Genetically Modified Crops Implicated in Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder
Another possible cause of the honeybee disorder that has continued to be a problem across the country and around the world. Ion Exchange Inc. A Native Seed and Plant Nursery
Article that appeared in Natural News
Genetically Modified Crops Implicated in Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder
by Patty Donovan, citizen journalistSee all articles by this author Email this author(NaturalNews)
As the disappearance of honeybees continues, researchers are trying desperately to discover the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). General consensus at this point is that there is more than once cause and the latest culprit may be genetically modified crops. This is one area of research being neglected as mainstream scientists insist GM crops are safe.For the last 100 years, beekeepers have experienced colony losses from bacteria, (foulbrood), mites (varroa and tracheal) and other pathogens. These problems are dealt with by using antibiotics, miticides and and other methods of pest management. Losses are slow and expected and beekeepers know how to limit the destruction. This new mass die-off is different in that it is virtually instantaneous with no warning of the impending collapse.John McDonald, a bee keeper in Pennsylvania with a background in biology, speculated that genetically modified crops could play a role in CCD. Although the government constantly reassures us that these genetic manipulations are safe for both humans and the environment, his hope is that looking more closely at these issues might raise questions about those assumptions.The common bacterium, bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) supplies the most commonly used segment of transgenic DNA. Bt has been used for decades by farmers and gardeners to control crop damage from butterfly larvae. Now, instead of spraying this bacterium directly on the crops, where it is eaten only by the target insects, the genes containing the insecticidal traits are incorporated into the genome of the plant itself. As the genetically modified plant grows, these Bt genes are replicated in every cell of the plant, including pollen. Therefore, every cell of each GM plant contains its own poison aimed to kill the target insect. The target insects consume some portion of the plant, then once ingested, the toxin produced by the Bt genes causes crystallization in the guts of boring larvae and thus death. The primary toxin is a protein called Cry1Ab. In the case of field corn, the targeted insects are stem and root-borers and butterfly larvae.Although scientists "assure" us that bees (hymenopterans) are not affected, there are Bt variants available that target beetles, flies and mosquitoes. There is indisputable proof that Cry1Ab is present in beehives. Beekeepers spray Bt under hive lids to control the wax moth because the larvae cause messy webs on the honey. Canadian beekeepers have noted the disappearance of this moth even in untreated hives, apparently the result of bees ingesting Cry1Ab while foraging in GM canola plants.Bees forage heavily on corn flowers to obtain pollen for the rearing of young bees. These pollen grains also contain the Bt genes of the parent plant, because they are present in the cells from which pollen forms. Mr. McDonald believes it may be possible that while Cry1Ab has no direct lethal effect on young bees, there may be some sub-lethal effect, such as immune suppression, acting as a slow killer.Tens of millions of acres of genetically modified crops are allowing the Bt genes to move off crop fields and contaminate other flowers from which bees gather flowers. "Given that nearly every bite of food that we eat has a pollinator, the seriousness of this emerging problem could dwarf all previous food disruptions".(John McDonald) He proposed an experiment to compare colony losses of bees from regions where there are no GM crops to losses of colonies where they are exposed. He wanted to put test hives where GM crops are so distant from the hives that the foraging worker bees would have no exposure to GM crops. Researches readily dismissed his ideas and no one followed through with such an experiment.At this point, he decided to do his own investigation at his own expense. He established 8 colonies in new wooden hives to ensure no possible disease transfer from old hives. The bees were fed continuously with sugar syrup until the hives were placed at the selected locations.
