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Bayer AG makes honeybee contraceptives: Study confirms pesticides significantly reduce reproductive capacity and lifespan of bees

F. William Engdahl
New Eastern Outlook
Sat, 13 Aug 2016 00:00 UTC
honeybee
Most will wonder what I mean when I say Bayer AG, the German chemicals and drug company, the same one that just absorbed Monsanto, makes bee contraceptives. This is precisely what a newly-published, peer-reviewed scientific study confirms. Contraceptives for bees are not good for the world, no better than another product invented in the labs of Bayer, namely heroin. Bayer makes a class of insect killers known as neonicotinides. Their free use worldwide threatens bee pollination and the entire food chain.

A study just published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B (Biological Sciences), identifies a dramatic reduction in sperm count in bees exposed to two of Bayer AG's most widely used pesticides—thiamethoxam and clothianidin. They found that those two neonicotinoids, "significantly reduce the reproductive capacity of male honeybees (drones), Apis mellifera. Drones were obtained from colonies exposed to the neonicotinoid insecticides or controls, and subsequently maintained in laboratory cages until they reached sexual maturity...the data clearly showed reduced drone lifespan, as well as reduced sperm viability (percentage living versus dead) and living sperm quantity by 39%."

The study continues: "Our results demonstrate for the first time that neonicotinoid insecticides can negatively affect male insect reproductive capacity, and provide a possible mechanistic explanation for managed honeybee queen failure and wild insect pollinator decline... As the primary egg layer and an important source of colony cohesion, the queen is intimately connected to colony performance. Increased reports of queen failure have recently been reported in North America and Europe; however, no studies have so far investigated the role of neonicotinoids and male health to explain this phenomenon."

Comment:
The death and global extinction of honeybees

Perhaps the biggest foreboding danger of all facing humans is the loss of the global honeybee population. The consequence of a dying bee population impacts man at the highest levels on our food chain, posing an enormously grave threat to human survival. Since no other single animal species plays a more significant role in producing the fruits and vegetables that we humans commonly take for granted yet require near daily to stay alive, the greatest modern scientist Albert Einstein once prophetically remarked, "Mankind will not survive the honeybees' disappearance for more than five years."


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Attention

Risso's dolphin that died near San Francisco airport was dehydrated, malnourished

Aaron Kinney
The Mercury News
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 19:09 UTC
A Risso's dolphin is stranded in the mud near San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016
© ABC 7 News/KGO-TVA Risso's dolphin is stranded in the mud near San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016
Preliminary results from a necropsy show a Risso's dolphin that died in a shallow channel near San Francisco International Airport was severely malnourished and dehydrated, the Sausalito-based Marine Mammal Center said Thursday.

A team from the center, along with the San Francisco Fire Department, retrieved the body of the dolphin Wednesday from the mudflats south of the airport, where the animal became stranded earlier this week.

An analysis of tissue and organ samples will help determine whether there was an underlying illness that caused the dolphin to stop eating. Risso's dolphins are rare visitors to San Francisco Bay. They typically make their home in the open ocean and travel in pods.
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Attention

Addressing the 300-pound gater in the room: Man surprised to find 9-foot reptile in his garage in Fulshear, Texas

Brandon Walker
Click 2 Houson
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:59 UTC
300 pound gator
A man in Fulshear got quite the shock when he opened his garage door Thursday evening. "I took two steps in and his head was literally right there," said Doug Dallmer, describing the nearly 9-foot long alligator that had crawled its way inside the garage. "It was a little nerve-wracking," Dallmer said.

Dallmer called Fulshear police, which in turn called a wrangler to remove the alligator. "It was a big one. We were surprised by how big it was," said Capt. Mike McCoy, Fulshear police. Dallmer recorded video on his cellphone, as a group tried to lasso a rope around the alligator's head. During the recording, the alligator could be heard hissing. It also opened its mouth in an attempt to defend itself.

Alligator sightings are common in Fulshear, as are removals, officials said. Still, this case was odd. "It's unique for an alligator this size. This alligator is quite big," Capt. McCoy said. The official measurement came in at 8 feet, 9 inches long, weighing upwards of 300 pounds.

"It's quite a story. No doubt about it," Doug Dallmer said, breathing a sigh of relief that he and his family are safe. The alligator will be taken to an alligator farm in El Campo, Texas, where it will live on a refuge, officials said. "That was our goal here," said McCoy. "Not to harm the alligator."

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Attention

Bear attacks continue to increase in Akita, Japan


Tokyo Reporter
Wed, 10 Aug 2016 14:10 UTC
Asiatic black bear
Asiatic black bear
Following the deaths of four persons due to attacks by bears earlier in Kazuno City this year, Akita Prefectural Police are investigating three more incidents, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Aug. 9).

At 4:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Kiyomi Abe, 77, suffered injuries to her head and back after she was attacked from behind by a bear in a field at her home in the Hachimantai area. After the woman let out a scream, the bear fled the scene along a national highway.

Ten minutes later, a bear scratched the right thigh of Taeko Abe, 75, in a field about 200 meters away from the first attack. In fleeing the area, the woman broke her left ankle after she jumped down from a height of 1.5 meters. The bear was last seen heading into a forest.

