Where are the bees?

[fitz]

I thought it had been determined the last year or so that it was some sort of mite causing the decline? I know people were trying to blame anything from cell phones, to GMO crops (obviously, since they're to blame for everything).

Yeah. A bee keeper close by was telling me something about it. They attack the Queen I think. Maybe some of the bee folks here will fill us in.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

They are not native, so maybe nature is solving a problem?

 

[cow pollinater]

I thought it had been determined the last year or so that it was some sort of mite causing the decline? I know people were trying to blame anything from cell phones, to GMO crops (obviously, since they're to blame for everything).

Yeah. A bee keeper close by was telling me something about it. They attack the Queen I think. Maybe some of the bee folks here will fill us in.

Varroa mites are the main stressor on bees. Not only do they stress the bees(think of having a tick the size of a bowling ball) but they are vectors for all of the viruses and most tend to think colony collapse is a virus of some sort.
Another consideration outside of mites is fungicides and pesticides that are tank mixed with other products. We have a good understanding of how fungicides work before they go on the market but we don't have a very good understanding of what happens when we mix them with other fungicides. Bees collect and store pollen and nectar and mix them together to feed their brood... It doesn't take much thought to see how far out of whack things can get in a beehive when their food supply is laced with things that keep that food from being capable of being stored properly or that impacts the bees gut when they eat it.

 

[lynnmcmahan]

Got a lecture from a young lady how GMO are killing pollinators. Something about ruptured guts.
Looks like storm cloud rising since 94% of corn and 86% soy planted is GMO.

 

[highgrit]

Supposedly this has been the worst year for honey in Ga. ever.

 

[TexasBred]

Got a lecture from a young lady how GMO are killing pollinators. Something about ruptured guts.
Looks like storm cloud rising since 94% of corn and 86% soy planted is GMO.

Tell the young lady to relax. Bees don't pollinate corn.

 

[cow pollinater]

Got a lecture from a young lady how GMO are killing pollinators. Something about ruptured guts.
Looks like storm cloud rising since 94% of corn and 86% soy planted is GMO.

Tell the young lady to relax. Bees don't pollinate corn.

Corn is wind pollinated but they will readily use it for a pollen source.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Got a lecture from a young lady how GMO are killing pollinators. Something about ruptured guts.
Looks like storm cloud rising since 94% of corn and 86% soy planted is GMO.

If that was the case, they should of lined the Rio grand with corn and soy beans. The killer bees coming north is going to have a big impact on honey in my opinion.

I don't see how they can replicate fast enough to spread. Their comacosi attacks of hundreds at a time is just plain over kill. Saw some of their handy work recently. Scary stuff for the elderly or hobbled. One poor man was taken down by them four times before he could get to cover.

 

[Jogeephus]

Hives on the place adjoining me were taken over by African bees. Those things do not tolerate the least bit of disturbance.