Colony Collapse Disorder

[kandrathe]

I've been catching up on another big problem in the world today, that of the disappearing honey bee. It seems that over the past year, tens of millions of bees have mysteriously vanished from their hives, amounting to a loss of 50 to 90 percent of U.S. colonies. This is resulting in significant loss of yields in most crops, affecting both domestic and wild food production. So for the fundamentals of farming its a bad time for energy, and fertilizer prices to be soaring while pollination is at an all time low.

It seems that some good science has probably caught up with the answer, Israeli acute paralysis virus. This rules out the guesses from the non-science fear mongers who've suggested genetically modified crops, pesticides, parasites, stress, cell phones, and even divine intervention in the form of a bee rapture. This is probably another problem of the world being a smaller place where microbes can transit the world in a day.

Read more at MIT Technology Review, Is a Virus Behind the Bee Plague?.

[Vandiablo]

The disappearance of honeybees is not new.

I've been catching up on another big problem in the world today, that of the disappearing honey bee. It seems that over the past year, tens of millions of bees have mysteriously vanished from their hives, amounting to a loss of 50 to 90 percent of U.S. colonies.

This rules out the guesses from the non-science fear mongers who've suggested genetically modified crops, pesticides, parasites, stress, cell phones, and even divine intervention in the form of a bee rapture.

The disappearance of honeybees is not new. (Maybe someone will say that you've been "willfully ignorant".) It was reported in science magazines at least three years ago. At the time, it was just wild bees that were affected, but maybe commercially-controlled bees are affected now and its bigger news, I dunno. I've seen two or three springs now without honeybees in the clover that's everywhere around here. There are bumblebees and yellowjackets, but no honeybees. It is a sad development.

And it was the science magazines who suggested that it was parasites, specifically mites. While they do want to sell magazines, they do use reputable sources. Their source found that a majority of hives had the mites, and IIRC there was a correlation between the mites and the loss of colonies. Perhaps mites accelerate transfer of the virus.

But it's more fun to ridicule "non-science fear mongers", eh? So easy, such fun, and it's nice that hindsight can reinforce our smug superiority.

-V

<strike>ps. I've come to the conclusion that you are a troll. It took me a while, I guess I'm slow. You're not the Common Troll, you hide behind a decent vocabulary, a sweeping awareness of events, a good eye for detail, and the ability to debate well. But underneath all that, you seem to enjoy disagreements and it appears you make jabs in order to get into them. Hmm, I make jabs too, but I don't enjoy disagreements, so... I'm a ... self-loathing troll?? I guess neither one of us are Common. But at least I don't start threads to do it. I'd rather see videos of dogs drinking beer.</strike>

revised ps: While our politics are different, and I think you too easily and frequently lump opposing viewpoints together so you can blame more people, you avoid the adolescent rancor too often seen in many other posters (myself included) -- I have to admire that. Although I disagree with your take on many of the threads you start, you often do bring up interesting topics. (I do still stand behind the "smug superiority" comment, but when I say it I wonder if that's what you want -- which made me use the t-word.)

[Merlinios]

ps. I've come to the conclusion that you are a troll. It took me a while, I guess I'm slow. You're not the Common Troll, you hide behind a decent vocabulary, a sweeping awareness of events, a good eye for detail, and the ability to debate well. But underneath all that, you seem to enjoy disagreements and it appears you make jabs in order to get into them.

If you want to put it that way, it sounds like Kandrathe is a troll, minus everything that I hate about most trolls.

--me

[kandrathe]

I've come to the conclusion that you are a troll. It took me a while, I guess I'm slow. You're not the Common Troll, you hide behind a decent vocabulary, a sweeping awareness of events, a good eye for detail, and the ability to debate well. But underneath all that, you seem to enjoy disagreements and it appears you make jabs in order to get into them. Hmm, I make jabs too, but I don't enjoy disagreements, so... I'm a ... self-loathing troll?? I guess neither one of us are Common. But at least I don't start threads to do it. I'd rather see videos of dogs drinking beer.

Thanks for that. It's so nice to be labeled.

Yes, its not a new problem. I've been watching this bee plague problem for awhile, but rather than post something and speculate on it, I waited until there seemed to be a rational explanation of the cause. Yes, I took a jab at non-scientists making outlandish guesses at the source of the problems, and if I struck a nerve there then I'm sorry. You seem to want to only think about non-controversial topics, but I'm not that kind of a person. Culturally, we are told to never discuss religion, sex or politics in public. What fun is there in that? The beauty and curse of the internet is that we can boldly type behind the anonymity afforded by the forum. We get to hear how people really think and feel, and I appreciate the honesty it brings to discussions.

I'm committed to posting new topics to keep the discussions from stagnating. I look for things that might be interesting to discuss, and I tend to not be interested in "light" topics such as what is happening on "Dancing with the Stars", or posting my high score on GTA4. So, again, if my selection of topic is too controversial, then feel free to sit on the side lines or jump in if you have something to contribute.

I posted this time because I've heard that the lack of bees pollinating crops is having dramatic impact on yields. Couple that with petroleum costs needed for tractors, and fertilizer and you have a recipe for food prices moving rapidly higher. My interest is in discussing the ramifications of a convergence of events, and what impact the subsequent shortage of food worldwide will have to us here in the breadbasket. My family is well off due to my work, but I'm feeling a severe pinch. I'm wondering what impact this inflation will have on the world, and what match will ignite the growing powder keg.

So, you are wrong if you thought I was looking for a fight, or trying to find a topic that would start a big argument here. I'm genuinely concerned about the price of food and fuel, and the potential bloodshed it will cause around the world.

[Vandiablo]

I am so sorry for being rude.

[Occhidiangela]

I am so sorry for being rude.