Police suspect that the same animal, measuring about one meter in length, attacked both women.

Comment: See also: Man loses finger in latest bear attack in Japan

and

String of likely bear attacks claims fourth victim in Japan

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Attention

Man killed by sun bear in Malaysia

Sulaiman Jafaar
New Straits Times
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 13:49 UTC
A Thai man died after he was attacked by a sun bear at a durian orchard near the Renok Baru Kesedar settlement here today.
© Wikimedia Commons A Thai man died after he was attacked by a sun bear at a durian orchard near the Renok Baru Kesedar settlement
A Thai man died after he was attacked by a sun bear at a durian orchard near the Renok Baru Kesedar settlement here today.

The body of Mat Didik@Madidi Basa, 40, was found by his son Muhamad Naim, 15, who went out to search for him about 6am.

District police chief Superintendent Rajab Ahad Ismail said the victim had gone out alone to the orchard about 10pm and most likely came across the bear.

"Villagers claimed that they had seen a bear prowling in the orchard. People have also spotted a bear eating durian on a tree. He could encountered the bear while he was collecting the durian and was attacked by the animal.

"There were slash wounds on his head," he said.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Wildlife director Mohamad Khairi Ahmad Said said the department received the information at 8.15am and has deployed five staff to investigate the incident.
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Smiley

Goosed! Avian takes revenge on annoying drone


RT
Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:59 UTC
goose attacks drone
© Heinz-Peter Bader / ReutersGeese are patrolling the skies for drones.
Top Gun's Lt Nick "Goose" Bradshaw has been reincarnated into an actual bird and he's still taking down the enemy. In the case of newly-released video, a drone met its match while flying over the Netherlands.

Michiel Rote was recording with his DJI Phantom above Castle Teylingen in Sassenheim, but 'Goose' didn't appreciate the invasion of privacy.

It flew straight for the drone sending it back down to the ground, before joining up with the other geese and presumably honking a smug remark.


Rote claims his equipment was unharmed and, from what he could tell, the goose was fine too.

"I lost a piece of my prop... the goose was just fine!" he said.

The Dutch sky is a dangerous place for drones with hawks and eagles employed by Dutch police to take down anything flying that poses a security risk - and they are more than pleased to help.

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Fish

Mystery as fish appear in Aberdeenshire garden


BBC
Fri, 12 Aug 2016 19:03 UTC
mystery fish
© Kevin BainAround 75 of the mystery fish showed up in Mr Bain's garden.
An Aberdeenshire man has asked for help in identifying fish which have appeared outside his house.

Kevin Bain found about 75 small fish in his back garden on Thursday.

He believes their arrival is the result of a waterspout which sucked the animals from the sea and dropped them on his property.

Mr. Bain said he thinks the two-inch fish are sand eels but is trying to find out more.
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Black Cat

Jogger uses rock to battle cougar in attack on Vancouver Island, Canada


Alaska Highway News
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:39 UTC
A cougar
© DreamstimeA cougar
A Vancouver-area man used a rock to battle a cougar after the wild cat attacked him on a remote logging road on Vancouver Island.

The attack has prompted B.C.'s Conservation Officer Service to remind residents to report wild cat encounters to the province's 24-hour hotline to help them keep track of cougars as they enter populated areas.

The man, who was not named, was treated for bite and claw wounds and released from hospital in Port Hardy.

He was staying with friends in a cabin in a remote area when the attack occurred on the B.C. Day long weekend, said Acting Insp. Ben York of the Conservation Officer Service.

"He was just out for a jog in the morning along the logging road and encountered a cougar that followed him for a short period of time and then attacked him," York said.
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Info

'Genitalia-eating human-toothed' pacu fish pulled from Michigan lakes


RT
Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:30 UTC
Pacu fish
© The Cosmos News / YouTube
A tropical fish rumored to feast on male genitalia is being dumped by pet owners into Michigan lakes, and conservationists aren't happy about it.

The pacu fish is an all-devouring, or omnivorous, species native to South America and is closely related to the razor-toothed piranha.

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the month of July has become "synonymous with reports of anglers landing pacus" while fishing in the state's lakes.

They suspect pet-owners are discarding the fish when their tanks are no longer able to house the growing creature.
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Attention

Dead humpback whale calf washes up in Port of Brisbane, Australia

Amy Mitchell-Whittington
Brisbane Times
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:23 UTC
A dead humpback whale calf was found at the weekend at the Port of Brisbane.
© Brisbane River Fishing/FacebookA dead humpback whale calf was found at the weekend at the Port of Brisbane.
Authorities have no idea what killed a humpback whale calf found floating in the Port of Brisbane at the weekend.

A dead male humpback calf was spotted floating upside down near the mouth of the Brisbane River about 11.40pm on Saturday night by Alex Donaldson and his friend who were on their way out to go sea fishing.

Mr Donaldson, who fishes a few times a week, said he first thought the calf was a bit of floating rubbish.

"I thought it was a big bit of garbage floating down the river," he said.

"Every week we go out, we usually see a dead turtle so we thought it could be one of them.

"There were quite a few sharks below it, but they weren't coming up to it."
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