L.I. farmers wary over disappearing honeybees

If the puzzling, nationwide disappearance of honeybees continues, it could affect $100-million worth of crops on Long Island, according to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the Long Island Farm Bureau.

Their announcement yesterday came a week after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns said that the honeybee decline could cost the country up to $90 billion in agricultural losses.

Millions of honeybees have disappeared from 35 states, and the cause of this colony collapse disorder, as it is called, remains a mystery. Theories as to why their numbers have declined include weather and the appearance of mites. Research efforts are under way nationally to pinpoint the cause.

As part of his Farm, Nutrition, and Community Investment Act, a bill introduced in May, Schumer seeks $250 million to be allocated over 10 years to the Agricultural Research Service, an arm of the Department of Agriculture, to study the phenomenon and find ways to restore bee colonies to healthy levels.

Without bees to pollinate Long Island's crops, millions of dollars in local revenue could be lost, said Joe Gergela, executive director of the Calverton-based Long Island Farm Bureau.

Virtually every type of fruit and vegetable could be affected, he said.

To date, however, experts say Long Island's farming industry has not been affected by the disappearance of honey bees. These experts say, however, that if the problem continues, the region could see dramatic losses in some crops.

Crops that could see the most impact are fruits, like apples, peaches and pears. But, Gergela said, pumpkins, tomatoes and flowers could be affected as well.

The entire Long Island farm industry, he said, produces $250 million in revenue yearly. Long Island remains New York State's most productive farming region, with crops like flowers, corn, tomatoes, melons and grapes for the wine industry.

Dale Moyer, agricultural program director for the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service in Riverhead, said he is worried about the decline, which he said started more than a decade ago.

But he has not seen a major impact on Long Island yet.

"I'm not aware of folks this year who have had a poor crop because of lack of pollination," he said.

There are many possible explanations for the national decline, said Julie Suarez, director of public policy for the New York State Farm Bureau.

Parasitic mites are partly to blame, she said, as well as poor weather conditions. Temperatures above 50 degrees are imperative for bees who need to get exercise and tend to hives, Suarez said. But last winter was cold, snowy and long, and could have played a role in the dwindling of local populations.

Despite these clues, Suarez agreed more research into the decline was needed.

"I think it's the only answer," she said. "Until we determine what the cause is we're just flying blind."

Aside from Schumer's effort, another bee-related bill is buzzing around Congress. Last week, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) introduced the Pollinator Protection Act, which would also provide funding to study the disappearances.

Schumer said his farm bill would focus on issues of the Northeast, including the honeybee decline.

"The bottom line is that we wanted the farm bill to pay attention to our crops," he said.

Creating a buzz

Honeybees play a crucial role in food production. Colony collapse disorder is becoming a serious problem as more honeybees are disappearing.

Symptoms of colony collapse disorder

- Failure to return to hive; no evidence of dead bodies

- Rapid losses and in large numbers

- Queen bee and adequate food supplies are left behind

- Other insects and predators don't immediately invade abandoned hive

Workers make six-sided cells from wax, which comes from glands in their abdomens; cells store honey or eggs

Inside a bee colony

Commercial beekeepers travel with their colonies to farms to fertilize crops

1. Roof

2. Crown board

Allows beekeeper to check on colony

3. Super frames

Frames fill honey, then are easily removed and replaced

4. Honey super

Holds frames

5. Queen extruder

Prevents queen from leaving; smaller worker bees can pass through

6. Brood body

Queen and nursery for new bees housed here

7. Entrance block

Keeps other insects out

Fruits of labor

- More than 80 American crops rely on commercial honeybee pollination

- Produce $200 million worth of honey each year, but fertilize $15 billion in crops

Responsible for pollinating

Alfalfa 60%

Apples 90%

Almonds 100%

Onions 90%

Broccoli 90%

Who's in there?

Queen

- Fertile female; only one in a colony

- Surrounded by workers who feed and groom her

- Only function is to lay eggs; lays about 1,500 a day, one at a time; can live 3-5 years

Drone

- Males; hundreds in colony; have no stinger

- Drones do no work; cared for by workers

- Task is to mate with the queen; their big eyes help them to find her as she flies; die shortly after mating

Worker

- Infertile females; thousands in colony; live about six weeks

- Clean hives

- Nurse feeding larvae

- Build honeycomb

- Guard hive

- Collect pollen; nectar

SOURCE: MID-ATLANTIC APICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CONSORTIUM, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE HONEY POT
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.