As we’ve written before, the mysterious mass die-off of honey bees that pollinate $30 billion worth of crops in the US has so decimated America’s apis mellifera population that one bad winter could leave fields fallow. Now, a new study has pinpointed some of the probable causes of bee deaths and the rather scary results show that averting beemageddon will be much more difficult than previously thought.

Scientists had struggled to find the trigger for so-called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) that has wiped out an estimated 10 million beehives, worth $2 billion, over the past six years. Suspects have included pesticides, disease-bearing parasites and poor nutrition. But in a first-of-its-kind study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists at the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture have identified a witch’s brew of pesticides and fungicides contaminating pollen that bees collect to feed their hives. The findings break new ground on why large numbers of bees are dying though they do not identify the specific cause of CCD, where an entire beehive dies at once.

When researchers collected pollen from hives on the east coast pollinating cranberry, watermelon and other crops and fed it to healthy bees, those bees showed a significant decline in their ability to resist infection by a parasite called Nosema ceranae. The parasite has been implicated in Colony Collapse Disorder though scientists took pains to point out that their findings do not directly link the pesticides to CCD. The pollen was contaminated on average with nine different pesticides and fungicides though scientists discovered 21 agricultural chemicals in one sample. Scientists identified eight ag chemicals associated with increased risk of infection by the parasite.

more….

http://qz.com/107970/scientists-discover-whats-killing-the-bees-and-its-worse-than-you-thought/

Riff-in-Thyme said:

The pollen was contaminated on average with nine different pesticides and fungicides though scientists discovered 21 agricultural chemicals in one sample. Scientists identified eight ag chemicals associated with increased risk of infection by the parasite.

more….

http://qz.com/107970/scientists-discover-whats-killing-the-bees-and-its-worse-than-you-thought/

Can’t blame me Im an organic grower.
Bees are so sensitive to chemicals that if they ate them or flew through the mists, they’d never get back to the hive. However collecting pollen is taking it home to feed their babies.

why did it take so long for them to make the connection between contaminated pollen and uncontaminated pollen?

CrazyNeutrino said:

why did it take so long for them to make the connection between contaminated pollen and uncontaminated pollen?

different focus.

They were always aware that bees are usually dead before they got back to the hive.. The thing was due to come up eventually considering that they were looking at way hives collapsed. it was simply a process of elimination but the blinkers had to be first removed before the priority list could be set right. I’ve been one who has talked about this for decades.. without any science.. to back me up.. simple observation of the differences between bees that were mainly foraging on either natural flora or those foraging on sprayed crops.

But don’t we need all those chemical insect and weed killers in order to produce enough food to feed our growing population?

Europe Bans Bee-Harming Pesticides; US Keeps Spraying

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/05/eu-ban-bee-harming-pesticides-puts-pressure-us-epa

In a similar vein:

7 Dodgy Food Practices Banned in Europe But Just Fine Here (USA)

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/05/7-dodgy-foodag-practices-banned-europe-just-fine-here

Bubblecar said:

Europe Bans Bee-Harming Pesticides; US Keeps Spraying

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/05/eu-ban-bee-harming-pesticides-puts-pressure-us-epa

The list of bee harming pesticides is a long one. Those that are micro-encapsulted pose a particular risk of being gathered with pollen.

PermeateFree said:

But don’t we need all those chemical insect and weed killers in order to produce enough food to feed our growing population?

No. We do not.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

But don’t we need all those chemical insect and weed killers in order to produce enough food to feed our growing population?

No. We do not.

If you need me to extrapolate on that I can but it could take days weeks months tears to weed the BS from the crap and get to the nitty gritty but I do know from the colour of my brown thumbs to the grit under my fingernails that whatever the science wants to prove, I actually live it.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

But don’t we need all those chemical insect and weed killers in order to produce enough food to feed our growing population?

No. We do not.

But that is what they say, but you say they are wrong, so who is right? However if using vast amounts of chemicals were not required, then why do we still use them and at great expense?

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

But don’t we need all those chemical insect and weed killers in order to produce enough food to feed our growing population?

No. We do not.

If you need me to extrapolate on that I can but it could take days weeks months tears to weed the BS from the crap and get to the nitty gritty but I do know from the colour of my brown thumbs to the grit under my fingernails that whatever the science wants to prove, I actually live it.

And you grow the food we need?

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

But don’t we need all those chemical insect and weed killers in order to produce enough food to feed our growing population?

No. We do not.

But that is what they say, but you say they are wrong, so who is right? However if using vast amounts of chemicals were not required, then why do we still use them and at great expense?

