interestrateripoff Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/8306970/Einstein-was-right-honey-bee-collapse-threatens-global-food-security.html The bee crisis has been treated as a niche concern until now, but as the UN's index of food prices hits an all time-high, it is becoming urgent to know whether the plight of the honey bee risks further exhausting our food security. Almost a third of global farm output depends on animal pollination, largely by honey bees. These foods provide 35pc of our calories, most of our minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants, and the foundations of gastronomy. Yet the bees are dying – or being killed – at a disturbing pace. The story of "colony collapse disorder" (CCD) is already well-known to readers of The Daily Telegraph. Some keep hives at home and have experienced this mystery plague, and doubtless have strong views on whether it is caused by parasites, or a virus, or use of pesticides that play havoc with the nervous system of young bees, or a synergy of destructive forces coming together. The bee crisis has been treated as a niche concern until now, but as the UN's index of food prices hits an all time-high in real terms (not just nominal) and grain shortages trigger revolutions in the Middle East, it is becoming urgent to know whether the plight of the honey bee risks further exhausting our already thin margin of food global security. The agri-business lender Rabobank said the numbers of US bee colonies failing to survive each winter has risen to 30pc to 35pc from an historical norm of 10pc. The rate is 20pc or higher in much of Europe, and the same pattern is emerging in Latin America and Asia. Albert Einstein, who liked to make bold claims (often wrong), famously said that "if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, man would have only four years to live". Such "apocalyptic scenarios" are overblown, said Rabobank. The staples of corn, wheat, and rice are all pollinated by wind. However, animal pollination is essential for nuts, melons and berries, and plays varying roles in citrus fruits, apples, onions, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, courgettes, peppers, aubergines, avocados, cucumbers, coconuts, tomatoes and broad beans, as well as coffee and cocoa. Having watched Bee movie numerous times what about all the other plants that get pollinated by bees? Are there alternative sources of pollination for these plants? Would other essential plants die if the bee wasn't around? Has there been other periods in history where bee colonies have had such a high depreciation rate during the winter months? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm absolutely sure that being able to soak your monocolture gm produce in roundup has no detrimental effect on bee populations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm absolutely sure that being able to soak your monocolture gm produce in roundup has no detrimental effect on bee populations. and sterile pollen from one plant only seeds....cant be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singlemalt Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 This issues needs to ba taken far more seriously. In some areas of China colony collapse is so bad that they've resorted to hand pollination. The problem is that humans can only accomplish a fraction of what the bees do, for free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 oats don't need bees for pollination. Welcome back gruel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Never seen bees pollinating root crops either. But then you wouldn't would you? You need pollination to get seeds though? Oats are wind pollinated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy666 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You need pollination to get seeds though? Oats are wind pollinated. As is wheat (IIRC all major grains are); potatoes tend to propagate through tubers. Honey bees are not the only pollinators either; bumble bees are far more effective bee-for-bee. It's still a serious concern - but please remember that we cannot mention the industrial-scale use of nicotine-based pesticides like imidacloprid. No siree. Can't possibly be anything to do with it. Move along. Nothing to see here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Loo Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 As is wheat (IIRC all major grains are); potatoes tend to propagate through tubers. Honey bees are not the only pollinators either; bumble bees are far more effective bee-for-bee. It's still a serious concern - but please remember that we cannot mention the industrial-scale use of nicotine-based pesticides like imidacloprid. No siree. Can't possibly be anything to do with it. Move along. Nothing to see here. what about wasps? WTF do they do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy666 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 what about wasps? WTF do they do? Wasps are proof of Intelligent Design, and also that said Designer has a sense of humor on the Brand/Ross level. They are generally predators that eat a variety of other insects. They are great fun in Australia, because the winter there does not kill the colonies off like it does here so they can just grow and grow, and can wipe out all the other insects for hundreds of yards around.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singlemalt Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 what about wasps? WTF do they do? Pester kids with ice lollies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) I'm confident the cause of CCD will be traced to either:- * Alky Ada suicide bees or * CO2 emissions Edit: A 3rd possibile cause is falling house prices/insufficient debt levels but frankly that seems a little far fetched. Edited February 7, 2011 by Red Karma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patfig Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 what about wasps? WTF do they do? Thye hang around bins looking for trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxe Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 US beekeepers drive their bees thousands of miles to pollinate crops that provide no food for the bees, just pollen. Unsurprisingly, lots of bees die. UK beekeepers tend not to do anything like this, and they lose a percentage of their hives due to bad luck or husbandary. We don't have CCD in the UK. We do have varroa, nosema etc which are all manageable. In a reasonably diverse environment, bees thrive. If you have a hive in London, it will be spectacularly productive. Bees don't do well in large areas of monoculture, like Californian almond orchards. Ob disclosure: I have 6 hives of bees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 US beekeepers drive their bees thousands of miles to pollinate crops that provide no food for the bees, just pollen. Unsurprisingly, lots of bees die. UK beekeepers tend not to do anything like this, and they lose a percentage of their hives due to bad luck or husbandary. We don't have CCD in the UK. We do have varroa, nosema etc which are all manageable. In a reasonably diverse environment, bees thrive. If you have a hive in London, it will be spectacularly productive. Bees don't do well in large areas of monoculture, like Californian almond orchards. Ob disclosure: I have 6 hives of bees. So your saying that UK bee keepers should divorce their husbands? Seems a bit harsh to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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