Honey Bees & Other Pollinators
HONEY BEES
Honey bees. Photo by Wes NelmsHoney Bees and other pollinators are in sharp decline in the United States and around the world. There are many competing theories for these declines. And there are slow, ongoing investigations into these declines.
Honey Bee decline (called Colony Collapse Disorder CCD), has been increasing each year. And this decline, along with the decline of numerous other pollinators, will start to reduce food supplies from lower agriculture crop production, reduce the number and variety of herbs, flowers and tree crops. We depend upon pollinators for the wonderful variety of foods and colors which we take for granted most of the time.
We are introducing genetically engineered plants into our environment which may contribute to the declines. In addition, new herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides are also being used and each new untested generation of chemicals adds to the mix of those already in use. It is no wonder that our pollinators are in decline.
Many universities, government agencies, and others are investigating the declines. It is hard to determine if these investigations are underway to really determine the cause of pollinator declines. The reason is that powerful chemical companies that manufacture these chemicals have their own scientists set to refute any finding that show that the chemicals they make are responsible for any pollinator declines or death. They also are funding the scientific studies at many universities or are funding the univeristies themselves. Thus, it may not be possible to have any independing research being conducted where there is heavy pressure not to find against certain types of chemicals or genetically modified foods that may be causing these declines.
Bayer CropScience, Sygenta, Dow Chemcial, Dupont, and others are all in the business to make money and lobby for more chemicals to be used or more genetically modified plants to be produced. Heavy lobbying pressure is already seen in the halls of congress and at universities to exonerate their chemicals or genetically modified plants and to keep them from being regulated or taken off the market. Their money and lobbyists are everywhere they days to keep negative information about their chemicals and genetic engineering hidden.
Neonicotinoids showed up about the same time as the Honey Bee decline started. I have provided Bayer CropScience Neonicotiniods product labels below and MSDS (Material Data Safety Sheets), for your information and reading. You will find that the labels and the EPA information below show that there is reason for concern about all pollinators when you read the hazards and environmental health sections. And yet these questionable products are still on the market for sale not only in the United States but around the world. Some foreign countries have banned some of these chemicals.
(Please note that MSDS and label information is public record and each company has to provide this information to the public under U.S. Laws. The California EPA has a good search engine where you can look up health, studies, and other information on their site for each chemical.)
I encourage everyone to read about our pollinators below and to teach your children and others about their importance in our environment and why we should protect them. Without our pollinators there won't be as much food to eat and very little variety in foods, herbs and flowers available in the future.
(Below you will find the links to the 60 Minutes & Nature programs on the Decline of the Honey Bees. In addition, you will find the information on the chemical companies, the suspect chemicals, and other information about all the pollinators.)
http://www.agriculturedefensecoalition.org/?q=honey-bees
Thankyou for that important information.
Last year is the first time I had problems with lack of pollinators. I had 2 tomatillo plants. After a month in bloom I noticed no fruit forming anywhere. I hand pollinated one and it produced fruit. The other I left alone and it hit first frost with hundreds of flowers and just a couple of fruits.
Cucumbers did poorly as well, same thing. I never even saw one bee until the garlic chives bloomed.
When we move I'll be paying attention to their needs for sure. On the bright side, last time we were at our property there was a swarm hanging off a branch - a good sign!
Last year we saw a very good number of bees and pollinators where we live, perhaps even an increase compared to the previous summer. But this summer, there are GMO corn and maize crops growing everywhere in our region, following the major seed and cropping companies making "too good to turn down deals" with farmers to use their land, and now we have very few bees attending our gardens. I'm no rocket scientist, but I think I can work this one out for myself.
We have beekeeper wars here too, setting light to other keepers hives or poisoning all their bees to try and keep competition to a minimum. Very, very sad.
I should have said in my post about pollinators around here. there seems to be plentiful. bees of all types, and all the others. Every thing that needed pollinating was good.
Have you heard that cell phones, towers, etc seem to be interfering with insects & even birds?