Colony Collapse Disorder, the mysterious bee ailment that has led to the disappearance of millions of bees in the United States alone, “and in a worst-case scenario could be a threat to the food chain that humans depend on for life, has made its way to Utah,” according to a report yesterday in The Salt Lake Tribune.

Until recently, however, the state of Utah seemed to be successfully dodging CCD.

The Tribune story tells of commercial beekeeper Gary Dutson, whose family has kept bees for more than 70 years. He built up to 4000 hives last fall , then unexplained die-offs cost him half of the colonies. As a result, Dutson says he has had to sell of 500 acres of the family farm.

The replacement cost of the lost colonies is estimated at $130,000 USD, and Dutson says he has just barely enough hives to meet his pollination commitments to the Utah orchards. Any further losses may put him out of business.

The article goes on to look at other recent bee losses in the state, some of which are being attributed to “indiscriminate spraying by irresponsible property owners” who have not caught up to the new laws regarding pesticide use.

Other culprits blamed for bee losses include the stress of long-distance travel for pollination, infestation by Varroa mites that are increasingly resistant to chemical treatments, and viral diseases carried by the mites or more devastating to the mite-weakened bees.

Whatever the cause of unusual bee losses, the effect is considerable: Utah honeybee stock has dropped from 47,000 colonies in 1992 to 23,000 colonies today.

See:
• Utah bee population hit by deadly disease, crops could be affected
  by Dawn House /The Salt Lake Tribune
  05 May 2008
• Utah honeybees in decline
  Associated Press / KUTV.com
  05 May 2008