Israeli Honey Production Down 60% YOY On Drought, Colony Loss - Telegraph

[hatrack]

The land of milk and honey is in danger of becoming just the land of milk after a 60 per cent fall in local honey production because of poor rainfall. Apiarists across Israel are reporting honey harvest levels well below half the norm following poor winter and spring rains.

The poor rainfall meant there were fewer nectar-bearing flowers available for the bees.

The bad weather has compounded already reduced levels of honey production caused by the mysterious global phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) where hives across the world have suddenly been deserted. Israel has suffered its fair share of CCD incidents and local scientists have identified a virus spread by a parasitic mite that could be the cause of CCD. This has yet to be confirmed.

When Israeli academics reported the discovery of the new virus anti-Israeli articles started appearing on the internet accusing Israel of creating this virus as part of biological weapons programme. Malka Ben Zeev, an Israeli honey producer, preferred to blame the poor rainy season for this year's fall in honey production.

EDIT

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/09/16/eahoney116.xml