Missing Bees

Hi! Everybody!! Did anyone happen to catch the article in Friday's NY Times about how millions of bees in our country are just disappearing...often leaving the hives as they are with larva and honey intact. It is incredible that it hasn't gotten better coverage than just one newspaper in the world. This is precisely why I am planting so many flowering plants that attract bees. The toll on agriculture will be terrible.

Take care,

Chuck

I have noticed they are not around this spring! I have many fruit trees blooming, and not one single bee!!!!

Howdy Chuck,

Yeppers, quite a horrific event indeed! Is happening in other countries, as well ..

.. (Not seen that particular article) .. but there've been many others published during the last year or two - that have mentioned such .. and have pretty much 'warned' of encountering such incidences.

http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0214-bees.html

And, this web site is particularly interesting > http://www.earthfiles.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1214&category=Environment

- Magpye

This message was edited Mar 3, 2007 1:20 PM

Those were 2 scary hyperlinks. Read both of them. My hus. is a beekeeper. None of his hives have been affected so far. He is going to ck. them next wk. when it is time to medicate them again. Since the honeybees are disappearing, I wonder if all the other bees will also be affected. Now that is a very scary thought. I was on Home Talk link that some guy was trying to get rid of the bees in his birdhouse. I advised him to leave the bees alone. When they run out of space, they will move. I would rather the bees be there than the birds. My hus. can always build another bird house. Isn't it amazing how God made all things to work together. About 15 yrs. ago read that a lot of the toads and frogs were disappearing. They have not returned. Just what the heck are we doing to our world? Don't people realize we have no place else to go? If population control was brought into check, then the ones coming after us might have a chance, but you mention PC and people go ballistic. Of well, if the bees disappear all together, we may not have to worry about women having one child right after another. Nature will take care of it for us. LIZ

Thanks for responding, everybody!! Magpye, I read those hyperlinks. They are excellent. It really is frightening that the bees that pollinate one-third of the world's agriculture are disappearing so rapidly. What is really frightening is that they leave the queen behind and not even the bee's predators will go in the hives. It is just incredible.

Thanks again,

Chuck

Most of the articles that I have found on the subject point to a pesticide that disorients the bees so that they cannot find their way back to the hive, or a genetically engineered crop that has a similar effect. Hopefully we will not see this in small apiaries and home hobbyists whose bees might bre segregated from both of those causes. Too soon to tell at this point.

In a twist of sillyness - read an article that some SoCal bureaucrats have proposed a ban on bees because of the potential for an allergic reaction to bee stings. Wonder how they plan to eat when no ones around to pollinate the crop? Hopefully that proposal died out.

I understand this winter/spring, scientists are in Ca. studying this problem. I believe the article mentioned the almond groves there? Should this problem not be reversed, we will be in dire trouble.

This is happening here in Florida; our local newspaper had an article on the same thing. A neighbor of a good friend of mine is a beekeeper and is very, very concerned. It's got to the point that some of them may have to give up their business. The sad thing is that no-one seems to be doing much of anything. We know that the africanized bee is now intermingling (breeding) witht the european bee and their strain will eventually be predominant; but that has nothing to do with the total disappearance of the bees. They are very social and under normal circumstances would never leave their babies or the queen.

Some mitey grave images to ponder, isn't it ..

- Magpye

It truly is sad and my friend's beekeeper says that no-one seems to be really interested in doing much of anything. Then there's the twit who said that it's not a problem for him since he doesn't eat honey ! Makes you want to absolutely scream (in caps please) doesn't it ?

Well I'm happy to say I've seen bees in Summerville. I'll keep an even sharper eye out for them now that I've read those links.

X

Along with X, though I don't keep bees, I didn't see any in or near my yard last year, but I let the broccoli go to flower and they are all over it. The second article said that if they aired out the hive, the predators and other bees came after it. It almost has to be because of something we've done, whether pesticide or systemic or GM -- something has a side effect that was totally unforeseeable. I just hope it's not too late.

I wonder how the SoCal folks are going to enforce that ban. Arrest the bees, I guess.

Isn't that insect profiling?

