USDA Ban on Imported Bees?

The latest buzz on putting a halt to Colony Collapse Disorder, Senator Schumer has asked the USDA to block Australian bee imports.

With CCD destroying most of the colonies already, what the US really needs is an influx of honey bees.

Apparently there isn't another nation that exports this valuable commodity.

They Come From a Land Down Under...

Bees are a large export commodity from Australia and it has been suggested that this is where the virus has originated.

Naturally the Australian Honeybee Industry Association has rejected this claim and the research findings.

Perhaps it should be blamed on China?

Virus may be Linked to Honey Bee Collapse

In the current issue of Science magazine, researchers have found that the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) may be a potential cause of Colony Collapse Disorder.

Their study was based on a 3 year sampling of normal and CCD affected hives across the United States.

However, the study is not conclusive that the virus alone can induce CCD. It may be a combination of factors such as microbes, toxins and stressors along with IAPV that may be responsible.