the bucket is probably 10 inches square and tapers up to over 16 inches square. Solid steel

[@FamilyPlotGarden]

I would call a local bee keeper and see what he says. Google should help you find one. There are a few options but having a professional look at the situation will give you the best information.