Any reports of bee decline here?

CrazyPJ

Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees
By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross
Published: 15 April 2007
It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.

They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/wildlife/article2449968.ece

artieanna

I've not heard anything about it here, but surely it would affect a range of other wildlife too! Not just bees...

I dunno it sounds a bit bizarre, but I suppose it's not impossible... There are so many new technologies being introduced, that we don't know how they will affect us and the environment...

King.Penguin

I think that's fairly ridiculous. The reasons for bumblebee decline and other bees are habitat fragmentation, habitat loss, pollution from pesticides and other pollutants, climate change and other factors.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I have to go with King Penguin on this one.

magicbastarder

how long has this decline been in effect? how long have mobiles been around?

fits

The principle cause of the decline is the varroa mite. Find the mobile phone theory ridiculous tbh.

kaimera

If anything it's increasing the size of the damn bees judging by what I've been attacked by lately

fits

kaimera wrote:

If anything it's increasing the size of the damn bees judging by what I've been attacked by lately

a hornet perhaps?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fits wrote:

a hornet perhaps?

More likely to be the large Bumble Bees which have become active in the past month.

http://www.brisc.org.uk/bbident.php

King.Penguin

If it's big and yellow and black it's Probably a queen bumblebee (Bombus lucorum (magnus, lucorum, cryptarum) or Bombus terrestris). If it's big and black with a red tail it's Bombus Lapidarius. If it's big and has a slender abdomen (arse) it's a wasp or wasp relative.

Bumblebees are our friends. They won't sting you unles you're a jerk. Viruses and parasites are certainly important contributing factors to their decline, to what extent nobody quite knows because the research hasn't been done.

King.Penguin

Common Irish Bumblebees

bombus lucorum



bombus terrestris



bombus lapidarius



bombus pascourum

fits

There are hornets in Ireland though right?
Are you a researcher of bees King Penguin?

King.Penguin

I'm not too sure about hornets to be completely honest. They could well be. All I know is that the european hornet is generally larger than the yellow jacket. I referred to the genus Vespa which covers both .

Edit: Actually I'm wrong, Hornets - vespa, "wasps" - vespula. Same family Vespidae

I did my undergraduate thesis on bumblebees but calling me a researcher I think is a little excessive

I'm frankly appaled I don't know the difference between a wasp and a hornet

fits

King.Penguin wrote:

I'm not too sure about hornets to be completely honest. They could well be. All I know is that the european hornet is generally larger than the yellow jacket. I referred to the genus Vespa which covers both .

Edit: Actually I'm wrong, Hornets - vespa, "wasps" - vespula. Same family Vespidae

I did my undergraduate thesis on bumblebees but calling me a researcher I think is a little excessive

I'm frankly appaled I don't know the difference between a wasp and a hornet

Well I've been attacked by hornets a couple of times. They appear to be more aggressive than wasps (or more easily aggravated)
One stung my mare when I was riding her once and I dont know how on earth I held on.. she went ballistic!

King.Penguin

Interesting. I'll have to look into it.

fits

Just looked up wikipedia there, which says they're actually less aggressive than wasps, they're just louder!
That day my mare was attacked, we must have disturbed the nest or something.