New Buzz
Exciting (kinda) update on a previous subject here:
Back in '08 on ESR I wrote a post discussing different bee species n Colony Collapse Dissorder threatening the survival of Honey Bees worldwide, n the fact that the cause was a complete mystery.
Personally, I'd miss putting honey in my tea n oatmeal, never mind eating all the commercial bee-keeper, pollinated fruit, veggies, n grain products I normally consume.
This early am I saw a WNN (World News Now, abc tv 01/05/12) article on biology Professor John Hafernik at San Francisco State University, who stopped on his way to the office n picked up some confused honeybees he saw on the pavement, placed them in a vial on his desk at work, then a week later found brown, fly pupae in the vial with the bees.
The since studied parasite, phorid fly, or apocephalus borealis, is laying eggs inside bees, n the pupae are popping out other openings, killing them. How disgusting is that? Stuff crawling through my insides would disorient me too... (Yuck! Just like in the film "Alien"...)
It's an interesting discovery n theory connected to the honey bee problem. Here's a few more links if your interested in more of the gory details...
posted by Snaggle Tooth @ 4:36 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
That is fascinating and indeed, there aren't as many as around as there used to be.
Yes, I read the same article and hope this means we are on our way to solving this problem. I get lots and quite a variety of pollinators in my yard....but few honeybees. Honeybees are not native to this country, by the way, they were brought in from Europe.
Love your illustration:) Is it a Snaggle original?
The "buzz" on bees is disturbing. We have often considered becoming bee keepers in hopes of replenishing the numbers of honey bees. We have the space but feel a bit old for such an endeavor now.
Lynn, They found the flies infecting about 37 percent of all the California hives tested- which mirrors the 1/3 percent of hives reported being lost by commercial beekeepers since the dissorder began.
Tabor, one of the linked articles reports they still have no idea how to kill the flies without effecting the bees yet. Honeybees are used for commercial pollination around the planet, n the dissorder has hit across the board. African killer bees aren't native either, but all over!
Gran Annie, if you pit the curse over ESR pics I usually give credits in the hover notes. That was one of the first cards I made in PaintShop Pro 7.0 in 2003.
Yes it is! I'd rather see a honeybee than any other variety- could never be a bee-keeper tho want raw honey! I'm allergic to stings- That would indeed be a brave venture for you n Ron on your farm. I hear there's alot of heavy hive panel lifting involved...
*stings Jannie*
Neo, (Snag squirts Shoo-Fly in a circle to protect herself) (Almost like sperading beer!)(see old Rypos) Why?
It would be amazing if they can combat that and definitively know that's what's responsible for colony collapse which has been observed in so many different countries. Poor bees - can you imagine going through that?
Talon, Yes I can- empathy is my strong suit- Honestly, I do feel bad for the host bees! The pics of Larvae popping out are just horrible to contemplate! Apparently it's more common to happen to Bumble bees, n it's the same variety of parasite. I hope they figure out how to stop it very soon. Thanks
Yeah you are right you definitely don't see as many bees here in the UK as we used too. Mind you I have a wasps nest right outside my room that drives me mad.
LLcoolJ, Yep, I'd rather deal with a honey Bee than a wasp any day of the week! For one thing, wasps can repeat sting n don't die after. Insect upon insect warfare is no longer Science Fiction! Thanks
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