"The Breeding of the bee," says a United States Dept of Agiculture bulletin on artificial insemination,"has always been handicaped by the fact that the Queen mates in mid-air and with whatever drone she encounters." There has been an alarming developement in the use of honey bees to pollinate our crops. Florida was the first to experience what they now term CCD or colony collapse disorder some farms are seeing as much as 90% of the hives are disappearing and those reports are now coming in from 27 states according to a nationwide investigation. Congressional panels and the US Dept of Agriculture are "Swarming" to the problem that is appearing to worsen. The future ramifications are truely scary! As i mentioned from a quote from an EB White refrencing breeding bees. Not only can we not artificially breed bees, but without them we will ALL starve! we cant find a way to replace their function nor duplicate it.Once again "Pachamama"(mother nature) reminds us who is the boss.Famine is on the brink of being the single largest killer in human history! With droughts reducing the farmable land and bees going on strike it appears that we all might get to experience what going to bed hungry is like. Here is E.B.Whites Poem,My father was very fond of it.(He was married 5 xs) When the air is wine and the wind is free and the morning sits on the lovely lea and sunlight ripples on every tree,Then love-in-air is the thing for me. Im a bee, im a ravishing,rollicking,young queen bee, thats me. There's a kind of a wild and glad elation in the natural way of insemination; Who thinks that love is a handicap is a fuddydud and a common sap, For i am a queen and im a bee,I'm devil-may-care and im fancy-free, The test tube does not appeal to me, not me, im a bee. And im here to state that ill always mate wth whatever drone i encounter. Let mares and cows, by calculating improve themselves with loveless mating,Let groundlings breed in the modern fashion,ill stick to the air in grand old passion; I may be small and im just a bee but i wont have science improving me, Not me I'm a bee. On a day that's fair with a wind that's free,any old drone is the lad for me. Im a bee and i simply love it,im a bee and im darn glad of it, i m bee and i know about love: You go upstaires, you go above, you do not pause to dine or sup, The sky wont wait its a long trip up. You rise,you soar, you take the blue,its you and me,kid, me and you, its everything,its the nearest drone, its never a thing you find alone. im a bee im free. If any old farmer can keep me and hive me, Then any old drone may catch me and wive me; Im sorry for creatures who cannot pair on a gorgeous day in the upper air. Im sorry for cows who have to boast of love affairs by parcel post. Im sorry for man with his plots and guile, his test tube manner and test tube smile; Ill multiply and ill increase as i always have-by mere caprice; For i am a queen and im a bee, im devil may care and fancy free, Love-in-air is the thing for me, oh,its simply rare in the beautiful air, and i wish to state that i will always mate with whatever drone i encounter. In fond memory of My father whos recitles of this and many others i miss. And in hopes that we beg forgiveness of Pachamama so the bee can once again be fancy free. Florida and Texas are taking a severe beating from mother nature and its only just beginning. 3/12/08 UPDATE Please go to Illumination guy's and read an update and watch the videos (60 minutes segment and a nature station episode) in the comment section.