Posts Tagged ‘ Colony Collapse Disorder ’

Colony Collapse Cures

With beekeepers constantly trying to find ways to keep their hives healthy and disease free, numerous ways have been hypothesized about the best way to prevent colony collapse disorder, or at least limit it’s affects. The number one way that seems to work the best is simply “Innovative beekeepers.” These beekeepers are trying varied cures, and finding that some things work better for some, and some better for others.  One of the things that beekeepers are trying to do is “Breed for survivors, ” in hopes  of “Developing resistant lines of bees.” These bees will be a super strain of resistant bees, less susceptible to CCD and other diseases.

While selective breeding has been proposed as one solution, another solution is supplementing the bees diets with extra essential nutrients. One such supplement called MegaBEE, is a ” dietary supplement that contains protein, fat, sugar, minerals, and vitamins in liquid or flapjack form.” Given this extra nutritional boost, some say the “colonies were shown to be healthy, energetic,” and in all around better condition. While this does not cure or stop CCD, healthy and strong bees are less likely to get the disease.

A third solution, the ban or cutback on pesticide usages, is popular among the more environmentally conscious, who think that CCD is linked to over usage of  insecticides which can enter the bees system through pollen. “Countries like France have already placed bans on Imidacloprid and pesticides with similar effects,” and although the bee population seems to be returning, the United States is unconvinced of the link to CCD, and would like more research before any bans are put into place.

Since its appearance in 2006, colony collapse disorder has been a mystery to most involved in the business.  It’s cures, just like its causes, are elusive and not easily pinpointed. Most people believe like the local beekeeper I talked to that their not sure “there’s ever going to be a silver bullet.” Perhaps there is not enough information on CCD, or perhaps there truly is no cure, but due to the enormous impact it has had on beekeeping, many bee keepers and those in the industry are rethinking the whole system, and wondering about the future of our bees.

Sources

http://utahpests.usu.edu/ipm/files/uploads/PPTDocs/09sh-UPIS-hygenic-bee-behavior-moulton.pdf

http://cosmos.ucdavis.edu/archives/2009/cluster7/SHEN_MARGARET.pdf

2010
03/15
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Not the First Time

After looking into to some further research, I found an interesting paper entitled “Colony Collapse Disorder: Have We Seen This Before?” It had never occurred to me that perhaps this wasn’t the first time we had experienced massive bee disappearances, and the article gave some interesting insight into what may or may not have been CCD  in the past.

During the long history of human-bee interaction, the first record of this disorder came in 1869. While a lack of science and technology in these times led to beliefs that “death was due to a lack of pollen, poisonous honey, or a hot summer,” later investigations during losses in 1891 and 1896 led scientists to Aspergillus Fungi which was able to “reproduce symptoms very similar to CCD” Following these years, cases of drastic honeybee delcine sprung up between the years of 1905 and 1919, most notably on the British Isle of Wight, where more then 90% of the bees were lost. Attributing losses to this new “Isle of Wight disease”, “Some concluded that the losses were due to acarine disease or the honey bee tracheal mite.”

Our path through history does not end here though. Beekeepers continued to notice this strange disappearance, in Portland in 1915,  and in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Canada in 1917. Continuing  into  the 1960s and 1970’s both Australia and the US had epidemics, and  “many reports of losses were published.” New names continued to spring up, such as “disappearing syndrome,” and hypothesized causes ranged from genetics to poor nutrition. Occurrences were not isolated and were spread across the world. “In the mid-1990’s, losses again became evident in the northeastern United States,” and beekeepers began treating their hives with pest control and nutritional supplements, hoping to find a cure. Later, at the turn of the century, France experienced massive die outs, and speculation continued about causes such as “colony mismanagement, nutrient deficiencies, and chemicals in the environment.”

As we know, the latest bout of CCD, or “Isle of Wight Disease” or “Disappearing Syndrome” has sprung up in the past few years, and has for the most part left beekeepers and scientists alike at a loss for causation, with their best bets hedged on a combination of factors. It is interesting though, that throughout history, CCD as we call it now, has occurred periodically and in a variety of locations, under different names, with different suspected causes, but with the same results every time. Massive bee losses and baffled beekeepers. So,  knowing that recent occurrences have been attributed to modern developments such as pesticides and GMO’s, we should note that “The losses that have been occurring for over 100 years could be completely separate events or part of a cycle of disappearance.”

