Bees!

“Yeah. I think it's more of an immature immune system than allergic reaction. Pure honey from a hive can have stuff on it an immature immune system might be overwhelmed by.”

“

Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?

Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees

It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.

They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.

The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/wildlife/article2449968.ece”

“That sounds like a reasonable theory, but why would it start in the US and why would it suddenly start now?

Historically, Western Europe has led the world in total number of cell phones and now has almost 4 times the number of cell phones than the US. Western Europe also has less than 1/2 the land mass of the US so those phones are all much closer to one another than the US. Looking at the numbers, Western Europe reached the number of cell phones the US currently has somewhere back in the late 90's. Keep in mind they are more tightly grouped than in the US and I would say they would have been impacting bees a little sooner than that.

So why is it starting in the US? maybe cell phones do have an impact on bees, but I doubt that cell phones in the major problem. Maybe its the switch to 3G and the proliferation of web content on our cell phones. maybe the bees are watching youtube videos and missing their exit.

I wonder if its the proliferation of wireless internet?”

“look out, vodaphone ----”

“Organic bees not dying: http://www.informationliberation.com/index.php?id=21912”

“How stupid.”

“I have seen one honey bee this year. I don't have a single cherry on my tree. =(”

“I did find my bow tie.


”

“I thought you had to be in a barber shop quartet or a circus to wear a bow tie?”

“Nope! Perhaps a Senator from Illinois or the Surgeon General....”

““I have seen one honey bee this year. I don't have a single cherry on my tree. =(”
- sassafras


Me neither. It was really noticeable on Mother's day when we were sitting in my parent's backyard among the azaleas. Not a one. It would normally be buzz city.”

“WOW...I just checked I don't have one cherry blossom on my tree either...oh wait..sorry its a pear tree.”

“My bees are organic and I lost a hive. Down to one hive now and it's not doing well.”

“I'm not talking about blossoms. No fruit. Not a single blossom was pollinated.
scarey.”

“For all the dandelions that are around, I'm not seeing many bees around here visiting them.”

“I've got big fuzzy bumblebees and some smaller varieties, but very few honeybees. I saw more bees in early April when I had fewer flowers than now. However, something is taking care of pollination because of the thousands of still green wild raspberries along one side of the property line.”

“So what is causing the dearth of honeybees?”

“They can't compete with MP3's.”

“Bees navigate by electromagnetic fields. Cell phones, cell towers and wifi severely disrupt their ability to get where they need to go.”

“

"I thought you had to be in a barber shop quartet or a circus to wear a bow tie?”
sassafras

A bow tie can look good with a tuxedo. Sometimes worn at weddings, proms, happy occasions and political fund-raisers. I used to have two tuxedos and one bow tie.

Now my only formal attire is a Hakama that I sometimes wear over my martial arts uniform's pants.

”

“I've also heard tell, just in casual conversation, that the fluctuations in the planet's magnetic field might be worth investigating as a possible cause.”

“Tilting on it's axis?”

“Well, the MF is starting to show signs of flipping. That'll screw up anyone's gps let alone bees. Saw a cool show about it.”

“Ruby, it's a mite that's killing them.”

“I haven't seen a honey bee in two years. This is really serious.”

“I know where there's a hive. Right in the wall of one of the buildings I'm working on. I'm sure glad they are honey bees and not yellow jackets.”

“Then there are

”

“I'm down to one hive.”

“Dani & lori splitting a hive in two:



They lost a hive in january due to the thaw - they became too active then starved when cold temps came back. On the plus side that hive was completed raided which is indicitive of a strong hive.

They just got two more hives.

On the farm I'm working - they've got complete pollination. Even excessive. They've never seen it before. We have to go through the apple orchard and smack excess/premature(?)fruit loose.
last edited: 5/29/07 6:55:43 PM”

“That side hanger is neat.
I'll have to get one.”

“Yeah. Comes in handy for cleaning and when they're trying to figure out where the Queen is.”

“Around here the hives are dying off like crazy.”

“Does anyone know if the same thing is happening in Europe? I think Hyway has a good point.

If it's not happening in Europe then it's not cell. 'phones.

What about GMO's?

Rachel Carson wrote about insecticides in 1962 (Carson, Rachel: Silent Spring and now GMO's are insect resistant without the chemicals, but perhaps with the same results.

Anyone?”

“It's happening in Europe. I think Europe was first and I believe the UK is having a serious issue. The issue that predates this is that most wild type honeybees were wiped out by pesticides. Now we depend on farmed bees.

