[Pollinator] Honeybees Decline Sharply in US

[Ladadams at aol.com]

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Honeybees Decline Sharply in U.S.

 
By Maureen O'Leary
March 8 - Across the United States, beekeepers are reporting a loss of 30 
percent to more than 70 percent of overall beehives. Experts are calling it “
colony collapse disorder,” in which bees have started leaving their hives in 
droves, never to return. They think the phenomenon is tied to recent stresses on 
the bees.  
An effort to raise more efficient bees that need shorter off-seasons has 
lowered the insects' immunity to viruses, while bees and their hives have 
experienced infestations of parasitic mites and a fungal pathogen. In addition, 
beekeepers say it is getting harder to find areas that can properly support bees 
during the pollination season. Researchers believe these problems are 
compromising the health and size of honeybee populations. 
Honeybees play a critical role in spreading pollen so plant fertilization can 
occur. Pollination is necessary for the production of most fruits and 
vegetables we eat and many crops on which livestock rely. As a result of the bee 
decline, we could see fewer crops this year. 
A recent report from the National Research Council, Status of Pollinators in 
North America, reported decline of some pollinator populations and recommends 
increased efforts to monitor their status and more research on the sustainable 
management of these populations.



 
Laurie Davies Adams
Executive Director
Coevolution Institute
423 Washington St. 5th
San Francisco, CA 94111
415 362 1137
LDA at coevolution.org
_http://www.coevolution.org/_ (http://www.coevolution.org/) 
_http://www.pollinator.org/_ (http://www.pollinator.org/) 
_http://www.nappc.org/_ (http://www.nappc.org/) 

Bee Ready for National Pollinator Week:  June 24-30, 2007.  Contact us 
for more information at www.pollinator.org 

Our future flies on the wings of pollinators.
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