# We don't have to worry about bees dying off, do we? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 15, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215 "2007-04-15T15:49:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/41 "2007-05-03T21:26:34Z")
The beekeeper at the farmer’s market I patronize every week says exactly the same thing. His bees are still alive. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/42 "2007-05-04T01:21:31Z")
I walk my dogs in the park everyday. I have walked miles through fields of dandelions. Total amount of bees I have seen…Zero. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/43 "2007-05-04T04:05:58Z")
In the vicinity of my afternoon walk, which passes full-blown rose gardens, un-groomed yards full of poppies and cacti, and bike paths along riparian habitats, the bee population seems to be pretty much AWOL. Across town however, a 20-year perennial colony in a large oak tree seems to be in reasonably good health. I’m worried about those little guys [/gals]. The thing is, if the situation is as dire as some people say it is…well, it’s probably too late to do anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![Racer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@Racer1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Racer1)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/44 "2007-05-04T13:31:50Z")
I’ve seen a fair few bees around London this year so far. I’d guess cell phone usage is pretty high around here, so I’m sceptical about the cell phone link. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/45 "2007-05-04T15:32:32Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] I’m worried about those little guys [/gals]. [/quote] If you saw them working, they were more gals than guys. The males (drones) are bigger and do no useful work, just hang around looking for a queen to mate with. Most of a hive’s occupants are sexually atrophied females, who do all the work, feeding the queen, larvae and drones until they die of exhaustion. Or something else. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/46 "2007-05-04T16:37:04Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] The males (drones) are bigger and do no useful work, just hang around looking for a queen to mate with. [/QUOTE] They’re like people that way. ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/47 "2007-05-07T16:01:55Z")
Not hoping to hijack but: We’ve had a problem with termites in our neighborhood, so we spray pretty frequently. But we also have an almost mature apple tree and a very mature pear in the backyard, not to mention other various plants in the vegetable patch. We see a good amount of 3-4 different kinds of bees, and I want to know what is the specific name of the nicotine based chemical, so I can make sure I don’t kill off the bees while I’m keeping the termites at bay. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/48 "2007-05-07T16:21:53Z")
We had a 1/2 ft x 14 ft hive in the wall of our house. It was horrible. They killed all the bees as opposed to drawing them out. But the most important part (according to the bee people) is to get the honeycombs out so your walls don’t collapse. I guess a dead hive just leaks out and wrecks the structure. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/49 "2007-05-07T17:54:14Z")
I don’t see any dimunition of the local wild (bumble bee) population. if cell phoes were the proble, we should see them dying off. i suspect it is a disease or parasite-can you breed to the european bees with bumble bees? ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/50 "2007-05-07T18:24:58Z")
Assuming we get to the point that we’re racing to discover the vectors involved in the collapse syndrome, I hope that there are already efforts to set aside some swarms in captivity of some kind? All of my experience with bees has been in “the wild” (including in urban environments). But can they viably be kept in captivity in something like a biodome? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/51 "2007-05-07T19:44:30Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] I don’t see any dimunition of the local wild (bumble bee) population. if cell phoes were the proble, we should see them dying off. i suspect it is a disease or parasite-can you breed to the european bees with bumble bees? [/QUOTE] I don’t for one minute believe that celphones are responsible for the decline of ANY of the species in this thread. But I question your logic. Because one species hasn’t declined, celphones can’t be the reason that another has? My biology and cladistics is weak, but not all “bees” are closely related to each other, nor in the same ways. Not all are social, for one. So they would not necessarily bee affected in the same manner, if at all. And unless you can establish that any of them are affected adversely, it is a moot point to argue that others might be. (And I doubt that honeybees (_Apis mellifera_) can easily be interbred with bumblebees (genus _Bombus_), but someone better versed in the subject should be around shortly to set us straight.) ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/52 "2007-05-07T20:00:22Z")
I was very excited to see almost a dozen bees in our roses the other day- I hadn’t seen any so far this spring… ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/53 "2007-05-07T21:44:25Z")
I waked a couple miles in another part of the park today. Zero bees again. Fields of dandelions .all empty. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/54 "2007-05-07T22:03:56Z")
This is interesting to me because we have a couple of plum trees in our back yard. Two years ago we had so many plums that I spent probably 3 or 4 weekends canning & making pies. Last year…no plums at all. We have no idea why, but maybe this has something to do with it. We are eagerly awaiting the appearance of fruit on the tree this year, and I have to say that if we don’t get any, we will be very disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/55 "2007-05-09T00:54:12Z")
Does anyone have any information on whether the bee die-off, if it comes to pass, will really severely threaten the food supply? The quote about 80% of 90 flowering crops being bee-pollinated is lacking detail. What pollinates the other 20%, and could it be made to pollinate more? Are there mechanical methods that could be used? What are the cost implications of other possibilities? It seems like no one is talking about alternatives and actual effects. It’s all “OMG we’re going to starve!” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/56 "2007-05-09T01:09:41Z")
All I know is that I was all set this year to have a bumper crop of peaches on the tree in my back yard. The branches were covered with tiny little proto-peaches – and then a late frost killed them all. But **something** was pollinating the tree, and doing a damn good job of it. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/57 "2007-05-09T01:51:21Z")
Here are some pollination vector links: > **[Department of Plant Biology | School of Integrative Biology | UIUC](https://sib.illinois.edu/departments/plant-biology)** [http://plantphys.info/plants\_human/pollenadapt.html](http://plantphys.info/plants_human/pollenadapt.html) > **[404 - WordPress - UA Little Rock](https://ualr.edu/not-found/)** > > We can’t seem to find the page you’re looking for. It might have been removed or renamed. If you’re searching for a person or department, please use the University Directory. \[…\] [http://hcs.osu.edu/hcs300/angio3.htm](http://hcs.osu.edu/hcs300/angio3.htm) [http://www.ebeehoney.com/Pollination.html](http://www.ebeehoney.com/Pollination.html) > **[Pollination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollination)** > > Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, for example beetles; birds, butterflies, and bats; water; wind; and even plants themselves. Pollinating animals travel from plant to plant carrying pollen on their bodies in a vital interaction that allows the transfer of genetic material critical to the reproduc In... Co-evolution over a very long period of time has resulted in bees playing the pollination role that now appears to be at risk. I highly doubt that any mechanical alternative will present itself, short of engineering swarms of nanotech insects that are successful as surrogate bees. Other insect vectors may indeed be able to pick up the slack, but that may only be an option for domesticated crops where there are sufficient seed stocks to ensure that the plant species endure the impact of losing their primary pollinator. ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/58 "2007-05-09T02:00:54Z")
Perhaps. I like jewelweed, which is singularly adapted to the Eastern ruby-throat hummingbird. But the hummers have to compete with bees to get the nectar out of the flower, as bees like it as much as they do. I imagine this would also be true of native honeysuckle, which is also a hummingbird plant. And then there are butterflies. So, while I like my honey - I use it every day in my tea - I don’t believe losing bees would be a complete disaster, just based on what I’ve seen as far as who they compete with for flower nectar. I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DustyButt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@DustyButt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DustyButt)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/59 "2007-05-09T02:08:58Z")
Did anyone mention the mass spraying that goes on for mosquitos to eliminate the west nile virus. I mean the trucks drive around indiscriminately dusting EVERYTHING. Is there any corelation between the use of this method of pest control and the dwindeling bee population??? ---
**Author:** ![DustyButt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@DustyButt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DustyButt)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-dont-have-to-worry-about-bees-dying-off-do-we/400215/60 "2007-05-09T03:00:22Z")
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