[SpongeG]

have been hearing about the disappearing bees a few times now - some say its cell phones others say its climate change :shrug:

Ontario to study the mystery of lost bees


TORONTO — The Ontario government is teaming up with the University of Guelph to study why the province's bee industry has been hit with unprecedented multi-million dollar losses this year.

Lost bees has cost the industry over $5-million, according to the Ontario Beekeepers' Association.

Ontario Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky says the government is very concerned about the unexplained hit to the industry and is working to figure out exactly what the problem is.

She says it's doubly troublesome because the bee population also has an affect on the fruit industry.

Ms. Dombrowsky hopes more will be known within a few weeks although there's no indication how long the study will take.

The OBA has written to the government asking for financial assistance to compensate for lost bees. President Brent Halsall says the cost of lost bees is estimated to be over $5-million.



http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070418.wbees0418/BNStory/Science/home

[feepa]

Maybe the bees are coming to Alberta (temporarily of course) to work on those oilsands for a few months/years?

[SpongeG]

hmm

its a world wide phenomenon - its happenning in the UK, New Zealand, USA, Australia etc.

[feepa]

hmm

its a world wide phenomenon - its happenning in the UK, New Zealand, USA, Australia etc.

Well, people are coming from far away to work here. Maybe the bees are too? Though, I haven't noticed an increase in bees. :shrug:

[vanman]

I heard somewhere that scientists dicovered that cell phone signals disrupt bee's ability to navigate. If that's true that would completely explain why there is a global decline of bees , it would coincide with the global uprising of the cell phone.

[SpongeG]

Well, people are coming from far away to work here. Maybe the bees are too? Though, I haven't noticed an increase in bees. :shrug:

haha yeah - maybe they have special permits

[The Kid]

I heard somewhere that scientists dicovered that cell phone signals disrupt bee's ability to navigate. If that's true that would completely explain why there is a global decline of bees , it would coincide with the global uprising of the cell phone.

Actually, there was a piece on either the Rutherford or Adler radio show today that said the cell phone theory was bunk. Most of the colonies are not located anywhere near cell towers or cell phones themselves and also that cell phones have been around way too long for this just to be happening now.

It also went on to say that this mysterious kill off has so far not shown up in Alberta which is also a pretty large honey bee area/producer. It said only the normal 15% winter kill off has happened in Alberta. And believe me, with all the business and oil work in Alberta, there are a shit load of cell phones and cell towers.

[ssiguy]

I listen to coasttocoastam every night and the rapid decline of bee populations has been brought up many many times and they seem to think its due to cell-phones. This could have truly devestating results if it continues. Not just a few million dollars but rather tens of billion and potentially, if it goes worldwide, massive reductions in world food production.

Funny how the lowly bee could bring us to our knees. At first it seems like a joke about the government studying bees but in truth if this phenomony continues it could have worldwide devestating results and as ussual it will be the poor of the third world who will suffer the most. This little joke has the ability to morph itself into a worldwide food shortage and all the dispair, disease, and malnutriton associated with it.

We've been fucking around with Mother Nature for too long and she is fighting back and its war we can't win.

[SpongeG]

ooh i love coasttocoast - thats where i first heard this issue last week or so ago

yeah - it just goes to show us how important each piece of the chain is needed and losing something out of it is a bad thing - something i think we just don't think about

[Taller Better]

I never liked cellphones, anyway, and I studiously avoid having one. If this is true
and it threatens the world's bees, cellphones will have to be changed or banned. Bees
are absolutely necessary for cross pollination of our plants. We cannot do without them.
So far it has mostly been a problem south of the US border, but it has been spreading into
Canada as far north as Hamilton.

[SteelTown]

You aren't taking away my cell phone! I live off of it.

I'm allergic to bees so less of them is better ha

[Taller Better]

LOL! Kiss goodbye to wine, or fruit crops then!

[MolsonExport]

Goddammit, why couldn't it be 'missing mosquitos', instead of 'missing bees'?

[zerokarma]

Goddammit, why couldn't it be 'missing mosquitos', instead of 'missing bees'?

haha yea seriously

[CharlesMunroe]

Actually, there was a piece on either the Rutherford or Adler radio show today that said the cell phone theory was bunk. Most of the colonies are not located anywhere near cell towers or cell phones themselves and also that cell phones have been around way too long for this just to be happening now.

It also went on to say that this mysterious kill off has so far not shown up in Alberta which is also a pretty large honey bee area/producer. It said only the normal 15% winter kill off has happened in Alberta. And believe me, with all the business and oil work in Alberta, there are a shit load of cell phones and cell towers.

I agree the cell phone theory sounds like bullshit. Its sounds more likely GM crops may be the culprit.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,473166,00.html



Albert Einstein: "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."