Comments on: CCD Update from Dennis van Engelsdorp (May 2009) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/ The premier natural history series Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:31:43 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: brian http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-15909 brian Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:40:55 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-15909 Yes Sven is right. I think the videos should tell the story of how native North American bees have been shown to be more effective pollinators of cranberries, squash, melons, etc. But only at farms that have some natural habitat for native bee nesting! We can survive the extinction of the introduced honey bee here in north america if we diversify our farms and protect-create native bee habitat. Also, how can anyone say Genetically Modificed crops can't be a cause? Most of the modifications have to do with pesticide and herbicide tolerance - so there is a strong link to more nast chemicals in GM fields. Yes Sven is right. I think the videos should tell the story of how native North American bees have been shown to be more effective pollinators of cranberries, squash, melons, etc. But only at farms that have some natural habitat for native bee nesting! We can survive the extinction of the introduced honey bee here in north america if we diversify our farms and protect-create native bee habitat.
Also, how can anyone say Genetically Modificed crops can’t be a cause? Most of the modifications have to do with pesticide and herbicide tolerance – so there is a strong link to more nast chemicals in GM fields.

]]> By: Red Forest http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-14589 Red Forest Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:43:35 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-14589 Has anyone asked a bird expert if the "sudden" onset of CCD corresponds to a resurgence of bird populations? I have never heard anyone consider the possibility of preditory birds or bats feeding on bees as a simple explanation. Has anyone asked a bird expert if the “sudden” onset of CCD corresponds to a resurgence of bird populations? I have never heard anyone consider the possibility of preditory birds or bats feeding on bees as a simple explanation.

]]> By: Merry Girl http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-13664 Merry Girl Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:45:10 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-13664 I live in the South West. I have only seen about 5 honey bees this year. I also notices a decrease in other flying insects. In the summers, our street lights are usually swarmed with insects at night. Last year, I noticed that there were fewer insects located around the porch light, but this year I can count them on two hands. Why are we loosing so many of these insects? I think that it could be linked to cell phone radiation. Just a guess! It is the one thing in the last 10 years that has changed dramatically. Could it be that those invisible signals are damaging to the delicate systems of flying insects? I live in the South West. I have only seen about 5 honey bees this year. I also notices a decrease in other flying insects. In the summers, our street lights are usually swarmed with insects at night. Last year, I noticed that there were fewer insects located around the porch light, but this year I can count them on two hands. Why are we loosing so many of these insects? I think that it could be linked to cell phone radiation. Just a guess! It is the one thing in the last 10 years that has changed dramatically. Could it be that those invisible signals are damaging to the delicate systems of flying insects?

]]> By: Cwh http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-13433 Cwh Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:16:46 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-13433 #5 wow...strange #8 Dead on, along with many other man made factors, I'm sure. It would seem that every single time we consider ourselves greater than [we] should, our arrogance bites us in the backside. Man's silly attempts at 'improvements' on that which was already perfect are just the distorted reflection of our arrogance. "Considering themselves wise, they became as fools." Indeed, we are reaping what we have sown. It isn't like we weren't warned though, huh? I don't think it coincidental that we are seeing an explosion of auto immune issues in humans. The toxic chemical cocktail's that all living things are systematically exposed to are having a devastating impact. I'm a firm believer in being a good steward of all that we have been entrusted with, but some of the more 'fringe' arguments will only lead to 'fringe', ineffective methods and measures of intervention. We shouldn't trade one wrong ideology for another. This is about the content of our character. Getting back to the basics and simply doing the right thing because it's the right thing. Tossing out ridiculous assumptions and accusations will only lead to division and will ultimately create an atmosphere that is heated and angry, and be even more toxic than even the environment we have created. We should all be able and willing to 'reason' together in a respectful tone without offending others. I find it ironic that the same humanistic arrogance that got us in the situation we're in, touts itself as the answer to all the problems we face. #5 wow…strange
#8 Dead on, along with many other man made factors, I’m sure. It would seem that every single time we consider ourselves greater than [we] should, our arrogance bites us in the backside. Man’s silly attempts at ‘improvements’ on that which was already perfect are just the distorted reflection of our arrogance. “Considering themselves wise, they became as fools.” Indeed, we are reaping what we have sown. It isn’t like we weren’t warned though, huh?
I don’t think it coincidental that we are seeing an explosion of auto immune issues in humans. The toxic chemical cocktail’s that all living things are systematically exposed to are having a devastating impact. I’m a firm believer in being a good steward of all that we have been entrusted with, but some of the more ‘fringe’ arguments will only lead to ‘fringe’, ineffective methods and measures of intervention. We shouldn’t trade one wrong ideology for another. This is about the content of our character. Getting back to the basics and simply doing the right thing because it’s the right thing. Tossing out ridiculous assumptions and accusations will only lead to division and will ultimately create an atmosphere that is heated and angry, and be even more toxic than even the environment we have created. We should all be able and willing to ‘reason’ together in a respectful tone without offending others. I find it ironic that the same humanistic arrogance that got us in the situation we’re in, touts itself as the answer to all the problems we face.

