Wednesday July 23, 2008, 12:53 am
Thanks Michael but I have a question, I know some bee farmers in TN and they say their bees were killed by a mite? They even showed me this under a microscope? Are both of these things killing our bees? I have not seen a honey bee this year but I have seen 3 types of hornets and those dad burn yellow jackets...

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 1:33 am
I'm not an expert in this, but I've read that mites can contribute to bee deaths. Check out this website:

How do Varroa mites kill honey bees (Apis mellifera)?

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 3:16 am
There we go again, killing ourselves by killing other creatures.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 3:39 am
There is a mite that have attached themselves to African Bees. The indigenous bees are not able to fight off the mite and it can devastate whole colonies when the two types of bees make contact.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 5:42 am
WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS WHEN MEN COME'S IN TOO CAMP GROUNDS TELLS ALL TO LEAVE SO THEY CAN SPRAY,WEARING WHITE SUITS OK I KNOW THEY ARE KILLING EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 6:29 am
This is such a horrible thing happening. I don't see honeybees anymore either. Something needs to be done before they are gone forever. The planet is slowly dying. Sadly noted. Thanks Michael.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 7:15 am
This is terrible, noted with sadness! ~

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 10:03 am
Sorry, I am not buying it. Pesticides have been implicated as A FACTOR in the loss of bees - but there is much more going on here. The article states:

"Colony Collapse Disorder is a false name that serves to mislead the public into believing that there's a new, mystery disorder, probably something very complex, that needs tons of money to be thrown at it so that every possible angle can be studied."

This is a very misguided statement and untrue. "Colony Collapse Disorder" is indeed a serious problem - and still unknown as to the cause. The author seems to think this is just a money making scam - but that just seems to be a jaded opinion. The situation is MUCH MORE complicated than just a certain class of pesticides. This is ONE FACTOR - but by no means the end of the story - there is a lot more going on than this simplistic explanation...As pointed out by others here, mites are ANOTHER factor. We still really do not know all that is contributing to this problem - and yes, research needs to continue...

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 11:59 am
Anyone who thinks PESTICIDES do not kill, are not willing to accept a basic reality. PESTICIDES KILL. Period, and adventually, everything! They are poision. No one really thinks when this crap is srayed all over crops, only a boll weavel is affected, do they? Because , everything when it rains, is washed into our oceans, and continues poisioning, even the whales and dolpins and all the fish we eat! WAKE UP PEOPLE! It doesn;t take a rocket scientist to figure out "a mite" is NOT the problem on the planet! And yes it is indeed mankinds GREED doing this...the greed for more and better crops, and the greed of the companies making the poision! Keep paying them and the'll keep spraying it.

Well, maybe when there ARE no bees left to pollinate our crops, and no more crops, and disease farm animals not fit for consumption, maybe then we'll get it. Gezzzz...with 6 billion people on the planet, and no crops...hummmmm...I wonder WHAT is on the menu next decade?

TWO WORDS. SOLVENT GREEN.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 12:31 pm
That is not what I said LOL Of course pesticides kill bees, even when they are not the "target"! I am in no way trying to support their use. What I am saying is that this is not the ONLY problem facing bees. Mites are indeed A PROBLEM too - do some basic research. There are other issues too - some not known yet. You will never solve the problem if you only address ONE of the issues...

Here is a discussion on mites:

Bee Mites Suppress Bee Immunity, Open Door For Viruses And Bacteria

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050517110843.htm

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 12:36 pm
As I dindicated - we need to look at multiple causes:

"Genetically modified foods, mites, pathogens, pesticides and electromagnetic radiation from cell phones have all been proposed as possible causes of the bees' demise. But, Calderone said, the actual causes are unknown at this time."

Bee Colony Collapse Disorder: Could It Be Parasites, Pathogens Or Pesticides?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070511210207.htm

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 1:49 pm
According to Alex Jones GMO, (Genetically modified),food like GMO corn, GMO soy beans and other GMO foods are killing bees at a very, very rapid rate.

It is said the Big thanks (NOT), goes to MONSANTO for all this GMO food!

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 1:49 pm
It comes as no surprise that man is behind one of the causes of the bee deaths. I can't stand the thought of what happens when pesticides/insecticides are used; it additionally kills off all the reptiles who eat the dead insects. Being a HUGE lover of reptiles, nothing is used in my yard, with the exception of coffee grounds to run off the snails. All else is balanced by Mother Nature herself, and with the grace of the almighty, I have tons of reptiles! Good info, Michael.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 2:15 pm
We are fortunate to see bees in the high desert of CA where I live. That's because farming isn't done here, so no need for pesticides. Man has messed in his nest and must go back to natural methods (not chemicals) or we shall perish.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 4:02 pm
How long have mites been infecting bees? When did these insecticides become widely used? Is there any coincidence with either of these timewise? Since the die off of bees is recent and the spreading of these insecticides is more recent I tend to attribute the cause to the insecticides.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 4:09 pm
I'm with Chris think the bottom line cause is man.Man continues to do damage to the earth and it's ecosystems that he is and is not always aware of.

