From: AMEinfo
EEG successfully conducted its 12th Community Lecture of the year on the 18th of December 2012, with the film screening of ‘Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees telling us?’ The event which is free and open to the public was hosted by the Canadian University of Dubai.
The event was kicked off with a warm speech by Mr. Farid Ahmed; EEG’s Honorary member, who welcomed the attendees to the 12th Community Lecture.
They were provided with a small brief regarding EEG’s activities during the last month.
December 19, 2012
Editor’s Note: The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has released a report on bee health, attached here. In the report, CRS states:
A 2007 report by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, Status of Pollinators in North America, provides a more detailed scientific context for this report and may be consulted for more in depth understanding about bee health. That study concluded that many factors contribute to pollinator declines in North America, and CRS accedes to that conclusion. Accordingly, the focus of this report on bee exposure to pesticides is not intended to imply that pesticides are any more important in influencing the health and wellness of bees than any of the other identified factors influencing bee health. Pesticides are only one of the many influences on bee health.
December 17, 2012
From: Capital Press
Beekeepers ask EPA for use of amitraz to control varroa mites
By SEAN ELLIS
BOISE — Idaho beekeepers could soon have another tool to use in their battle to control varroa mites, honeybee parasites that have been linked to colony collapse disorder and can devastate hives.
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture has asked the Environmental Protection Agency for an emergency exemption that would allow Idaho beekeepers to use the pesticide amitraz.
December 14, 2012
From: UPI
SHEFFIELD, England, Dec. 11 (UPI) — Honeybees’ extreme sensitivity to environmental change has a genetic basis, a study involving British and Australian scientists has found.
Genetic studies suggest links between nutrition, environment and the insects’ development and may offer clues to the origin of Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious cause of mass bee deaths globally, a release from the University of Sheffield in Britain said.
Genetics play an important role in honeybees development, researchers found.
“When the queen bee lays her eggs, worker bees can determine whether the resulting larvae are to become an adult worker bee or an adult queen bee,” researcher Paul Hurd from Queen Mary, University of London, said.
December 12, 2012
From: BBC
By Mark Kinver
genetic secrets of honey bees’ high sensitivity to environmental change.
Scientists from the UK and Australia think their findings could help show links between nutrition, environment and the insects’ development.
It could, they suggest, offer an insight into problems like Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious cause of mass bee deaths globally.
The findings appear in Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
“Honey bees live in complex societies comprising tens of thousands of individuals,” explained study co-author Paul Hurd from Queen Mary, University of London.
December 11, 2012
Editor’s Note: A set of slides on investigation of bee kill incidents distributed at today’s SFIREG meeting is attached here.
December 10, 2012
From: HoneyBeeSuite.com
Rebecca Wilson, a beekeeper in southwestern Florida, sent me this photo of a honey bee crippled with deformed wing virus (DWV) and saddled with two Varroa mites. There were actually three mites to start with, but one fell off before she got a photo. I think the scene is heartbreaking and morbidly fascinating at the same time. And for those who’ve never seen mites or DWV, it’s a great illustration. Varroa mites carry deformed wing virus from bee to bee, transmitting it through their bite.
Rebecca writes:
December 7, 2012
Editor’s Note: US officials will not be able to make use of any European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) research unless that research complies with the requirements of the Data Quality Act and its implementing guidance including OMB’s Peer Review bulletin. For more information about the need for international organizations to comply with US Data Quality standards in order to be considered by federal authorities, see CRE’s Request for Correction of a WHO report here and HHS’ subsequent response to WHO here.
From: Association of Corporate Counsel/Lexology
Mark Anstoetter and Madeleine McDonough, Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP
December 5, 2012
Bayer CropScience
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (Dec. 4, 2012) – Bayer CropScience today announced plans to break ground in February on its North American Bee Care Center, which will serve as a gathering place for researchers, bee experts, students and other visitors to meet regularly with leading Bayer scientists. The Bayer Bee Care Center is dedicated to promoting and protecting bee health so that these hard-working, beneficial insects can continue to provide hive products as well as pollination services for foods we enjoy each day.
December 4, 2012
From: Australian Broadcasting Corp.
By Kim Honan
The researcher who named the species of Varroa mite, that’s decimated bee populations around the world, says it’s only a matter of time before the pest invades Australia.
Twelve years ago, bee pathologist Dr Denis Anderson discovered that although there were many different Varroa mites on Asian honey bees, the one switching onto European honey bees and causing damage to colonies was a species new to science, and he aptly called it Varroa destructor.
The CSIRO research fellow says Australia is in a good position to research alternatives to chemicals to control the mite.
December 3, 2012
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