Colony Collapse Disorder: Have We Seen This Before?

2010
03/01
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Colony Collapse Culprits

Modern day honeybees stress is through the roof.  “Varroa and tracheal mites, small hive beetles, Africanized killer bees, American foulbrood bacteria, fungi, and viruses of all kinds.” But lets not leave out “pesticides, antibiotics, malnutrition, urbanization, globalization, and global warming.” The list is endless, and as Author Rowan Jacobsen points out in his book Fruitless Fall, beekeepers are surprised that “honey bees are alive at all.” One of the leading culprits according to some scientists is pesticides.

Pesticides used in farming are sprayed over crops to prevent infestations, and crop destruction. On bees foraging runs, it is hypothesized that they pick up small dosages of these pesticides which could possibly weaken their immune systems, or interfere with their internal GPS which may account for their mysterious disappearance from the hives.  One of these pesticides that has been accused of causing CCD is imidacloprid, a neur0active systemic insecticide produced by Bayer Corporation. The focus on this possible contributor or cause of CCD comes from the introduction of it to the French sunflower industry in 1994, after “what had began as 1.5 million bee colonies had dropped below 1 million by 2001.” Although Bayer corporation denies that the pesticide attains a lethal toxicity in the pollen and nectar of crops it is used on, the French Government banned it in 1999.

Weather or not imidacloprid is responsible for the CCD flare up in France is neither here nor there. And while lab testing has been done by the Bayer corporation “showing no connection between Guacho (imidacloprid) and the honey bee crash.” The point is that increased pesticide usage has been linked in one way or another to CCD. Now, as I said before this is not the only factor going into the cause of CCD. Leading experts believe that the most viable answer is a combination of causes. They think that through pesticides, mal-nutrition, over work, and general ill treatment of bees, immune systems are weakened opening the doors for any number of known bee killers such as varroa mites or hive beetles. While blame is easily placed on the the large Corporations, the same blame might easily be placed on the bee keepers themselves. For years, bee keepers have been dosing their hives with the likes of CheckMite in order to curb the influx of bee diseases. Along with this, hives are being trucked hundreds of miles to pollinate crops, only adding to their already stressful life. So, there is no direct answer I nor anyone involved in the bee business can give you. Fingers like to be pointed and blame likes to be placed when your livelihood or hobby is collapsing with nothing you can do to prevent it. The old culprits are still around, and new culprits are being found. Like most die outs, or collapses in a species though, humans themselves are usually the leading culprit.

The research for this post comes from Fruitless Fall by Rowan Jacobsen. It is a factual portrayal of The collapse of the Honeybee and the coming agricultural crisis. It is supported by references from both sides of the issue. In my upcoming posts, I hope to get a personal account of CCD, and its ramifications from a local bee keeper. For right now,  that’s all folks! Don’t forget to check out that girly-man blog on the Sensitive Female Chord Progression.

2010
02/22
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The Economic Impact

Many of you have been asking so what? Who cares about the bees? There are a lot of Tom Gustafson’s out there who have no respect whatsoever. So, in response to that, lets look at Colony Collapse Disorder from an Economic standpoint.

When we think of bees, we think of honey. Honey nut cheerios, Honeycomb cereal, and those little bears filled with the golden stickiness usually come to mind.  What many don’t realize though, is that honey is the least of our concerns when we are looking at the disappearance of bees from an economic perspective.  As a Fortune Magazine article titled “As bees go missing, a $9.3B dollar crisis lurks” states, the bees are involved in some big money. This money is mostly wrapped up in their agricultural pollination services. Bee’s are used in the pollination of numerous crops including “almonds, blueberries, melons, cranberries, peaches, pumpkins, onions, squash, cucumbers, and scores of other fruits and vegetables.” If populations continue to dwindle, some experts like Secretary of US agriculture Mike Johanns say that its possible for CCD to cause a”$15 billion direct loss of crop production and $75 billion in indirect losses.”

