January 28, 2011

I seem to have insects on the brain these days. Why else would I be posting a link to an article in Maclean's about the worldwide decline of butterfly populations? Unlike bees, for which the cause of the decline remains a complicated mystery, the reason for declining butterfly populations comes down to a loss of habitat due to industrial agricultural practices.

January 21, 2011

Every once in a while I run across a story that is too strange for words. This story, found in the Globe and Mail, is about honey laundering. Yes, you read that correctly. And once you read this article you'll never think of honey the same way again. You'll be surprised to discover what substances are intentionally put into supposedly "pure" honey.

January 14, 2011

Speaking of pollinators, I keep forgetting to post a link to the Pollination Canada website which allows gardeners, nature enthusiasts and just about anyone else who appreciates all the fine things pollinating insects do for us to participate in a project to help researchers gain a better understanding of these insects by monitoring their populations in your very own back yard.

January 7, 2011

It looks like bees are continuing to drop like flies. The Grist website is reporting that a study undertaken by researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana shows that several bumblebee species are experiencing dramatic declines in their populations. In some cases, the drops are in excess of 80 percent. Add this to the number of honeybees lost to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and the future of our pollinators is looking rather grim.