View Full Version : What killed the bees
Cellphone users, rejoice. It's not you.
Linky (http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/19348/)
Scientists have identified a likely culprit underlying the massive and mysterious plague that has killed off tens of millions of bees in the United States over the past year. By sequencing the DNA of every microbe inhabiting the bees, researchers have pinpointed a novel virus strongly linked to infected hives. The findings could help beekeepers protect their colonies. The research also suggests an effective new method for identifying infectious pathogens, be they from bees or humans.
kb2vxa
09-07-2007, 06:21 PM
Yes, no, maybe, I don't know, the usual gobbledygook like I THINK we might have a cure for cancer.... maybe someday.
Meanwhile the study goes on sucking up those wonderful research grant dollars from your taxed wallets. And don't forget your food budgets, honey is a good indicator of why you pay more for everything at the supermarket.
And I thought we got slammed by the veroa mites and brown hive beetles a few years ago and now it's the rapture? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Boy is Al Gore gonna be pissed. Global Warming wasn't the cause.
k9kxq
09-07-2007, 06:32 PM
I'm all for the research, bees play an important part in our food chain. I lost my hive a couple years ago, I don't know what killed them, they were a healthy hive but after winter I went to check the hive and all the bees were dead, maybe the winter got them or it was some sort of virus.
I have planned to get another hive for the pollinating of my fruit trees but the wife has no love for bees... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
kxq
Quote[/b] (K2WH @ Sep. 07 2007,13:30)]Boy is Al Gore gonna be pissed. #Global Warming wasn't the cause.
You guys are obsessed.
N4AUD
09-07-2007, 06:59 PM
I've got all my father's beekeeping stuff here, and had planned to get some bees but after seeing all of the treatments you have to give them, I don't know. Used to be a couple of "bee gums" as folks call them around here weren't a lot of bother. Now they are more work and with this new thing killing them off...who wants to put the time and money into them and they just die for no apparent reason?
They are fascinating, though.
If any of you visit NYC, down at the corner of Bowery and Houston St, there is a small garden with a live bee hive.
I shot some video of it, and had a microphone right up to the bees.
They are truly fascinating.
We also have some lavender growing in front of the house - and the bees seem to absolutely love them.
Quote[/b] (k9kxq @ Sep. 07 2007,07:32)]I'm all for the research, bees play an important part in our food chain. I lost my hive a couple years ago, I don't know what killed them, they were a healthy hive but after winter I went to check the hive and all the bees were dead, maybe the winter got them or it was some sort of virus.
I have planned to get another hive for the pollinating of my fruit trees but the wife has no love for bees... #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
kxq
This is interesting. I was always under the impression, bees migrated. Are you saying they are capable of enduring the cold winters in their hives?
K2WH
k9kxq
09-07-2007, 07:17 PM
I had only one hive, but has you say they are truly fascinating to watch, especially when they would purge the hive of the drones. I could sit close to the hive and they never bothered me...
kxq
k9kxq
09-07-2007, 07:23 PM
Quote[/b] (K2WH @ Sep. 07 2007,14:15)]Quote[/b] (k9kxq @ Sep. 07 2007,07:32)]I'm all for the research, bees play an important part in our food chain. I lost my hive a couple years ago, I don't know what killed them, they were a healthy hive but after winter I went to check the hive and all the bees were dead, maybe the winter got them or it was some sort of virus.
I have planned to get another hive for the pollinating of my fruit trees but the wife has no love for bees... #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
kxq
This is interesting. #I was always under the impression, bees migrated. #Are you saying they are capable of enduring the cold winters in their hives?
K2WH
Yes they go into a hibernation, the box (hive) is sealed with wax so no cold gets in.
National Geo had a special on bees,the Japanese bees are different than our bees, they have an enemy a giant wasp that will hunt and kill entire hives, the Japanese bees have a way of protecting against the wasp, they cover the intruder and vibrate causing heat and this heat actually cooks the wasp, incredible...
kxq
k9kxq
09-07-2007, 07:29 PM
K2wh, here's a link on the wasp or hornet from Japan...
Japanese Hornet (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/07/060720-hornets-video.html)
kxq