The Study of Bee Colony Collapses Continues

Posted on November 3, 2007 5 Comments

The attempts to discover the causes of the die off of bees in the USA continues. This effort provides a good example of the difficulty of learning what really happens around us. Often, once things are worked out, and explained they seem simple and even obvious. But while trying to figure events taking place (like the bee colony collapses), scientists have significant challenges. The hard work and the application of scientific concepts by scientists allow us to learn and adapt. I think the difficulty can paint a valuable picture of what science is about. That search for understanding is wonderful to see and something fundamental to the human experience. Disappearing Bee Mystery Deepens

One year ago, beekeepers across the country began to report that worker bees were inexplicably abandoning their hives and leaving the brood to die. Although firm statistics are hard to come by, so-called colony collapse disorder may have afflicted as many as 25% of U.S. beekeepers and perhaps others around the world. Possible culprits included pesticides, parasites, and chronic stress from poor nutrition and the long-distance truck rides that many commercial hives undergo.
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For that matter, no one has yet shown that IAPV can cause colonies to collapse. “Until you have introduced the virus and caused disease, you’re just postulating,” cautions Bruce Webb, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. “The conclusive data are not in.”

Related: Bye Bye Bees – Virus Found to be One Likely Factor in Bee Colony Collapse Disorder