permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@intrex.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SANET-MG] Re. Colony collapse disorder/Nosema ceranae reply to 
Matthew Shepherd
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:32:25 -0400
From: jcummins <jcummins@UWO.CA>
Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group 
<SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

Hi Matthew Shepherd,
Your comments are interesting. However, your note " blaming it all on
cell phones being one example" is worth thinking about. Few have blamed
CCD entirely on cell phones but it may be unwise to discourage
investigations into that area. The preliminary results with honey bees
were , admittedly, very preliminary but needed a comprehensive follow
up. At this time funding of research on CCD seems very limited in scope
while a wide and imaginative research program is needed. Even, very
obvious areas such as immune suppression of the bees by pesticides have
been overlooked and have received little funding. There is good evidence
that cell phones effect reproduction in sparrows and storks (two
abstracts are included below). Of course birds and bees are not closely
related but it is still a possibility that bee reproduction and behavior
is adversely effected by cell phones and that area of research should
not be ridiculed and shut out of grants.
sincerely, prof. joe cummins
A Possible Effect of Electromagnetic Radiation from Mobile Phone Base
Stations on the Number of Breeding House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)
Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, Volume 26 Issue 1 2007,63 – 72
Authors: Joris Everaert; Dirk Bauwens
DOI: 10.1080/15368370701205693
Thus, our data show that fewer House Sparrow males were seen at
locations with relatively high electric field
strength values of GSM base stations and therefore support the notion
that long-term exposure to higher levels of radiation negatively affects
the abundance or behavior of House Sparrows in the wild.

Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine
Vol: 24, Issue: 2, May 1, 2005, pp. 109 - 119
Possible Effects of Electromagnetic Fields from Phone Masts on a
Population of White Stork ( Ciconia ciconia )
Author: Balmori, Alfonso
These results are compatible with the possibility that microwaves are
interfering with the reproduction of white storks and would corroborate
the results of laboratory research by other authors.


Matthew Shepherd (Xerces Society) wrote:
> Misha asked if I was here. Well, I am, lurking quietly in the shadows 
> of this listserv.
> To be honest, I don't follow every turn of the CCD story. I don't 
> consider myself a honey bee expert, and as an organization, The Xerces 
> Society doesn't work on honey bee conservation. The focus of our 
> pollinator conservation efforts has been native pollinators, promoting 
> protection of them and the creation of habitat for them. Of course, 
> native bees and honey bees share a lot of territory and habitat needs, 
> so much of the work we do to encourage habitat creation/restoration 
> projects, reduce the impacts of pesticides, and support legislation 
> benefits all bees. It just that we don't specifically work on honey bees.
> That said, I have followed the general flow of the CCD debate. I doubt 
> that CCD has a single cause. My feeling is that there may be a number 
> of factors -- pesticides included -- that have combined to the drastic 
> results that we've witnessed. There also seems to be a trend that CCD 
> mainly affects migratory hives, so it's possible that stress from this 
> lifestyle may be a contributing factor that makes the bees more 
> susceptible.
> Apart from that, I have little to say. The team of scientists 
> investigating CCD contains huge knowledge and experience, far beyond 
> anything I have on honey bees. These folks are the true experts. If 
> anyone can work it out, they are the ones to do it.
> There are also alternative views and opinions, as there should be in 
> any worthwhile debate, and some dubious information and reporting -- 
> blaming it all on cell phones being one example. Some people say this 
> is just one more dip in the cycle of bee populations, that CCD is just 
> the latest name for what has happened before, and that honey bees 
> recovered in the past so why all the fuss this time? Personally, I 
> think that CCD is something serious and we need to find out what has 
> caused it. Unfortunately, this will take some time, probably too much 
> time from the perspective of a beekeeper who has lost half or more of 
> his or her hives.
> The honey bee will remain the most important pollinator of crops. Yes, 
> native bees can make a great contribution, but it does have to be in 
> the right place, a farm that contains or is close to adequate habitat. 
> I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the farms of many SANET readers 
> are more likely to support strong native bee populations. But for many 
> (most?) farmers, the scale of their operations and the farming methods 
> mean that the honey bee, with its ability to be trucked in and placed 
> in the crop for a limited period, will remain the principal pollinator.
> As a foot note, the California almonds got their bees, as have 
> orchards elsewhere across the West and elsewhere. So, let's find out 
> what's cause the losses of honey bees and work to make the environment 
> safer and better for all bees, but also let's not forget that while 
> the media hoopla was raging and "crisis" was yelled, it appears that 
> crops have been pollinated.
> Matthew
>
> ______________________________________________________
> *The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation*
> The Xerces Society is an international nonprofit organization that
> protects the diversity of life through invertebrate conservation. To
> join the Society, make a contribution, or read about our work,
> please visit www.xerces.org <http://www.xerces.org/>.
> Matthew Shepherd
> Director, Pollinator Conservation Program
> 4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97215, USA
> Tel: 503-232 6639 Cell: 503-807 1577 Fax: 503-233 6794
> Email: mdshepherd@xerces.org <mailto:mdshepherd@xerces.org>