"At both sites the flowers of goldenrod provided ample pasturage, with the honey flow commencing in the middle of August and tapering off by the second week in October. Medium-depth empty honey storage supers (a super is the part of the beehive used to collect honey) were put on the hives at this time in addition to the three brood chambers already there. By the simple expedient of lifting the hives from behind, progress could be roughly monitored.This monitoring showed that the hives of the farmland bees, while numerous, were not gaining weight. Meanwhile, the non-farm colonies steadily gained weight. This part of the experiment was terminated Oct. 14 with the removal of the honey storage supers, with these results: The farmland bees had not even started to work in the honey supers and will require extensive feeding before winter sets in. The non-farm bee colonies produced, in total, nearly 200 pounds of extra honey in addition to about 150 pounds per hive stored in the over-wintering brood supers. These colonies will be left in place to see whether the die-off of last season is repeated. These results should encourage new research to determine what factor or factors are present in farm country to cause such a discrepancy in honey production." John McDonald is a beekeeper in Pennsylvania. He welcomes comments or questions about the bee problem at mactheknife70@hotmail.com.Another study indicating that Bt may be contributing to the death of honey bees was undertaken in Mexico. This study compared the effects on young adult honeybees of 2 concentrations of Cry1AB (3 and 5000 parts per billion) to a chemical pesticide, imidacloprid. 3 different effects were evaluated by the researchers:
1. Survival of honeybees during sub-chronic exposure to Cry1Ab.2. Feeding behavior.3. Learning performance at the time that honeybees become foragers.Neither test concentration of Cry1Ab had lethal effects on the honeybees, however, when exposed to the higher concentration, feeding behavior was affected. The bees spent longer ingesting the syrup which contained the Cry1Ab which could mean smaller amounts of pollen would be collected. These bees also had impaired learning performance. Honeybees normally do not continue responding to an odor when no food is present, but should be discouraged and seek other sources. These bees continued responding to the odor which again, could affect pollen gathering efficiency. This study indicates that although Bt is not directly lethal to honeybees, it could indirectly lead to colony death due to failure to collect enough food to sustain the hive.These findings may be the key to the difference in honey production in Mr. McDonald's experiment. Bt appears to have non-lethal effects which become apparent only when the lethal effect is absent. Although not directly lethal to non-target organisms, the toxins from the Bt gene potentially puts non-target insects such as honeybees at risk.
http://persianoad.wordpress.com/2008/01...http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18206234
Research Focuses On Bringing Bees Back
http://www.timesleader.com/news/ap?articleID=1383572
By GENARO C. ARMAS
(AP)
The mysterious decline in honeybees has generated renewed interest into finding new ways to boost bee numbers.
Buoyed by public concern over honeybee hives afflicted with colony collapse disorder, researchers are focusing on how the habitat surrounding a hive can affect the health of the honeybees and native bees like bumblebees.
"The more of these pollinator-friendly areas we have ... the more likely we are able to retain bee species," said Karen Goodell, an ecology professor at Ohio State University whose project focuses on native bees.
Separately, scientists in labs trying to unravel the mystery over colony collapse disorder are focusing on how pesticides and other chemicals used in fields and gardens might affect honeybees, bumblebees and other insects that pollinate crops.
In both cases, researchers want to know how much of what's outside can affect what's happening inside the hive.
Bees are vital to American agriculture because they pollinate many flowering crops, including almonds, apples and blueberries.
But honeybees, a non-native species from Europe, are the pollinators of choice in American agriculture because they are easier to manage and are more plentiful _ a single colony can contain 20,000 workers. Bumblebee colonies, for instance, may only have a couple of hundred worker bees.
The honeybees have taken a hit over the years by mites and, most recently, colony collapse disorder, in which beekeepers have found affected hives devoid of most bees. Bees that remain appear much weaker than normal.
Beekeepers in 2006 began reporting losing 30 percent to 90 percent of their hives. Since then the annual loss rate has been roughly 33 percent, according to government estimates.
The first case of colony collapse disorder was officially reported in Pennsylvania, and Penn State University has been spearheading research. Maryann Frazier, a senior extension associate at the school's entomology department, said researchers remain concerned about the number and combination of pesticides that have been detected in decimated hives.
"We realize it's much more complicated than what we thought a year ago," Frazier said earlier this month. "From what we know now, it's not something we'll figure out very, very quickly."
Native pollinators are also being monitored. The National Academy of Sciences in 2006 found declining populations of several bee species, along with other native pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds and bats.
