Where are we on this honey bee "crisis" in the world?

[Genecks]

A few years back, I heard about the honey bee "crisis." Allegedly, honey bees were not around as much and were not pollinating foods as we humans would like them to. I don't know if scientists ever got down to the cause and/or causes.

 

Where are we on this honey bee "crisis" in the world?

[Acme]

...

 

Where are we on this honey bee "crisis" in the world?

New virus linked to bee colony collapse disorder

A rapidly mutating virus has leaped from plants to honeybees, where it is reproducing and contributing to the collapse of colonies vital to the multibillion-dollar agricultural industry, according to a new study.

 

Tobacco ringspot virus, a pollen-borne pathogen that causes blight in soy crops, was found during routine screening of commercial honeybees at a U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory, where further study revealed the RNA virus was replicating inside its Apis mellifera hosts and spreading to mites that travel from bee to bee, according to the study published online Tuesday in the journal mBio.

...

USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency scientists charged with reviewing the scientific literature last year found that pesticides, pathogens, and nutritional deficits, some caused by a lack of natural forage, were the major contributing factors behind colony collapse disorder

source : >> http://articles.latimes.com/2014/jan/21/science/la-sci-sn-virus-bee-colony-collapse-20140120 Edited April 10, 2014 by Acme

[CharonY]

Does OP mean specifically colony collapse disorder or the overall count of managed colonies? If you want the big picture, quite a number of things have to be factored. The overall number of agriculturally used hives have increased, but there are at least two major issues. The first is that for some reasons the number of bees surviving winters has declined and on top the mentioned colony collapse disorder has further decreased their numbers. The economic damage is not there yet, as beekeepers have been replacing the bees. However, the question is still where the trend is going, what are the causes, and what can be done.

 

There is no final consensus yet (to my knowledge) and most wide-scale approaches are epidemiological in nature. As vague as it is the USDA/EPA statement above is probably a good summary, considering the unknowns.

[Moontanman]

These people are building hive with high tech sensors to keep track of what it going on inside the hive and at in a small way looking to find out more about colony collapse disorder...

 

 

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22229644.700-wire-up-hives-to-keep-bees-happy-and-healthy.html?

[Genecks]

First off, I thank those who have given me some concise updates.

 

These people are building hive with high tech sensors to keep track of what it going on inside the hive and at in a small way looking to find out more about colony collapse disorder...

 

 

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22229644.700-wire-up-hives-to-keep-bees-happy-and-healthy.html?

 

Yeah, I would think people developing their own colonies would be the next best idea. One of the arguments, as I understand, is that human beings could live without honey bees. However, there would be a need to move to a vegetarian diet. It wouldn't be impossible, however. But as long as colonies of honey bees are maintained and genetic diversity in enabled, there should eventually be a way to bring back bees into the ecosystem if mother nature intends to take them out.

 

Well, it at least looks like various causes and factors have been found. I am not surprised that viruses are involved but the species that have generated the viruses amazes me more.

[Acme]

First off, I thank those who have given me some concise updates.

You're welcome.

 

Yeah, I would think people developing their own colonies would be the next best idea.

The report I cited said:

...USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency scientists charged with reviewing the scientific literature last year found that pesticides, pathogens, and nutritional deficits, some caused by a lack of natural forage, were the major contributing factors behind colony collapse disorder.

Note the bolded underlined part. I think people restoring/planting natural forage would be the next best idea. By 'people' I mean farmers as well as government and individual citizens.Were the natural forage that has been eliminated restored, wild bees could add substantially to the pollination needs of commercial crops.

 

One of the arguments, as I understand, is that human beings could live without honey bees. However, there would be a need to move to a vegetarian diet. It wouldn't be impossible, however. But as long as colonies of honey bees are maintained and genetic diversity in enabled, there should eventually be a way to bring back bees into the ecosystem if mother nature intends to take them out.

Humans are evolved omnivores. Moreover it is humans who have taken out [wild] bees so it is humans who should restore them.

 

Well, it at least looks like various causes and factors have been found. I am not surprised that viruses are involved but the species that have generated the viruses amazes me more.

That we know as much is at least some indication/promise that we can do as much to fix our mistakes.