I'm thinking GMO's aren't a problem...their CNS is most likely affected....pesticides/mites/hormones...perhaps.

Keep your fingers crossed...”

“First Honey extraction of our bees. We got abot 4 gallons with just 6 frames. Frikken amazing. We couldn't stop eating it!







Raw honey rawks. I think I'm addicted!

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559194141RtCbvr
last edited: 7/03/07 5:13:19 PM”

“mmmmmm!”

“good job, winnie. Can I have a smackle of honey?”

“Yummy, I always wanted to keep bees but don't have room...*sigh*”

“I prefer my honey raw --- !

Do bees have knees? (just wonderin)”

“Nice looking honey!”

“ss, I'm sure he doesn't like you flirting with his wife!!”

“
Who's the goofy lookin' dude with the hottie? ;-)
last edited: 7/03/07 7:02:14 PM”

“Sorry - I was high as a kite on the honey. Extraction was damn cool, SS. I might have to get me a suit and really get into it”

“I haven't seen a honey bee in so long.

this was the last time:

way back in 2005. They used to be everywhere. Flowering bushes used to buzz. I miss the bees.”

“
"Colony Collapse Disorder" -- Search at USDA.gov

"Colony Collapse Disorder" -- Google search

June 29 kicked off "National Pollinators Week" and the Agriculture Secretary unveiled a stamp and made a few remarks


And I Quote:

< snip >

"It is my hope that these stamps will bring great awareness of pollinators into homes across this nation. And increased awareness is enormously important to pollinators right now. We have seen population declines across many varieties of pollinators. Two of the three United States species of bats are listed as endangered. Honeybee colonies have been slowly declining actually since the 1940s. They've dwindled from 5 million colonies in that decade to half that number today. And recently honeybees have been suffering from a phenomena known as Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD for short.

The honeybee population is absolutely critical to agricultural production, and 90 percent of our apples and blueberries are pollinated by honeybees. Nearly half our peach crop depends on them, and more than 25 percent of our orange production. CCD is a significant problem, and it's affecting bees in 35 states. It is characterized by a rapid loss of adult worker bees. Intact stores of pollen and honey are left in the colony but few or no dead bees can be found.

In the six months between September of '06 and March of this year, some beekeepers reported losses in their colonies as high as 80 to 100 percent. If left unchecked, Colony Collapse Disorder has the potential to cause a $15 billion direct loss of crop production and $75 billion in indirect losses.

While we are unsure about the cause or causes of CCD, we are investigating four major areas: stress related to nutrition, transportation, and beekeepers' colony management strategy, parasite mites, pathogens like bacteria, fungi, or viruses, and pesticides.

Last year, USDA's Agricultural Research Service, or ARS for short, formed a CCD working group with a number of universities. It sampled colonies affected with CCD and found a large number of disease-causing organisms --but again, no real specific cause. ARS has also been doing research into the basic biology of bees that builds on insights gained from the recently-sequenced honeybee genome.

This fiscal year ARS will spend about $7.4 million on honeybee research, focused on mites, pathogens and nutrition. And USDA's Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service will commit another $1.7 million per year to honeybee and pollinator research and $1 million in funding per year is now being redirected to support a full-scale project on honeybee health.

We recognize that a concerted, well-funded research and extension effort is needed to ensure the health of these essential pollinators. That's why we proposed in the 2007 Farm Bill proposals that we include increased research funding and the consolidation of USDA's research offices so that we can more efficiently and effectively pursue critical research goals like the ones I've described."

< snip >

”

“And of course, truly wild honey bees were wiped out long ago thanks to pesticides.

It would be most unfortunate if "farmed" honeybees are wiped out also.”

“Indeed.

I was just looking at the numbers and wondering... (and I hate to put it in purely monetary terms)... but the combined research budget of $10 Million seems like a drop in the bucket compared to potential direct losses of $15 Billion and indirect losses of $75 Billion.

I'm certain the problem is complex and there simply may not be enough personnel and facilities to absorb more investment in research. Ramping up such an effort takes time, to be sure.  Still, $10 Million seems relatively small.”

““Sorry - I was high as a kite on the honey. Extraction was damn cool, SS. I might have to get me a suit and really get into it”

The first thing you need to do is get a better table. LOL

Bent over trimming the wax off is going to kill you if you have allot of frames to do.

Now youre going to have to design your label to put on your jars so people will know what brand they are buying.”

“10 mill is peanuts. honestly hoping it doesn't bite every one in the ass.

Raz - Yeah. But like I said this operation just started up. The extractor was borrowed. we will be bottling and labeling early next week.”