At Least 36% Of US Commercial Beehives Already Lost So Far In 2008, Congress Told

[hatrack]

A record 36 percent of U.S. commercial bee colonies have been lost to mysterious causes so far this year and worse may be yet to come, experts told a congressional panel Thursday. The year's bee colony losses are about twice the usual seen following a typical winter, scientists warn. Despite ambitious new research efforts, the causes remain a mystery. "We need results," pleaded California beekeeper Steve Godlin. "We need a unified effort by all."

The escalating campaign against what's generically called colony collapse disorder includes more state, federal and private funding for research. Publicity efforts are getting louder - a costumed Mr. Bee was seen wandering around Capitol Hill this week - and lawmakers are becoming mobilized.

On Thursday, Congress heard from farmers with troubled crops, from beekeepers struggling with lost hives, from frustrated researchers and even from corporate leaders worried about their own economic futures.

Colony collapse disorder is characterized by a sudden decline in a bee colony's population and the inexplicable absence of dead bees. First reported in 2006, the disorder was the chief cause for the 31 percent decline in bee colonies last year. "What seemed to be an aberration has unfortunately turned into a full-fledged crisis," said Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., chairman of the House horticulture and organic agriculture subcommittee, which convened the hearing.

EDIT

http://www.macon.com/nation/story/388857.html

[Duppers]

1. this is a crisis

High energy cost, now this leading to higher food prices:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3370297&mesg_id=3370297

[LiberalEsto]

2. I'm growing a lot of bee-attracting plants

To try and make sure my veggie garden gets pollinated, I've planted lavender, catmint, lamb's ears, coreopsis, agastache and other bee-magnet
plants. Because of this, my garden is filled with (presumably) happy bumblebees.

I haven't seen a honeybee in at least two years, and you'd think with all the bee treats I'm growing, there would be at least a few. This is not a good sign.

[stuntcat]

7. I've planted the plants!

It's only been 4 years since I started gardening but my flowers are covered with bees now, a lot more than I noticed before. Amd the news has me worried so I'm so happy working around them now. I don't know honey bees from bumblebees from regular bees but I have a few different sizes out there.

[LiberalEsto]

11. Here's a bee ID link for you:

http://everest.ento.vt.edu/Facilities/OnCampus/IDLab/id/id-bee_w.html


By the way, one of the best bee attracting plants I know is agastache, also known as Korean mint, anise hyssop or licorice mint. The leaves make a very tasty herb tea.


http://www.highcountrygardens.com/agastache/

[stuntcat]

15. agastache

I'm gonna look up the agastache. I think my aunt planted me something she called anise hyssop.

I do have the bumblebees and honeybees both, they make me like unreasonably happy buzzing around out there :*

[LiberalEsto]

17. They're the same thing

pale purple flowers, wonderful licorice scent in the leaves.

But there are lots of new, very attractive agastache varieties available.

Check out these beauties:
http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=90332&cid=pport0001&CAWELAID=63704690

[XemaSab]

16. We're planting for bees, butterflies, and birds

and we've noticed a lot of insects in our yard this year.

Warning: if you get carpenter bees (big black jobbers), don't slack on painting wooden surfaces. They're nesting in the gate. :o )

[madokie]

3. I'm not seeing any bees around here

early on when the pear trees were blooming I did but not now. Our squash plants are putting on very few squash and the ones that are aren't making it, dying on the plant. I have a patch of elderberries bushes and they are in bloom right now and I'm not seeing any bees on them, a few other bugs but not any bees and they're not putting on much fruit either. I think we are close, if we're not, to a crisis state here in northeastern oklahoma on the bee front.

[LiberalEsto]

4. That's awful

Is it possible for you to plant some lavender to lure in some bumbleees? Even a couple of lavender plants from Home Depot might start blooming and bring in some pollinators.

The other thing would be to hand pollinate the squash with a small paintbrush.

[madokie]

5. Theres lots of flowering plants around here theres just no bees

I think we may be fixing to find out what fried squash blossoms taste like :-)
Fill me in on how to pollinate them with a brush as I have the time to do it and the little brushes.

[LiberalEsto]

6. Just dip the brush in the pollen

from one flower, and go dab it on the pistil of another flower. And so on.

Here's a link, complete with photos:

http://pollinator.com/squash.htm

[madokie]

8. Thanks

[kestrel91316]

10. Q-tips work, too.

[madokie]

12. I went out and looked and sure enough they look like the ones in the photos

I've often wondered about that some of them already having a what looked like a small squash on them and now I know. Again thanks :hi: I'll be eating fried squash after all this year even if I have to be the bee.

[kestrel91316]

9. I don't have much advice for you, but I do know from personal experience

you CAN hand-pollinate squash with a Q-tip. It's easy and works well.

[LiberalEsto]

13. Here's another bee

Oops. I meant to reply to #12, about being the bee.

[ElectricGrid]

14. same here in SE KS.

[jeanruss]

18. Europe

This week Europe banned two pesticides that are killing the bees and recommended that the USA do the same and quit ignoring the science. The article is at www.organiconsumers.org. Why is Congress wasting money looking into it when Europe already has done the research?

[LiberalEsto]

19. This link opens to a Medifast ad nt

[jeanruss]

20. yeah

strange-you're right-when I type it into the heading the right page comes up. Not sure why that is happening.