I heard that cell phones are killing off bees?
Q. My neighbor told me today that our cell phone frequencies (i think that's what he said) are the reason there aren't that many bees out this year. We live in Ohio, and now that he mentioned it, I really haven't seen any bees. Is this a bunch of BS, or is it real?
A. It sure is a plausible hypothisis, but i doubt it will prove to be accurate.
why?
because organic farms are having far less problems with their bees. it is probably some new components of a farm chemical that is causing them problems, such as a new herbicide that is harmful to them, and no one knows it YET.
why?
because organic farms are having far less problems with their bees. it is probably some new components of a farm chemical that is causing them problems, such as a new herbicide that is harmful to them, and no one knows it YET.
What is causing the honeybees to die off?
Q. It's called catastropic colony collapse and it's killed off 25% of the bees in New York State already. I personally have only seen two honeybees this year so far --- it's truly abnormal. And please don't say cell phones unless you have hard evidence. The story that was reported in the media a few weeks ago about this was totally false. Could it be pollution? pesticides? climate change? loss of ecosystems? whatever it is, it's extremely troubling.
A. I'm a beekeeper, and so am somewhat familiar with "Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)". Thankfully - my hives are still intact and growing strong (so far).
- While the exact mechanisms of CCD are unknown, malnutrition, pesticides, pathogens, immunodeficiencies, mites, fungus, genetically modified (GM) crops, bee rentals and electromagnetic radiation have all been proposed as causative agents.
- It seems that a very high percentage (25-90%) of the bees are simply disappearing and not returning to the hive. No one is sure at this time what the cause is, but, we do have the following clues, effects, and speculations:
- CCD was first reported in America in mid-November 2006
- The effect of CCD is that millions of bees have simply vanished, leaving unborn bees beehind. In most cases, all that's left in the hives are the doomed offspring (not enough bees stay to keep the hive flourishing). Dead bees are typically nowhere to be found - they just vanish.
- Nearly all surviving bees afflicted by CCD carry multiple fungal infections, indicating that the bees are being immunosuppressed.
- in many instances, neighboring bees and other critters are not even raiding the collapsed hives (ie, going after the honey) as would be expected. This suggests the presence of a deterrent chemical or toxin in affected hives.
- beekeepers who frequently moved their hives (ie, to orchards for pollination) appear more likely to be afflicted.
- The genome of the honeybee is yielding some clues. Researchers have compared it with that of other insects, including the fruit fly and the mosquito. They have found that bees cannot make an enzyme that other insects use to help eliminate toxins from the body. This could leave bees at risk of poisoning.
- genetically modified plants are suspected to be the culprit, and may be creating what I would call a "cascading effect" in a complex cycle that causes bees to become infected by other diseases. Some hive survivors (scant few) have been found with multiple infections. Because of this, some researchers are working on the idea that the insects' immune systems have failed.
- During the week of April 23rd, the US Department of Agriculture convened a workshop of apiarists and federal and university scientists to suggest some answers.
Some crops are completely dependent on honeybees, and since most honeybees are owned by beekeepers, this loss will have a serious impact on food production.
And all of this follows close on the heels of the crises that seemed to be only worsening in recent years because of the varroa and tracheal mites:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/03/28/m1a_honeybees_0328.html
- While the exact mechanisms of CCD are unknown, malnutrition, pesticides, pathogens, immunodeficiencies, mites, fungus, genetically modified (GM) crops, bee rentals and electromagnetic radiation have all been proposed as causative agents.
- It seems that a very high percentage (25-90%) of the bees are simply disappearing and not returning to the hive. No one is sure at this time what the cause is, but, we do have the following clues, effects, and speculations:
- CCD was first reported in America in mid-November 2006
- The effect of CCD is that millions of bees have simply vanished, leaving unborn bees beehind. In most cases, all that's left in the hives are the doomed offspring (not enough bees stay to keep the hive flourishing). Dead bees are typically nowhere to be found - they just vanish.
- Nearly all surviving bees afflicted by CCD carry multiple fungal infections, indicating that the bees are being immunosuppressed.
- in many instances, neighboring bees and other critters are not even raiding the collapsed hives (ie, going after the honey) as would be expected. This suggests the presence of a deterrent chemical or toxin in affected hives.
