Honeybee Killer Found !

[Michael Hardner]

No longer will you stand silently by while your brother-in-law tells you that cell phones are doing it, or that it's global warming.

Since 2006, 20 to 40 percent of the bee colonies in the United States alone have suffered “colony collapse.” Suspected culprits ranged from pesticides to genetically modified food.

Now, a unique partnership — of military scientists and entomologists — appears to have achieved a major breakthrough: identifying a new suspect, or two.

A fungus tag-teaming with a virus have apparently interacted to cause the problem, according to a paper by Army scientists in Maryland and bee experts in Montana in the online science journal PLoS One.

NY Times

[Pliny]

I suppose when the fungus + virus are handled bees will then magically be able to time the blooming season again.

[GostHacked]

I've heard about this for some time. Scientists were looking into the fungus thing a year or two ago when the beekeepers noticed the drop in their populations.

I guess the next step is what do to reverse the trend..... bees are an essential element to food production. Without them, it would be almost impossible to grow food the way we do now.

[wyly]

No longer will you stand silently by while your brother-in-law tells you that cell phones are doing it, or that it's global warming.

Now, a unique partnership — of military scientists and entomologists — appears to have achieved a major breakthrough: identifying a new suspect, or two.

fungus thing isn't new...it is one among several

climate change is also high on the list...if you do search on it there is a link with changing weather and plant growth and bees...as growing seasons start sooner and the growth zones shift north bees are mistiming blooming season of plants and some plants they depend on are disappearing from their traditional areas...

[RNG]

We could all run around rubbing our fingers into flowers and stuff. Hell, probably some of the persons here (note the PC of that) might find it enjoyable.

[bloodyminded]

I guess the next step is what do to reverse the trend..... bees are an essential element to food production. Without them, it would be almost impossible to grow food the way we do now.

True, and that's an interesting fact about insects generally: their importance to us.

A couple of dependent species aside, insects could thrive perfectly well without human beings. But human beings need insects, and this goes well beyond bees.

[Shwa]

True, and that's an interesting fact about insects generally: their importance to us.

A couple of dependent species aside, insects could thrive perfectly well without human beings. But human beings need insects, and this goes well beyond bees.

As they say, it' lonely at the top - of the food chain.

Although I could do with a few billion less fruit flies.

[bloodyminded]

As they say, it' lonely at the top - of the food chain.

Although I could do with a few billion less fruit flies.

Yeah, fruit flies really suck, I agree. There are a few others as well.

[GostHacked]

True, and that's an interesting fact about insects generally: their importance to us.

A couple of dependent species aside, insects could thrive perfectly well without human beings. But human beings need insects, and this goes well beyond bees.

The higher up on the food chain, the more important those species at the bottom of it are. Insects are not high on the food chain, but with them doing much of the pollination, the rest of the food chain suffers.

[bloodyminded]

The higher up on the food chain, the more important those species at the bottom of it are. Insects are not high on the food chain, but with them doing much of the pollination, the rest of the food chain suffers.

True. Other crucial matters aside (like that ants provide far more soil aeration than do earthworms), they are a massive food supply for innumerable animals.

[GostHacked]

True. Other crucial matters aside (like that ants provide far more soil aeration than do earthworms), they are a massive food supply for innumerable animals.

Indeed. we don't see the benefits first hand of most insects like bees, so we kind of ignore it for the most part. These eco systems have existed for centuries, and with our modern lifestyles, we have drastically changed many eco systems to the point we have to get involved in the process now to take up the slack where the eco system has been damaged. If we don't it can all fail.

I wonder if this fungus is affecting other species of insects as well, now that it has been linked.