]]> By: John Cox http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-13029 John Cox Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:47:05 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-13029 They are very sensitive chaps and cannot handle exposure to microwaves. The EMR generated by the ever increasing cellphone towers is killing them and it's working on us too. They are very sensitive chaps and cannot handle exposure to microwaves. The EMR generated by the ever increasing cellphone towers is killing them and it’s working on us too.

]]> By: jorge velasquez http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-12732 jorge velasquez Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:00:25 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-12732 i am sick of people always blaming humans for everything enough already. the reason they are dying might be increased by us but come on we are humans and we need to live or are we suppose to leave in a bubble. i refuse to. i am sick of people always blaming humans for everything enough already. the reason they are dying might be increased by us but come on we are humans and we need to live or are we suppose to leave in a bubble. i refuse to.

]]> By: jl http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-12554 jl Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:41:53 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-12554 I just had a choice of purchasing "clover honey" (costco) or "flower honey from bulgaria" (from a ethnic food store). This time I decided to try something different and over concern regarding the clover source I purchased the flower honey. About 15 years ago, the los angeles hyperion sewage treatment plant was required to cease dumping solids offshore. the waste, often containing heavy metals (from chrome plating operations) and inactivated pathogenic virus', was classified as unsuitable for food production. the 2 outlets for the material they found were sod growers (marathon in oxnard) and shipping it to central california where they could use it to grow clover as eventual food for beef and dairy cattle! (covered in latimes.com). I know our local cattle (chino?) consume a lot of clover because due to incomplete composting, a bag of manure always germinates a lot of clover plants. granted, there are many causes for ccd and that there may be many different causes for other geographies, but has anyone explored a possible link to clover production utilizing class B sewage sludge? fwiw: I have some familiarity with what finds it's way into the treatment plants having worked at a small chemical plant 35+ years ago. then it was legal to dispose of many things so long as it was diluted sufficiently. the lab always had water jet powered aspirators to run the vacuum filtering flasks so a continuous flow of dilutive water was never lacking. I just had a choice of purchasing “clover honey” (costco) or “flower honey from bulgaria” (from a ethnic food store). This time I decided to try something different and over concern regarding the clover source I purchased the flower honey. About 15 years ago, the los angeles hyperion sewage treatment plant was required to cease dumping solids offshore. the waste, often containing heavy metals (from chrome plating operations) and inactivated pathogenic virus’, was classified as unsuitable for food production. the 2 outlets for the material they found were sod growers (marathon in oxnard) and shipping it to central california where they could use it to grow clover as eventual food for beef and dairy cattle! (covered in latimes.com). I know our local cattle (chino?) consume a lot of clover because due to incomplete composting, a bag of manure always germinates a lot of clover plants. granted, there are many causes for ccd and that there may be many different causes for other geographies, but has anyone explored a possible link to clover production utilizing class B sewage sludge?

fwiw: I have some familiarity with what finds it’s way into the treatment plants having worked at a small chemical plant 35+ years ago. then it was legal to dispose of many things so long as it was diluted sufficiently. the lab always had water jet powered aspirators to run the vacuum filtering flasks so a continuous flow of dilutive water was never lacking.

]]> By: David http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-12548 David Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:57:42 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-12548 Chris sums up the 'usual suspects' well. Interested parties are encouraged to read "What's Killing American Honey Bees?" in Plos Biology: http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0050168 And "Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study" Also in Plos Biology: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0006481 Chris may well have discerned the 'scene of the crime,' if not the criminals when he wrote: "Now we ship bees, royal jelly, and pollen from all over the world to support this system, so if there is any new disease in the world it gets distributed to the nation during almond pollination." Half of the commercial [non-feral] bees in the US are sent to pollinate almond trees...in the same time frame and narrow geographic area. Causal Factors? [1]Stresses associated with travel [2]Protein/nutritional deficiency due to inherent deficiencies in nutritional quality of almond pollen [3]Lessening genetic diversity due to diminished number of Queen-mating feral bees [4]New strains of parasites/bacterias [5]Impact of insecticides/man-made pathogens [6]Queens/bee stock developing genetic mutations/losing immunity to new viruses/bacteria The answer will not be found inside one set of the above brackets [?]...Rather, in an admixture of many bracketed suspects, many intertwined factors. Chris sums up the ‘usual suspects’ well.
Interested parties are encouraged to read “What’s Killing American Honey Bees?” in Plos Biology:

http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0050168

And “Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study”
Also in Plos Biology:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0006481

Chris may well have discerned the ’scene of the crime,’ if not the criminals when he wrote:

“Now we ship bees, royal jelly, and pollen from all over the world to support this system, so if there is any new disease in the world it gets distributed to the nation during almond pollination.” Half of the commercial [non-feral] bees in the US are sent to pollinate almond trees…in the same time frame and narrow geographic area.

