Virus could be cause of disappearing bees
Study combs bees guts to investigate colony collapse disorder.
A metagenomics project — studying the collective genomes from groups of organisms — has found the first firm lead in the hunt for the cause of colony collapse disorder (CCD), the perplexing phenomenon in which worker honeybees simply disappear without a trace.

Comments
I read a book from the 1800's about bee keeping. All the experts from back then noticed
large bee kills (they watched bees kill other bees and drop the bodies right outside hive opng) preceding a famine.
Posted by: jen | September 8, 2007 12:23 PM
CCD missed link?
There is one thing almost no one talks about in the media about CCD: the way apiculture is done. Before the virus explanation, there is the nutrition link.
Most apiculturists replace the honey from the bee hives by corn fructose or refined white sugar syrup.
Now, just imagine ourselves eating ONLY white sugar or corn fructose all winter long. How would we be healthy? Is it simply possible? Keep a strong immune system and stay free of parasites, bacteria, virus and fungus infections? Interestingly, we, humans, use royal jelly and non pasteurized honey to help our own immune system to become stronger.
The theory of cumulative causes for CCD is strong, but the nutrition link appears to be even stronger.
I believe the TRUE cause of CCD is greed. It leads apiculturists to take profit decisions before health decisions. Give inappropriate cheap nutrition that weakens the immunity of the bees, etc.
After the colony collapse disorder (CCD), be prepared for the economy collapse disorder (ECD)!!!
Some organic producers in Quebec are able to avoid totally the CCD. Their bees have no disease, no parasite and they are healthy. Their secret is: they do organic agriculture AND they DO NOT put refined white sugar or corn fructose in the bee hive. They leave the necessary quantity of honey the bees need.
Maybe it’s time for us to remember that money cannot be eaten… or… do we want to wait and see?
Annie Boudreault
annie@anthese.ca
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Posted by: Annie Boudreault | September 11, 2007 05:35 PM
i have had a great harvest of honey from my bees and i do not ever add refined sugar or corn frutcose to feed my bees i leave them enought of their own honey to hold them over the winter months..
Posted by: Dennis | September 13, 2007 12:54 PM
I agree totally..I leave the bess enought of their own honey to hold them over the cold winter months and they give me more honey than I deserve.
Posted by: DennisDean | September 13, 2007 12:55 PM