The only good thing about this is I understand Osama bin Laden derives significant income in bee and honey production. This will hit that bearded goat's pocketbook.

"never seen a miracle of science,
didn't go from a blessing to a curse."
-Sting

In this case, that may be very true. This is the first I have heard of cell phones being the culprit. Others are saying genetically engineered (modified foods) are to blame. Somebody better figure it out right away.

On a side note- Has anyone checked to see if the 'killer bees' are dying off?

This is also of note: (from that link)

"Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers, like so many apian Mary Celestes. The vanished bees are never found, but thought to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives."

This to me suggests a residual threat,toxin or something else is left behind. Animals and insects have only instincts (that we know of) to guide them. How would something as small as a parasite know to stay away from a 'dead' hive? Interesting...

As long as they still sting and some people die from bee stings then let the little beasts all die. I'm using my cell phone more often now.

The suggestion that parasites stay away from the abandoned hives would support a theory regarding toxins or virus etc. If it WERE cell-phones, how would that make the hives undesirable to parasites? I can't see how. Can anybody else?

As for yallways' comment. You have to realize the importance the survival of the bees has for our OWN survival. No bees = no pollination = no food = no us. That's the long and short of it. We NEED bees, stings or not.

I'd consider a toxin or virus, except that even in my residential neighborhood, the bees have not come around. Didn't seen one when my mountain laurels bloomed this year, and usually you have to be careful.

A Cornell University study has estimated that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in the United States, mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts.
“Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,”
Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation.

I suggest we handle this in a typically American fashion. Ignore it and let our kids worry about it.

Bees

...when we will have killed the last bee (beside other things) only then the white man will understand that he cannot eat MONEY. Perhaps we better look for a retreat in a remote jungle area and get adequate survival training from the locals ... if they are still around!!

Pedroclipper

A dark thought, and probably ridiculous... Osama derives most of his income from various bee and honey businesses in the Middle East. What if this was a biological warfare plan gone awry.. some government scientist discovers a way to disrupt bees to deny al qaeda operating funds, and the parasite or toxin gets loose in the world? Kind of like agent orange gone global. On the other hand, since OBL is such a bee expert what if his people have unleashed a parasite/toxin in North America? 7th century chemical warfare...

Nothing seems ridiculous these days.

OBL wouldn't be stupid enough to do that , IMO.
The poppy fields in Afghanistan rely on bees as well for pollination. Poppies are used to make heroin and Afghanistan has enough to supply the world's addicts 3 times over right now. It would seem very unlikely that he would try anything that could disrupt his cashflow.

Again, yallways. Why do you care of nothing but your self and your own comfort. How would you lie to be a dying bee, no matter what the cause.

It's not just about comfort, it's about our very survival.