http://news.ufl.edu/2009/10/29/bee-toxins/

UF research examines how common pesticide mixes may affect bee die-offs
Filed under Environment <http://news.ufl.edu/research/environment/>,
Research <http://news.ufl.edu/research/> on Thursday, October 29, 2009.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Since reports of widespread bee die-offs began to
surface in October 2006, researchers have investigated possible reasons
ranging from hive-infecting mites to cell phone-tower radiation. They have
yet to pinpoint the cause of colony collapse disorder — most likely, because
there isn’t just one, say University of Florida
<http://www.ufl.edu/>researchers.

The mysterious die-offs are likely a result of an accumulation of factors,
which might include chemicals found in and around the hives, they say.

Led by UF Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences<http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/>bee specialist Jamie
Ellis <http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/honeybee/Dr%20Ellis%20page.html>, the
researchers have finished a first round of testing on bee larvae exposed to
the pesticides most commonly found in bee hives. The work gives crucial
insight to how the larvae react to these pesticides, which are usually only
tested on adult bees.

More importantly, the work sets the stage for the researchers to test how
the bees react to combinations of these pesticides.

Just like mixing the wrong medications can have deadly and unpredictable
results in humans, chemical mixes pose a quandary for the bee industry. Bees
are commonly exposed to multiple pesticides that are either applied to or
nearby their hives.



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