One of the most frustrating aspects of dealing with an immediate problem of colony collapse disorder and scientific research is the downtime between experiment, analysis and publication. Scientists are reluctant to steal the thunder of any serious announcement from the publication before it hits the stands. Sometimes they do though, in subtle ways and the people who need that information (the beekeepers) benefit by not having to wait to get information that can help them.
Recent work by the Penn State scientists is a case in point. These scientists tried an experiment where the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus was introduced to healthy honey bee colonies to see what would happen. It was shown quite dramatically that bees with that exposure pretty much all died. Moreover, they died away from the hive, just like in the cases of Colony Collapse Disorder. After about a month all that remained in the colonies were small clusters, many of them queenless. This certainly makes a case for this virus being extremely pathogenic, and perhaps associated with CCD, say the scientists. But they are quick to add that there’s more going on than just this virus.
And, just released in the June issue of The American Bee Journal were additional findings on the agricultural chemicals investigators found last year when examining components inside beehives. The chemical analyses were painstakingly careful, and thus slow (the old saying, do you want it fast, or do you want it right? comes in here). Samples come from healthy hives, collapsed hives, pollen samples and other in-hive collection points. These results, too, were kind of leaked early because much of the data was distributed at meetings and symposiums so that at least some of the information could be used by those who needed it. Some of it was discussed right here in The Beekeeper a few months ago because I was able to attend some of those symposiums, and thus get the information out early. ...
reddit
digg
Del.icio.us
facebook
newsvine
stumble
What is share?
rss