I think we need to look at what were doing and work from there.

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 5:23 pm
noted thank you

Wednesday July 23, 2008, 5:49 pm
My buddy Michael Sandstrom & I live in the
same county, and he's been a frequent visitor.
As he can witness, we have a saying around here
in our rural, agricultural community:
"No Farms, No Food".
While that is very true, it is also just as true
to say,
"No Bees, No Food".
I think most people would be shocked at the number
of foods which depend entirely upon pollination by
bees. If the bees die off, we will ALL be well and truly screwed.
btw, has anyone checked the price of honey lately?

Thanks, Michael!
noted.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 12:27 am
Noted and thanks for the story Michael. There's no doubt about it we need the bees.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 12:51 am
I just had a thought: Visualizing everybody out in the fields with little paint brushes tippy toe through the flowers and plants, with a "tickle" here and a tickle there just to pollinate the crops. LOL,,,BTW if Bayer is behind this, it does not surprise me, they were responsible for spreading the Aids virus in the meds for hemophiliacs, after the US FDA shut them down on it. It was then shipped to other parts of the world so they could make a profit.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 5:51 am
I wish there was a spray we could use on humans that destroy the earth and its inhabitants to get rid of them! They are about greed and nothing else! SAVE THE BEES, THE EARTH AND THE WILDLIFE!

Thursday July 24, 2008, 6:30 am
This is really sad-My Dad raised bees all his life and so I have a special fondness for them and honey. Perhaps we should all start planting flowers that the honeybees like? Maybe a boost in their food supply would help. I read an old book on them once and it said they love blue flowers, Maybe the whole country should file a gigantic class action lawsuit against Monsanto and Bayer on behaf of the honeybee. All proceeds go to the cleanup and disposal of GMO produced corn and soy etc as well as the nuetralisation of insect sprays. Though a suit like that might be classed as frivolous by the Bush Admin.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 8:47 am
To whom it might concern ..... or care ... or want to know -

http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/factsheets/clothianidin.pdf

Please copy paste above link into your browser and read up on this neat poison which is to be used with corn and canola in the US. Bee and other pollinator toxicity IS A FACT through poison residue on pollen.
The substance has also been tested on:

Rats
Mice
Guinea Pigs
Dogs
Monkeys (they also have been tray or cage washed to determine skin absorbtion) .....

This FACT SHEET is by EPA - Enviromental Protection Agency

Thursday July 24, 2008, 12:24 pm

VIDEO - Save Our Earth from Pat Woertz,ADM,Monsanto ..

Thursday July 24, 2008, 1:46 pm
I think if the bees can actually survive the pesticide then bees can have their immune systems weakened just like any living creature can be weakened. Then this allows mites to attack and reek havoc on bees. It is the same with humans, if your system is weak no telling what kind of disease will grab hold of you.

I figured that it was probably pesticide all along. After all when looking into which fruits and veggies have the most chemical loads, I was shocked to learn how many different chemicals are used on just one type of fruit. Peaches ranked very high with 45 different pesticides. Strawberries have 45 different chemicals also. On down the line etc etc...
How can bees survive that????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is insane!!!!!!!!

I am scared to eat strawberries any more. I don't always have organic fruit/veggies at my finger tips.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 2:58 pm
Chris, O., CCD does seem to be caused by a combined onslaught of many things, pesticide, mites, drought, other diseases that bees can get, all ganging up on bees and destroying their immune systems. I've read many articles in scientific publications that say this.

In my garden, no pesticides, lots of lavender (they love it!) and LOTS of bees.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 8:08 pm
Common sense. Right?

Saturday July 26, 2008, 11:36 am
Hmmmm...seems like a collateral affect that has caused this disappearance of our bees. In lower Michigan, last year and this year...I haven't seen a bee! However, like Michael Sandstorm said, I have seen too many hornets, and I don't know where they are coming from...Does anyone know why they have increased?

Saturday July 26, 2008, 11:43 am
Part of the hornet increase may bee (oh, I mean be LOL)simply natural fluctuations in population numbers. Insects are very sensitive to environmental conditions - taking advantage of "goood" years and being hammered during "poor" years. The honey bee situation is a bit different in that whatever is going on is not local - basically happening EVERYWHERE bees are found - even on different continents (which, by the way, points to multiple factors contributing to the problem). Also, this decline has been consistent over several years - indicating it is not "natural" variation...

Saturday July 26, 2008, 5:24 pm
Anxiously Noted with thanks Michael :)

Saturday July 26, 2008, 11:31 pm
thank you Chris.., I don't see as many bats, and I can't think of what would naturally keep these hornets controlled, because those dangly leg hornets love me..heh, everywhere I go, they find me. I don't wear perfume, just because of that...lol.