What is causing
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)?
Colony Collapse Disorder were words I had never heard before.
As I relaxed in my plastic folding chair under a large canvas tent... I was not prepared for a new idea to form in my mind.
The instructor was teaching us about the basics of gardening. My family and a few of our friends were all there.
The weather was ideal for this late November day in North Texas...blue sky, mild temperatures...the smell of barbeque and the sounds of livestock and children mingled in the crisp air.
PERFECT!
The instructor said something about the benefits of keeping bees near your garden, and I dismissed it.
I shivered as I could "see" hundreds of these insects (bees) flying through our yard as I tried to garden!
No thanks, I have no need for any MORE insects to deal with in our heat-stricken Texas summers.
As the instructor continued teaching, his repeated mention of his joy in bee keeping began to arouse my curiosity.
One of the "students" raised his hand to ask a question... "Have you lost any of your hives to CCD?", he asked.
The teacher shook his head and said that he has never lost one.
Another student, curious, asked "What is CCD?"
The instructor began explaining how in some parts of Europe and the US, bee keepers have lost between 30-50% of their bees to Colony Collapse Disorder.
"No one seems to know why honey bees are dying, or more accurately...disappearing! One day they are there, and the next, they are gone!" continued the instructor.
My mind was stirred up now. That's weird! Disappearing?! "Yeah, it's almost like they lose their bearings and can't find their way home" continued the teacher.
By the end of the gardening workshop, my curiosity about keeping honey bees had been piqued.
His comments took me from mildly uninterested in bees to committed to learn more about them.
If honey bees were that good for a garden (which I was already committed to), then maybe I need to give them a try...at least I was going find out more about them.
So began my quest for information about colony collapse disorder (CCD). In the process I discovered a unique and special creature!
Information on where we were on that day.
And now, a number of years later...
I have become an insect lover!
The Five most compelling theories for the cause of CCD...
* Urbanization, global warming & Electromagnetic radiation
What causes Colony Collapse Disorder?
What do you believe to be THE main cause for CCD? What evidence do you have to back up your theory? What personal experience can you share that might reinforce your opinion? We want YOUR opinion, please share it here!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Global warming and electromagnetic radiation as a cause for CCD 
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Bee removals are extremely rewarding.
Not only is the beekeeper providing a service to the resident, but he/she is also saving bees and building up their apiary. An added benefit is the genetic diversity gained through the introduction of potential feral colonies.
Here are some of my recent adventures...
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