Hello Jerry & All,
In the July issue of the American Bee Journal is an article by Eric Mussen.
Simply named "Colony Collapse Disorder".

 On page 593 Eric explains in great detail the beliefs of many about the
connection between CCD and a systemic insecticide and proteins from GM
plants.

Of course only a hypothesis right now but if correct I do
not have to tell Jerry the type of battle with big ag corps we are stepping
in the ring with.

As Eric says in his article imidacloprid is the main concern as new uses in
Ag are found every year for imidacloprid.

Beekeepers are a very small industry with mainly only people which
understand the need for honey bees to help protect the bees. Large Ag
business are profit motivated.

I would love to go deeper into Ag companies and what in my opinion they are
doing to our earth but will keep quiet for now.

I find very few people even willing to discuss the real possibility our
current problems are related to the above issue.

The reason is simple. If the above is true then we have nothing to research
and a big problem (perhaps unsolvable) trying to keep bees in areas with GM
plants and systemic pesticides. Perhaps like the mandarin issue a law will
be passed beekeepers can not locate bees within so many miles of GM plants
or pesticide treated seed plants?

I expect my post will go unanswered as most do not want to fast forward to
the "what if imidaclprid is the problem or GM plants"

What might be the game plan for the beekeeping industry Jerry if those might
be the cause?

The beekeeping industry has fought hive loss from pesticides since
pesticides were first used. In most cases we have lost. Now we have got new
systemic pesticides which will kill a corn worm but will not harm a honeybee
using the same pollen? Not at the very least cause the bee not to be able to
find its hive.
At least that's the chemical companies story.

Those which drink know a point exists when finding ones way home can be
difficult. How much pesticide would it take to cause a bee not to find her
way back to the hive?

CCD symptom:
Bees not finding their way back to hive.

Also one of two symptoms of a pesticide kill!

1. hive front full of dead bees which returned to the hive to die

2. hive without foragers as bees either died or failed to live long enough
to make it back to the hive (or simple failed to locate the hive). Leaving
frames of brood, qeeen and young bees.

Is CCD a new problem or simply an old problem packaged in a different way?

bob


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