Harris' Hawk blog: Hope for the Honey Bee

Monday, August 30, 2010

Hope for the Honey Bee

The Varroa mite has been wiping out bee populations around the world.

Now there may be hope to fight the pesticide resistant strain.

A British beekeeper said on Wednesday he may have discovered a strain of honey bee immune to a parasite that has been gradually wiping out populations of the vital insect worldwide.

Scientists have been trying to find a way to fight the pesticide-resistant Varroa mite.

But now a retired heating engineer who has spent 18 years searching for a mite-resistant breed may have made a breakthrough.

Ron Hoskins, 79, from Swindon in southern England, says he has managed to isolate and breed a strain of bees which "groom" one another, removing the mites.

Read the rest here.

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Who Are the Birds

Tess and Gonzo are both 5 year old Harris' Hawks.

I've had Gonzo since he was a young hawk and he came to me from Dave Mancini. He is a great bird who has been car hawked at different birds, flown from trees at squirrel and rabbit, and flown from a T-perch. He is a wonderfully efficient hunter that hunts in the 650 gram range.

Tess came to me by way of Wes Collins breeding project. She is a direct descendant of the Coulsins' famous White wing. I just acquired her for the 2008-09 hunting season. Her previous owner flew her extensively from the car at starlings, geese, and crows. She has been great at squirrels and has a ridiculously calm disposition. She flies between 900 - 950 grams.