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by Honey bees in twenty-two states are dying in the fields of an unknown disorder investigators have dubbed "colony collapse; The disorder is believed to be tied to the bees’ immune systems. Apparently, they flee their hive, become disoriented, and die from the cold. Theories as to the cause range from issues with imported bee strains from Israel and Egypt, the cumulative effect of long-term exposure to pesticides, and changes brought about by genetically modified plant pollen, to viruses and fungus.
Bees play a critical role in the pollination of one-third of all crops. Jamie Ellis, an assistant entomology professor at the University of Florida’s honeybee research lab, said, "The agriculture industry is built on the backs of honeybees." Not only are food crops such as almonds, apples, strawberries, and apricots dependent on the bee, but bees pollinate alfalfa and other crops fed to livestock, widening the potential disruption to the entire food supply.
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Albert Einstein quote on bees by Brandon :: NR9 :: Show
A quote concerning the extinction of the honey bee is listed in various places online as such:
bq. If honey bees become extinct, human society will follow in four years.
Can anyone verify if he actually said this? My online search has turned up nothing concrete or official.
CCD Solutions by Anonymous :: NR0 :: Show
The beekeeping industry is in crisis looking for an answer to the cause of CCD. The current problem in a long string of industry challenges.
Instead of constantly having to duck the next blow, is there a way beekeepers get out of this awful cycle and build sustainable beekeeping? The simple answer is YES!
I have worked one on one with commercial beekeepers throughout North America, helping them find a new direction.
That of SUSTAINABLE chemical free beekeeping.
Mite-Away II (the product manufactured by the company I work for) uses formic acid, an organic acid found in nature, to kill varroa and tracheal mites. As well formic acid has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-septic properties that help to cleanse the honeybee colony and improve the overall health of the colony. Formic acid leaves no harmful residues and and does not contaminate the colony in any way.
Every third bite of food you take is produced thanks to pollination by honeybees. Sustainable beekeeping is possible and beekeepers cannot only survive, but thrive.
As a company, we’re trying to help find a solution to CCD with a new attitude and a new way of thinking.
If you need any further information please feel free to contact me at Steven(put an at sign here)Haylestrom.com I would be happy to answer any questions or check us out at www.MiteAway.com
Thanks,
Steven Haylestrom
NOD Apiary Products
CCD by ldsudduth :: NR6 :: Show
We’ve seen the articles recently on how it could be cell phones, but I wonder about that, since this post seems to refute it, along with citing other references that seem to refute cell phones as a cause of CCD as well. It seems bee colony die-offs have been recurring for some time. Also, the fact cited by Jamie Ellis is only partially true; plants are pollinated in numerous ways by other creatures and even the wind.
Now another researcher indicates it could be a particular type of pesticides. It’s possible, I won’t discount it, but I wonder about that as well.
One of the common factors in CCD lately is the fact that the hives are left with honey and other bee foods that are not being consumed. If that is the case, then something is wrong with the food product being produced. This could be a pesticide residue, or something else.
Also, IIRC, the CCD began in the Southwest. If that is the case, then I wonder if it is contact between our European Honeybees and the areas where African Bees have taken up residence. Are the African bees carrying some parasite or bacteria that is harmless to them, but harmful to the bees we use?
One thing to remember—neither species is a native to this country; both were introduced.
Neonicotinoids in pesticides highly toxic to bees by Anonymous :: NR0 :: Show
April 24, 2007 entomologists on the maarec.org website bravely posted an article naming the pesticides known to be highly toxic to bees. These contain neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids have been around since the 1990’s but about 3 years ago the neonicotinoids were changed then introduced and distributed world wide. As use of them spread like in California, with its 50% loss of bees, so, too did loss of bees and all pollinators rise.
Neonicotinoids cause weakened immune system, loss of appetite, disoriented behavior, and I believe, loss of memory. Three years ago beekeeper noticed some bees show bizarre behavior and failure to eat. Die off wasn’t too high. Then this November CCD worldwide began to skyrocket as use of the pesticides rose.
Now you know as well as I do no sane grower or gardener would deliberately kill off all the bees. Farmers and growers were ignorant.
The truth is out but it seems few have the courage to name the behemoth of biotechnology, Bayer Crop Science which distributes Admire, Poncho, Gaucho, and Provado and also another large company, Syngenta marketing Actara. I do not know for sure which company or companies are marketing all the products but please ask everyone to immediately stop the use of the pesticides named in the article that was written by Maryann Frasier of Penn State University.
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/CCDPpt/RecGrowersUsingNeonics.pdf
Thank you
A new theory... by scottb :: NR7 :: Show
There’s some evidence suggesting that CCD may be a symptom of commercial farmers over-stressing their hives.