Philly news report: Urban vs. rural environs could affect bee health

A columnist from NewsWorks, the news website of WHYY radio in Philadelphia, writes about the differences in bee health between agricultural/rural areas where pesticide use is common and urban areas where pesticide use is less.

Honey and capitalism

A couple of interesting reports today. The Boston Herald notes that the price of honey is skyrocketing, while the Washington Post gardening columnist writes about the high costs of shrinking bee populations.

Bees used in pesticide research are stolen

Bees being studied for the impact of pesticides were stolen from the research lab.

New report reveals continued honey-bee loss over last winter

The full report won't be available until later this year, but preliminary data show continued loss of honey-bee colonies. Among the findings, losses overall (from all causes) were about 30 percent over the 2010/2011 winter. The study was a joint production by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Apiary Inspectors of America. This article notes that such losses hit small, individual operators the worst, because a loss of only five colonies is huge for someone who began with only 10. The news release from the USDA can be found here. The abstract of the report is available here; this site includes links to prior surveys, but a place to sign up to be counted in the future. You can listen to an audio report here.

Smartphones as hive monitors?

Researchers in the UK say smartphone apps can help monitor the activity inside beehives.

Report: Bees on decline in United States

The Guardian is reporting a sharp decline in bees, as they join other species suffering around the world.

The new issue of the #bees Daily is out

Here's someplace you can go for news on bees and beekeeping.

Causes of colony collapse disorder found?

Scientists in a new report indicate a virus and fungus are not present in colonies not infected. Here's NPR's take.

Bees ailing in South Dakota; pesticides to blame?

This article talks about some of the bee problems in South Dakota, one of the nation's leading honey producers. I like the mention of alfalfa honey. It's always cool to be reminded of yet another type.

Thousands of bees killed in San Francisco by vandals

Thousands of bees were killed after vandals sprayed insecticide into hives.

Insulin helps make queen bees

A new study shows that insulin plays a part in the development of queen bees, as opposed to worker bees.

Ohio beekeeper feature story

Here's a feature about an Ohio beekeeper and his concerns about colony collapse disorder.

USDA to survey for bee pests and diseases

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct surveys in 13 states to examine potential causes of bee population decline. It will look at possible pest problems, as well as disease.

What is the link between cell phones and bee loss?

Some scientists claim that the radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' life cycle, and is part of the reason for the decline in bee populations.

Cause(s) found to colony collapse disorder?

A new, peer-reviewed study suggests that there are a couple of causes of colony collapse disorder: a fungus and a virus. In short, overwork and poor nutrition, as bees emerge from winter, provide pathways for the two to cause fatal damage.
The new results were released at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

Is there a link between some insecticides and declining bee population?

Some experts speculate that a new type of insecticide that coats plants could be harming bees.
On a perhaps related note, the USDA will report on wheat production and chemical use on Wednesday, May, 19, 2010. More to come here, as warrants.

Maine expert weighs in on colony collapse, etc.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this. It almost seems as if the interviewer is trying to steer the expert into saying there's no problem with bees, but while the guy hints that maybe there is some "Chicken Little" mentality at work, he also notes how unsustainable industrial farming is. He does focus on the larger issue of biodiversity. What I think we need to be cautious about is removing honeybees from that biodiverse population. It doesn't have to be a zero-sum game, where all the bees die for the sake of allowing other pollinators to practice their work.

Beetle is a new threat to Hawaii's bees, honey production

It's only about a quarter-inch long, but the small hive beetle is a big threat.

Experts: Winter honeybee losses 'unsustainable'

Some experts say that if the kinds of losses we had last winter continue, they are unsustainable.

Colony collapse disorder as art

In London, there is a display of art symbolizing the pain of colony collapse disorder.