Posted on 12/30/2015 3:47:03 PM PST by presidio9
In this case, that goal is increased regulation of GMO foods. How do we get there from here?
As I said, colonies of European honeybees are being effected. The most likely culprit is a virus spread by varroa mites, which infest the hives. There is some speculation that pesticides containing neonicotinoid compounds may weaken the bees and cause them to be more susceptible to these compounds. But as of now, there is zero proof that this is acutually happening.
Meanwhile, any reputable environmentalist recognizes that European honeybees are an environmental disaster in their own right. The are an exotic species introduced to this continent almost 400 years ago for farming. Many of these bees escaped and have gone feral. In doing this, they have outcompeted the over 4000 species of NATIVE bees in the US, driving many to extinction. Here is the important part:
Colony Collapse Disorder does not effect any native species that we know of. In other words, we may have stumbled onto a solution to the problem by accident. Any honest environmentalist will tell you that less invasive species and more natives is always a good thing. Especially when so many natives are in danger.
But that is not what this is really about. Farmers pay more for GMO seed because they can use certain insecticides on them. Using GMOs also means that they an use less. This is another win win.
But, instead of admitting all of this the environmental lobby prefers to use lies and scare tactics.
Do you happen to know what products contain neonicotinoids?
“Farmers pay more for GMO seed because they can use certain insecticides on them. Using GMOs also means that they an use less. This is another win win.”
The Monsanto GMO ‘seeds’ already have insecticide in them.
THAT is what is killing the bees.
Are you suggesting that we'd be better off if we'd eliminate all food plants that aren't native to North America as well as cattle and pigs?
Great article on this at Junk Science. Canadian bee keepers are so severely hit THEY HAD A RECORD CROP THIS YEAR.
http://junkscience.com/2015/12/neonicotinoid-pesticides-have-killed-so-many-bees-in-canada-that/
You left out a really big one...........people.
The bees mostly affected aren’t a native species to North America either.
It’s the mites and lazy beekeeping.
However, the pesticides contribute significantly to weakening colonies.
Good post, but your take home message - that this is not a crisis or problem - is buried.
A broader view....
I saw a beekeeper who recovers bees from houses and other places where they are unwelcome inhabitants. He relocates them to his apiary. He said he never sees colony collapse in these bees, only in hived bees. He, too, thinks it is mites, not the neonicitinoids.
ping
The writer lost me with the mention of Kwanzaa, a made-up “holiday” that almost no one celebrates.
The name "canola" was chosen by the board of the Rapeseed Association of Canada in the 1970s. The "Can" part stands for Canada and "ola" refers to oil. It is not a crop. Canola oil is mainly derived from rape seed.
“The bees mostly affected aren’t a native species to North America either.”
There are no honeybees that are native to North America.
We have more honey bees now than ever where we live. So for kicks I did a search, and found more than one article such as:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/good-news-there-is-no-honeybee-crisis/article25634384/
Which says its a envirowhacko created crisis. As with the polar bear, the spotted owl, the snail darter, global warming, whales, white sharks and I suppose the list is just endless.
Now the point being, let’s suppose there is a genuine crisis. There’s a little story about the boy that cried wolf.
If the bees in a feral colony were to collapse, there would be no need to rettieve them from a house, tree, etc.
I'm not telling you that at all. I'm telling you where the environmentalist's concern is dishonest. She does not care about European honeybees at all.
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