An article yesterday in the San Francisco Chronicle had a few more ideas about the bee crisis. Richard Fagerlund, entomologist, offered the following:
” Even though the active ingredients in the pesticides may be considered safe for bees, the inert ingredients — which compose most of the product (up to 99 percent, in some cases) — may be severely detrimental to bees. Not only are the inert ingredients not listed on the pesticide labels, but many also haven’t even been tested and are classified as ‘toxicity unknown.'”
Just as important were his observations in his own property:
“While bad beekeeping practices, such as hauling bees cross-country in the daytime and using pesticides in beehives, may be the cause of CCD in beekeepers’ colonies, they are not the cause of the decline of wild bees. We live on 20 acres, and last summer, after all of the sunflowers and other plants were blooming, we couldn’t find a single bee on the property. However, we are surrounded by cornfields that use pesticides regularly, and there is no doubt in my mind that the reason we don’t have bees is the pesticides.”
This brings to light an important question in my mind. When we talk about CCD and the bee crisis, are we talking about the financial importance of bees and what can be done to keep commercial bee hives in operation, or are we talking about looking for the true cause of the problem and fixing the associated environmental damage? It seems like these could evolve into mutually exclusive goals.
I agree, the draw of the economic solution is all to powerful for industry.
We are having bee issues here too but no one knows why. The theory in Ontario (where up to 90% of the bees have dissappeared in certain hives, lower in others) is disease.
However, the supposed cause seems to be a moving target. I think it is safe to say that ‘we’ have something to do with it.
I appreciate all of your posts about the CCD and the bees, please keep them coming! I have been asking as many local bee keepers as I can, how their hives are doing (NEPA). Most have replied that they are not seeing any unusual loss. It has me wondering if it is just the large commerical hives that are being hit…and if so …why?