Comments on: You mean it’s NOT from global warming?

By: ymarsakar

ymarsakar — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 02:20:10 +0000

Oops, I got JJ’s point right after I hit submit.

By: ymarsakar

ymarsakar — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 02:18:33 +0000

There’s a specific difference between parasites and symbiotes. Parasites are like the wasps laying eggs inside caterpillars. The caterpillars doesn’t get anything positive. Symbiosis is a different relationship than parasitism.

By: JJ

JJ — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 18:52:37 +0000

In science, “parasite” is descriptive of a life cycle, not a moral judgment. There’s nothing arrogant about recognizing that Species A cannot survive on its own, and requires assistance from Species B. This isn’t always a negative relationship, either: you wouldn’t get far without the parasites living in your gut, a byproduct of whose activity is that you get nourishment from food. (They, however, neither know nor care that they are benefitting you: they are purely about their own survival.) Which is an example of parasitism carried to a useful conclusion: the relationship has, in the course of evolution, ceased being purely parasitic and has become symbiotic. Both parties to the relationship gain therefrom.

However. There are plenty of parasites around from whom no one but them gains anything. I’m not sure what the divine role of ticks might be, for example, but it is no stretch – or arrogance – to note that they are pure parasites engaged in a one-way relationship, and mostly what they contribute to their hosts is debilitation and disease. Nothing in nature even likes to eat ticks – they will mostly be ignored in spiderwebs.

Mosquitoes at least provide food to a host of other creatures in their ecological niche, and maybe that outweighs them being the leading disease vector on the planet. A tough call, but I imagine I’d let them live for the sake of the baby fish, dragonflies, etc. But they are, with no trace of arrogance, pure parasites.

Giardia, Candidiasis, flukes, tapeworms – hard to see them as anything but negative. Pure parasites, no symbiotic aspect to them whatsoever. And I have to say, I haven’t yet seen much evidence of an upside to Nosema, either.

By: Danny Lemieux

Danny Lemieux — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 23:16:10 +0000

Are you suggesting that we might be making them “madder” at us, Z? Why do they hate bees so much?

By: zhombre

zhombre — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:26:10 +0000

To dismiss them as “parasites” is the height of arrogance. Nosema ceranae has the same right as any other species to exist and fulfill its biological destiny. Until we realize that all organisms residing here on Gaia have a valid part to play in the web of life, we will never overcome our alienation and innate destructiveness.

By: Danny Lemieux

Danny Lemieux — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:37:51 +0000

The parasites are killing the honey bees because they hate George Bush and they are mad about Iraq. The adjective “Asian” is undoubtedly racist code for Pakistani or Indian parasites. I am so ashamed of our country and that it has come to this. Why can’t we all just get along?

By: Timothy Birdnow

Timothy Birdnow — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:51:03 +0000

It was beeing (sorry, couldn`t resist) speculated that this was caused by cell phones confusing the “homing“ senses of the bees. Anyone who knows anything about liberals understands what a crock that is.

This honey of a scam had everything the Greens could want; evil technology killing innocent creatures. They could wax poetic over the stinging demise of our native bees (which came here from Europe via evil white guys)all the while blaming Dick Cheney.

Once again, the swarming of reality overtakes the Gang Green.

Thanks for posting that, Bookworm!

By: Mike Devx

Mike Devx — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:53:55 +0000

This CANNOT be the problem! It doesn’t fit the correct moral framework. The problem MUST be one of: modern technology, industrial scale technology, or global warming.

This fellow used careful, scientific reasoning, forming hypotheses, testing them, rejecting them where the tests failed. He has determined the likely solution and final tests in the ‘real world’ will absolutely prove or refute his claim. This is all so… plodding. It’s very boring. His conclusion doesn’t advance the Great Crusade Against Global Warming! This simply does not fit the correct moral framework, and therefore is useless and, frankly, I am suspicious as to his motives. I am CERTAIN, ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, that he is just a cell-phone company corporate liar.

As the communists used to say, don’t bother me with your imperialist capitalist running-dog bourgeousie facts. I already know every fact and every truth.

By: Earl

Earl — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:58:03 +0000

I REALLY hope this turns out to be the problem — my brother-in-law runs over 1500 hives. So far, he doesn’t have a big problem, but I’m sending it along to him immediately.

By: Nancy Coppock

Nancy Coppock — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:56:17 +0000

Bookworm,

We need government health care for our bee population!

Call Congress to get a bill started! Besides, how much are those bees being paid for their labor? Are they Unionized? If so, how much of their paycheck goes to the Democratic Party?

This is serious! ….and are those bees registered to vote??
I want answers and action!