The Keeper
Colony Collapse Disorder
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) first became evident in Canada in the early 2000s and is resulting in high winter mortality rates in beehives. Its cause remains a mystery.
CCD has the potential to devastate the beekeeping industry, and so beekeepers and researchers in Canada's federal and provincial governments and universities are making it a priority to find the cause of, and a cure for, the problem.
To date, only theories about the cause exist. One possibility is that the nosema virus weakens the colony, making the bees more vulnerable to parasites (such as varroa mites and tracheal mites) and causing a greater number to die from these pests than would normally occur. It's also been suggested that moving hives for pollination purposes may cause extra stress on bees, thus making them more susceptible to pests and disease.
Hopefully, the research being carried out will soon bring a solution to the problem.
