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Has the bee disappearance puzzle been solved?

Has the mysterious phenomenon of the disappearance of bees in the world come to an end? Although the researchers are still at a loss when faced with the phenomenon, a new finding may help to solve it. all good

It is possible that the honey substitute does not provide the bees with the protection they need to deal with the pesticides. Photography: Shutterstock
It is possible that the honey substitute does not provide the bees with the protection they need to deal with the pesticides. Photography: Shutterstock

By: Lior Shamir, Galileo Magazine

 

It is possible that the honey substitute does not provide the bees with the protection they need to deal with the pesticides

 

In 2006, beekeepers noticed for the first time the phenomenon of colony collapse (Colony Collapse) - the disappearance of bees until the hive is empty and the colony collapses completely. The mysterious phenomenon is responsible for the collapse of more than 25 percent of artificial beehives in North America, and many more cases have been reported in Europe.

The main danger involved in the disappearance of beehives from the point of view of humans is not necessarily a lack of honey, but mainly the damage to the ability of plants to reproduce, since bees play a significant role in pollinating plants.

Possible explanations, such as the presence of viruses (among others, there were those who linked the phenomenon to the Israeli Acute Paralysis Viru, Israel is the place where the virus was first detected) or interference from antennas from cell phone reception towers, were not found to be plausible, and as of now the researchers are still at a loss Advice against the phenomenon.

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Royal Jelly

New hope for discovering the source of the disease can be found in a study conducted at the University of Illinois, where a connection was found between the phenomenon of colony collapse and the use of a honey substitute based on fructose-rich corn syrup in commercial beehives.

The honey substitute, which aims to feed the bees after the honey they produced is taken from the hive, came into use during the 70s of the last century, and has been proven to be effective and safe. However, since then new pesticides have come into use, and the team of researchers claims that it is possible that the honey substitute does not provide the bees with the protection they need to deal with the effects of the pesticides.

According to them, bee honey contains several substances, including p-coumaric acid, which increase the activity of several genes that direct the production of substances that neutralize toxins and the production of substances that protect the bee from bacteria. The researchers suggest reducing the removal of honey from the hives for marketing and allowing the bees to eat the honey. Although this will be an economic harm to the beekeepers, this harm is completely negligible compared to the enormous damage caused to agriculture following the collapse of the beehives and the depletion of pollinators.

On the same topic on the science website:

 

12 תגובות

  1. Similar to breast milk substitutes that do not provide tolerable vaccines against everything the mother
    Or the nursing woman is vaccinated against them.

  2. Yosef
    Can I please have a link to what you said? The phenomenon of hive collapse (CCD) is not related (as far as I know) to greenhouse inventions in the environment. Actually, in California at least, the phenomenon is prevalent in warm areas.

  3. The phenomenon of the decrease of bees is directly related to the reduction of agricultural crops in the fields and the increase of crops
    In greenhouses that are closed by nylon sheets so that the production of honey from agricultural crops is very significantly reduced.

  4. A study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research, focused on assessing the risks associated with the use of nicotinoids, a type of insecticide that farmers use to the extent of about $2.65 billion a year. The use of this insecticide is done routinely, and not necessarily because of a plague of pests. According to the scientists, there is no unequivocal evidence that spraying it contributes to increasing the scope of the crop.
    "Not only do nicotinoid insecticides not protect food production, they endanger the very infrastructure that enables its existence." According to him, the chemicals endanger the food supply by harming bees and other pollinating animals, which destroy three-quarters of the world's crops. Also, the chemicals are harmful to the organisms that create the soil conditions that are essential for growing the world's food.

    "History repeats itself," says Dave Golson of the University of Sussex, another member of the research team. "Due to the permeating nature of these chemicals, they are everywhere today," he adds. "If our soil is toxic, it should worry us, because it is a decisive factor in food production."
    The research states that the chemicals are the main cause of the decrease in the number of bees, the reduction of flower fields in nature, as well as diseases. Also, according to the research findings, pesticides harm the bees' ability to navigate and learn, harm their immune system and harm their reproductive process. According to the study, the chemicals also impair the movement ability of the worms, which play an essential role in aerating the soil. The study also determined that dragonflies, which eat mosquitoes and other creatures that live in water, are also affected by the chemicals. In their work, the researchers warn that if birds eat sprayed seeds, they will die immediately.
    "A body of evidence has accumulated that clearly indicates that the large-scale use of the resistant chemicals dissolved in water has extensive chronic consequences for biodiversity and will likely have negative effects on the ecosystems vital to food security," the study concludes.
    The European Union and the National Farmers' Union have already imposed a three-year temporary ban on the use of nicotinoids in certain crops. In the US this month, President Barack Obama ordered an urgent study on the effect of nicotinoids on bees. These pesticides are used all over the world, along with pesticides against fleas in cats and dogs and against termites in wood.
    http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/world/europe/.premium-1.2358216

  5. Confidor or Saipan are the brands I know that use this stuff. It is a very common pesticide also in home use. It is used to protect plants from various pests.

  6. Lior

    Thanks to you, I recovered the exact name of the pesticide suspected of killing the bees. The commercial name of the pesticide is Confidor (or a very similar name).

    I am still not sure that they have definitely identified the reason for killing the bees.

  7. Almost every few months I hear the announcement "the mystery of the bees has been solved", it's already getting boring.

  8. Last week it was decided in the European Union to stop using pesticides based on nicotine,
    Thinking that these substances harm bees that "graze" in sprayed areas,

  9. Just a few weeks ago, researchers solemnly announced that they had finally found the reason for the decline of honey bees (the supposed culprit for the decline of bees is a pesticide whose exact name I remember, something with a name similar to Philidor). And here again the researchers announce that they actually the previous announcement was wrong and there are valid reasons.

    The confusion in finding the reason for the decline of honey bees and the unnecessary festive announcements do not prevent the new researchers from advising economically destructive advice to beekeepers.

    After all, if the beekeepers listen to the advice, raising honey bees will become a business that is not financially profitable. If the business ceases to be economical, the honey bee keepers will stop raising bees altogether and will move on to other businesses. And if the honey bee breeders close the hives again, there will be a decrease in the amount of honey bees in the world, so what did the "wise" researchers do with their regulation?

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