Are GM Crops Killing Bees?

Libra Girl

Electoral Member
Feb 27, 2006
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We need to wake up, and start taking this sort of thing very seriously! Stretch, I found that a very interesting, if worrying link! Good thread!
 

tamarin

House Member
Jun 12, 2006
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Well, they've always said Mother Nature would win out. We are a species out of control. If bees are taken from the essential equation that keeps our agribusiness alive, we might have more than global warming to worry about.
 

Walter

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Jan 28, 2007
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"If a sun compass were the only mechanism available to bees and pigeons their homing abilities should be severely affected by cloudy weather. But both species can forage and navigate successfully on totally overcast days. Thus these species have more than one compass mechanism, one of which may be sensitivity to the weak lines of magnetic force created by the earth’s magnetic field….Both pigeons and honeybees have magnetic compounds concentrated in certain tissues of their bodies; these compounds may be part of a magnetism detector." (For more information see 267 Gould J L 1980. The case for magnetic field sensitivity in birds and bees. American Scientist 68:256-267)
The question would be is this a magnetic disturbance in the earths magnetic field or perhaps the magnetic interference of the rise in cell phone technology in the past few years. Scientists have found magnetic material in the bodies of the bee that could be disturbed by bee cloning causing a problem in the ability of the bee’s mechanism in orientation.
www.backyardhive
[URL="http://www.backyardhive.com"].com[/URL]
Another possible cause.
 
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tamarin

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Jun 12, 2006
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Interesting link, Walter! Let's hope the article is right and bee die-off is likely more a result of keeper practice than any underlying environmental complaint.
 

Tonington

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Oct 27, 2006
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Part of the problem affecting the bees is modern practices. In the States for example it's common practice for beekeepers to move the hives hundreds of kilometers. Ths is tremendously stressful to the colony. The long trips and confinement also increase the pathogen load as the bees defecate on the hive as well, carbon dioxide builds up in the hive. There are also two parasites which have been decimating the bee colonies south of our border.

So far bee colonies in Canada have been relatively unharmed by CCD, colony collapse disorder.
It's aq big problem in the States. In Canada our bee hives aren't put under the same stresses as the American bees. But it's something to watch out for.
 

tamarin

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Jun 12, 2006
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Colony Collapse Disorder was in the news again tonight. It seems that bee keepers in the Niagara area are reporting major die-offs. This could become a big problem for agriculture this year.
 

tamarin

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Jun 12, 2006
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I once saw a kid at camp get chased up a tree by a cane toad. It sat there barking like a dog, rubbing its bulging eyes on the trunk. Just about made us all piss our pants. Later a whole pod of them gathered there and howled like coyotes. Never did find out what happened to little Eddie. Our stint was done next morning and we all went home.
Now the bees... any more news on the bees?