Example of the importance of Biodiversity and Nature

Ahh but species have been going extinct for millions of years, whats the big deal. lol. I hate when people say that.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ Oct 18 2006, 12:32 PM) [snapback]334514[/snapback]</div>

Not if I can help it - since I raise bees. Believe it or not, a beehive is the most sterile environment on earth, next to man.

It just goes to show you never know where the next cure might come from. So let's keep chopping down our rain forests in an effort for short-term profits.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dreichla @ Oct 18 2006, 11:50 AM) [snapback]334530[/snapback]</div>

You raise bees! That's so cool. I heard honey will never, ever go bad due to the enzymes (or some other component). It may crystalize, in which case you just need to heat it to a certain temp. True or false? Are you raising native honey bees or an imported species?

A significant portion of our medicine (and herbal remedies) come from rainforests so I am fully in support of the conservation of these areas. Purchase shade grown, organic coffee with the Rainforest Alliance label if you're inclined to do your part. Cocaine is another enemy of the rainforest but I'm presuming that Prius Chatters would never partake in this substance!

 

I love to hear about people doing even small things to make a difference.

I think the point of the post is to show that you never know where a new cure or useful item will pop up in the natural world so biodiversity is the key to survival on this planet and always has been. conservation efforts are important everywhere in the wrold. Not just places we know to have value simply because places we currently htink are useless could one day be the "fountain of youth". With our climate change problems biodiversity becomes even more important. Many species will go extinct because of it and others will rise up to fill their niche. Without this diversity it could take much longer to fill those niches and thus disturb the whole ecosystem if some of those extinct creatures were keystone species. Nature will take care of itself in many repsects but do we as humans (short term creatures) have the capability of waiting that long before we extinct ourselves?

I live in the biodiversity hotspot of the United States and it galls me to see all of this devoloper money pushing pushed into our cities and all the wonderful natural places being destroyed for retarded tract mansions and starter castles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Oct 18 2006, 04:29 PM) [snapback]334702[/snapback]</div>

As far as I know, there are no native honey bees in the US - mine are Italians. And yes - honey lasts a long time - honey has been found in the pyramids that is still good. All "non-processed" honey will crystalize more quickly than the mass produced stuff.

Some say if you consume local, unprocessed honey, you'll have better immunity to allergies since your're ingesting local pollens. But the jury's still out on that one.

 

I checked on Wikipedia and it does seem that there are no native bee species to the U.S., which I find strange. I've read in the past that african bees are muscling our native bees out of their territories and may render them extinct. Are they referring to the other introduced bee species that were here before the african bee, or do I just have plain wrong info?

I have a bee box in my garden but it's only for the solitary species. I have a diversity of hole sizes to attract anything from mason to leaf cutter to solitary wasps. Last year was my first year using the box and the residency is about half full. I'll see what comes out in Spring. I know for sure that some leaf cutter bees have taken up residence.

Do you market your honey under a certain brand? If so, I'll look for your product in the stores around here.