May 13, 2008 10:50AM GMTMay 13, 2008 10:50:47
Question • Lifestyle - Health
Posted by Cassie

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3 answers
6 comments
raves +1  
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Do you think you would support cloning if it was used to clone honey bees?

An alarming die-off of honey bees has beekeepers fighting for commercial survival and crop growers wondering whether bees will be available to pollinate their crops this spring and summer. Researchers are scrambling to find answers to what's causing an affliction recently named Colony Collapse Disorder, which has decimated commercial beekeeping operations in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Honey bees are detrimental to the human race, we would barely be able to support ourselves without them.
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Sort By: Raves | Date Comments
  • raves     [-] by MadHatter posted May 13, 2008 03:51PM GMTMay 13, 2008 15:51:41
    MadHatter reply

    Answered Yes

    moderated...
  • raves +1   [-] by Army Wife NC posted May 13, 2008 11:17AM GMTMay 13, 2008 11:17:55
    Army Wife NC reply

    Answered Yes

    But wed have to be careful if the situation was similar to the Irish potato famine: they had too much genetic similarity so the blight could kill all the crops in one go. The same could be happening to the honey bees, so cloning the same ones wouldn't solve the problem.
  • raves     [-] by Cassie posted May 13, 2008 11:45AM GMTMay 13, 2008 11:45:55
    Cassie reply
    Yea, I know what you mean. Maybe they could do one or two from different colonies, to mix it up.
  • raves     [-] by Army Wife NC posted May 13, 2008 02:06PM GMTMay 13, 2008 14:06:26
    Army Wife NC reply
    problem is that most colonies already have the exact same genetics. The queen produces only limited variety. I wonder if they could use males from one colony to breed in another, or if the males would be killed as outsiders?
  • raves     [-] by greenwoodtree posted May 13, 2008 06:27PM GMTMay 13, 2008 18:27:57
    SodaHead is online! greenwoodtree reply
    (wife) Polls often ask if anyone has changed their mind because of a post. I would have said, yes, I'd support cloning bees. After reading your post, no, I would not. You are thinking further down the line than I was. Thanks.
  • raves +1   [-] by Army Wife NC posted May 13, 2008 09:25PM GMTMay 13, 2008 21:25:22
    Army Wife NC reply
    I'm glad you think my answers are worth so much, but i must warn you that i have only a basic understanding of genetics gleaned from two sisters in the medical field. There is perhaps another angle that hasn't been explored, but it would require research that i don't know how to do. So perhaps it is still a viable idea, i simply don't know how to find an answer.