Article

2007-10-08 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Bumblebees Join Honeybees in Disappearing Act

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Posted by Bobby 2007-10-08 06:23|| || Front Page|| [11146 views ] Top

#1 now we need this virus to mutate and only affect far right political morons

Posted by Lemuel Flereting5880 2007-10-08 09:58|| 2007-10-08 09:58|| Front Page Top

#2 See Stephen Buchmann's book, "The Forgotten Pollinators", probably in your local library, for some of the other creatures who pollinate fruit.

Also, in the October 2007 National Geographic, you'll find some disturbing discussion of animals as hosts for all sorts of diseases. This is relevant because bats are also pollinators in tropical areas. Habitat destruction is forcing animals to change their habits, come in closer contact with people, compete more for available food, and pick up all sorts of diseases.

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2007-10/infectious-animals/quammen-text-p3.html

Posted by mom">mom 2007-10-08 10:29|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com] 2007-10-08 10:29|| Front Page Top

#3 hmmm.... can't remember if I saw any under the front step this year. (They would always tunnel in and make a hive/den)

Posted by 3dc 2007-10-08 10:48|| 2007-10-08 10:48|| Front Page Top

#4 There's always a pretty good number of bees in my Salvia's & Dahlia's. Hummingbirds & Butterflies like them too.

Posted by JerseyMike 2007-10-08 11:34|| 2007-10-08 11:34|| Front Page Top

#5 *shrug* This happens periodically, it seems, but then the populations recover. Far, far better insect pollinators are the native Orchard Mason bees, even if they don't provide honey and wax. brief article everything there is to know plus supplies for sale

Posted by trailing wife 2007-10-08 11:35|| 2007-10-08 11:35|| Front Page Top

#6 Sorry -- there are two links in the above post. Pretend I thought to put a line break after "brief article".

Posted by trailing wife 2007-10-08 11:37|| 2007-10-08 11:37|| Front Page Top

#7 Another factor, at least here in South Texas, is the proliferation of "Africanized" or killer bees. They are basically killing off the european variety, and they apparently aren't as good pollenators.

Posted by mcsegeek1 2007-10-08 11:48|| 2007-10-08 11:48|| Front Page Top

#8 #7 Another factor, at least here in South Texas, is the proliferation of "Africanized" or killer bees. They are basically killing off the european variety, and they apparently aren't as good pollenators.

IIRC, european searchers thought they had found the cause of the disappearance of bees, in large hives farms foremost, and it may had been related to the spread of a parasite found on asian bees; asian species have the adaption to cope with that, but american and european do not.

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-10-08 13:18|| 2007-10-08 13:18|| Front Page Top

#9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder

Regarding the parasite, virus, actually from the wikipedia entry, it might be the jooooos! The joooos! I knew it!

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-10-08 13:20|| 2007-10-08 13:20|| Front Page Top

#10 Don't forget the TASMANIAN DEVILS of Australia, which as a species are suffering from horrific? "facial cancers".

Posted by JosephMendiola 2007-10-08 19:28|| 2007-10-08 19:28|| Front Page Top

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