It made me crazy to live within 2 blocks of a major zoo (Brookfield Zoo) yet we were limited to 2 pets & bees were outlawed (I broke both rules fiercely). We don't apply logic to our lives.

Despite the coldest winter Illinois has seen since the 1920s, my hive is humming. I just put my ear to the top & it sounds healthy.

I did lose a hive last winter for unexplained reasons, and a lot of people around here saw losses too. The only common thread seemed to be that the hive "ball" was too small to generate enough heat to stay alive. But we never ascertained why the bees weren't populating. In my case I suspect that the queen was killed during her mating flight.

And I'm not an expert, but my recollection is that we don't really depend upon honeybees for normal pollination; in fact, other bees & insects do most of the heavy lifting. It's just the monocropping & dizzying scale of commercial enterprise that requires equally intensive & possibly harmful monocropping & perpetual transport of honeybees.

If it's not sustainable, it's not sustainable.

My parents are beekeepers in Belgium, and we harvested the honey inside the veranda each year, and nobody ever got a sting! How silly to put a ban on bees because they sting. If bees are left in peace, they won't sting, they die if they do, unlike wasps. They do attack and keep stinging.
I saw 2 bees in my yard this morning, hallelujah!!!!

This is the first I have heard of legislators banning bees in So California. I certainly hope they are not successful. If the bee problem affects general agriculture, it could mean higher prices at the grocery store. I understand that California sells their agriculture all over the world. Even if it won't affect private gardens, I would like to help the bees along by planting seeds of bee-friendly plants. It makes me feel like I am doing my part to alleviate the problem...LOL.

Thanks,

Chuck

I think the biggest thing non-beekeepers can do is refrain from all pesticide use. It's going to get above freezing today! I'll bet my bees will be out for a spring stroll.

G'morning Chuck ..

Not sure if you may've already spotted/read this thread, by victorgardener .. so, I wanted to bring it to your attention, * just in case you or others haven't. > http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/712902/


Victorgardener had posted a mitey interesting web link (for) an article ..

Re: Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees
By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross
Published: 15 April 2007

Passing along the link to the particular article, as well > http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/wildlife/article2449968.ece

- Magpye

If it's true -- then major damage will be done before anybody, anywhere will do anything. If anything can be done. Can you imagine trying to curb cell phone use ? People have them just about glued to their ears. I believe Japan is worse than the US and China's catching up. I thought it was bad in the UK when I visited last year as all the kids spend most of their waking hours text-messaging each other no matter where they are.

Every cell phone company would fight this tooth and nail and deny - and prove - that this has nothing to do with missing bees. They would never encourage curbing hours and minutes used on cell phones - let alone locations. So, by the time everyone wakes up that it is true (if it is) it's too darn late.

What a sad, sad and frightening scenario this is becoming.

Yes, I said as much on my thread. On the bright side, as an engineer, I know that many things, living and non, are sensitive to specific frequencies. I doubt it's a major problem to change the frequency range used. From that respect, it might be better if that's the reason as opposed to some pesticide or virus or whatever, that we won't be able to get a handle on.

Yes, it would be much better if the culprit was a frequency range than a mite.

Thanks,

Chuck

The latest theory on disappearing bees is GM crops with BT genes.

...researchers examined the effects of pollen from a genetically modified maize variant called "Bt corn" on bees. A gene from a soil bacterium had been inserted into the corn that enabled the plant to produce an agent that is toxic to insect pests. The study concluded that there was no evidence of a "toxic effect of Bt corn on healthy honeybee populations." But when, by sheer chance, the bees used in the experiments were infested with a parasite, something eerie happened. According to the Jena study, a "significantly stronger decline in the number of bees" occurred among the insects that had been fed a highly concentrated Bt poison feed.

According to Hans-Hinrich Kaatz, a professor at the University of Halle in eastern Germany and the director of the study, the bacterial toxin in the genetically modified corn may have "altered the surface of the bee's intestines, sufficiently weakening the bees to allow the parasites to gain entry -- or perhaps it was the other way around. We don't know.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,473166,00.html

X

The cell phone theory is actually a bit newer. The Bt reason would be surprising in Europe. Usually they are adamantly opposed to GM crops.

Yes, but once wind gets hold of pollen...

