ALBERT EINSTEIN AGAINST HONEYBEE-KILLING PESTICIDES

     I received a rather depressing memo from the Organic Consumers Association. On February 7, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) OK'd another toxic chemical into the mainstream of pesticides. It is one toxic to honeybees and the EPA listened to the unscientific, but rich, corporations that will reap enormous profits from this pesticide being sprayed all over America ad the world. Well, maybe not Europe, for the EU outlaws many such toxic chemicals from use inside their borders.

OUR PICK!

     The sad part is that the EPA neglected to listen to the scientific evidence and to the objections of environmentalists, scientists, parents and other citizens in our mutating democratic society. Yes, mutating, i.e., transforming into a plutocracy that responds to the wishes of the rich and powerful and not to the rest of us. Even Albert Einstein must be fuming from his grave, for he once said, "If the bee disappears from the earth, man would have no more than four years to live."     Fortunately, some of the people we elected and sent to Washington do, indeed, fight for us. The Saving America’s Pollinators Act (H.R. 2692) has been introduced, but is faltering in committee, where it was sent in August 2013. So, the pollinators, along with our children, may fall prey to the latest bee-killing pesticide that successfully was registered by the EPA...cyantraniliprole. It will be contaminating a host of items lining our grocery story shelves, including milk, leafy vegetables, almonds, berries and onions.
     So, thank you EPA! Thanks for joining Dupont and Sygenta and a host of other pesticides-for-profit industries in ignoring a host of intellectual and compassionate American citizens, including Albert Einstein. Last year you approved  
the pesticide sulfoxaflor, this year, cyantraniliprole. Hey, I have an idea...let's reintroduce DDT in 2015!
     By the way, hat's off to Oregon and California, for they 
introduced state bills to restrict the use of bee-killing pesticides. I think it's time for Congress to step up and support a national plan to protect the bees. Tell Your Representative: Please Support the Saving America’s Pollinators Act (H.R. 2692). 
     I wish Dupont and Sygenta were aware of the inter- dependence of plants and animals and that the bee and other pollinators actually make this dependence successfully work in nature. Bees are the most important pollinator. I guess they would know what they're doing after doing it for over one hundred million years.
     I wonder what the effect of these "super-pesticides" will be on other unknown pollinators, such as moths and bats, which pollinate plants at night? Most people don't realize that bats pollinate over three hundred different kinds of of fruit and cacti. Oh, heck...let's take 'em all out!
     My father maintained a couple bee hives in his retirement, and was fascinated by them. He studied and observed how his honeybee colony was organized into queen bee, workers and drones. He would tell us interesting facts about his bees, such as they had five eyes five eyes to aid in navigation utilizing light, color and direction. I didn't know the worker bees have two stomachs, one for eating and one for storing the nectar they gather.
     I'll be thinking of Dupont, Sygenta and the EPA this summer as I observe honeybees visit my garden and fill the tiny pouches on their back legs with pollen, then zoom back to the hive with their bounty, where the processing bees eventually insert nectar into a honeycomb cell. I bet few in the EPA know that an enzyme is also inserted that allows it all to ripen and dry into honey for them, and humans, to eat.
     With urban sprawl ruining prime habit for bees and other animals, wildflowers vanishing from the new "manscapes",  and farmers fumigating their crops with bee-killing pesticides, things look pretty dismal for the honeybee...please contact your representative, today and make him/her aware of your concerns.

DEDICATED TO SAVING THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY & POLLINATORS

Note: Please sign the "Stop Roadside Mowing of Monarch Food Plants" petition in upper right margin. Thank you!

Swamp Milkweed planted in my yard

These sites are all about saving the Monarch Butterfly and other insect species from the ravages of mankind. They offer hope and encouragement in helping Monarchs and other species of butterflies and pollinators from disappearing. Please... get involved!

Monarch Joint Venture (MJV): A partnership of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and academic programs that are working together to support and coordinate efforts to protect the monarch migration across the lower 48 United States. The MJV is committed to a science-based approach to monarch conservation work, guided by the North American Monarch Conservation Plan (2008).

Obsession With Butterflies: Spreading an awareness of butterflies, helping to preserve their natural habitats, butterfly gardening & life cycle info and lots of unique butterfly gifts! Based in Southern California. 
 

Pollinator Partnership: A non-profit group called Pollinator Partnership. They protect pollinators through conservation, education, and research. Based in San Francisco, CA 
 

Monarch Watch is a nonprofit educational outreach program that focuses on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its spectacular fall migration. Based in Lawrence, KS

Moving For Monarchs is a dance, film and photography project dedicated to Monarch Butterfly conservation. Based out of Manhattan, New York. 

North American Butterfly Association: Dedicated to education and conservation of butterflies throughout North America. Excellent resource on creating butterfly gardens with nectar and host plants.  

Save the Monarchs! This site celebrates the magnificent Monarch Butterfly and raises awareness to save the critically-endangered North American migrations. Wonderful photos and personal notes that I enjoy reading.

British Butterflies is a site created by Steven Cheshire out of Warwickshire, England. Steven provides an online resource for anyone interested in butterflies, nature and the natural environment.  

Butterfly Encounters sells milkweed and nectar plant seeds enjoyed by Monarchs. Milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch Butterfly. It offers a wide variety of milkweed plant species for sale, native to all parts of the U.S. The woman who created this site is temporarily closing it down to spend more time with her family. You may urge her to continue afterwards, since it is an amazing site for Monarch host and nectar plants.  

Monarch Glide Path was created by Sue Hegedus, a lady who desires to help save all our pollinators, including the disappearing Monarch Butterfly. She urges you to help by planning a pollinating garden + milkweed plants today!

Monarch Butterfly Fund (MBF) seeks out and establishes international partnerships among groups and individuals from Mexico, Canada, and the United States that share common interests in forest restoration and monarch butterfly conservation. MBF recognizes that economic development and conservation activities must proceed hand-in-hand.

The Habitat Gardener is created by Susan Smith. She believes in creating healthy habitats for wildlife & people. She's passionate about native, edible, organic & sustainable landscapes.

The Xerces Society protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat by harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of citizens to implement conservation programs.

Bumble Bee Watch tracks and conserves North America’s bumble bees. This citizen science project allows you to join in the effort by: Uploading photos of bumble bees to start a virtual bumble bee collection; Identifying the bumble bees in your photos and have your identifications verified by experts; helping researchers determine the status and conservation needs of bumble bees; helping locate rare or endangered populations of bumble bees; learning about bumble bees, their ecology, and ongoing conservation efforts; and connecting with other citizen scientists.

Monarch Tomorrow offers means to help preserve the Monarch Butterfly and other endangered species. Great site to learn about the Monarch and the latest news about its survival.