Bee crisis

I have no idea what to say about the bee-extinction threat that seems to have so many people worried. Thus, lacking all qualification, allow me to make a few smart suggestions.

1). First, deny that there's a bee problem.
2). Then, tar those concerned about the massive bee decrease as alarmists.
3). Next, cull mitigating information from disreputable scientists.
4). If faced with overwhelming evidence, insist that bee extinction is non-anthropogenic. Perhaps blame the sun. Certainly do not blame global warming.
5). Finally, suggest that bee populations have been erratic throughout history and point excitedly to a few unrepresentative examples of the positive ramifications of a world without bees. Bee stings do suck pretty bad.

Also, this picture is very pretty.

Comments

[JimPortlandOR]

Well, the mobile phone causation for bee disappearance would sure be easier to demonstrate - at least to scientific satisfaction of the kind that moves a hypothesis to a theory, instead of the much harder case of proving global warming is the culprit.

But the chance that national action would be taken against mobile phones even if proved to a certainty seems very slim. One can hear the chorus now from the usual (right-wing) doubters, which when added to the millions of cell users who couldn't and won't accept going back to land lines, makes for an interesting (frightening) potential outcome.

Maybe losing half the world population to starvation is what it takes to finally return to fact-based policy making.

In the meantime, I'd sure support some research on how the technology could be modified to be bee-friendly.

[J Bean]

I thought the problem was a mite infestation? Honey bees are an introduced species in North America anyway.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050517110843.htm

[MikeJ]

The mite infestation was a few years ago. Colony collapse disorder is different. When mites infest bees, you find tons of tiny bee corpses. With CCD you just find empty hives, as if the bees had all been raptured. Hmmm......

Anyway, you've just demonstrated yet another right wing tactic for global warming denialism. Bring up old science and pay no attention to anything that's happened in the field since.

[Mary Z. Cox]

I lost my thriving backyard bee hive last summer and although I do not make my living this way--it is heartbreaking to lose your bees. I think it was the hive beetle infestation that caused it--but no one is sure. Also--my queen and hive swarmed the first season--which is unusual.
Last season, while we had the bees--our fruit trees thrived for the first time in years--this year it is pretty quiet out there. :)
http://www.maryzcox.com/beeone.mov

[Sue Weaver]

I am a 53 year old married, working woman with a 21 year old daughter who is a full time student. I have an associate degree in graphics but am not working in my field because of the economically deprived area of PA where I live. I currently work retail in a bargain outlet store. I rarely read a newspaper and rely on the evening news and Bill Maher to keep me informed. I learned tonight of the bees. I would like to become actively involved in this subject and would like to get in contact with the proper people.

[Clayton Lucas]

This is awful!
I adore bees. We can't let them become extinct, especially if humanity the cause.
If mankind sees itself as a responsible Alpha species it will pool all resources to find the cause and remedy.

Any vice is worth giving up for the sake of a fellow species' survival!