I personally think its a little of everything, commercial & residential chemical use would be one, GM crops would be another, overall pollution air ,wind & water, cell phone use another combined they are the magic bullet. I remeber walking into Lowes last summer and they had a HUGE skid of "KILL EVERY BUG IN YOUR BACKYARD" for sale - what are we as consumers thinking? Lets spend our hard earned money on our own demise whoopee Coporate America knows what kind of fools we are obviously.

Vote with your dollars. Best slogan I have heard in a while.
Nadine

Here's an interesting link about the honey bee. I didn't realize that it is actually an introduced species to the U.S. via Europe, but originally from Asia and the Middle East. Also, that it's considered "domesticated". According to this article, they've only been widespread in the U.S. since the mid-1800s. It appears we've become dependent on this non-native insect species because of the disappearance of other wild species of pollinators that suffered population decline due to habitat loss? The honey bee became the answer to another problem created by man?

Sorry to take this in a different direction, but sometimes it helps to have the full story. It sounds like we've already destroyed our native species of pollinators. The article also explains which crops and the percentage that are pollinated by honey bees here in the U.S. We've apparently become very dependent on this introduced insect species.

Personally, I'm very fond of honey bees and mix clover in my lawn to attract them. I was a Romper Room "do bee" as a preschooler and participated in many "spelling bees". lol
http://www.everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/arthropods/insects/bees/honey_bee/

Edited to add that right after completing this post, I walked outside to see my cotoneaster covered with very busy honey bees. Yes!!!

This message was edited Apr 21, 2007 4:28 PM

Yeah, I'm already back because this thread has really got me thinking and doing some research on native bees and how I can make a difference.

This reinforces my decision to garden organically. I remember last summer reading an article on carpenter bees. I had considered providing habitat for them, but soon forgot. Also, growing native flowers. Every little bit helps.

Before, I buzz back out into the garden, here's another interesting link to an article called "Bees on Their Knees, Gardeners To The Rescue". The NY Times article about CCD is also mentioned.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/03/HOGIROCUE71.DTL

Some interesting and profoundly enlightening info given on both of the sites you've linked us to, greenbrain. Thank you .. so much!

In particular, this statement ..

Of course it will take me a good long while to even attempt to study and try to distinguish the difference/s between the 'introduced' honey bees and our (N. American) native bees.

Would you (or anyone else) know, if there are any somewhat obvious differences that may be seen with our naked eyes (or with the aid of our digital cameras' macro lens) -?-

I made a point to pay extra close attention to the Dandelions when they bloomed in the lawn this year. And just like last year - there were hundreds of bees attending the yellow blooms. For our area, this was long before the earliest blooms of the Service Berry and the Red Bud trees had even began to put on their buds!! So, given the time of the season; there was nothing else near to blooming - and considering the apparent 'need' of the bees; otherwise, why would they have visited the dandelion blooms in such great numbers (?) Needless to say, I am still very much intrigued ...

- Magpye

This message was edited Apr 21, 2007 10:12 PM

Greenbrain,

Yes! Thanks for opening my eyes. I thought they were all the same bees. I didn't know that there were native bees also. I don't know the difference but I will continue watching them. I have seen smaller bright -yellow black striped bees on my mustard green flowers this year. If these are native bees, I hope the variety my garden gives, is sufficient for these bees. Overall, I have noticed that there are less bees on my flowers this Spring than last year.

Thanks again,

Chuck

This thread really has got me thinking.......last year I spent a good deal of time in the garden and I don't recall seeing a single honey bee! Actually it's been ages since I have seen a honey bee! There were plenty of wasps, yellow jackets and bumble bees (those things are clumsy,lol).
Greenbrain, your comment about growing clover really brought something out of my memory.
When I was a kid (which wasn't terribly long ago), there were plenty of honey bees, all over the place, but then we also had yards in our townhouse community that weren't treated with pesticides/herbicides and the grass was intermingled with tons of clover. We couldn't afford chemicals for our lawns even if we wanted them.....pretty much a poor community. DH just bought a bag of that lawn feed with herbicide.....maybe time to get out of that mindset.