The report suggested that landowners can take small steps to make sure habitats are more "pollinator friendly," like by growing more native plants.
And that's what scientists appear to be doing on a larger scale across the country in hopes of bringing bees back.
One such track is at the Environmental Research Institute at Eastern Kentucky University, where apiculturalist Tammy Horn oversees an experiment in apiforestation, a term described by the school as a "new form of reclamation focused on planting pollinator-friendly flowers and trees."
The project is in its first year. Horn is working with local coal companies to plant trees, shrubs, and native wildflowers on reclaimed lands that would be attractive to pollinators, rather than the once-typical scenario of planting only high-value hardwoods to establish a timber industry.
There are years of study still to go, though there are no signs of colony collapse disorder so far, Horn said.
Local support from residents and coal companies has been encouraging to Horn. It helps that locals have family ties to beekeeping, with parents and grandparents perhaps dabbling in the hobby before it started to become less popular locally.
The rallying point has been concern about the disappearing bees, she said.
"That's been important for my project to succeed," Horn said in a phone interview. "Even people who don't care about beekeeping show up to (beekeeping workshops) in Eastern Kentucky and know it's important. They like showing up on mine sites to see that coal mines care enough to invest in it."
The idea is intriguing enough to draw interest for similar projects in other parts of the country, including California and Pennsylvania.
"It's a fantastic idea," said Dennis vanEnglesdorp, acting state apiarist for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. "It's just a matter of finding time to do everything properly. It's one of the ways forward for sure."
At Ohio State, Goodell's project is housed at The Wilds, a private, nonprofit conservation center located on nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mine land in rural southeastern Ohio.
"It's not as much a scientific study as a 'Let's do this and see what happens,'" Goodell said.
Her work deals with native bees, rather than honeybees, though the plight of the honeybees has drawn more attention to all pollinators, she said. The goal is to find the right mix of plants and trees to build native bee populations.
"Those populations would then be contributing to colonizing areas that have lost bees because of poor management," Goodell said. "Definitely, these bees will be playing a role in pollination services."
It's a tact similar to that taken by projects that focus on native pollinators promoted by Mace Vaughan, the pollinator program director at The Xerces Society, a Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit organization.
Its mission, according its Web site, is to "protect wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat."
Vaughan worries that U.S. agriculture might be too dependent on honeybees, though, as with Goodell, programs there have drawn increased interest because of the attention on the honeybee decline.
Lesson Learned from the Land
As I mapped soils throughout eastern Iowa back in the early 70's, it was interesting for me to put together a picture of what the original landscape looked like. In eastern Cedar County, I came upon some soils that did not fit the general description of prairie or savanna soils in that they were somewhere in between the two. I pondered this as I walked day after day over the land and began to see the picture in my mind. Savannas are transitions from prairie to a micro climate that favors some tree growth. There must be all grades of transition but what are they called? When does a prairie become a prairie as we walk westward out of the timber into the savanna into the "prairie"? When does a prairie become a savanna? What is your definition of a savanna? I don't think there is a definition or name that can be placed on this "la la land of the past". One way to look at these ecosystems is to imagine an interaction not individual influences, although they may be critical. If we back away in time and peer down from above, we can see a constant winning and waning of movement much like the tides that come and go.
What footprint is left in the soil to give us clues to the past? Certainly visual imprints are evident even though the land is now covered with corn and beans.
John Madson, who wrote Where the Sky Began, so beautifully described his vision of coming out of the timber and seeing, looming in front of him, an open sky and a sea of grass as far as the eye could see. He made mention of the front line soldiers sent out by the savanna or timber which allowed the advancement of the savanna and timber upon the prairie. Wild plumb trees were sent out as a front line defense or offense depending upon which the environment favored. Sometimes the battle would be won by the prairie and other times by the savanna and eventually a total overthrow of one over the other but the soldiers of the front line are always forgotten for they are in this “la la land of transition”. I was reminded of them that day in Cedar County, Iowa as I observed the grainy grey coats of the now vanished front line soldiers of the savanna who left their mark upon the prairie soil profile. Were they lost in battle as they succumbed to the forces of the prairie or were they stopped dead in their tracks by the ever- advancing moldboard plow?