- beekeepers who frequently moved their hives (ie, to orchards for pollination) appear more likely to be afflicted.
- The genome of the honeybee is yielding some clues. Researchers have compared it with that of other insects, including the fruit fly and the mosquito. They have found that bees cannot make an enzyme that other insects use to help eliminate toxins from the body. This could leave bees at risk of poisoning.
- genetically modified plants are suspected to be the culprit, and may be creating what I would call a "cascading effect" in a complex cycle that causes bees to become infected by other diseases. Some hive survivors (scant few) have been found with multiple infections. Because of this, some researchers are working on the idea that the insects' immune systems have failed.
- During the week of April 23rd, the US Department of Agriculture convened a workshop of apiarists and federal and university scientists to suggest some answers.
Some crops are completely dependent on honeybees, and since most honeybees are owned by beekeepers, this loss will have a serious impact on food production.
And all of this follows close on the heels of the crises that seemed to be only worsening in recent years because of the varroa and tracheal mites:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/03/28/m1a_honeybees_0328.html
Is it true that cellphones are killing off bees?
Q. Are cellphones emitting radio frequencies that are making it hard for bees to navigate, and thereby killing off the bees in charge of pollinating our plants? If so, what can we do? Are landlines for phones safer for the environment?
A. It's a theory, but apparently researchers give it some merit.
"Honey bee populations have suddenly begun to decline, and some British researchers think the proliferation of cell phones is a contributing cause.
A limited study at Landau University has found that bees will abandon their hives when cell phones are turned on and placed next to them.
What is known is that there are suddenly fewer bees to pollinate plants. In case after case bee keepers in the U.S. and Europe have reported something called Colony Collapse Disorder. In CCD, a hive's inhabitants desert the colony, leaving only queens and eggs.
CCD reports escalated sharply last fall, with bee populations falling as much as 60 percent on the West Coast and 70 percent on the East Coast. Not only does that impact honey production, it also poses a threat to food production, since bees are needed to pollinate plants.
While mass-produced crops like wheat and corn are pollinated by wind, some 90 cultivated flowering crops rely mostly on honeybees. According to a Cornell University study, honeybees pollinate every third bite of food ingested by Americans, and help generate some $14 billion in produce.
"Are honey bees the canary in the coal mine?" asks Jerry Hayes, an official with the Florida Department of Agriculture. "What are honey bees trying to tell us that we humans should be paying more attention to?"
While the cell phone theory might seem far fetched, the British study isn't the first to suggest that man's technology might be short circuiting bees' navigation systems. German researchers have show that bees' behavior is different near power lines.
A few scientists also think the introduction of genetically modified crops could also be linked to the sudden disappearance of the honey bee."
Landlines are apparently safer where bees are concerned, and since we rely on them for pollination, this bears further study, don't you agree?
"Honey bee populations have suddenly begun to decline, and some British researchers think the proliferation of cell phones is a contributing cause.
A limited study at Landau University has found that bees will abandon their hives when cell phones are turned on and placed next to them.
What is known is that there are suddenly fewer bees to pollinate plants. In case after case bee keepers in the U.S. and Europe have reported something called Colony Collapse Disorder. In CCD, a hive's inhabitants desert the colony, leaving only queens and eggs.
CCD reports escalated sharply last fall, with bee populations falling as much as 60 percent on the West Coast and 70 percent on the East Coast. Not only does that impact honey production, it also poses a threat to food production, since bees are needed to pollinate plants.
While mass-produced crops like wheat and corn are pollinated by wind, some 90 cultivated flowering crops rely mostly on honeybees. According to a Cornell University study, honeybees pollinate every third bite of food ingested by Americans, and help generate some $14 billion in produce.
"Are honey bees the canary in the coal mine?" asks Jerry Hayes, an official with the Florida Department of Agriculture. "What are honey bees trying to tell us that we humans should be paying more attention to?"
While the cell phone theory might seem far fetched, the British study isn't the first to suggest that man's technology might be short circuiting bees' navigation systems. German researchers have show that bees' behavior is different near power lines.
A few scientists also think the introduction of genetically modified crops could also be linked to the sudden disappearance of the honey bee."
Landlines are apparently safer where bees are concerned, and since we rely on them for pollination, this bears further study, don't you agree?
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