Here's a link to a recent news article to the bee problem here in Ontario:
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/203818

Very scary :o(

The bee problem is just one more reason not to use chemicals. I never have. I encourage clover and have just sowed more seed. Feels better than grass on the footsies.

Clover also smells wonderful when you mow it. I love to wiggle my bare feet in a patch of clover. One of the brocolos in the garden has gone to bloom. I've left it for the bees. Thankfully it was covered in honey bees this afternoon. They seem to prefer the blooms of the cabbage family over the borage blossoms this time of year.
We've had bumble bees, burrowing bees (like all black bumble bees) and mason bees this year so far. Our community garden is an organic one. I'm hoping we can be a sanctuary for the bees.

I'm glad to hear that your community garden is organic. Just having a community garden is such a wonderful thing by itself. It sounds like you're all doing something right to attract so many bees. My daughter found a five leaf clover yesterday to add to her collection of four leafers. I also love the smell of clover. : )

At one of my Master Gardener classes I learned a little about the Africanized honey bees (AHB) and the Europen honey bees (EHB). They are displacing the EHB's - and they are moving further north here in Florida. They make less honey; their sting is no stronger than EHB's but they are much more defensive and therefore aggressive. So, it looks as if we will have to learn to live with these bees; if they, too, aren't disappearing.

orchid923,
Are the "killer bees" in your area yet? I remember when the 2002 movie came out. There's quite a bit to be found on the Net about Africanized bees.

I like this link because it gives bee safety and prepardness tips. Also, read the survivor's story about his near death encounter with Africanized bees while hunting with his grandson.

Sounds like the wrong bees are disappearing.

http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/sep/stories/kbees.html

Just for the record, I was playing golf yesterday (local charity tournament and I probably play golf twice a year as I'd rather be in the garden) and the ligustrums have just bloomed. There was a huge one just humming with honey bees. I had a word with them, told them what to watch out for, etc. I wonder if the chemicals we use to make the plants huge are affecting them. I don't see how it could be otherwise -- kids are obese because they eat foods that were grown on growth hormones; it all has to have an effect.

I was glad to see the bees, though.

we have lots here-i was worried but they are swarming on our apricot tree! :)

Yes, it's official; they're in Brevard county. Here's some more info on the Africanized Honey Bees. They are the same species as the EHB (European honey bee) and there sting is no more dangerous or toxic than the EHB.
AHB cannot be distinguished from EHB just by looking at them - it takes 50-100 bees for ID.
AHB that are foraging to gather nectar will not attack you.
AHB swarms are not defensive because they have no honey or young to protect.
AHB are more unpredictable than th edomesticated EHB.
AHB will build their nests in more protected places than EHB, like meter and irrigation boxes in the ground, abandoned tires, underneath a palm frond, etc.
AHB can produce dangerous numbers of bees rapidlly.
AHB respond quicker and in larger numbers when the colony is threatened.
AHB remain agitated for up to 24 hours.
AHB nests can be dangerous if not removed., and if not removed correctly, are dangerous for neighbors and bystanders.

And here are the kickers:
AHB when disturbed, will fly 10 times farther and 10 times more bees will attack.
AHB will fly 300 yards when disturbed, compared to only 30 yards for EHBs !
AHB once agitated, will continually attack anything moving (like pets); and recently a horse was killed by AHBs in . Florida.
Even from 30 feet away, loud equipment like lawn mowers, chainsaws, weedeaters, tractors, etc. can disturb an AHB colony.
At risk from an AHB attack are: small children, elderly, handicaped, surveyors, utility workers, land clearing equipment opertors, tethered, chained and confined pets, horses.

The above is from a University of Florida hand out that I received. So be careful out there folks and always get a qualified bee keeper to come and remove all nests as there's no way to tell by looking which are which.

Ok. so now I'm really confused, and scared.Maybe I just missed something. If the radiation from cell phones causes the honey bee to lose it's way home, then what? They wouldn't have taken the radiation home, right? So now the others bees that would normally raid the empty hives, won't. Whats wrong with the hives? No honey?Hmm.......

Oh, and I absolutely despise the use of cell phones, I don't even like my home phone sometimes. I hope our PC's aren't a culprit.