BBKA members report increased winterlosses for 201112英文资料.pdfVIP

Press release 14 June 2012 BBKA members report increased winter-losses for 2011/12 BBKA publishes the results of its latest survey of members into the survival of honey bee colonies in England between October 2011 and March 2012 The results of the BBKA member survey of the 2011 to 2012 winter survival of honey bee colonies show an overall reduction in honey bee colony numbers for the period from 1 October 2011 to 1 April 2012 for England of 16.2%, up from 13.6% in 2010/11. The four previous years had shown an encouraging steady reduction in percentage colony losses from the high point of 30.5% in 2007/2008. 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 England 30.5% 18.7% 17.7% 13.6% 16.2% Regional variations were reported with greater colony losses than the previous year reported in Western, South East and Eastern regions whilst losses were reduced in the Northern, North East and South West regions. There is no single explanation for the continuing reduction in colony numbers over winter. However, in the survey beekeepers are asked about the factors they believe may have contributed to their colony losses. Amongst those mentioned in addition to known factors such as Varroa, viruses and Nosema infection this year were: • Queen related problems such as drone laying queens or queenlessness • Starvation through lack of food (available forage) or the bee clusters dying being unable to reach food reserves in the colony • Weather-related impacts such as cold spells affecting colony development and queen-mating, and increased wasp