Web Abuzz on Bee Weirdness

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2007/may/02/050200224.html

BELTSVILLE, Md. (AP) - The answer to what happened to America's vanishing honeybees is simple, a caller told entomologist May Berenbaum: Bee rapture. They were called away to heaven.

No, wait, it's Earth's magnetic field, another caller told the University of Illinois professor.

And when Berenbaum went on the Internet, she found a parody news site that quoted her as blaming rapper Kevin Federline and his concerts for the disappearance of the bees. Berenbaum loved it.

The sudden disappearance of one-quarter of America's honeybees has brought out some strange ideas and downright myths.

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[SmokingJacket]

1. Well, it's SOMETHING.

Or maybe many things.

Hope they find out soon...

[Kali]

2. breeding and management - I wil bet

it eventually comes down to the "modern" way they are managed.

[bullimiami]

4. are you thinking modern beekeeping has created a susceptible monoculture

and it has made them more vulnerable to something (whatever it is) that is doing them in?


im still thinking it has something to do with those damn gm crops.

[Kali]

6. oh no doubt there are several contributing factors, but look at the way

they are hauled around now - I think even before this new thing losses of 25 to 30% of hives was considered "normal." Industrial ag is all like that.

The term husbandry doesn't exist anymore.

[Fresh_Start]

3. Rapture came and all the Christians were left behind

I can get behind that explanation.

[jimlup]

7. Yeah, I'll get behind this explaination

Rapture and all the humans were left bee-hind.

[Fresh_Start]

8. I don't know too many rapture types .....

but it sure would be fun to try this theory out on them.

[valerief]

5. I blame Bea Arthur more than Bee Rapture. nt