The indirect losses he talks about come from the alfalfa and clover that is needed to raise cattle and livestock. So as you can see, its not just the honey. Its the fruits and vegetables we eat, even the beef we consume which could be taking a hit should the bees continue to disappear. One of the more drastic examples of their much needed services is through the California almond crop. This harvest alone requires about half of all domesticated honey bee colonies in the United States. With their annual almond harvest bringing in around $1 billion dollars each year, the health of bee populations is critical to both the almond growers and the state of California.

So, its not just the honey we will be missing. Its everything from coffee to almonds, apples to kiwis. Everywhere across the world bees pollinate and provide billions of dollars worth of food. Less bees means higher prices for their services which means inflated food prices which equates to you spending more money on food. Yes, I will agree that most articles seems overly dramatic about the plight of the bees, and perhaps I am guilty of dramatizing their story, but if articles about CCD appear in magazines such as Fortune, it is something to pay attention to.

This research as I previously stated, comes from Fortune Magazine, a worldwide magazine devoted to business. It seemed to be unbiased and provide a critical summary of the affects CCD might have in terms of money. One important thing it noted is that in recent years, CCD has slowed down, and a “bee apocalypse seems unlikely at this point.” Keeping this in mind, don’t stress out out too much over the plight of the bees. I know, like myself, you were very worried. There is definitely a problem though,  and we might just be at a pause in the action. Hopefully we will solve the problem because right now, there’s no plan bee.

Sources

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/09/03/100202647/index.htm?postversion=2007082814

2010
02/14
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Bee Basics

In looking at Colony Collapse Disorder, and the declining Bee population, I thought it best to first know some basic information about Bees and their role in our world. First off, there are around 20,000 bee species in the world, with some of the more commonly known species being the European(or Western) Honey Bee, and the ever popular bumble bee. Their most notable roles in the ecosystem include pollination, and the production of honey, the latter of which is a notable concern to the human population seeing as though roughly 1/3 of the worlds food supply is made possible by insect pollination, mainly from the bees. Bee species can be divided into two categories. Eusocial/Semi Social and Solitary Bees. Eusocial Bees are the kind we most commonly think of, the ones living in hives with specified roles such as a queen, drones, and worker bees. These bees are considered generalist, and will pollinate any type of flower. The other group, solitary bees, live, as the name implies, alone, and not in communities. They are commonly known to pollinate only specific types of flowers and plants, and make up the majority of the bee population. Contrary to popular belief, most bee species are non-aggressive, and the threat we pose to them through habitat degradation, pesticdes..etc is much greater then threat that their small stinger poses to our skin. (except for those who are allergic of course).

So, with a little more knowledge about the bee, let us keep in mind the importance of their contributions to us humans. For as little as they are, they have a big impact. A $20 billion dollar impact if you wanted to know. Through their roles in pollination of crops that include but are not limited to “red clover, alfalfa, field beans, peas, runner beans, tomatoes and in some areas cotton,” their declining populations will have an affect on us humans. Don’t underestimate the bees. (tom)

sources:
–http://www.bumblebee.org/economic.htm
–http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0856884.html
–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee
–http://www.earthlife.net/insects/solbees.html

2010
01/27
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2010
01/24
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Begginning to Exit

For the rest of the semester I will be working on my senior exit project. After mulling through many topics, and wondering what in the world I would like to spend the final days of my senior year researching and writing about I finally decided. Bees. Yes Bees. The tiny little creatures that go buzzing around and you scream and run away from in fear of their ever painful stings.

So what about bees you may ask? Well, bees are more important than I ever could have imagined, and they are suddenly dying out.  In the United States alone, we have lost more than 35% of the population, and some predict the population to be extinct by 2035. Caused by a mysterious disease deemed Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD, the ramifications of a honeybee die out are enormous. No bees means no pollination, no plants, no animals, and possibly the end of humanity as we know it. Yes, this may be a little dramatic but the bees are inexplicably linked to our survival.  The bees are heading down a path of extinction, and the effects this may have on mankind are more extensive than you can imagine. If the bees go, we go too.

So, with a little background on the subject, and possibly a little fear of our imminent destruction due to colony collapse disorder,  it is the intention of my senior exit project to explore exactly what is happening to the bees, and what this means to us as a people.  How did this whole phenomenon came about, and how we can stop it. There’s a buzz out there about the future of our striped friends, and I would like to find out what it is all about.

2010
01/21
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