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At least a third of U.S. crops are pollinated by commercial beekeeping operations, including apples, blueberries, cucumbers, almonds, pumpkins. In the year 2000, the value of these bee-assisted crops was about fifteen billion dollars.
About six years ago, beekeepers began to notice that their colonies were dying. Colony Collapse Disorder was first blamed on cell phone radiation. Then, attention turned to pathogens and the stress bees experience being shuttled between agricultural sites.
New research suggests that the culprit may by a class of pesticides, related to nicotine, that are often applied to seeds. The pesticides contaminate plants’ pollen and nectar, and studies have found that even low levels of exposure can affect bees’ immune systems.
“Pesticide exposure is not beneficial for bees, and it really is a question of how much are they getting exposed to and what are the effects of that exposure.”
Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, Maryland recently uncovered the effects that imadacloprid, a common pesticide, has on honeybees…
“I published a recent paper that showed that very low-level exposure to one of the commonly used pesticides resulted in increased growth of a fungus in the bees’ gut. So a honeybee hive is very complex and this recent research that I did just highlights how complex these interactions can be as well.”
Protecting American agriculture requires halting Colony Collapse Disorder. While research continues, one gratifying response has been the growth of small, home-based beekeeping operations.
But realistically, backyard beekeepers cannot replace the large commercial operations that keep American crops growing.
Web Extra
Full interview with Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, Maryland…
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Links
USDA Report on Pathogens in CCD Colonies
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090812.htm
Iridovirus and Microsporidian Linked to Honey Bee Colony Decline
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0013181
Photo, taken on February 22, 2009, courtesy of Jack Wolf via Flickr.