I am reminded of my life and how it is much like this ever- changing world that we know as Prairie and Savanna but not a struggle or battle but the ebb and flow with the tides of life. Just as every component of the prairie and savanna are a part of the total wonderment of creation so are we. Are we on the frontline of change? Do we have the courage to move forward regardless of the elements that we face? The lessons of the land are there for all of us if we just open our eyes and hearts and breathe in the intuitive powers of this great planet.
--
Howard Bright, President
Ion Exchange, Inc.
http://www.ionxchange.com/
800-291-2143
“Helping you create your own natural beauty”
Planting Wildflower Seeds in the Fall
One obvious truth is that nature plants wildflower seed in the fall, so it follows that we should be able to mimic nature in the process. We want to emulate the process and do all we can to help nature along. That means, we clear the area, open the ground and provide good seed-to-soil contact for every seed. In fact, some people think fall planting is easier.
One of the biggest advantages is the plants will take off sooner and grow and bloom up to about two weeks earlier than a spring planted seed. Another advantage is that many of us have more time in the Fall to get the work done.
With a fall planting, the weeds that do grow up in your wildflowers are easily removed when they appear as small plants along with your wildflower seedlings in spring.
The best time to plant is after a killing frost and before the ground freezes. Clear the area of all vegetation, Rake the ground to loosen the soil. Spread you seed in the way it is recommended. Then walk over or run a roller over the area to make sure it gets good seed to soil contact. You are done!
A good source of native wildflower seeds is Ion Exchange , they have many beautiful seed mixes that would enhance any area.
Plants That Can Be Planted By Water
A common question that is asked quite often is; what kinds of plants can you plant beside a pond or even in a pond. In recent years many people have added water features to their landscape. Planting plants that like water is a good idea if you are considering planting them beside your pond or even in your pond. Some of the plants you can choose from are Sweet Flag, Swamp Milkweed, New England Aster, Swamp Aster, False Aster, Joe Pye Weed, Sneezeweed, Blue Flag Iris, Cardinal Flower, Great Blue Lobelia, Blue Vervain, Ironweed, Blue Joint Grass, Fringed Sedge, Lurid Sedge, Broom Sedge, Awl Fruited Sedge, Fox Sedge, Three Square Rush, Dark Green Bulrush, Woolgrass, Soft Stem Bulrush, Prairie Cordgrass and Hard Stem Bulrush.
Ion Exchange has actually created a package with these plants included. It I so much easier if you have a selection which will not only thrive they will look very pretty together. Check it out HERE
A Quick “How to” On Drying Flowers for Winter Enjoyment.
Air drying is one of the easiest ways to dry flowers and many flowers can be dried this way roses, baby’s breath and hydrangeas to name a few. Once you have cut the flowers you want to dry bundle them together with a rubber band. Hang them upside down in a place away from sunlight with a good circulation of dry air. They should be dry in three weeks. Herbs can be dried this way as well.
Another way to dry flowers is by the use of silica sand. It works very well however it is a little more time consuming and requires a little more work. Silica sand is very fine sand and you can find it in craft stores. A much less expensive choice is builder’s sand that you can buy at hardware stores, however it usually comes in large quantities and to dry a few flowers may not be the best choice.
Start by spreading a layer of sand in deep tray. Add your flowers, strong flowers can just be laid flat on the sand, flat blooms like sunflowers should have their stems cut short and laid face up.
The next step is to slowly spoon the sand over the flowers making sure you get the sand into every petal and part of the flowers. Continue to do this until the flowers are completely covered. It generally takes about four weeks for the flowers to dry.
Once the flowers are dry gently brush the sand off. It works best to use a small artists brush for this process. Enjoy your dried flowers and herbs in many ways such as bouquets, holiday decorations, such as wreaths and centerpieces.
Planting & Caring for Native Plants
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