Comments:Alarm sounded over US honey bee die-off
Honey Bees Sensitive Vision
[edit]Why is there so much confusion to what is happening to the Honey Bees, by all the top minds in this Country? Did anyone wonder why the Bees can not find their way back to the hives? The Bees are being blinded by the strong UV due to the Ozone depletion. Check in out. Now what will the Goverments due to cover over this one. Be Warned
- Actually no they are not...If they were we would be seeing a worldwide epidemic of this...but as far as I know...its only happened in 6 other countries/regions on the planet...if it were UV rays, then all bees would die...and would all be dead right now. Also, anything the size of a bee or smaller would also be dead if it went into the sun for even a second. DragonFire1024 08:04, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
behavior indicates cause of stress
[edit]Recent behavioral changes observed in Hawaii's honeybee populations indicate a solution to the unknown environmental stressor that is precipitating sudden massive hive deaths. Behaviors:There is an increased amount of activity at predawn/post dusk periods. Upon leaving stressed hives bees flight patterns turn away from sun. Bees are observed running into things, blindly. Active bees at night. Supposition: Recent solar minimum is breaking up and uV radiation is increasing and ozone atmospheric levels are not filtering increased radiation.(Unable to get recent data from NOAA as it is classified!) uV radiation damages eyes of bees. Rationale: As eyes damaged irritiation and photophobia increase as eyes inflame and become infected,leading to secondary infections which become pandemic within the hive.(unable to tell if sunburn is factor;sorry) Solution: None Accomodations: 1) Selectively breed from hives demonstrating adaptive behaviors of dawn/dusk gathering. Seek to lower the light thresholds necessary for bee function. 2) Experiment with uV-blockers: Add to bee supplement a uV-darkening agent that will gather on the protective membrane of the individual light receptors of the compound eye. 3) Temporary protection when uV alerts are current may be possible by placing a uV-blocker and a transparent-fixative in atomizer and spray bees'eyes as they leave hive. Bryan Booth - Big Island, Hawaii
- I find it hard to believe the NOAA would classify any data, that sounds like a tin-foil hat idea that conveniently allows this hypothesis to be presented without any evidence. I am aware that there are people within the NOAA who are actively seeking to charge for all the data they provide. --Brian McNeil / talk 22:25, 10 June 2007 (UTC)
uV damage would not be global
[edit]Objection to ultraViolet radiation being cause of sudden hive deaths is falicious. The depleted ozone layer is attentuated at the poles and thicker towards the equator. Some areas are protected from uV and some are not; it's not a consistently thick blanket enwrapping the planet! There are longitudal bands and concentrations that are constantly moving due to winds, currents, and Earth's coriolis forces. A cursory review of ozone layers, uV solar bursts, and sudden hive deaths do show that there is a correlation of some type. Rigorous scientific study is required to ascertain the exact relationships. Also, examination of historical data will show changes in bee habitats and behaviors that can be partially explained by photo-sensitivity and photophobic reactions going back over two decades. uV radiation is a logical cause of this eye damage. Occam's razor and the importance of our honeybee industry indicates the need to investigate the connection between sudden hive deaths and uV radiation.
Bryan Booth - Hawaii
- UV rays cannot me moved by the wind. Water cannot move the rays either. If it were UV radiation, everything would be dying as we speak...DragonFire1024 01:59, 11 June 2007 (UTC)