What's up with the Bees?
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Not sure if many are aware of this.... but there has been a bee die-off that's been going on for some time now. They're calling it "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD). This could have major ramifications, as our honey bees pollinate much of our food supply. People take for granted that they'll always be able to have a cucumber or some cantelope, but that could vanish. Let's hope there's an answer to this as I don't think people would feel good about a wheat and water only diet. What is causing this? Some say it's a virus or bacteria of some kind and that Bees don't have much in the way of genes that support an immune system. Some are pointing to radiation..... and it's been proven that bees don't like cell phones. They'll fly the other way when a cell phone is around. How does Paul feel about this? Is this a cause he'd get behind? After all, can't have Apple(s) without bees to pollinate them. What did Einstein say about what would happen if we lost our bees? Any thoughts?
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i_am_hymn:
Not sure if many are aware of this.... but there has been a bee die-off that's been going on for some time now. They're calling it "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD). This could have major ramifications, as our honey bees pollinate much of our food supply. People take for granted that they'll always be able to have a cucumber or some cantelope, but that could vanish. Let's hope there's an answer to this as I don't think people would feel good about a wheat and water only diet. What is causing this? Some say it's a virus or bacteria of some kind and that Bees don't have much in the way of genes that support an immune system. Some are pointing to radiation..... and it's been proven that bees don't like cell phones. They'll fly the other way when a cell phone is around. How does Paul feel about this? Is this a cause he'd get behind? After all, can't have Apple(s) without bees to pollinate them. What did Einstein say about what would happen if we lost our bees? Any thoughts?
Yes, I posted about this on another board awhile back.
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They must all be at my house.....no shortage there.
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I have been tring to keep up on this problem, but not much being said!
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Interesting topic - I've moved it into Cosmically Conscious where members that have an interest in these matters might be better placed to answer or discuss this. BTW I thought this was about a football or soccer team when I saw the title
ops: Martin -
for a split second, i thought this thread was intitled whats up with beers? sorry
ops: -
I have been hearing about the drop in the bee population. Kind of worrisome since they do pollinate plants. No one quite knows for sure but yes they do have an aversion to cell phones but we used so much pesticide for the produce too. It's kind of scary to think that something that we were brought up with is dying off. Hopefully this isn't another case of a species biting the dust.
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Wikipedia has a detailed overview of the situation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder Sadly the strongest message come from the article is that nobody can really state what may be causing this for certain. Clearly the mini - ecology required for a healthy colony is a very very complex thing with many possible potential harmful dangers. It may be a collection of all of these varying from location to location. Once again reading around the subject I happened upon knowledge new to me - the subject of "bee rentals" - how lorry loads of hives are shipped long distances from growing region to growing region to service the pollination requirements of soft fruit growers. - that can't be good can it? Is that really cheaper than paying an apiarist to establish and maintain permanent hives in each locality - after all there should be a payback on honey production to offset their salary and running costs? Martin
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A few years ago they were concerned that a mold was killing off bees. They really need to keep an eye on the problem because we really need bees to pollenate the flowers. There was a park I lived close to and used to walk through, there was a honey bee nest in Abraham Lincolns statue. In his sleeve, but they kept flying at people when they walked by. So I called the park board and asked if they would move them somewhere. A week later I walked by and the bees layed dead on the ground because they killed them off. I felt bad, I should have kept my mouth shut.
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I am afraid of bees but I want them to live.
If anything can be done for them, let's hope people with power with do it... Stop the fucking pesticides... It will kill us all!!! Might be one of the reasons for the bees die-off. -
I kind of wonder, though, that with the introduction of the Africanized honey bees (they are aggressive to other bees as well), on my side of the Atlantic how much they may be playing into this. I doubt much of any but there is a possiblity.
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I just heard about this recently, and also recently became aware of something called "Chemtrails", so I can't help but wonder if the two might be connected. After all, do we know what's being sprayed from those planes? I see them quite often over the area where I live, and it's beginning to cause me some concern......... For those of you who haven't heard about Chemtrails, just google the word, and see all the sites dedicated to the discussion of this activity.
