Interesting...biting bees!

[Maya]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt...dier-honeybee-that-fights-back-by-biting-back

This is interesting, but I'm not sure I buy this completely. See if you can pick up on why I'm hopeful, but don't completely buy some of the comments here. Put your thinking caps on.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Not sure what you might be thinking, but seems bees would have exhibited this behavior a long time ago if it was feasible.

 

[chummer]

My guess is the anatomy of a bee doesn't allow them to bite. Their parts don't work that way.

 

[Natureboy]

If this pans out, it almost sounds like in the future to get mite resistant bees you may have to buy certified artifically inseminated queens. Purdue may be on the way to developing another money stream, patented bees.

 

[John-W-WI]

I've read and heard quite a few stories about the honey bee decline.... And without fail they say "for unknown reasons".... (or at least for not a single known reason). Seems strange that this mite is the single source according to this article of the bee decline.

For the record, I'm no expert on bees. But I am interested in their success and pay attention to stories about them.

My gut feeling is its related to one of the herbicides used in agriculture. No data, just a suspicion.

-John

 

[Maya]

John, we had a good article in our Fruit Growers News mag last year on bee declines. They said there are several factors one of which is a cyclical thing that is a major factor, but yes herbicides are part of it, as were mites. I'll see if I can find the article.

"The bees will take the mite and they will bite the legs and will chew on the mite," Berta says. "And if they bite a leg off of the mite, the mite will bleed to death. So the bees are actually fighting back. That's the type of genetic line we're after right now."

That stuck in my head. Is this biting trait hereditary or a learned behavior? Deer come to my apples, genetics or learned behavior? I guess it's good to study it, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

[Maya]

Here's an article on colony collapse disorder.
http://fruitgrowersnews.com/article/new-disease-colony-collapse-disorder-strikes-honeybees/

 

[sandbur]

Are your concerns herbicides or insecticides in ag crops?

 

[Maya]

I'm not sure at all Art. No one does. I suspect there are several factors.

 

[wooduck]

Can anyone answer this then , there are plenty of countries in Europe where gmos are not allowed , for comparison how are bee colonies In those countries fairing , Have never heard that herbicides are implicated just some questions about seed coating insecticides .

They will not find a single smoking gun , bee death , colony collapse have been attributed to many, many stress factors when all added up its to much for the colony to overcome .

We have hives here and have seen pollination in the orchard for many years and year in and year out 70 plus percent of insect activity during apple blossom in the trees are native pollinators , most serious pollination problems associated with bees are in a monoculture , think 10 square miles of almond trees and no native cover just 10 square miles of trees and nothing else , take some time this next spring and spend some time in your apple trees and observe what is flying to the blossoms most of us have a very diverse landscape and habitat and that diverse habitat is where the native pollinators call home , In a native habitat honey bees are not responsible for much pollination , We all want to know what is going on but if honey bees were gone completely crops would still grow , the monocultures would be in trouble as there are no natives there , that's why they import hives

 

[Maya]

Good question Wooduck. I haven't read of any connection of GMO's and bee collapse. I looked for that article in Fruit Growers News on CCD and other factors but can't find it. I remember reading something about China actually using human labor to pollinate, so at least in Asia they have a bee shortage, but I don't know of their GMO policies.

Same here w/ native pollinators. We do quite well w/ them. We don't have honey bees, but do have some mason bees. We have many real small bees/wasps, not sure what they are, but the bulk of my pollination is from bumble bees.

 

[John-W-WI]

Here's an article on colony collapse disorder.
http://fruitgrowersnews.com/article/new-disease-colony-collapse-disorder-strikes-honeybees/

If there is any good news, its that the article is old and we still have bees???!!

I agree with others, if you watch a clover field on my farm while it is flowering, bees are no where near the top pollinator. Many other critters doing the job. I still want honey bees to be successful though :)

-John

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I read the same info as Maya on human labor doing the pollinating. I don't remember where I read it. I believe Japan, like China, is doing the human thing too.

I hope the experts find answers to the CCD problem and a viable means to address it. A world without honey is unthinkable.

 

[chummer]

Can anyone answer this then , there are plenty of countries in Europe where gmos are not allowed , for comparison how are bee colonies In those countries fairing , Have never heard that herbicides are implicated just some questions about seed coating insecticides .

They will not find a single smoking gun , bee death , colony collapse have been attributed to many, many stress factors when all added up its to much for the colony to overcome .

We have hives here and have seen pollination in the orchard for many years and year in and year out 70 plus percent of insect activity during apple blossom in the trees are native pollinators , most serious pollination problems associated with bees are in a monoculture , think 10 square miles of almond trees and no native cover just 10 square miles of trees and nothing else , take some time this next spring and spend some time in your apple trees and observe what is flying to the blossoms most of us have a very diverse landscape and habitat and that diverse habitat is where the native pollinators call home , In a native habitat honey bees are not responsible for much pollination , We all want to know what is going on but if honey bees were gone completely crops would still grow , the monocultures would be in trouble as there are no natives there , that's why they import hives

Same here. I see very few honey bees. I see bumbles, tiny wasp looking thinks, and some kind of small fly. This will be the first spring with bee hives, assuming they survive the winter. I can't wait to see my apples covered with bees, if it happens.

 

[wooduck]

We have hives on the edge of the apples and still 70 percent of the insect activity in the blooms are native pollinators .

We want to know what is affecting the bees also as it may have much larger implications in the environment , But a large component of the concern involves gov funded studies and hysteria spread by the media and other groups with an agenda against certain segments of conventional ag , just pointing out that some not all bee concern may not be tied to Bees


Get some White dutch clover growing near the hives they love it