Wildflowers in Antelope Valley, California
Update April 18, 2014 - I hear that wildflowers are doing well in Antelope Valley this week, stop by if you get the chance!
When I heard about bee hives dying a while back I looked up more information, and it turns out that it's mainly commercial hives, and management practices may be contributing to the challenges posed by microbes and pesticides:
Honey Bee Populations Crash in California
Mystery Malady Kills More Bees, Heightening Worry on Farms - NY Times, March 28, 2013
In a show of concern, the Environmental Protection Agency recently sent its acting assistant administrator for chemical safety and two top chemical experts here, to the San Joaquin Valley of California, for discussions.
In the valley, where 1.6 million hives of bees just finished pollinating an endless expanse of almond groves, commercial beekeepers who only recently were losing a third of their bees to the disorder say the past year has brought far greater losses.
Honey may hold the sticky solution to bee colony collapse LA Times, April 29, 2013
Honeybees that live off the same sweetener found in soft drinks could be more vulnerable to the microbial enemies and pesticides believed to be linked to catastrophic collapse of honeybee colonies worldwide, a new study suggests.
“If you’re feeding them high-fructose corn syrup, then pathogens may be more dangerous and pesticides can be more toxic,” said May Berenbaum, an entomologist at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, the lead author of the study.
Take away the bees' high-fructose corn syrup sweetened soft drinks!
Wildflowers in Antelope Valley, California
Update April 18, 2014 - I hear that wildflowers are doing well in Antelope Valley this week, stop by if you get the chance!
When I heard about bee hives dying a while back I looked up more information, and it turns out that it's mainly commercial hives, and management practices may be contributing to the challenges posed by microbes and pesticides:
Honey Bee Populations Crash in California
Mystery Malady Kills More Bees, Heightening Worry on Farms - NY Times, March 28, 2013
In a show of concern, the Environmental Protection Agency recently sent its acting assistant administrator for chemical safety and two top chemical experts here, to the San Joaquin Valley of California, for discussions.
In the valley, where 1.6 million hives of bees just finished pollinating an endless expanse of almond groves, commercial beekeepers who only recently were losing a third of their bees to the disorder say the past year has brought far greater losses.
Honey may hold the sticky solution to bee colony collapse LA Times, April 29, 2013
Honeybees that live off the same sweetener found in soft drinks could be more vulnerable to the microbial enemies and pesticides believed to be linked to catastrophic collapse of honeybee colonies worldwide, a new study suggests.
“If you’re feeding them high-fructose corn syrup, then pathogens may be more dangerous and pesticides can be more toxic,” said May Berenbaum, an entomologist at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, the lead author of the study.
Take away the bees' high-fructose corn syrup sweetened soft drinks!