Comments on: White House Gardens To Get Some Buzzing Bee Hives http://www.ecorazzi.com/2009/03/23/white-house-gardens-to-get-some-buzzing-bee-hives/ Causes Entertainment Lifestyle Pop Culture Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jeanruss http://www.ecorazzi.com/2009/03/23/white-house-gardens-to-get-some-buzzing-bee-hives/comment-page-1/#comment-252176 jeanruss Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:22:13 +0000 http://www.ecorazzi.com/?p=14762#comment-252176 Watch youtube "Criminalizing Organic Farming". Stop HR 875 in Congress. At www.opednews.com search "A Solemn Walk Through HR 875", it will explain the tyranny of this billsupported by Monsanto. Watch youtube “Criminalizing Organic Farming”. Stop HR 875 in Congress. At http://www.opednews.com search “A Solemn Walk Through HR 875″, it will explain the tyranny of this billsupported by Monsanto.

]]> By: Matt http://www.ecorazzi.com/2009/03/23/white-house-gardens-to-get-some-buzzing-bee-hives/comment-page-1/#comment-251733 Matt Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:38:04 +0000 http://www.ecorazzi.com/?p=14762#comment-251733 I would expect someone from the bee industry to chime in and defend the introduction of non-native bees into the environment, but the scientific community has a different opinion. In fact, the studies I have read say that habitat destruction and bad agricultural practices have helped to destroy many native pollinators in many regions, but the introduction of honeybees has also contributed to the problem – helping to drive some species of birds and insects out of their native habitats. [from http://www.jstor.org/pss/2641767] Also, “on organic farms near natural habitat, we found that native bee communities could provide full pollination services even for a crop with heavy pollination requirements (e.g., watermelon, Citrullus lanatus), without the intervention of managed honey bees.” [http://www.pnas.org/content/99/26/16812.abstract] I would expect someone from the bee industry to chime in and defend the introduction of non-native bees into the environment, but the scientific community has a different opinion. In fact, the studies I have read say that habitat destruction and bad agricultural practices have helped to destroy many native pollinators in many regions, but the introduction of honeybees has also contributed to the problem – helping to drive some species of birds and insects out of their native habitats. [from http://www.jstor.org/pss/2641767

Also, “on organic farms near natural habitat, we found that native bee communities could provide full pollination services even for a crop with heavy pollination requirements (e.g., watermelon, Citrullus lanatus), without the intervention of managed honey bees.”
[http://www.pnas.org/content/99/26/16812.abstract]

]]> By: Golden Delight Honey http://www.ecorazzi.com/2009/03/23/white-house-gardens-to-get-some-buzzing-bee-hives/comment-page-1/#comment-251434 Golden Delight Honey Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:47:48 +0000 http://www.ecorazzi.com/?p=14762#comment-251434 I did not vote for the President, but I am glad to see he is getting into beekeeping, so I guess I like him in a few ways. We need all the beekeepers we can get. Matt, Honeybees are not causing the extinction of native pollinators. The elimination of habitats that native pollinators need(e.g. mowing of their foraging habitats during flowering, mosquito spraying, insecticide usage, etc.) do adversely impact both native pollinators and honeybees. While native pollinators do assist in the pollination of crops, only commercial pollination using honeybees can effectively pollinate our food crops. Many crops depend on commercial pollination by honeybees such as almonds, apples, blueberries, cranberries, alfalfa, clover, and many others. Eliminate honeybee pollination and your diet becomes pretty bland. Besides, the European honeybee has been in North America since at least the 1700s. I did not vote for the President, but I am glad to see he is getting into beekeeping, so I guess I like him in a few ways. We need all the beekeepers we can get.

Matt,

Honeybees are not causing the extinction of native pollinators. The elimination of habitats that native pollinators need(e.g. mowing of their foraging habitats during flowering, mosquito spraying, insecticide usage, etc.) do adversely impact both native pollinators and honeybees. While native pollinators do assist in the pollination of crops, only commercial pollination using honeybees can effectively pollinate our food crops. Many crops depend on commercial pollination by honeybees such as almonds, apples, blueberries, cranberries, alfalfa, clover, and many others. Eliminate honeybee pollination and your diet becomes pretty bland. Besides, the European honeybee has been in North America since at least the 1700s.

]]> By: Matt http://www.ecorazzi.com/2009/03/23/white-house-gardens-to-get-some-buzzing-bee-hives/comment-page-1/#comment-249911 Matt Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:56:03 +0000 http://www.ecorazzi.com/?p=14762#comment-249911 That's too bad. Honey bees are not native to the Americas and their use by beekeepers and farmers as crop pollinators is driving many native pollinator species to extinction. Now many farmers have to keep on paying beekeepers to bring honeybees to pollinate their crops because the native pollinators in their area were displaced or killed. Despite the claims from the bee people, there is nothing environmentally friendly about introducing non-native species into the environment and forcing native species into extinction. That’s too bad. Honey bees are not native to the Americas and their use by beekeepers and farmers as crop pollinators is driving many native pollinator species to extinction. Now many farmers have to keep on paying beekeepers to bring honeybees to pollinate their crops because the native pollinators in their area were displaced or killed. Despite the claims from the bee people, there is nothing environmentally friendly about introducing non-native species into the environment and forcing native species into extinction.

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