Save the bees

[Dave2002]

I don't know whether insecticides and other chemicals are having an effect on the bee population round the world. Indeed, although I have seen quite a lot of humble/bumble bees this year, I don't recall noticing any honey bees. I didn't see many wasps either.

In the meantime, while pondering on this, some people might like to sign this petition to the US suggesting at least a temporary ban on pesticides which could affect bees - https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the...ZIyjib&v=47230

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't know whether insecticides and other chemicals are having an effect on the bee population round the world. Indeed, although I have seen quite a lot of humble/bumble bees this year, I don't recall noticing any honey bees. I didn't see many wasps either.

In the meantime, while pondering on this, some people might like to sign this petition to the US suggesting at least a temporary ban on pesticides which could affect bees - https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the...ZIyjib&v=47230

I did sign this petition - Avaaz have been constantly in my inbox since signing for something recommended from this forum a couple of years ago.

Bees are not the only insects which pollinate, but I imagine they do it more efficiently than eg wasps as they carry pollen in the specially designed bags on their hind legs iirc. Two or so years ago a programme dealing with the ongoing problem of hive collapse did deduce pretty conclusively pesticides as being the culprit - I remember we were shown hives in the City of London entirely unaffected. Insects have been said to be earth's most successful species, yet one hears of more and more becoming extinct. presumably were bees to go we would be forced to pollinate manually; imagine the costs!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

How about a ban on GM crops too?

[Serial_Apologist]

How about a ban on GM crops too?

Am I right in thinking that the early suspicions that GM crops could cross-pollinate to produce new uncontrollable strains was discredited because they are genetically incapable of miscegenation? And that this is a myth being used by would-be destroyers of the trials? If so, their main danger consists in the costs incurring to poor farmers and peasants in countries such as India forced under international trading arrangements to keep having to replace the dud seed with more of the same in order to continue farming, thereby rendering them in permanent hoc to the American seed producers?