When I got the e-mail from my former neighbor this afternoon indicating that he was going to be on TV, my curiosity was peeked. Tom has recently started a new venture in his life & is now an Eco-farmer in Hesperia, Newaygo County, Michigan. News reporters were on his farm to interview him about a disturbing development that is affecting farmers across Michigan. The story featured on WZZM13 of Grand Rapids, Michigan indicates that there is a strange, unexplained phenomenon which has serious implications for Michigan. Apparently, honey bees are dying, literally by the ton...for no known reason.
Tom refers to his bees as "God's fertilizers"! He practices organic farming and uses no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The WZZM 13 TV report indicated that he had started with 3 colonies & literally overnight, 2 of them had suddenly died. This situation is being repeated on farms across the country. There seems to be no rhyme or reason; some farms are affected and others seem, at least for now, to be unscathed. The situation is affecting colonies in at least 23 States across the United States, even as researchers plan to converge an urgent meeting in the nation's Capitol to discuss the issue.
If this continues unchecked, there will be serious consequences for Michigan's local agriculture. In a state plagued by serious economic challenge, this is unwelcome news. Already, 30% of the hives in lower Western Michigan have perished. Various theories abound about probable causes including the strange weather patterns that have affected the state with unseasonable cold & warm spells, mites and a strange disease called Colony Collapse Disorder.
Research on Colony Collapse Disorder revealed some fascinating, yet somber parallels. Apparently as this disease progresses, honey bees don't die...the worker bees simply leave. According to research by Dr. Jamie Ellis of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, "Symptomatically, colonies with CCD can appear healthy as few as three weeks prior to collapse." All the worker bees simply disappear leaving behind, colonies full of honey, a few workers & the Queen.
As, I drive past shuttered factories, homes for Sale on many streets in Grand Rapids, Michigan & witness an increase in homes in foreclosure and short sales on my local real estate board, I am struck by an unsettling comparison...Michigan was the only state to suffer a Net Loss in population as so many moved out of the state due to economic conditions.
There are many reasons why this is an important story. Nature is often our first responder to significant changes which will affect life on earth as animals, being closer to Nature, respond instinctively to changes in the earth's atmosphere. Reports after the major tsunami hit Asia indicate that animals began to withdraw from the shoreline...apparently instinctively sensing something was amiss. Unfortunately, curiosity propelled many human beings toward the danger & eventual destruction
Bees are the primary pollinators for crops. Although, I find it annoying to be stung, the flowers in my yard need bees for cross pollination. So do the trees & vegetables on farms across the country. Bees are little creatures, but they contribute a very important service as they busily buzz around. Let's hope that we can come to a true understanding of what is so rapidly decimating the population of these creatures & perhaps in the discovery come to a better understanding of the vulnerabilities of this earth home we all share.
Other Related Articles related to WZZM 13 News Story :
Collapsing Colonies by Joanne C. Taddwell of the Daily Courier
Mysterious Bee Deaths Threaten Agriculture by Corrine Purtill of the Arizona Republic
An intriguing & Strange Scenario...Are Mobile Phones Wiping Out Our Bees? by Geoffery Lean & Harriott Shawcross
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Lola,
Very good information, I was saddened to hear it was affecting organic areas also.
I saw some more information on this on the Michigan Radio website. I read the article on cell phones. It has to be something new in the environment.
Lola,
My husband has been worried about the bees for about a year. He has built some bee boxes and is ordering some bees via catagog...some think that cell phone waves are confusing the bees directional system and they can't find their way back to the hive...we'll be doing our part to try to keep lots of flowering plants near the boxes so they don't have to go far! Let's protect the bees!
Hi Lola~ She's in Ann Arbor. She has a small farm and her art studio there. Amazing that her "voice" as an artist comes through in all her pursuits..even bee keeping! I am anxious to hear what she has to say about your article. It's a challenge...the following just came through to me here in Asheville:"
From: Diane Almond [mailto:dialmond@bellsouth.net] Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 10:22 PMSubject: Help my honeybees
My honeybees have built up strong in preparation for their major nectar foraging/honey making: the tulip poplar bloom. Alas the Easter freeze destroyed every bud on the trees in this area (the >trees had been 2 weeks ahead due to the hot, dry weather.) It also killed their secondary sources: locust and holly. If it rains we'll have some blackberry, but bottom line is that my bees are frantic >and starving. If you live in an area with tulip poplar and/or locust blooms, or know someone who does, and you/they might be interested in having a visiting hive or two or three for a couple weeks, please, please contact me off the list at: dialmond@bellsouth.net
PS - please let the clover and dandelions bloom this year rather than mowing or weeding; they are excellent sources of nectar and pollen.
When I think of the services we can offer our real estate clients... knowing what is happening in their lives and the impact things like the above can-have on a whole community... is one of them...
Just what we need, more bad news! Just kidding. This is a very important story. I have some in-laws in California that are beekeepers. It was fascinating for me to visit their apiary and learn about how they produce honey from start to finish. Of course, sampling the product is also the funnest part! They rent their hives out to all kinds of different farmers to pollinate the crops. They have lost a huge number of hives and are very alarmed about this situation. I also have heard that cell phones might be the cause. Lets hope that this is just some kind of one-time anomaly, and not some precursor to a very serious problem. Thanks for sharing, Lola.
here is a link from a recent LA Times article;
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sci-bees26apr26,0,7437491.story?track=mostviewed-homepage
Thanks for the link to the recent article in the LA Times. I sincerely hope that researchers are able to discover the real issue or combination of factors. As spring & summer approach, the importance of this situation increases significantly.
Lola,
from what I've read, I would venture to guess that there is little to no hope of any solution to the problem this summer. They would be in good shape if they can isolate the cause by the end of this summer.
I think we should start to look at the european information about this. It hit there first and is now coming over here.
Also, none of this may be modern cause. For all we know this is a natural part of bee life cycle. They saw similar problems with bees in the US in the 60's and 70's too.
I have read about the fact that periodically these cycles have occurred even here in the this country. However, my understanding is that the biggest difference now that this seems to be so much more severe. My hope is that it is a correction rather than an indicator of events which are potentially more cataclysmic. I was unaware that this situation had been observed in Europe too.
I wonder if it has happened in other countries in the Asian or African continent. I understand that the species of bees that make honey in Africa are quite different than those which produce honey here.
Lola:
What I heard is that bee mites are taking a big toll on bee colonies. Here is a link.
Lola,
Great blog. I would have to say in my top 5 favorite blogs of all time. Hopefully the biology of what is affecting the bees is short lived, or we will be out in the fields pollinating our own agriculture. Did you know that flies are the number one pollinator?
Bill, Thanks for the link! This continues to be a fascinating education. Who would have known how much I would learn from a call about a TV feature from a former neighbor.
Dan, Thanks for your comment. I did not know that flies are the number on pollinator. Fortunately, there seems to be no shortage of supply regarding flies! I wonder if there are certain types of plant species which only bees pollinate or for which a critical element in the process of pollination must be enabled by the activities of bees?
The Detroit News ran this information Saturday, I thought of your excellent blog.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080920/OPINION03/809200399
Another reason to use organic methods of pest control.