Where have all the bees gone?  Lately, honeybees have been dying or simply vanishing from hives nationwide.  Researchers don’t know the exact cause, but have named the phenomenon “colony collapse disorder,” or CCD. Researchers believe the culprit may be some sort of virus, or may be the result of parasites or pesticides. Whatever the cause, central valley farmers are becoming concerned, even going so far as to rent mobile hives in order to pollinate their crops.

Honeybees, which are not native to the United States, are used to pollinate many types of crops, mainly almonds in California, but also melons, apples, peaches, and other produce. Although the central valley is feeling the impact, local beekeepers aren’t worried. Sean Kritelich, owner of Paloma Pollinators here in Amador County, says this nationwide panic hasn’t affected our local economy – in fact, it’s thriving. According to Kritelich, Amador County has not experienced a decline in bee population, and explains that there are many other types of pollinating insects, including bumble bees, wasps, and deer flies, to name a few. 

These other insects need certain wooded areas and plants to survive, of which Amador County has in abundance. Kritelich says the reason other areas need to use honey bees for pollination is that the natural habitat has been removed to make way for more farm land, thereby effectively wiping out other pollinating insects that could have done the job. He blames current commercial agriculture, saying the reason the United States is dependent on honeybees is due to the “insane way agriculture is carried out in this country.” Judy Peet, of Peet’s Apiaries, a Calaveras County bee farm, says they have experienced a small loss in their bee colonies, or hives, but that loss has not affected their business. Peet indicated that perhaps because of their isolated location, their bees weren’t affected by CCD.