Spring Break
Bee decline has researchers abuzz
Meeting brings beekeepers, growers, scientists together for multiple solutions
Katy Weaver
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News
Although farmers detest the majority of insects, there is one type that is necessary for their success: bees.
Bee populations, however, are currently on the decline nationwide due to the unknown Colony Collapse Disorder.
Oregon State University wants to do something about it.
"There is a national effort to identify what is causing in some cases, very sharp declines in honeybee populations, specifically hives, which American agriculture is very dependent on for pollination," said Stella Coakley, associate dean of OSU's College of Agricultural Science.
Unless they come from farming communities, many people don't fully understand the impact these insects have on their lives.
Fruit, vegetables and the products formed from each do not just sporadically grow on their own. Bees are required for cross-pollination, a process that yields the development of fruit in many plants.
Without bees, or even with a significantly fewer number of bees, crop yields will be considerably decreased.
"If we did not have an adequate number of pollinators, a third of the crops we eat would decrease in quantity, and most likely increase in price," Coakley said.
Scientists have speculated that there are numerous factors that could be affecting bee populations across the country.
Many things can kill honeybees, Coakley said. In some cases it can be mites or bacteria, or even chemicals found in the environment from pesticides or growth regulators.
Bee disorders were first recognized in 2006. In 2007, there was increasing concern in several places during the spring. However, until this spring there was no evidence that the Pacific Northwest or Oregon had experienced any unusual problems.
OSU does not currently have a full-time professor focusing on bees, but the university is taking other steps to solve the problem.
"We do have assistance available for people who have problems with honeybees," Coakley said.
OSU held a meeting with growers, beekeepers, and industry representatives last Tuesday to address some of the problems affecting the state.
Bee populations, however, are currently on the decline nationwide due to the unknown Colony Collapse Disorder.
Oregon State University wants to do something about it.
"There is a national effort to identify what is causing in some cases, very sharp declines in honeybee populations, specifically hives, which American agriculture is very dependent on for pollination," said Stella Coakley, associate dean of OSU's College of Agricultural Science.
Unless they come from farming communities, many people don't fully understand the impact these insects have on their lives.
Fruit, vegetables and the products formed from each do not just sporadically grow on their own. Bees are required for cross-pollination, a process that yields the development of fruit in many plants.
Without bees, or even with a significantly fewer number of bees, crop yields will be considerably decreased.
"If we did not have an adequate number of pollinators, a third of the crops we eat would decrease in quantity, and most likely increase in price," Coakley said.
Scientists have speculated that there are numerous factors that could be affecting bee populations across the country.
Many things can kill honeybees, Coakley said. In some cases it can be mites or bacteria, or even chemicals found in the environment from pesticides or growth regulators.
Bee disorders were first recognized in 2006. In 2007, there was increasing concern in several places during the spring. However, until this spring there was no evidence that the Pacific Northwest or Oregon had experienced any unusual problems.
OSU does not currently have a full-time professor focusing on bees, but the university is taking other steps to solve the problem.
"We do have assistance available for people who have problems with honeybees," Coakley said.
OSU held a meeting with growers, beekeepers, and industry representatives last Tuesday to address some of the problems affecting the state.
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