Investigating Sustainability Rose 2013 | Page 4

Neonics
Malnutrition
Evidence that this is happening
The dark brown lump is the varroa mite

Neonics

Farmers have been using increasing amounts of harmful pesticides on the plants that bees then pollinate . Neonics , as farmers call them , are systemic pesticides that are often embedded in seeds so that the plant itself carries the chemical that kills insects . “ Older pesticides could kill bees and other beneficial insects . But while they quickly degraded — often in a matter of days — neonicotinoids persist for weeks and even months . Beekeepers worry that bees carry a summer ’ s worth of contaminated pollen to hives , where ensuing generations dine on a steady dose of pesticide that , eaten once or twice , might not be
dangerous " says Dave Hackenberg , a commercial beekeeper in Pennsylvania

Malnutrition

Bees also seem to be dying because of malnutrition . Scientist now believe that when bees do not get enough to eat they have more of a chance of being affected by CCD . When you have the correct nutrition you can fight off infections . What scientists have found is that many bees are not getting the proper amount of protein they need . The bees immune system has not had the time needed to become immune to the Varroa and Tracheal mites . Thus a huge number have died . Varroa mites can easily enter their compromised immune system ... BAM-Nighty Night for the bees . picture goes here

Evidence that this is happening

Bakersfield , Calif . — A mysterious malady that has been killing honeybees en masse for several years appears to have expanded drastically in the last year , commercial beekeepers say , wiping out 40