Millions of Bees Mysteriously Disappear

rbinhood · October 02, 2011, 10:06:46 PM

This should be a wake up call to all beekeepers.

http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2011/09/30/millions-of-bees-mysteriously-die-in-florida/

Larry Bees · October 02, 2011, 10:18:24 PM

I saw that on the news this week. That's about 60 miles south of my hives. No problem here yet. Larry

BlueBee · October 02, 2011, 10:23:20 PM

That is depressing....

Shanevrr · October 02, 2011, 10:56:39 PM

wow hopefully someone is held accountable, sounds like illegal pestisides, or it would have happened before

czman11 · October 03, 2011, 06:44:39 PM

This would just break your heart. Since bees don't go to far from their hive while foraging authorities don't have to travel far to find out who did this. I sure hope they catch who ever done this or at least identify what caused this tragedy.

rdy-b · October 03, 2011, 11:55:15 PM

http://home.ezezine.com/1636/1636-2011.10.03.18.02.archive.html

*The Brevard County Mosquito Control agency sprayed the area by helicopter but operations manager Peter Taylor says the dibrom droplets wouldn't have likely killed the bees because the pesticide only remains active about 30 minutes. They sprayed the area at about 9 p.m. when the bees would have been inside their hives.*

some kind of cover up
:-\ RDY-B

BlueBee · October 04, 2011, 01:30:20 AM

The bee keeper said "I will never get compensated for what I've lost"? Huh?

Destruction of $150K of his property and he has no recourse in the courts?

Whatever happened to your hives that got burned up rdy-b? Did you ever get any compensation for those? Wasn't your fire the result of a traffic or train wreck?

rdy-b · October 04, 2011, 02:48:32 AM

the process has been started and Im waiting for payment from the railroad
they are self insured and my claim is one of many -terrible thing to lose your bees-
but the keeper in the story still has his wooden ware -wonder how they came to that amount-
the news people that covered the story when my hives burned put a price of $1000 per hive-
its hard to explain to people that dont keep bees what the actual lose is -i wish him luck-i think it was the mosquito spray-
:) RDY-B

SerenaSYH · October 04, 2011, 07:42:32 AM

Egads!!! what a horrible tragedy!!! and yes, sounds like a blatant coverup on how bad that toxin is....

T Beek · October 04, 2011, 09:05:22 AM

This happens (the senseless slaughter of 'lesser' life forms) more than we know. We're hearing about this because honeybees are being watched by more than just beekeepers these days.

What rules the world? Profit, just profit.

thomas

JP · October 04, 2011, 09:23:41 AM

I have a hunch the mosquito sprayers screwed up somehow and won't be admitting it. They are testing the bees so will find out soon enough what pesticides killed them.

...JP

Larry Bees · October 04, 2011, 10:06:11 AM

Here's the video that was on the news. I hope this works. Larry

http://www.wesh.com/news/29353342/detail.html

LoriMNnice · October 04, 2011, 11:56:55 AM

Wow, I hope they report on the results. I also think it was the mosquito spray.

nietssemaj · October 04, 2011, 12:00:16 PM

This was sent to a mail list I am on for my local Beek assoc. The info isn't mine, can't vouch for its accuracy.

QuoteI just had a phone conversation with a Brevard County Mosquito Control official. This incident took place in Micco, which is in a rural area in the far south of this county. He was very forthcoming, although he requested I not give out his name The chemical that MC sprayed down there was dibrom, a modified organophosphate used to kill adult mosquitoes. The spraying, by helicopter, began at 8:30 p.m. He said MC always sprays dibrom no earlier than one-half hour after sunset. They've been spraying it for 23 years and this is the first incident of this nature. They also spray dibrom in the marsh behind my house, and my bees have not, that I can tell, been affected. (They also use a granular form of BTi to kill the larvae form of mosquitoes.)
The Fla. Dept. of Agriculture took samples of the dead bees, which were sent to the state lab in Tallahassee. Results are expected in about 2 weeks.
He said both affected beekeepers were using fipronil in their hives for what he thought was mite control. Apparently they had used it long enough that they didn't think it was the culprit in this bee kill-off. Here's what I found out about fipronil:
"Fipronil is one of the newest names on the market for pest control, effective in the elimination of ants, roaches, termites, and other common pests. This Phenylpyrazole family insecticide packs a powerful punch, with a projected kill rate of up to 95% of ants and roaches within just 3 to 5 days.
"Fipronil's unique cascading effect eliminates entire colonies.
While most ingredients on the market are designed to kill household pests immediately upon contact, fipronil is unique in that it is a slow-acting poison which allows the poisoned insect time to return to the colony and spread the poison to others, resulting in more effective colony elimination."
The person I spoke with also alluded to the competitive nature of commercial beekeeping, an atmosphere in which sabotage could not be ruled out.
The sheriff's dept. is also investigating, but the jury is still out.
Laurel
Fipronil works through both contact and ingestion.
Fipronil is added to gel baits and bait stations and will poison an insect by simply making contact with fipronil or ingesting a fipronil-based bait. Once absorbed through the insect's outside skin or ingested, fipronil's ingredients launch a slow, deadly attack on the insect's central nervous system. This attack sends the insect's nerves and muscles into hyperexcitation, leaving it unable to perform basic functions like grooming and feeding itself. Eventually, the affected insect will die, but not before returning to the colony and passing the poison to others through physical contact, feces, and bait sharing.

rdy-b · October 04, 2011, 02:43:06 PM

fipronil-is that the stuff they are using for small hive beetle
in those traps ?? if the guy is off label he is right he will never get compensation
from what i understand florida is not one to look the other way for off label use
in bee hives--there maybe action taken against the keeper-* if this is the case * -
hope no other colonies get effected from the natural tendency of robing or drifting into
unattended colonies--slippery slope for shure--RDY-B

SerenaSYH · October 05, 2011, 05:11:49 AM

oh, nooooo, not even worse news!!!! I can imagine the manufacturer's of Fibronil and the County MC trying to squiggle out from any responsibility claiming "sabotage" from another "mystery" bee competitor???? AAAAARGH!!!!!

Man, what a bad week of bad news....

I was pretty upset with the Weather Channel news too....proven disappearance of critical polar caps and proven disappearance / wipeout of bees are enough to make me insane with worry....And to think this poison can easily spread elsewhere! So dang depressing.... Didn't need for both news to hit at once...

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/canadian-arctic-nearly-loses-entire-ice-shelf_2011-09-30

Like Thomas, I think we have to try our best to protect versus deadly environmental practices and pollutants...You never realize until too late....Any type of aerial spraying always seems to be some sort of terrible accident-waiting-to-happen especially with regard to our beloved bees.... Anyway, we are going to keep crossing our fingers that this stuff doesn't spread! and prayers to all you beekeepers in FL!

T Beek · October 05, 2011, 08:17:08 AM

What's killing honeybees? We 'all' are killing honeybees (and life itself in our endless pursuit of 'expansion' over sustaining).

thomas