why is there no news on CCD?

[lake thompson honey]

to my knowledge there have been no recent updates on CCD from the research team except for ruling out a couple things. does anyone have any new information? is this going to be something that we never do find the cause of?

[Panhandle Bee man]

The reason there is no news is because that the team is out of money. Most of the money was spent doing the sample collections, and sample preparations. Now the team needs the big money that will pay for all the labratory work. Until they get the money, and the lab work done, we probably wont hear much from the team about exactly what is going on.

[summersetretrievers]

So why aren't there funds out there to help with this? Seem's if this is such a natural disaster affecting our countries ability to produce food for itself that there should be lots of money being thrown at this. So how or who do we approach to get this done?
Cindy

[Ann]

I thought Congress had made provisions for $100,000 due to those hearings earlier this month? Or do I not remember correctly?

[Kieck]

I don't know whether or not Congress made provisions for $100,000, but, even if they did, $100,000 doesn't go far when it comes to research of this scope.

[Jim Fischer]

The National Honey Board cut that $100K check.
The federal government has not allocated any funds as yet,
but a bill was introduced by Alcee Hastings of Florida, (HR1709)
which is "in committee" at the moment. The full text of this bill,
which includes specific amounts of money, and where/how
it will be spent is here in Bee-Quick's CCD Archive (http://bee-quick.com/ccd/HR1709.pdf).

So, while no one is "out of money", there are a number of people who
would like to get funded by HR1709, not understanding that this bill
might take a while to get out of committee and get voted upon by
the full house, let alone result in a similar Senate bill to "approve and
confirm" the work of the House. Note that there is no Senate
equivalent of HR1709 drafted, and this is not a good sign.

But not to worry - work is ongoing.

Next week (Apr 23 - 24) there will be another sit down for the team
members. I have been invited to sit in, and it appears from the list
of names sent e-mails about the logistical details, as the only "member
of the media/press", and the only mere beekeeper. (They said that they
refused access to the New York Times and other mainstream media
outlets, as they have had quite enough of the sensational reports
being produced.)

I will make a report in Bee Culture, and I likely may produce a longer
version of my report on the Bee-Quick's CCD Archive (http://bee-quick.com/ccd/).

I will listen, take notes, and keep my shiny new digital audio recorder
going the whole time (66 hours of capacity in a toy smaller than most
cell phones!).

Why me? Well, I guess I am trusted to not be prone to sensationalizing,
and I can also be trusted to not interrupt or otherwise be "disruptive".

If anyone has any specific questions beyond the obvious ones, feel
free to e-mail them to me at bee-quick@bee-quick.com, and I will
see if I can't buttonhole the appropriate parties during breaks and
meals to get answers.

[George Fergusson]

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy Jim.

I'm interested in a ball-park estimate of the total number of hives affected by CCD. I suppose that's one of the "obvious" questions.

I'm also interested if CCD is continuing to manifest this spring or is it a "last year" problem.

[Kieck]

What George said.

I'd like to know, too, how many hives were affected, and how rates of hives affected by CCD varied (if they did) from region to region.

Another thing I'd like to know (but they won't be able to tell, yet) is if hives will be affected again this year, or next year, or the year after that. Time will have to give us the answers to that.

[MichaelW]

I want to know about those darn Chemtrails! Don't settle for anything less than an answer!

[sqkcrk]

to my knowledge there have been no recent updates on CCD from the research team except for ruling out a couple things. does anyone have any new information? is this going to be something that we never do find the cause of?

The reply from the research group has been that they need time and money to complete their studies.

[dickm]

You go Jim,
I know you like to use your sense of humor but I suspect you'll be stymied at how to find anything funny about CCD. I want to know about the unidentified virus found in the FL bees. Was it found elswhere and is it a candidate? From my losses and a clean bill on T mites, I'm wondering about some sort of paralysis virus. See you in the AM.

dickm

[Chrissy Shaw]

Cell phone alien abduction, screen in chem trails by an ultra elite global conspiracy from pesticide use adds what levity can be found here. At the very least, people are considering bees and food in the same idea frame and so while the group does not need such attention, there is perhpas no other way to have a lay person consider honeybees.

In times of absolute horror, the lack of the abillity to find some uplift almost assures that horror has won out. There have been some very hard losses and in fact some people may not recover, as sad as that is, it remains a fact in this situation. Even so, i have heard of generous attempts by those not effected to reach out and aid those who were. When it comes down to brass taxes, that is what this problem has lent us, a chance to reach out and do what we can. One need not look too far to see that there is great trouble all around. As to those who have been less than friendly with barbs left and right in this matter, this just may be one of those times that "being right" is not all that important. The group may be right in the long haul, but for now, just perhaps it is time that we not take our own selves too seriously and lend a smile and a hand to those who may need it and leave the "whose at fault" on the shelf for a time.

Jim is kind to keep a media link to us, but i hope that the group understands that we all exist in one world and so long as we do half-baled notions, proclamations by the ignorant and outright falsification is just part of the whole ball of wax called human nature. Imagine the poor 9-11 investigators who could not shut off media, or those poor families at Virginia Tech? This is the way of the world, bit there is no other world to trade it for.

Chrissy

[Tom Chaudoir]

Instead of asking the group a question, I'd like to ask for a favor:
Please update the web site whenever you have news, good or bad. I check it every few days and it's pretty spare. I'm not knocking the group or the site. In this case no news is frustrating. A lot of us are chewing our nails waiting. Throw us a bone now and then. Thanks!

Best,
Tom

[Barry Digman]

Please update the web site whenever you have news, good or bad.

Well, we have good news and bad news. The good news is that the disappearing bees have all been found. The bad news is that they're all in Salt Lake City.

Now, before anyone goes off about my insensitivity, one of the local LDS bishops told me this. He and I have a couple of hives on his place, and when he tells me these things there's an impish sparkle in his eyes as the "bad news" is always bad for me and not him.


p.s.
Link to a cell phone/bees cartoon:

http://www.comics.com/editoons/cardow/

[R.L. Bee]

Does anyone know the simularities of the CCD today and what has happened in years past?From what I understand this type of thing has happend all through history.In the 1800s early 1900s even in the 60s and 70s How bad was it then?I think if and when it is ever figured out it will end up being some type of Natural occurance from a virius or a fungus that is brought on by certain weather conditions.But as of Know all we have is Questions.

[lake thompson honey]

thanks for the update. please keep us in the loop when there is something worth telling.

[Panhandle Bee man]

Some new files have been added at
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/ColonyCollapseDisorder.html

What has been eliminated as a potential cause?

Honey bee tracheal mites
Feeding - HFCS, protein supplement
Chemical use for mite and disease control
Source of bees
Source of queens