Bee Colony Collapse Disorder

**Rick** · 08-16-2013, 01:34 PM

I was reading an article on bee colony collapse disorder (CCD) yesterday that implicated a relatively new family of insecticides neonicotinoids. Specifically, the article addressed chemical free garden plants that were suspected of causing the problem. How can this be? How can I be killing bees and not use chemicals in my garden? The answer is in the greenhouse that raises the plants. If you are not using plants you grow by seed and purchase live plants from the chain name stores then there is a very good chance you are purchasing plants that have been treated with neonicotinoids. I was surprised to read that the pesticides were so long lived and honestly it was sort of a DUH moment for me.

Whether or not you agree with Friends of the Earth and their politics they do raise a compelling question.

http://libcloud.s3.amazonaws.com/93/...are_report.pdf

But for the sake of fairness here's another view on the subject:

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013...ts-complicated

All that aside, it seems CCD may be yet another good reason to harvest your own seeds and grow your own plants.

**Ken** · 08-16-2013, 01:41 PM

Rick, this is one of the reasons why so many of us are opposed to companies like Monsanto and Bayer.

http://www.panna.org/

**Rick** · 08-16-2013, 01:44 PM

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

HARVEST MORE SEEDS!!!!

**Cast-Iron** · 08-16-2013, 01:55 PM

I had heard of neonicotinoids being the suspected culprit some time ago. I wasn't aware that starter plants could introduce them into my garden however. Thanks for sharing!

**Rick** · 08-16-2013, 02:03 PM

As I said, it was sort of a DUH moment for me when I read that. It was like a lightbulb went on. Whether true or not it was enough to push me over to harvested seeds much more than I do.

**crashdive123** · 08-16-2013, 04:42 PM

Neonicotinoids have been all the "buzz" in the pest control industry for a while now. I don't use them, as my business is General Household Pest, Rodent Control and Wood Destroying Organisms Control. Recently there was a very large Bumble Bee Kill in Oregon. The culprit? Neonicotinoids - well sort of. As it turns out, the pest control company that treated the the trees in the shopping center misapplied the product (Safari). The label clearly states that the product is not to be used when the plants are, or are about to flower. Hard to tell that from the reporting though. http://www.king5.com/news/environmen...212542251.html

Rather than take action against the company that misapplied the pesticide (that may still be coming), Neonicitinoids have now been banned in Oregon (possibly the entire US soon) until a full EPA review can be completed. That review is not scheduled for completion until 2018.

I'm all for protecting the pollinators, but there are some groups that would have us ban every pesticide in existence. We no longer use DDT because of a book written by Rachel Carson (Silent Spring) where she cited junk science to make her points. Even though the claims in the book were proven to be false, DDT is still banned. IMO she is personally responsible for the deaths of millions of people world wide.

**your_comforting_company** · 09-01-2013, 06:19 AM

I have to say that after a good long while of studying what GMOs are, and the new neonicotinoid pesticides, I have several views to offer.
Foraging bees that get hit with NNi pesticides usually don't make it back to the hive. That's not to say they are safe.
What's REALLY killing bees in massive numbers, is the GMO crops that grow their own pesticides, which show up in the pollen, which the bees take back to the hive to feed the brood. If it's showing up systemically in the plants themselves, that means it is in your food, also.
Myself and my family are moving as far away from anything GMO as possible, and have virtually eliminated any relationship with pesticides, period.
I'm sick and tired of humans poisoning everything. All we do is DESTROY in the name of PROGRESS and INDUSTRY.

**your_comforting_company** · 09-01-2013, 06:25 AM

Another thing, is the miticides that we as beekeepers are putting in our hives to control Varroa destructor. There is research happening at FSU right now suggesting that our miticides, natural and otherwise, are causing the drones to become sterile. Every beekeeper I know (and I've met quite a few newish beeks this year) has had nothing but hardship with queens this year. It's not that the queen isn't mating... she's mating with 10-14 sterile drones. The study (so far) suggests that 8 out of every 10 drones is sterile. A queen with no sperm will not carry a hive through 365 days, laying nearly 1500 eggs per day.
Progress and Industry. It's all about money, not safety nor efficacy.

**nell67** · 09-01-2013, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by your_comforting_company

I have to say that after a good long while of studying what GMOs are, and the new neonicotinoid pesticides, I have several views to offer.
Foraging bees that get hit with NNi pesticides usually don't make it back to the hive. That's not to say they are safe.
What's REALLY killing bees in massive numbers, is the GMO crops that grow their own pesticides, which show up in the pollen, which the bees take back to the hive to feed the brood. If it's showing up systemically in the plants themselves, that means it is in your food, also.
Myself and my family are moving as far away from anything GMO as possible, and have virtually eliminated any relationship with pesticides, period.
I'm sick and tired of humans poisoning everything. All we do is DESTROY in the name of PROGRESS and INDUSTRY.

+1, YCC some of us have been saying this very same thing!

**COWBOYSURVIVAL** · 09-01-2013, 10:05 PM

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/0...etail=facebook

Might be of interest.

**your_comforting_company** · 09-02-2013, 06:55 AM

$1500 is laughable and a mockery. That's just barely enough money to replace 10 hives.

**Oddmott** · 09-03-2013, 10:23 AM

I was all prepped to launch a small, 100 hive honey op 2 years ago. I hand constructed all my supers and bought the best frames I could afford. I had 4 different farmers markets I was going to sell at, 35 weeks of the year. I attended 6 workshops with 3 of the best beekeepers in Ontario. I had a mentor lined up to drop by periodically and save me from too many costly errors...

Then it all got put on hold so I could get married... i was saddened by the delay at the time, but now, with the constant bee colony disasters, one after the other in the past 40 months, it's looking like it could have been a life saver.

There's no way I could have afforded the investment in that many colonies, only to end up losing 50-60% in my first year. Combine that with the economic hiccups and people straying away from Farmers' Markets and their boutique pricing... I would have been in dire straits, possibly even bankrupted.

To all you beekeepers continually fighting that battle, hats off to you. I hope to join your ranks some day... if there's any bees left. But right now, it's looking very scary.

**your_comforting_company** · 09-05-2013, 07:33 AM

It would appear, Oddmott, that we are the only hope left for bees. Wild colonies are generally exterminated on sight, what aren't destroyed by crop dusters and GMO's that grow their own pesticides.
My recommendation: start small to learn the ropes. I started with one hive and I'm currently sitting at 8.

**woodsman86** · 09-16-2013, 09:15 AM

Interesting information and good to know. Thanks for sharing.

**ClayPick** · 09-18-2013, 06:56 AM

Maybe the answer will be in places that are isolated and also free from the practices of large agricultural corporations, at least it’s a little good news.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...tion-1.1699193