A cure for honey bee colony collapse? (insects) - Nature -Animals, natural world, earth, life - City-Data Forum

Brian.Pearson · 04-14-2009, 11:09 PM

For the first time, scientists have isolated the parasite Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection with complete success.

Six Foot Three · 04-15-2009, 11:46 AM

This is good news and hopefully this will slow down their losses as we need them for pollination etc.

Brian.Pearson · 04-15-2009, 01:47 PM

I think a lot of beekeepers got out of the business. Maybe eventually, there'll be more of them around once it is shown that they can have healthy bees.

Six Foot Three · 04-15-2009, 05:02 PM

Now if they can just figure out what's killing all the bats in the northeast USA??

Brian.Pearson · 04-15-2009, 07:50 PM

Oh yeah, I heard about that. Hope that doesn't take too long. I remember part of the story was that the bats were eating their weight in insects, every day. That should make some impact if they aren't around to do that.

Asheville Native · 04-15-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Now if they can just figure out what's killing all the bats in the northeast USA??

They know what is killing them, white nose syndrome, a fungus infextion, they just haven't how to stop it yet.

GregW · 04-16-2009, 06:31 AM

Maybe, if the bee collapse is not solved, we can take some of our zillions of military research dollars and invent mechanical bees to pollinate our crops. That would be far more useful than figuring out how to kill people more effectively.

Six Foot Three · 04-16-2009, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian.Pearson

Oh yeah, I heard about that. Hope that doesn't take too long. I remember part of the story was that the bats were eating their weight in insects, every day. That should make some impact if they aren't around to do that.

I heard they are the #1 controller of mosquitos on the earth. Maybe bats kept malaria from spreading back in the middle/dark ages etc..

Submariner · 04-16-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian.Pearson

For the first time, scientists have isolated the parasite Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection with complete success.

A fungus.

It does not surprise me.

I live in a moist damp forest, where fungi gets into everything.

Our beehives are not immune.