2008 Cyber Guide to Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) - USDA Government Research, Parasites, Mites, Pathogens, Pesticides, Threat to Pollination - Projects, Reports, Publications (CD-ROM)

This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM has comprehensive coverage of the ongoing honeybee colony collapse disorder (CCD) crisis, also known as pollinator decline. USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) publications and reports provide full information on every aspect of bee diseases, including foulbrood; chalkbrood; nosema disease; parasitic mites including the tracheal mite and the varroa destructor. There is material from the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Arizona, the Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory in Louisiana, and the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. This extraordinary, encyclopedic collection contains more than 19,000 pages reproduced in Adobe Acrobat PDF files. Colony Collapse Disorder threatens not only pollination and honey production but, much more, this crisis threatens to wipe out production of crops dependent on bees for pollination. Pollination is responsible for $15 billion in added crop value, particularly for specialty crops such as almonds and other nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. If research cannot solve CCD, beekeepers will be unable to meet demand for almonds and other crops. CCD symptoms include the rapid loss of a bee colony's population with very few bees found near colonies, the laying queen present with few remaining attendant bees, and honey and pollen not consumed by invaders. Theories include infection by bacteria, fungi, viruses, spiroplasmas or new pathogens such as a new Nosema (related to the microporidian giardia), the invasive varroa mite and pesticide poisoning (particularly by neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid). Stresses include poor nutrition and migratory stress brought about by the increased need to move bees long distances. Stress could compromise the immune system. While CCD could be caused by a single factor it is also possible that multiple factors are working together to cause colony loss.