My opinion is improper use of pesticides ie: applying at the wrong time of day.

Vera

I'm going to agree w/ Vera and go w/ pesticides, or, some other biological/chemical issue vs. RF/EMF/etc.

The basis for my opinion is the fact that other insects/natural "raiders" who would normally move into or 'raid' an abandoned hive refuse to go near any of them. I believe the comment across several articles was something to the effect that the hives were seen as "toxic".

Somehow, I just don't see the wireless industry as being responsible for this. 'Course, I do owe my living to said industry, so I could be ever-so-slightly biased! But let's face it - this article (and several others that I've read today) keep quoting "studies" conducted, but no links to those studies or the organizations that funded those studies. So, while it sounds great on paper, I don't think this particular theory has a leg to stand on.

Ilsa

P.S. - has anyone found any type of confirmation re: the Einstein quote?

Seems that whenever there is an unexplained situation the cell phone gets blamed.
This is the first I've heard of cell phones causing CCD.

I live in an area of MA with several bee keepers including a large commercial bee keeper who travels the east coast with 15,000 hives. So far none of them have been affected and they are near organic farming.

All of the info I have heard and read leads most people to believe that CCD is pesticide caused and they are searching for the common one.

A large article in yesterday's (Sunday April 15, 2006) Lowell Sun, out of Lowell MA. stated the following info

"Diana Cox-Foster, a professor of entomology at Penn State University, said after CCD occurs there is a significant delay in robbing of the dead colony by bees from other colonies or invasion by pest insects.

"This suggests the presence of a deterrent chemical or toxin in the hive," concluded Cox-Foster, in March 29 testimony before Congress.

Just what that chemical may be remains unclear. Scientific surveys have not found common chemicals or pesticides in the beekeeping populations experiencing CCD."

"Another tell-tale sign that pesticides are to blame is that colonies near organic farms do not appear to be experiencing CCD"

Unless I'm mistaken, I thought the cell phone causing brain tumors, was proven wrong over the last couple of years.

I know that before my next door neigbors moved, I had a sudden loss of honey bees around my yard. They used lots of chemicals on their lawns and gardens. Since they moved 2 years ago, the honey bees are back and enjoying my pesticide free gardens. Only place that I use any pesticide is on the poison ivy and I spray it directly on the leaves. Don't have a choice, my daughter is anaphylacticly allergic to poison ivy and almost died when she was kid from the reaction.

Isla, I couldn't find any type of confirmation to the quote.

My money is on some kind of pesticide, France had a similar type of problem in 1990 and it was found to be a pesticide. This one may be a combo of new ones being used in this country, but I wouldn't bet a wooden nickle on cell phones causing the problem.

Fran

Here is a link that might be useful: Lowell Sun Article on CCD and what may be the cause

If only people would actually read the lables before applying pesticides! If they did they would notice the warnings about when and when not to apply, how much and by which method, ect.
You will find this warning (and others) on a shlew of products (Sevin and Malathion come to mind) that says something to the effect under the Environmental Hazards warnings (or a seperate Bee Caution) that the given product is highly toxic when applied direct to honeybees as are residues (until dry most times) on blooming crops or weeds and should not be applied where bees are foraging. It also has warnings on drift to such areas.

You should also know that any person who improperly applies, misuses, stores or disposes of a pesticide can be made liable by law and you CAN contact the proper authorities (EPA hotline or your state Dept. of Ag) if you know or see someone (professional applicator or otherwise)doing so. It can be anything from watching someone applying on a day the wind exceeds 5mph or dumping down the rain gutter/side of the road, applying near a body of water, ect.

(note) pesticides include incesticides, herbacides, fungicides, mitacides, rodenticides, ect.

Vera

Vera, lots of people *should* be held more accountable. I wish it were easier to manage, though. :(

Our subdivision has a large pond that turns greener than the River in Chicago during St. Paddy's. ALL the area runoff goes straight through every culvert directly into that space for holding, and it's disgusting.

On a random chemical complaint, there are two large parcels of farmland right out here. One is fine, the other REEKS. Most of the year, actually. They spread whatever they like, in whatever conditions, and the wind sends dust over here on a bad day. :( I take the kids over to my Mom's house when it gets really bad, and no, I've no idea if it's just manure spreading or chemical applications. And I can't see that there's anything I can do about it. :P

Thanks for the link earlier, it was nice to see more on the original subject. I still feel that lots of people are just grasping at straws, though. Wish we had more answers. :/

On the one hand, it's easy to blame pesticides. However, they have been in widespread use for decades, and the harshest (to humans) of them are no longer allowed for most agricultural or home use applications. Additionally, while misuse/overuse of pesticides is widespread, it is nothing new. If anything, in light of increased environmental awareness, combined with negative press and increased regulation over the last decade or so, it seems more likely that misuse of pesticides has diminished somewhat.

Therefore, placing the blame on synthetic pesticides begs the question, "why has it (CCD) just happened recently, abruptly?"

A query more to the point might be whether newer pesticides, while less toxic (at least less acutely toxic) to humans, are MORE acutely toxic to the honeybees? (Just a thought, as apparently the pyrethroids are, for example, VERY toxic to sea life, possibly moreso than some of the older organophosphates now banned. Maybe more toxic to bees?)

In any event, even if cell phones and related gadgets ARE harmul to people constantly holding them to their heads (and this is far from a proven fact), how would that affect bees? While I realize that bees are smaller, weaker, and more affected by adverse environmental factors than larger, stronger animals, wouldn't the much greater distance between bees and these gadgets tend to eliminated the adverse effect?

Another question - how abrupt is the CCD? Cell phones, while their use is constantly expanding (as is the use of MP3 players, etc.) have been in fairly widespread use for some time now.

I don't know much about GM crops, and bees have been through these temperatures before (hence weakening the global warming theory, though further warming in upcoming years could more significantly affect bees, I imagine), but I would be curious as to how either has been linked to the CCD issue. And as to the mites theory, have newer, hardier species evolved only in the last few years? I would also be curious as to this theory.

And I would also be curious as to what the "drawbacks" of each of the alternate theories are (i.e. it's hard for me to believe that the "drawbacks" of the pesticide theory - including the ones I thought of and mentioned above - really dwarf the drawbacks of hanging the whole thing on distant use of cell phones).

Just my two cents - and you better appreciate it, as I'm sure this ongoing use of my laptop is giving me cancer as I type.

Ok, here's an oddity for the whole situation.

I'm in town. We get bumblebees, wasps galore (heaven help us, it's getting really bad some places and they terrify me o_0 ) but this past weekend I saw honeybees. I haven't seen them in years, and certainly not out here.

They seem to be looking for something, but confused. They kept flying into my garage door, stuff like that. Or they just sit around and fall down.

I'm kind of worried now - until this, I'll admit it was more of a curiosity to me. *shrug*

Silverwind - you should post that on the "bee" forum & see if they think it is normal behavior or somthing out of the ordinary. You never know...
Maggie

Oooh, I forgot about that one!! Sorry- I don't get out much. ;)

Thank you!

Hey, I didn't even know it was there until a few days ago! I'll keep checking there to see if anyone has any explanation. This bee thing has me concerned...
Maggie