Wired has a great article on the possible reasons for the massive bee die-off. This is a major problem as a third of our food supply relies on these little solders for pollination.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are ubiquitous in everday consumer plant treatments, and may expose bees to far higher doses than those found on farms, where neonicotinoids used in seed coatings are alreadyconsidered a major problem by many scientists.
“It’s amazing how much research is out there on seed treatments, and in a way that’s distracted everyone from what may be a bigger problem,” said Mace Vaughan, pollinator program director at the Xerces society, an invertebrate conservation group.
The vast majority of attention paid to neonicotinoids, the world’s most popular class of pesticides, has focused on their agricultural uses and possible effects. A growing body of research suggests that, even at non-lethal doses, the pesticides can disrupt bee navigation and make them vulnerable to disease and stress.
Here is a little video to help explain.
Some interesting information regarding the tomato. It’s a sad situation, much like a lot of other food industries. On a personal note, my tomatoes are doing phenomenal this year. Helps having a garden that faces south, is protected by the wind, and soil that is more that 1.5 feet deep.