The Mysterious Death of Bees by Cornelis van Dalen
You may be aware of the tragic events occurring in nature which has been brewing for several hundred years. The natural forces in the renewal of Nature – meaning life in all forms from insects, animals, plants, trees; soil, sea and air quality – have deteriorated markedly. The detrimental effects of use of chemicals in agriculture – fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides have been well documented. It has not diminished the usage.
‘Over a million bees colonies have died this year’ was reported in May of 2008, from a survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America. It is calculated that up to 44% of all the U.S. bees died last winter. This has immense implications for agriculture and food production as the bee has a large role in pollination of plants, in the process of the production of their honey.
In Europe a recent alert was given for an agri-chemical product marketed by Bayer which has been concretely implicated in bee deaths.
The death of bees throughout the world has several factors. If you like it is a “sign from god”, or a more tangible pointer in biosphere changes rather than mantras of global warming or climate change. The very basis of life in the biosphere, meaning breathing air and going shopping, is in a delicate state of balance. Is Nature resilient enough?
The death of bees has been suggested from the following causes:
1. Colony Collapse Disorder – through various bee parasites and pathogens.
• Nosema apis, and Nosema ceranae (a gastrointestinal disease)
• Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV)
• Varroa mite-infestation
• Kasmir Bee Virus (KBV),
However, the toxic overload through the continuing use of agrichemicals seems a more plausible cause. As you know pathogens (germs/viruses, etc) and parasites are natural to all living things and not the cause of disease. It has been noted that ‘other bees and insects are not raiding deserted hives to feed on the honey as they normally would lends some credence to the theory of a toxic overload.’ [Brit Amos, Death of Bees in North America, Global Research, March 25, 2008] In other words the honey is toxic.
2. EMR – electromagnetic radiation. The increasing unseen pollution of high frequency radio waves from mobile phones and other devices has been implicated in the bees’ destruction. See www.NextUp.org for their views on this. Despite our increasing reliance on electronic devices in all aspects of global living, we fail to see the subtle blanketing of this radiation and ‘white noise.’ [See ‘Electricity and the Senses’, New Physis Newsletter #14 Summer 2008]
3. Genetic modification of plants. “The bees that are ingesting GMO pollen are having severe digestive problems, so severe that the disease is terminal.” When the flower pollen becomes genetically modified or sterile, the bees malnourish and die of illness due to the lack of nutrients as well as the interruption of the digestive capacity through the summer and over the winter hibernation process.
4. Another factor yet not recognised by material science or people.
© Cornelis van Dalen 2008