We're Killing Off Our Bees!

[Old Rocks]

But that is not the only polinator. In fact, a careless application of one of your 'harmless' pesticides killed about 50,000 bumblebees in the Hillsboro area this summer.

Yes, the mite is also a problem, ever hear of synergy?

 

[longknife]

Because we all know that the only species of bee in North America is the imported European honeybee.

That's interesting. What creatures performed polination before then? It's a basic necessity of plant growth.

 

[whitehall]

Just goes to show that "scientists" employed by government agencies are paid to put a political spin on issues rather than finding a solution. Bee keepers have known for decades that a tiny mite has been killing bees and there are ways of treating hives. Bees in the wild are another issue and they have been almost eradicated.

 

[FA_Q2]

Because we all know that the only species of bee in North America is the imported European honeybee.

That's interesting. What creatures performed polination before then? It's a basic necessity of plant growth.

You might want to have your sarcasm meter checked. I think it is broken…

 

[longknife]

Because we all know that the only species of bee in North America is the imported European honeybee.

That's interesting. What creatures performed polination before then? It's a basic necessity of plant growth.

You might want to have your sarcasm meter checked. I think it is broken…

There was nothing sarcastic about it!!!! I did a Google search and didn't find anything that stood out. I was just asking.

 

[Old Rocks]

That's interesting. What creatures performed polination before then? It's a basic necessity of plant growth.

You might want to have your sarcasm meter checked. I think it is broken…

There was nothing sarcastic about it!!!! I did a Google search and didn't find anything that stood out. I was just asking.

There are native 'bees' that polinate, as well as mosquitoes. But the European honeybee is not only better at it, but also provides honey.

Mosquitoes Pollinate Flowers

Most people think of mosquitoes only as insects that suck blood, but they have another niche in the ecosystem--they pollinate flowers. Male mosquitoes never bite, and the females need the protein in blood only to produce eggs, so the normal food of adult mosquitoes is actually nectar from plants.

Though they don't gather pollen like bees, they fly from flower to flower to feed, and along the way, they carry pollen from one blossom to the other.

In most cases, mosquitoes are just one of many insects that plants use for pollination, so even if mosquitoes were all eradicated by humans, plants would still survive

More information can be found here;
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Attracting-Native-Pollinators-Protecting-Butterflies/dp/1603426957]Amazon.com: Attracting Native Pollinators: The Xerces Society Guide, Protecting North America's Bees and Butterflies (9781603426954): The Xerces Society, Dr. Marla Spivak: Books[/ame]

The recent decline of the European honey bee and other pollinators in North America poses a serious challenge to our food supply and ecological health. About 75 percent of all flowering plants rely on pollinators in order to set seed or fruit, and from these plants comes one-third of the planet's food.

Attracting Native Pollinators is a comprehensive guidebook for gardeners, small farmers, orchardists, beekeepers, naturalists, environmentalists, and public land managers on how to protect and encourage the activity of the native pollinators of North America. Written by staff of the Xerces Society, an international nonprofit organization that is leading the way in pollinator conservation, this book presents a thorough overview of the problem along with positive solutions for how to provide bountiful harvests on farms and gardens, maintain healthy plant communinities in wildlands, provide food for wildlife, and beautify the landscape with flowers.

 

[Mr. H.]

What?s all the buzz about? Inside the mysterious mass disappearance of honeybees

Over the past seven years, a stunning one-third of the U.S. honeybee population has disappeared without a trace – a mystery that’s baffling beekeepers and scientists, and raising concerns about the impact on the American food supply.

U.S. Department of Agriculture bee researcher Jeff Pettis, who is leading the government’s search for answers, said there’s a lot more at stake in the disappearance of honeybees than just honey.

“If you walk into your grocery store, you might see about only one-third of the produce left in the produce aisle,” Pettis said, explaining what a world without bees would look like. “Apples and nuts and many of the fruits and vegetables would simply not be available if we didn't have bees or something to pollinate.”

 

[Politico]

Interesting phenomenon.

I doubt that bees are going anywhere though. You would be surprised how good at life is when it comes to pressing on and, as pointed out, we are already researching the problem and looking for solutions.

They wion't go anywhere during our lifetimes at least. That's all that matters I guess.