Pollution from an ethanol plant killing research hives in Nebraska

[Bakersdozen]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/10/mead-nebraska-ethanol-plant-pollution-danger

This is an interesting article about a small town and wildlife suffering from the run off from a legal but poorly monitored ethanol plant.  The bee lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, headed my Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, was unable to stop acute kills of their research hives.  Judy started doing some research and uncovered a terrible situation.  I heard her speak on her research and findings about this ethanol plant.  In entombed cells that found toxic levels of Chlorothalinal.  Chlorothalinal causes delayed larvae development, and creates spotty brood.  Her team was finding the bees were removing unhatched eggs after 8 days.  They found the Chlorothalinal in pollen not nectar. She speculated that nectar foragers might not be making it back to the hive.

[Les]

Mother Nature sure is taking a beating from our handiwork.  I tell people all the time that Mother Earth is going to reach a point where humanity is no longer welcome.

[Bakersdozen]

I tell people all the time that Mother Earth is going to reach a point where humanity is no longer welcome.

Well said, Les.

I stopped at the local garden center yesterday to pick up some milkweed seeds.  There were no other customers and there a bored young man behind the register.  He started the conversation but I ended it!  I am one to never pass up an opportunity to enlighten my fellow man on the lack of forage for pollinators.

[Gypsi]

the fields just south of me are about to become a CISD Sports complex. I wondered where all the squirrels and possums were coming from, and the giant rats.  The bulldozers have been busy.