The Phenomena Of Colony Collapse Disorder In Honeybee Populations - Essay Example

The Phenomena Of Colony Collapse Disorder In Honeybee Populations Introduction The phenomenon of honeybees’ Colony Collapse Disorder was noticed after the winter of the year 2006, when it was observed that most of the honeybees have just vanished. This brought the situation to an alarming point as many important crops were put to risk, thus threatening the food industry and supply chain as well, due to the vanishing of these homey bees, which are an important pollinator of fruits and vegetables. While disappearance of honeybees have been reported during earlier times also, the symptoms starting showing off the presence of colony collapse disorder (CCD) from 1980s. The symptoms include, among others, the presence of younger honeybees, around the healthy queen bee as the older and adult honeybees leave the hive, without coming back to it. In addition, studies have shown that the apparent visible symptom could be he absence of wax moths, or small hive beetles or other hive pests that could invade the beehives. The causes of CCD could include different virus causing diseases like American and European foulbrood, Nosema and other disease causing pathogens, as their presence is alarming to the honeybee population. In addition, the invasive pest species also causes CCD. However, a combination of various pathogens would be responsible for CCD, rather than any isolated virus. The other major factors responsible for large disappearance of Honeybee populations are chemicals that would be present in the beehive and the environment, while honeybee growing into a monocrop agricultural system can also be a cause for CCD as proper nutrition is not allowed for the honey bee, to grow naturally. While these factors and other causes of CCD are described below, it is important to mention here that scientists are still trying to isolate any pertinent causes, including the use of chemicals and behavior of honeybees, responsible for CCD that has resulted in national worry as agriculture produce is getting severely affected due to this phenomenon.....(University of Arkansas, 2009) Meaning of Colony Collapse Disorder Earlier known as Fall Dwindle Disease, CCD is the dying process of healthy honeybees colonies, which makes them disappear, within a very short span of time, just around three weeks. The apparent indications are that the work force of such colonies comprises of mainly young bees and they are reluctant to consume the provided feed. After this collapse no adult bees are left, while no invasion takes place to rob the colony of its food that still remains there. Scientists could conclude by this that toxins are present in the colony, which makes the invading pests to refuse the rich food present there. As there are number of causes responsible for such collapse, the main factor remains that weak immune response of honeybees to resist the affects of toxin and other chemicals........(Balkan, 2009, “Plight of Honeybee”) Chemicals responsible for CCD Imidacloprid pesticides, the main culprit While the use of this compound has been under ban in France, since the year 2000, data shows that its use in California has increased many times, during the last few years. The research studies have further revealed that use of pesticides have induced toxins in honeybees and they are responsible for their slow growth due to their increased stress levels cause by such pesticides.....( Imidacloprid Pesticide, 2007) Affect of Mites Several species such as “verroa” mites have spread globally due to their commercialization to new zones. The result is the transfer of parasitic microorganism, worldwide, into the dense honeybee populations, which have no immunity towards them. Hence, such parasites and mites are known to cause havoc within the honeybee densities. In addition, genetically modified and non-GM seeds are being chemically treated with many kinds of pesticides, apart from imidacloprid, as mentioned above, which makes the pollen produced by them to spread the traces of such chemicals to other plants and in turn, it affects the honeybees as well. Hence, it can be quite possible that such chemically treated plants, via their pollen, are affecting insect health. Affect of Nosema apis Nosema apis is a well known protozoan, within the research circles, which is believed to affect the digestive tract of honey bees, thus making it vulnerable to all diseases. In addition, the other species named as Nosema ceranae, identified during the research studies after 2006, is found to be present at many affected colonies that have reported CCD. This has led the researchers to believe that the adult honey bees have deserted the colonies, mainly due to ceranae infections. However, as no single cause could be responsible for disappearance of honeybees in a phenomenon like CCD, the major evidence for the spread of diseases that causes this to happen points to global commercialization, which has resulted in the free transfer of parasites to less immune areas, thus causing havoc in the sensitive honeybee populations. (Balkan, 2009, “Plight of Honeybee”) Below is the magnified picture of Nosema apis protozoan, in action as it destroys the honey bee population, while the picture below it shows a healthy bee in action. (source:http://cantseetheforest.org/2007/04/22/plight-of-the-honeybee/index.html) (source:http://cantseetheforest.org/2007/04/22/plight-of-the-honeybee/index.html) In addition, the other chemical that have been found to cause CCD is the use of neonicotinoid, as it is applied to seeds. The chemical goes through the plant to the pollens and thereafter it affects the honeybees, while killing them or making them paralyzed.....(Oxford Times, UK, Dec 10 2008) However, seeing this as a threat to the honeybee population, many countries have banned the use of this chemical as France and Germany have curtailed or stopped the sale of these chemicals. In addition, the use of other chemical named as clotianidin, which is also called Poncho in Europe, is found responsible for the death of majority of bees in Germany, during the year 2008....(PA Farm News, Nov 17, 2008) In addition, the other causes could be the climate changes, natural calamities like floods that are responsible for CCD. However, air pollution is also responsible for such collapse as the ozone and nitrate chemicals in the form of smog have affected the scent molecules of the flowers, thus preventing them to attract pollinating insects like honeybees to them.....(Natural News.com, 2008) Similarly, nicotine based chemicals and pesticides are found to affect the foraging and navigational abilities of bees. Conclusion While disappearance and small scale devastation of bees has been reported, since earlier times, it has gained deadly proportions during last couple of decades and the CCD phenomenon has now taken an alarming shape, after the year 2006. This has threatened the agricultural wealth and production of several European countries and United States. Although scientists are working hard to isolate the cause or a group of causes that are responsible for CCD, they are unable to locate any single factor that can point to such cause. However, a combination of factors is responsible for this phenomenon, as some of them have been described above. Looking at the apparent causes and factors behind such causes, we can safely conclude that sufficient preventive measures are needed to control the massacre of honeybees, which has resulted in the national trauma for many countries. The effective control policies should include measures to improve immunity of honeybees to toxins and other chemicals that are spread from immune areas to non-immune places, through the global commercialization of many chemicals and pesticides that are responsible for the spread of many kinds of diseases among honeybees, or even their death. The desertion of adult bees from such colonies has shown that the cause of their action was the infections, spread by the pesticides and chemicals. WORKS-CITED Balkan, 2009, “Plight of Honeybee”, available at:http://cantseetheforest.org/2007/04/22/plight-of-the-honeybee/index.html (accessed on 24th Nov 2009) Imidacloprid Pesticide, 2007, available http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x979180 (accessed on 24th Nov 2009) Natural News.com, 2008 available at:http://www.honeybeequiet.com/ (accessed on 24th Nov 2009) Oxford Times, UK, Dec 10 2008 available at:http://www.honeybeequiet.com/ (accessed on 24th Nov 2009) PA Farm News, Nov 17, 2008 available at:http://www.honeybeequiet.com/ (accessed on 24th Nov 2009) University of Arkansas, 2009 , “Beekeeping - Apiculture in Arkansas Colony Collapse Disorder , available at :http://www.aragriculture.org/insects/bees/colony_collapse.htm (accessed 0n 24th Nov 2009) Imidacloprid Pesticide, 2007, available http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x979180 (accessed on 24th Nov 2009) Read More