Causal Factors?
[1]Stresses associated with travel
[2]Protein/nutritional deficiency due to inherent deficiencies in nutritional quality of almond pollen
[3]Lessening genetic diversity due to diminished number of Queen-mating feral bees
[4]New strains of parasites/bacterias
[5]Impact of insecticides/man-made pathogens
[6]Queens/bee stock developing genetic mutations/losing immunity to new viruses/bacteria

The answer will not be found inside one set of the above brackets [?]…Rather, in an admixture of many bracketed suspects, many intertwined factors.

]]> By: Chris http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-12465 Chris Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:26:50 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-12465 I am a beekeeper and have to say that beekeepers and this system of agriculture we have going on now is the problem. We have this situation where half of the bees in the USA are trucked to California each year from as far away as Florida and Minnesota for almond pollination, so if any new bee disease arises it is immediately transmitted to the entire continent as these bees move back home after almonds are pollinated. Now we ship bees, royal jelly, and pollen from all over the world to support this system, so if there is any new disease in the world it gets distributed to the nation during almond pollination. And it is stressful to bees every time you move them. Second, beekeepers are running a commercial operation and cannot afford to lose half their bees while they select for bee stock resistant to disease, so they treat their bees with all sorts of chemicals that accumulate and remain in the wax comb from which they are slowly and constantly released to the bees as another stressor. Third, beekeepers requeen every year, in order to have vigorous bee production, using queens from a small number of queen producers so any resistant colonies that may show up in the beeyard are not propagated. Forth, bee keepers feed their bees all manner of artificial pollen patties and corn syrup so that large quantities of bees are ready for almond pollination in February when the bees would normally still be in cluster. Fifth, we have ever increasing use of new pesticides without adequate consideration for what effects this may have on bees. I am a beekeeper and have to say that beekeepers and this system of agriculture we have going on now is the problem. We have this situation where half of the bees in the USA are trucked to California each year from as far away as Florida and Minnesota for almond pollination, so if any new bee disease arises it is immediately transmitted to the entire continent as these bees move back home after almonds are pollinated. Now we ship bees, royal jelly, and pollen from all over the world to support this system, so if there is any new disease in the world it gets distributed to the nation during almond pollination. And it is stressful to bees every time you move them. Second, beekeepers are running a commercial operation and cannot afford to lose half their bees while they select for bee stock resistant to disease, so they treat their bees with all sorts of chemicals that accumulate and remain in the wax comb from which they are slowly and constantly released to the bees as another stressor. Third, beekeepers requeen every year, in order to have vigorous bee production, using queens from a small number of queen producers so any resistant colonies that may show up in the beeyard are not propagated. Forth, bee keepers feed their bees all manner of artificial pollen patties and corn syrup so that large quantities of bees are ready for almond pollination in February when the bees would normally still be in cluster. Fifth, we have ever increasing use of new pesticides without adequate consideration for what effects this may have on bees.

]]> By: Ben http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/ccd-update-from-dennis-van-engelsdorp-may-2009/4991/comment-page-1/#comment-12432 Ben Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:40:35 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4991#comment-12432 Here's another angle to consider/research with the death from a thousand cuts angle. So far agriculutural GM plants have been mentioned as malnurishing bees. Well I have heard several theories that wild plants are now doing the same. As far as I have heard, wildflowers have become less scented, significantly. Meaning it just adds one more stress for bees, flowers are harder to find. If this theory is true, I don't think it would be a large leap to assume that there is lessening nutritional value in these flowers pollen. As a side note, taking pock shots at typical secular folks, or religiouse folks only adds a degraded and maliciouse argument to a situation that needs solutions. Nock it off! Here’s another angle to consider/research with the death from a thousand cuts angle. So far agriculutural GM plants have been mentioned as malnurishing bees. Well I have heard several theories that wild plants are now doing the same. As far as I have heard, wildflowers have become less scented, significantly. Meaning it just adds one more stress for bees, flowers are harder to find. If this theory is true, I don’t think it would be a large leap to assume that there is lessening nutritional value in these flowers pollen.
As a side note, taking pock shots at typical secular folks, or religiouse folks only adds a degraded and maliciouse argument to a situation that needs solutions. Nock it off!

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