There was a post last week in which the author specifically mentions a gene spliced onto corn (bt) which is a naturally occuring insecticide. He also mentions Monsanto’s efforts to lobby for more growing areas. He coorelates these areas vs bee population decline. What I couldn’t reconcile was the mention that bees do not pollinate corn, so how does corn sugar enter a bee’s ecosystem? Any insight? I think this genetically modified crop thing is worth investigating though.
During part of the year beekeepers must feed their bees. Most commecial beekeepers feed corn syrup that is how the bees are having contact with corn pesticides (genetic or even sprayed).
As a gardener, I pretty sure I've seen bees on the tassels. I'll have to pay closer attention this year.
... a research study on corn pollen collection and in the southern states where corn tassles sooner than in the north, Rain often causes other earlier plant pollen sources to bloom and caused the corn to be available and useable for brood rearing. There is NO nectar collection, but all bee books, and all other sources list corn as a pollen source, early spring in the south where corn will tassle the bees are heavily visiting the tassles with as many as 50 workers per meter of crop (I know I counted as part of the study). I have samples to prove it so your comment that corn is only wind pollinated is erroneous. Corn in general is self pollinating (wind, stick beaters, mechanical machine pollination etc.) but there ARE insects and bees that do visit the blossoms. Agriculture is essential to all of our survival GMO has its place in some schools of thought but remember that there ARE drawbacks from GMO crops including resistance that is now being shown at many research stations.