Bees have been dying off in huge numbers, so estimate that 70% of bee populations have died recently.
I have heard various theories on colony collapse including parasites affecting them, cell phone transmissions confusing their signals to the hive, pollution, etc.
I went and talked to a bee keeper who said the answer is much simpler - greed. Some beekeepers primarily make money off delivering hives to crop growers who need pollinators. They are not using the hives primarily for honey, and are bringing these hives of bees all over the country to pollinate whatever is in season at that time so they might move the hives from oranges to cherries to apples to clover etc. The hives are not living in one spot long enough to become well established. Then as they grow, they are deviding the hives with an immature queen instead of waiting and devided the hives properly. All of this is stressing the bees too much and causing a collapse of the hive because it is destroying the bees.
2007-05-05
19:14:32
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5 answers
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asked by
inzaratha
6
in
Zoology