Hapkido Online

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Beekeeping: Systemic Pesticides and Colony Collapse Disorder

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Cherished readers a recent study points to systemic pesticides as the largest contributing factor in Colony Collapse Disorder.  For those of you who don't know.  The honeybee (Apis mellifera) is currently in decline.  The toll on the honey producing, pollination, and beekeeping industry have been catastrophic.



What is the difference between a systemic pesticide and other types of insect poisons?  Systemic pesticides are seeds that are filled with pesticide so that as the plant grows it always has pesticides in it.  This kills most insects outright when they try to consume the plant.  For bees the situation is more mysterious.  Because bees only eat the pollen and the nectar of the plant it usually doesn’t kill them outright.  Instead it messes them up so bad they can't find their way back to the hive.  Within 24 hours thriving colonies go out to forage and never return often leaving a befuddled queen and a few nurse bees behind to defend the hive.  It is sure death.



With regular pesticides the farmer and the beekeeper could work together.  The farmer says next week I am going to spray my crops and the beekeeper can make sure the bees aren't there to get sprayed.  But with systemics there is never a good time for the bees to pollinate the crops.



What can you do?  I urge you to please write to your public officials and congressman.  Reference this study:






Make companies like Bayer pull systemic pesticides from the market.  Another thing you can do is try to buy local organic produce and especially local honey.  The food is better!  Also get in contact with your local beekeeping association and ask what you can do to help.



If we lose the bees be prepared to lose a lot of other things you enjoy like fruit, vegetables, spices, and things like almonds.  A world without bees is a world where your food is bland and tasteless and costs ten times as much as it does today.  In fact I would posit that mankind needs the bees more than the bees need mankind.  The honeybee is one of God's gifts to mankind don't throw it away.



Jon

Update:  New Warré Hive Forum is open for business!