Then act as though you were.

On topic, the honey bee issue has been in the news for nearly a decade. The first thing I saw remotely approaching an explanation I read in a copy of Atlantic a couple of summers ago.

As you noted, it was mites/parasites, and the beekeepers all over the nation were busting their humps trying to get scientists to help them figure it out. For a few years, the speculation I read related to killer bees coming up from South America (where they had been transplanted from Africa) but that does not seem to have paid off as a guess.

Given the fate of the American Chestnut tree, I'm not convinced the beekeepres will win out in the end.

I am, however, hopeful that my guess is dead wrong. In the meantime, enjoy the honey on your biscuits, it may not last beyond the next decade. Without bees, no honey.

Occhi

[Vandiablo]

What I said: I am so sorry for being rude.

What it may sound like: Oh yeah, I am SO SORRY for being RUDE. :P

What I really meant: I am genuinely sorry for being rude to kandrathe.

But maybe Occhi is right, some action is required; so, back to the ps.

[Vandiablo]

A cable tv show recently had an episode devoted to wild bee hive removal, and how dangerous it's gotten because of the African bees. The hives that have "gone African" still produce a lot of honey.

For a few years, the speculation I read related to killer bees coming up from South America (where they had been transplanted from Africa) but that does not seem to have paid off as a guess.

Unfortunately, I can't remember what show it was... grr. Maybe a google is in order. The cable channels I watch that might have had it are:
Animal Planet . . . Discovery Channel . . . . History Channel . . . truTV . . . or maybe even TLC or A&E

If you see it on, I recommend it, tho its informational transfer rate is typical of cable, not that high. You'll want to have a magazine while it's on.

The sad story in it was that of a man whose family members were attacked. He carried his granddaughter into the house -- she survived because of that -- but in so doing he left his wife to come in on her own. Grandma didn't make it, she was covered with bees when he came back for her, she died. I feel he did the right thing, and I bet Grandma would agree. But the man feels that he failed.

[kandrathe]

Unfortunately, I can't remember what show it was... grr. Maybe a google is in order. The cable channels I watch that might have had it are:
Animal Planet . . . Discovery Channel . . . . History Channel . . . truTV . . . or maybe even TLC or A&E

Those are my channels! Toss in Science, and the Military channel, and occasionally Biography if my wife is watching too (she loves that channel).

I think I saw that show on African bees too.

[Occhidiangela]

A cable tv show recently had an episode devoted to wild bee hive removal, and how dangerous it's gotten because of the African bees. The hives that have "gone African" still produce a lot of honey.

My fading memory spiked just now: the Africanized bees, as it were, have different habits than the honey bees, and their behaviors seem to reduce the pollen spreading function of honey bees, not honey, thanks for poking my memory.

If you see it on, I recommend it, tho its informational transfer rate is typical of cable, not that high. You'll want to have a magazine while it's on.

I usually do, and my wife goes nuts that I do the both at the same time.

The sad story in it was that of a man whose family members were attacked. He carried his granddaughter into the house -- she survived because of that -- but in so doing he left his wife to come in on her own. Grandma didn't make it, she was covered with bees when he came back for her, she died. I feel he did the right thing, and I bet Grandma would agree. But the man feels that he failed.

Nature can be deadly.

Occhi

[Vandiablo]

I usually do, and my wife goes nuts that I do the both at the same time.

These poor shows. They go off on commercial breaks for a good 4 minutes. When they come back, they have to assume that a large percentage of the people that are tuned in are new viewers -- because they lost so many in the long break.

So, they have to summarize what's happened in the show so far.

THEN they have some new content, some of which you've already seen in the teasers.

THEN, before they can go on their next 4 minutes break, they have to give you teasers about what's coming up. The teasers show the "problems" but none of the "resolutions".

Go back to top.

So for each 10 minute cycle you get
4 minutes of ads
1+ minute of summary
1+ minute of teaser
which leaves about 3.5 minutes out of 10 that you're supposedly getting new info. But even then, they are cycling. First they show ABCD. Then a talking head. Then they rewind to B, and do BCDE. Talking head. Rewind to C and show CDEF. Talking head. So parts C and D have been shown 3 times in this segment. And you had already seen D in two previous teasers.

How could anyone watch this and not scream at the show to GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!!! -- unless one has a magazine or, as in my case, a remote I use to jump channels back and forth. Which means my wife and I can't watch cable together.

-V

[Vandiablo]

Those are my channels! Toss in Science, and the Military channel, and occasionally Biography if my wife is watching too (she loves that channel).

The reasons the channels I list are "my channels" is that on our cable system they are all neighbors. You see, I channel hop and I'm usually too lazy to punch in the numbers so I just use channel up or channel down. I'll watch the Military channel sometimes but it has some number that I'm usually not in the neighborhood of, so I normally don't see it. (I am surfing more often than not.)

The other near-channels I watch are comedy channel (Daily Show) and E! (The Soup). "The Soup" is a great show. It may be adolescently snarky, but it gives me on average one belly laugh. No other show does that on purpose anymore. (Some get lucky and have something accidently funny.)

-V

[--Pete]

Hi,

How could anyone watch this and not scream at the show to GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!!!

TiVo -- damned be its name:whistling:

BT (before TiVo), I would turn the TV on, surf through a bunch of channels, find nothing but commercials, turn the TV off and do something at least moderately useful with my time. AT, I find something recorded, skip over the commercials, the repetitions, the dull parts, and next thing you know, three minutes are gone and I'm looking for another show. It's so bad, I think my brain's shrinking. Even my hat size is getting smaller;)

So, all hail TiVo, the composter of TV.

--Pete

[Jim]

Hello :w00t:

Several Videos: "Attacks of the african american Killer Bees"!