25,000 Bumble bees found dead in a Target parking lot.

Originally posted by stars15k
I've had several nests, usually in and around my compost bin. They burrowed into the compost early spring, before turning it, and I've even seen some come from underground, like yellow jackets.

I'll count myself lucky then.Traced my bumbles back to burrows in the asparagus and hops beds.

Have however been hiking and sat on a bumble nest entrance... they bite (mostly the face), not sting, from what I recall.

J.B.

google translate:

student find cause

Mo-san-to.

Why do we need to say more?

reply to post by maryhinge

the Oregon Department of Agriculture who opened an investigation. They said they're looking into whether a pesticide on the trees killed the bees. "We're aware of a pesticide application in the vicinity, but have not yet identified the active ingredient. We are in the process of interviewing parties that may have applied the pesticide

Theres your sign. Idiots with language skills that can't read labels on bottles of pesticide. Just pour some, add water and spray the flowering trees.

I bet they make inquiries alright. That are hushed up due to corporate chemical pressure.

ETA: Look at the bright side. Once the pollinators are all dead we won't have to spray the crops anymore

So ah, is anyone else getting concerned over the mass deaths of various bee species? We better start finding a new way to pollenate, or the human race will start experiencing what is like to slowly go extinct starving to death and resorting to cannibalism.

reply to post by Dianec


I saw this story on my local news earlier. In their report they mentioned that the trees had been sprayed recently. immediately followed by saying that those type of trees were "poisonous" to bees anyway. very strange indeed.
it was FOX 59 indianapolis.

reply to post by watchitburn


We have lots of bumble bees here in Joshua Tree, the few trees we have with flowers are buzzing with them in the morning. Last year we had a bee hive in our old out house, we actually got some good honey out of it.

Originally posted by lonewolf19792000
So ah, is anyone else getting concerned over the mass deaths of various bee species? We better start finding a new way to pollenate, or the human race will start experiencing what is like to slowly go extinct starving to death and resorting to cannibalism.

Very worried. Here are some figures of where we are at with bee die offs in some areas (below). In other research there is up to am 80% decline in the UK and Netherlands. Having loss of bees would be the beginning of the next mass extinction. Trying to find ways to pollinate without them - please no. Probably will be the solution by the idiots who created this but I do not see this working. We will starve, not be able to fight infections, and see birds and other animals starve that also rely on the work of the bee. This is where science has gone wrong and the ethics of science is to cause no harm. Where is the science police to stop this?

What the heck is so bad about having a bug in our food anyway - water is a wonderful thing - you wash it out or cut it out. I get that some bugs kill crops but I'm convinced with clever minds there are natural deterrents until the crops can be harvested. If cost more money - so what. What is avoiding mass starvation worth in dollars?

blog.targethealth.com...

reply to post by Privateinquotations


That can not be true. Bees choose a poisonous tree to take up residence in? They have not survived from day one by being that stupid. That's media. I don't believe that even a little bit unless the bees are high off of the poisons and therefore their insincts are gone. That's likely but something is wrong so I wish reporters would admit that and make their stories complete. Seems as if there will be no stopping what is happening. Albert Einstein said lose our bees see mass extinction within 4 years. Seems scientists pick and choose what they want to take from wisdom of our scientific forefathers.

reply to post by ThreeNF


Yeah, my yard is probably 90% weeds and other wild flowers 5% grass and 5% garden. I like the way it looks, especially if I don't cut it for a few weeks, it looks like a jungle.


reply to post by Dianec


I was thinking the exact same thing. As soon as I read that my BS detector started pinging like crazy.

We have a few big bumblebees this year, one was trying to make a nest on my front porch so I had to tap it with a broom because it wasn't listening to me when I told it that it can't build a nest there. It decided it was a bad idea to argue me, it is huge though, I am sure it will be sending some kids to punish me later. No honey bees at all though, the hard and long winter must have killed them off. I feel sad about that but there is nothing I can do about it. I hope I didn't hurt the bumble bee, I tapped it with the soft bristles. I like bees but can't have them building a nest on my porch.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


Yes, sure am.

Toll is up to 50,000 dead bees now, they are blaming the tree spraying.
www.oregonlive.com...

If mankind is so dense to keep the herbicide and pesticide use up,
the consequence will be great in food production.

The bees are happy to buzz about and pollinate our food,
additionally providing honey for us. Sad that mankind
seems to suffer so greatly from the stupid gene.

reply to post by watchitburn


Looks a bit like my yard but mine has a bunch of wild looking trees with vines (have to duck). Not too much grass but for sure weeds and flowers mixed in with it and it doesn't bother me. I have an old house so get tons of wasps under the eaves (tons of hives). This doesn't have to do with bumble or honey bees so hope its ok to use this opportunity to ask. I looked up a way to get them away from my area without using poisons and what I found isn't feasible - pouring hot water on them.

Putting up fake wasps nests sounds like a good idea but it doesn't go on to say how one would go about this. I guess they are territorial. If this is true why is there a nest every 2 feet? I don't know but any ideas are appreciated. I see bumble bees around too so truly do not want to use poisons. Haven't seen honey bees since summer before last but they may still be around too.

This is the largest documented Bumblebee kill,
it is worse than if this were honeybees, which can be,
and usually are imported.

I believe Wilsonville is considered part of the valley in Oregon. They do a lot of test crops there and they also do a lot of farming there. Monsanto is strong in Oregon, nothing else to say really.

Amazing that they can innocently kill bees but the mosquitos continue to thrive and prosper.

reply to post by burntheships

If mankind is so dense to keep the herbicide and pesticide use up, the consequence will be great in food production.

Good idea. Let's let the weeds overrun the crops and the bugs eat 'em up.

You know that the instructions for this particular herbicide say not to use it on trees that are flowering, right? The maintenance crew screwed up. Don't know why they wanted to spray ornamentals anyway.

For trees in forests that are pollinated by bees or other invertebrates, make applications post-bloom.

www.ces.ncsu.edu...

reply to post by StoutBroux

Monsanto is strong in Oregon, nothing else to say really.

Monsanto had nothing to do with it.

reply to post by Phage


They could have taken numerous different precautions, or they could
have used a different agent altogether.

Let the weeds grow up? What on earth....Phage this was done to control
Aphids, which can be controlled with a mild dish detergent!

reply to post by Phage


Thanks for raining on our hate Monsanto parade...

I'm kidding.
Facts are facts, and always welcome in my threads.

reply to post by burntheships

They could have taken numerous different precautions, or they could
have used a different agent altogether.

Or they could have done it after blossoming. I agree. They screwed up.

Let the weeds grow up? What on earth....Phage this was done to control
Aphids, which can be controlled with a mild dish detergent!

My apologies. I misunderstood you to mean herbicides and insecticides in general, not just for use on ornamental trees:

If mankind is so dense to keep the herbicide and pesticide use up, the consequence will be great in food production.

Originally posted by Phage

Monsanto had nothing to do with it.

Perhaps, however Monsanto does manufacture "neonics" in the form of its GMO corn
"neonics" being the active ingredient in Safari.

Safari's main ingredient is dinotefuran, a neonicotinoid. There are two main kinds of neonicotinoids, both of which are general use insecticides. Safari is a member of the nitro-group. Research published in 2012 shows these are generally more toxic to bees than the other type. The European Union issued a temporary ban on three other kinds of nitro-group neonicotinoids, which will go into effect this December.

So ....how many deaths by Monsantos neonics?
I guess you dont want to answer that one.