> Our bees of course are a barometer and I cannot help but think the combined effect of chemicals is an insufficiently weighted variable in the "equation."
I am not sure how you might have come to this conclusion. The news media and the environmental groups have communicated to the world that chemicals are the biggest factor in this equation.
Many of us who have tried to put the issue into balance have been accused as being "pesticide apologists", "corporate shills" and the rest of it. Seems like in this discussion you have to be on one side or the other.
However, the idea that the experts have been narrowly focused on issues _other than_ pesticides is simply not true. In fact, Penn State's Center for Pollinator Research has included this as one of their key areas of focus. And those of us who tried to stay informed are fully aware of all sides of this issue. Especially those of us who are not committed to any ideology, other than the quest for scientific understanding, and the maintenance of an unbiased viewpoint.
A Sample of their Research Publications
2014
Schmehl, D. R., P. E. A. Teal, et al. (2014). "Genomic analysis of the interaction between pesticide exposure and nutrition in honey bees (Apis mellifera)." Journal of Insect Physiology 71(0): 177-190.
Zhu, W., Schmehl, D.R., Mullin, C.A., Frazier, J.L. "Four common pesticides, their mixtures and a formulation solvent in the hive environment have high oral toxicity to honey bee larvae" PLoS One. 9(1):e77547 (2014) (PSU news story)
Chen J, Mullin CA. "Determination of nonylphenol ethoxylate and octylphenol ethoxylate surfactants in beehive samples by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry" Food Chem. 158:473-9 (2014).
Chejanovsky, N., Ophir, R., Schwager, M.S., Slabezki, Y., Grossman, S., Cox-Foster, D. "Characterization of viral siRNA populations in honey bee colony collapse disorder" Virology. 454-455:176-83 (2014).
Muli*, E., Patch*, H.M., Frazier*, M., Frazier, J., Torto, B., Baumgarten, T., Kilonzo, J., Kilmani, J., Mumoki, F., Masiga, D., Tumlinson, J., and C.M. Grozinger. "Evaluation of distribution and impacts of parasites, pathogens, and pesticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations in East Africa" PLoS ONE 9(4): e94459 (2014).
Shutler, D., Head, K., Burgher-MacLellan, K.L., Colwell, M.J., Levitt, A.L., Ostiguy, N., Williams, G.R. "Honey Bee Apis mellifera Parasites in the Absence of Nosema ceranae Fungi and Varroa destructor Mites" PLoS One 9(6):e98599 (2014).
This last is interesting because:
Ostiguy and her colleagues found a geographical area in Newfoundland, in which a number of important invasive honey bee parasites, including Varroa destructor and Nosema ceranae, do not exist.
In the Newfoundland colonies, the researchers found the parasite Nosema apis, the species that has been displaced by Nosema ceranae elsewhere, and the pathogens, black queen cell virus and deformed wing virus.
"Despite the presence of these parasites and pathogens, colony losses in Newfoundland are very low -- similar to the mortality rates reported in the United States before the introduction of Varroa destructor," said Ostiguy.
PLB
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