Zika spraying kills millions of honey bees

[Monello]

Actions have consequences. Watch for the price of honey to spike.

On Sunday morning, the South Carolina honey bees began to die in massive numbers.

The pattern matched acute pesticide poisoning. By one estimate, at a single apiary — Flowertown Bee Farm and Supply, in Summerville — 46 hives died on the spot, totaling about 2.5 million bees.

On Sunday morning, parts of Dorchester County were sprayed with Naled, a common insecticide that kills mosquitoes on contact. The United States began using Naled in 1959, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which notes that the chemical dissipates so quickly it is not a hazard to people. That said, human exposure to Naled during spraying “should not occur.”
In parts of South Carolina, trucks trailing pesticide clouds are not an unusual sight, thanks to a mosquito-control program that also includes destroying larvae. Given the current concerns of West Nile virus and Zika — there are several dozen cases of travel-related Zika in South Carolina, though the state health department reports no one has yet acquired the disease from a local mosquito bite — Dorchester decided to try something different Sunday.
For the first time, an airplane dispensed Naled in a fine mist, raining insect death from above between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The county says it provided plenty of warning, spreading word about the pesticide plane via a newspaper announcement Friday and a Facebook post Saturday.

death from above

 

[Lilypad]

I'm more concerned about the price humans will pay for food, or lack thereof.

 

[b23hqb]

Inadvertently killing bees to prevent one human fetus being brain deformed = WIN. The bees will come back or be replaced. No such advantage for babies.

 

[GWguy]

Inadvertently killing bees to prevent one human fetus being brain deformed = WIN. The bees will come back or be replaced. No such advantage for babies.

Actually, not true. There is a significant, unexplained decline in honey bees populations. They are not repopulating themselves. Massive killoffs like this are really bad news for the bees. And before you say, 'so what?', consider that nearly all of the food you eat is dependent on honey, and other, bees. They pollinate the flowers which produce fruit, the corn, the wheat, the food for higher life forms like cattle.

There are other ways to curb the mosquitoes.

 

[b23hqb]

Actually, not true. There is a significant, unexplained decline in honey bees populations. They are not repopulating themselves. Massive killoffs like this are really bad news for the bees. And before you say, 'so what?', consider that nearly all of the food you eat is dependent on honey, and other, bees. They pollinate the flowers which produce fruit, the corn, the wheat, the food for higher life forms like cattle.

There are other ways to curb the mosquitoes.

That's been an on going problem for a while. However, they can be replaced. I understand fully, from grade school on, all about the bees and other insects pollinating. Something started their decline before this current, local incident. I vote for the fetus every time.

Use your "other ways", which I know are out there, including genetically modified mosquitoes that the Feds are dragging their feet on. Because this particular insecticide has been used for nearly 60 years, that pretty much tells me there are other circumstances that probably caused, or contributed to, these bee dying off.

Here in Fl, there is a big problem with bees disappearing - in the form of being stolen by the thousands and thousands of hives from bee farmers.

 

[GWguy]

That's been an on going problem for a while. However, they can be replaced. I understand fully, from grade school on, all about the bees and other insects pollinating. Something started their decline before this current, local incident. I vote for the fetus every time.

Use your "other ways", which I know are out there, including genetically modified mosquitoes that the Feds are dragging their feet on. Because this particular insecticide has been used for nearly 60 years, that pretty much tells me there are other circumstances that probably caused, or contributed to, these bee dying off.

Here in Fl, there is a big problem with bees disappearing - in the form of being stolen by the thousands and thousands of hives from bee farmers.

Glad you are at least aware of the options and history. I just think the other options would be more effective if, as you said, the foot-dragging was not happening. It is, and that's a shame.

 

[b23hqb]

Glad you are at least aware of the options and history. I just think the other options would be more effective if, as you said, the foot-dragging was not happening. It is, and that's a shame.

Well, I don't know whether to say "Thank You" or just shake my head. I'll go with a Thank you.

As far as the modified mosquitoes - every official in Fl has been screaming at the Feds to bring them in and loose 'em. They appear to have been very, very effective in usage in other countries, particularly Brazil.

 

[GWguy]

Well, I don't know whether to say "Thank You" or just shake my head. I'll go with a Thank you.

I was agreeing with you on the foot dragging.