Could mushrooms be the key to saving bees?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jedishrfu
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential role of mushrooms in supporting bee populations, alongside concerns regarding the impact of pesticides, particularly glyphosate, on bee health. Participants explore various aspects of these topics, including anecdotal observations, scientific studies, and the broader implications for pollinator decline.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Paul Stamets shares a personal anecdote about bees interacting with mushrooms he was growing, suggesting a potential beneficial relationship.
  • Some participants inquire about the number of social insects that engage in farming behaviors, hinting at broader ecological interactions.
  • There is a question regarding whether glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is a direct cause of hive collapse.
  • One participant cites scientific studies linking neonicotinoid pesticides to harm in bees, while expressing skepticism about glyphosate's direct effects on insects.
  • Another participant notes that Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been observed historically, suggesting that glyphosate's introduction may not be the sole factor in hive decline.
  • A later reply mentions a study indicating that glyphosate may disrupt honey bee gut microbiota, potentially affecting their health.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the role of glyphosate in bee health, with some arguing it is unlikely to be a direct cause of hive collapse, while others raise concerns about its potential indirect effects. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall impact of mushrooms and pesticides on bee populations.

Contextual Notes

Some claims rely on anecdotal evidence and personal observations, while others reference scientific studies without consensus on their implications. The discussion includes unresolved questions about the mechanisms by which glyphosate may affect bees.

jedishrfu
Mentor
Insights Author
Messages
15,699
Reaction score
10,512
SEATTLE—The epiphany that mushrooms could help save the world’s ailing bee colonies struck Paul Stamets while he was in bed.

“I love waking dreams,” he said. “It’s a time when you’re just coming back into consciousness.”

Years ago, in 1984, Stamets had noticed a “continuous convoy of bees” traveling from a patch of mushrooms he was growing and his beehives. The bees actually moved wood chips to access his mushroom’s mycelium, the branching fibers of fungus that look like cobwebs.

https://triblive.com/usworld/world/...long-haired-hippie-could-help-save-the-worlds
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jim mcnamara and BillTre
Biology news on Phys.org
So is "Roundup" the real cause of hive collapse?
 
alantheastronomer said:
So is "Roundup" the real cause of hive collapse?

Scientific studies have implicated pesticides containing neonicotinoid compounds in harming bees and other pollinator insects: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018...controversial-neonic-pesticides-threaten-bees

Roundup, whose active ingredient is the herbicide glyphosate, would not be expected to directly affect insects, and I am not aware of any studies showing this.
 
alantheastronomer said:
So is "Roundup" the real cause of hive collapse?

Unlikely, as CCD has been observed in the 19th century. Glyphosate was invented in the 1970's.
 
Ygggdrasil said:
Scientific studies have implicated pesticides containing neonicotinoid compounds in harming bees and other pollinator insects: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018...controversial-neonic-pesticides-threaten-bees

Roundup, whose active ingredient is the herbicide glyphosate, would not be expected to directly affect insects, and I am not aware of any studies showing this.
The article you referenced stated that the compounds impaired the bees' navigation and reproduction. I remember reading somewhere that glyphosate weakened their immune system making them vulnerable to a certain fungus. I'm so sorry, I can't provide the reference for you.