This I think is easily answered if only we realise that economists are liars. Simply by what they leave out of the equation.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

No. We do not.

If you need me to extrapolate on that I can but it could take days weeks months tears to weed the BS from the crap and get to the nitty gritty but I do know from the colour of my brown thumbs to the grit under my fingernails that whatever the science wants to prove, I actually live it.

And you grow the food we need?

My family has always fed itself.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

No. We do not.

But that is what they say, but you say they are wrong, so who is right? However if using vast amounts of chemicals were not required, then why do we still use them and at great expense?

This I think is easily answered if only we realise that economists are liars. Simply by what they leave out of the equation.

Are they going to produce our food?

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

If you need me to extrapolate on that I can but it could take days weeks months tears to weed the BS from the crap and get to the nitty gritty but I do know from the colour of my brown thumbs to the grit under my fingernails that whatever the science wants to prove, I actually live it.

And you grow the food we need?

My family has always fed itself.

But what about the other 9 billion people?

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

But that is what they say, but you say they are wrong, so who is right? However if using vast amounts of chemicals were not required, then why do we still use them and at great expense?

This I think is easily answered if only we realise that economists are liars. Simply by what they leave out of the equation.

Are they going to produce our food?

no.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

And you grow the food we need?

My family has always fed itself.

But what about the other 9 billion people?

They don’t have a better excuse.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

My family has always fed itself.

But what about the other 9 billion people?

They don’t have a better excuse.

I have a feeling in my water rb that there is a lot more to it than you are letting on.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

But what about the other 9 billion people?

They don’t have a better excuse.

I have a feeling in my water rb that there is a lot more to it than you are letting on.

Giving away secrets is the same as trying to patent it.. I have no secrets. Life is as it always has been.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

They don’t have a better excuse.

I have a feeling in my water rb that there is a lot more to it than you are letting on.

Giving away secrets is the same as trying to patent it.. I have no secrets. Life is as it always has been.

Just having a lend of you rb to further illustrate the impossible web of short-term decisions we as people have made and how many of these are coming back to haunt us. If this were the only problem, then we could easily overcome it, but it is only a strand from a complex web of misunderstandings on our part. Nature does not care what we do, but we must live by the rules of nature to survive in this world, of which we don’t.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

I have a feeling in my water rb that there is a lot more to it than you are letting on.

Giving away secrets is the same as trying to patent it.. I have no secrets. Life is as it always has been.

Just having a lend of you rb to further illustrate the impossible web of short-term decisions we as people have made and how many of these are coming back to haunt us. If this were the only problem, then we could easily overcome it, but it is only a strand from a complex web of misunderstandings on our part. Nature does not care what we do, but we must live by the rules of nature to survive in this world, of which we don’t.

if short term solutions worked, there would be no such thing as family business.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

Giving away secrets is the same as trying to patent it.. I have no secrets. Life is as it always has been.

Just having a lend of you rb to further illustrate the impossible web of short-term decisions we as people have made and how many of these are coming back to haunt us. If this were the only problem, then we could easily overcome it, but it is only a strand from a complex web of misunderstandings on our part. Nature does not care what we do, but we must live by the rules of nature to survive in this world, of which we don’t.

if short term solutions worked, there would be no such thing as family business.

If short term solutions worked we would not have an environmental problem.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

Just having a lend of you rb to further illustrate the impossible web of short-term decisions we as people have made and how many of these are coming back to haunt us. If this were the only problem, then we could easily overcome it, but it is only a strand from a complex web of misunderstandings on our part. Nature does not care what we do, but we must live by the rules of nature to survive in this world, of which we don’t.

if short term solutions worked, there would be no such thing as family business.

If short term solutions worked we would not have an environmental problem.

about that, I’m inclined to have reservations.

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

if short term solutions worked, there would be no such thing as family business.

If short term solutions worked we would not have an environmental problem.

about that, I’m inclined to have reservations.

:) Thought you might.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

If short term solutions worked we would not have an environmental problem.

about that, I’m inclined to have reservations.

:) Thought you might.

What else is there to say?

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

about that, I’m inclined to have reservations.

:) Thought you might.

What else is there to say?

The environmental problems are so large and fast becoming larger and so interwoven in our everyday life, there is probably little if anything we can do in a meaningful way. So do as Nero did and learn to play the fiddle.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

:) Thought you might.

What else is there to say?

The environmental problems are so large and fast becoming larger and so interwoven in our everyday life, there is probably little if anything we can do in a meaningful way. So do as Nero did and learn to play the fiddle.

I’m currently obsessed (on my 12 string), with a chord progression Em, C, Em, DD. a rising crescendo.