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some important information: says organic bees are thriving while pesticide intensive bee hives colonies are collapsing.....maybe there is still something that can be done to save the bees..as simple as going organic! http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5194.cfm
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I have notice the absense of bee's for some time now. Use to see them in large numbers hovering over dandelions each spring. Also have noticed the bumble bee's absence.
And what happened to the killer bee's that were in the news so much a few years back. Not much being said in media on them now. Could these bees be the reason for our peaceful little friends disapearing?? I do think the cell phones/towers could have some sortof effect. Maybe the carbon monixide/desil fumes play a part also. So many more cars these days. Just so many things that could play a role in this problem. There is many things that are coming into each country unbeknownst to anyone. It could be a seed, egg, germ, virus, or some sortof organism that could possible grow quickly......just never know. Like the bird flu virus... 
Scary!! -
i_am_hymn:
Not sure if many are aware of this.... but there has been a bee die-off that's been going on for some time now. They're calling it "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD). This could have major ramifications, as our honey bees pollinate much of our food supply. People take for granted that they'll always be able to have a cucumber or some cantelope, but that could vanish. Let's hope there's an answer to this as I don't think people would feel good about a wheat and water only diet. What is causing this? Some say it's a virus or bacteria of some kind and that Bees don't have much in the way of genes that support an immune system. Some are pointing to radiation..... and it's been proven that bees don't like cell phones. They'll fly the other way when a cell phone is around. How does Paul feel about this? Is this a cause he'd get behind? After all, can't have Apple(s) without bees to pollinate them. What did Einstein say about what would happen if we lost our bees? Any thoughts?
Yes, many people are aware of this. Einstein said that we lasted four years if we lost our bees. No bees, no polinization, no plants, no herbivors, no carnivors, no food, no man. Paul? This is other thing of the climatic change... I don't think anyone can stop it until evident huge damage happens. We're throwing the planet to the basket. I stopped talking about this, because I feel preachy and I don't want to change minds or so... If my life is crap I hardly can give advice, people won't listen to me.
Minds will change when they're "see it happening to them, they'll know it's real"... If not, "call all the minstrels from the ancient shrine, pass down the message that is right this time" If there's a time, is this time. But majority is not gonna agree and the system is not gonna change now. (But anyway it would be great to do it 
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Here is more information regarding the bees perhaps the situation is not as severe as was reported: http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mvanishingbees.htm
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As someone who has kept a few colonies of bees and whose first job was for an apiary I can confirm how serious this issue is! If there are no bees to help pollinate crops the food supply will be seriously affected! We used to have farmers pay US to put bees near their fields of corn or soy beans or whatever just because it increased production per acre so much. All crops must be pollinated to produce and without honey bees we could face famine of a kind we can't really imagine in North America. There have been other threats in the past to honey bees, diseases and such but, this is the MOST SERIOUS one I've ever seen. Let's hope they find a way to deal with this more effectively than they have been able to so far. This issue needs to be more high profile than it is right now so thanks to the OP for putting this on here!
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jollywillow:
I am afraid of bees but I want them to live.
If anything can be done for them, let's hope people with power with do it... Stop the f**king pesticides... It will kill us all!!! Might be one of the reasons for the bees die-off.I suspect you're spot on with that observation; more specifically, neonicotinoid pesticides, particularly one called imidacloprid. Commercially raised bees are placed under other pressures as well, but these pesticides might be the tipping point. More reason to go organic. Lengthy article on the topic here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=1829
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no shortage of bees around here, and they're big too the past 3 or 4 years they have been really big and there are more of them than I've ever seen which means I have to be extra careful because I am allergic to them and I'd rather not have to use my epipen
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I've been very worried about the bees after seeing so much on the news. I saw one a few days ago, which made me very happy.
