Are Bees disappearing because of fertilizer?

Question

this c2c interview briefly discussed it.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2007/03/16.html

this show also discussed it again:

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2007/04/13.html

there are other references too but i think you have to be a subscriber to hear the actuall interveiws

Answer 1

That is a good question.

Yes fertilisers are to blame for disappearence of bees but this is only one factor their are many others like:

1- Pesticides.

2 - Insecticides.

3 - Climatic changes.

4 - Change in temperature.

5 - Pollution.

Yes all this effect the population of insects especially the chemical insecticides and pesticides. These are the most harmful thing effecting insects as they die while trying to collect nectar from flowers.

Saving bees and all insects is very important since our food security depends on them. It is these insects who help in pollination. With rise in temperature, climatic changes and pollution, all insects are effected and this is again very harmful.

It is not limited to them even we get some negative effect from honey we drink since some chemicals make their way to us may be in a very small quantity but it eventually effects our health.

Answer 2

No. If that were it they would have disappeared in the 50s and 60s when there were a lot more pesticides and fertilizers being used. Actually it looks like they might be being harmed by cell phone transmissions. Think all the treehuggers are going to get rid of their cell phones now? Me neither.

Answer 3

yes and the pesticides too.

Answer 4

i dont know why noone has thought of the possibility of the increase in solar storms/ solar flares interupting their navigation as another possibility or factor to their decline...

Answer 5

Just like cell phones, pesticides, and herbicides, fertilizers may be a factor.  Mites infiltrating bee hives is another.

Answer 6

Good question.

The collapse is, however, worldwide and the proximate cause is, as yet, unknown..

"The unit says no one has any idea what is causing CCD. Theories in the US, where 24 states are affected and losses of 50% to 90% of colonies are being reported, include environmental stresses, malnutrition, unknown pathogens, the use of antibiotics, mites, pesticides and genetically modified crops." (1)

"There are as many theories as there are members of the panel, but Mr Hackenberg strongly suspects that new breeds of nicotine-based pesticides are to blame." (2)

Some theories relate to the low genetic diversity of the bee populations, and research has shown that biodiversity in bee populations has shrunk in recent years (3)

A massive die-off in France last year was blamed on a new pesticide: "The chemical implicated in the loss of French bees is imidacloprid, marketed under a variety of names including Gaucho." (4)

However, it's not all bad news - some bees are fighting back (5)