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

PermeateFree said:

:) Thought you might.

What else is there to say?

The environmental problems are so large and fast becoming larger and so interwoven in our everyday life, there is probably little if anything we can do in a meaningful way. So do as Nero did and learn to play the fiddle.

Quitter talk..

I started a thread on CCD a couple of years ago when all the buzz (pun) was about Varroa mites.

Now that the science is showing up the link with these ag chemicals we know what has to be done.

It might mean setting up sanctuary zones in clean environments…

Ian said:

PermeateFree said:

roughbarked said:

What else is there to say?

The environmental problems are so large and fast becoming larger and so interwoven in our everyday life, there is probably little if anything we can do in a meaningful way. So do as Nero did and learn to play the fiddle.

Quitter talk..

I started a thread on CCD a couple of years ago when all the buzz (pun) was about Varroa mites.

Now that the science is showing up the link with these ag chemicals we know what has to be done.

It might mean setting up sanctuary zones in clean environments…

I’ll go and tune my fiddle.

Pesticides have been around long before the bee problem started.
I’ve always maintained that the successful pesticide targeting clover is the problem one.

Peak Warming Man said:

Pesticides have been around long before the bee problem started.
I’ve always maintained that the successful pesticide targeting clover is the problem one.

That’s right! You could even say we rely upon them these days.

Peak Warming Man said:

Pesticides have been around long before the bee problem started.
I’ve always maintained that the successful pesticide targeting clover is the problem one.

how does that fit in with the ever evolving pesticide industry creating new pesticides?

or a combination of pesticides

forgive me not understanding what pesticide targeting clover means

>> forgive me not understanding what pesticide targeting clover means

Had me wondering as well.

The article highlights fungicides.

The problem as I see it, is the use of chemical pesticides, weedicides, etc, have been produced to assist us increase our production of food crops. This assistance has been used as many others have in the past to permit us to increase our population, which was also the reason for the development of agriculture in the first place. The point is we cannot due to our ever increasing population, just drop or change these products without a substantial decrease in food production. This production has already been built into standard of living.

Then something has to give..

We might even have to radically reduce our almond consumption.

Ian said:

Then something has to give..

We might even have to radically reduce our almond consumption.

Plus Stone fruit, apples and pears and many other foods. The problem is, are you ready to reduce your standard of living too?:)

confidor

>>are you ready to reduce your standard of living too?

bin dun

confidor
——-
Assume that’s shorthand for: Confidor is a brand name for a product containing Imidacloprid – one of the most toxic insecticides to the western honeybee, Apis mellifera.

>>But what about the other 9 billion people?

News out of Europe is that they’ve upped the estimate of the amount of food we throw away form one third to about a half.

Ian said:

>>But what about the other 9 billion people?

News out of Europe is that they’ve upped the estimate of the amount of food we throw away form one third to about a half.

I suppose we could make a great big pot of swill out of it, to then repackage for export.

PermeateFree said:

Ian said:

>>But what about the other 9 billion people?

News out of Europe is that they’ve upped the estimate of the amount of food we throw away form one third to about a half.

I suppose we could make a great big pot of swill out of it, to then repackage for export.

At work they burn the kitchen leftovers and harness the energy (for something I forget).

How do they know what I thought?

dv said:

How do they know what I thought?

Because They implanted the thought there.

Apiseption

PermeateFree said:

Ian said:

>>But what about the other 9 billion people?

News out of Europe is that they’ve upped the estimate of the amount of food we throw away form one third to about a half.

I suppose we could make a great big pot of swill out of it, to then repackage for export.

We legislate much of this waste with our ‘use by date’ system, where retailers get into a lot of trouble if they try to sell it or reuse out of date food. The other aspect are restaurants who must order food to prepare and sell, this is pure guesswork and like all guesses will often be out by some considerable margin, especially if people don’t order the dishes. Then you have all the vegetable waste that is usually discarded to reach the more tasty bits. If you want to reduce this waste then you must lower your standard of living by eating more simply and only purchasing locally produced food that is in season. Therefore this type of wastage can be reduced, but it is up to you to change your ways, not rely on better recycling procedures.

Apparently they throw away heaps of bananas because they’re too straight..

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damn straight

Ian said:

Apparently they throw away heaps of bananas because they’re too straight..

<BR>

<BR>

<BR>

<BR>

damn straight

Yes well that is probably the largest single food wastage area ie produce too small, marked or mis-shapened for sale due to our high demands for perfection.

cucumbers too bent.

Pears that haven’t gone pear shaped and pears that have.