CBS News: 40 Percent of U.S. Bee Colonies Died in Past Year

[Hissyspit]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/40-percent-of-u-s-bee-colonies-died-in-past-year/

40 percent of U.S. bee colonies died in past year

40 percent of U.S. bee colonies died in past year
41 Comments
MICHAEL CASEY CBS NEWS
May 13, 2015 12:09 PM EDT
info

Sean Gallup, Getty Images
It just keeps getting worse for commercial beekeepers.

Starting in 2006, they have watched as the rates of dead bees almost tripled due to a condition called colony collapse disorder or CCD. And with the latest data, it appears the trend is not getting any better.

A nationwide survey this week found that beekeepers across the United States lost more than 40 percent of their honeybee colonies between April 2014 to April 2015. While winter loss rates improved slightly compared to a year earlier, summer losses were more severe and enough to increase the annual losses, which were the second-highest in the last nine years.

"We traditionally thought of winter losses as a more important indicator of health, because surviving the cold winter months is a crucial test for any bee colony," said Dennis vanEngelsdorp, an assistant professor of entomology at the University of Maryland and project director for the Bee Informed Partnership survey. "But we now know that summer loss rates are significant too. This is especially so for commercial beekeepers, who are now losing more colonies in the summertime compared to the winter. Years ago, this was unheard of."

The survey, which asks both commercial and small-scale beekeepers to track the health and survival rates of their honeybee colonies, is conducted each year by the partnership in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It featured 6,000 beekeepers from all 50 states.

MORE

[Kevin from WI]

1. When the bee's all die

So do we.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

2. Note the irony if "Roundup" is to blame....

Because the bees are doing the opposite.

[pansypoo53219]

3. round up GMO came in my head as well. after watching VICE. we are so fucked.

[nilesobek]

4. Spraying is an entrenched industry.

Where I work the spray trucks are lined up early and filled with chemicals for the day's spraying. I can get a raise to 20 an hour if I pass a spray test and start doing this also.

Our clients of suburbia and the merchant class want terraformed land features that have been bulldozed, graded, and constantly mowed and trimmed mega lawns. The merchant class doesn't want any unsightly weeds so we spray there regularly.

I just don't see how the fragile bees can exist in this environment.

[pinboy3niner]

5. My brother co-owned a residential/commercial pest control business

He was scrupulous in folowing the regs, reading the MDSM data sheets, and using less-toxic pesticide concoctions, but his business partner, not so much. It was mainly because of that that my brother called it quits. He couldn't tolerate unethical practices, especially when they caused harm.

The regs have decreased the toxicity of the sprays--if the regs are followed.

[blue neen]

6. This is scary and sad.

What can we do to help in our own backyards?

[A Little Weird]

7. The Xerxes Society is very involved with this issue

They have some good info on their site:
http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/gardens/

[blue neen]

8. Thank you.

What a wonderful resource!

[ladjf]

9. The human race is too dumb and greedy to be able to survive. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. No. Just Corporate America....

I keep talking about a future where an alien civilization exploring space finds a planet devoid of all life but with impressive balance sheets.