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malfunction as a result of an immune response'’’—also applies specifically but conditionally to bees—the condition being that to ensure cognitive impairment in bees, there should be a shortage of available protein, as occurs in the autumn. So we have autumn collapse or fall dwindle disease of bees, also known as colony collapse disorder. malfunction as a result of an immune response'*—also in the hive are the real cause of colony collapse applies specifically but conditionally to bees—the — disorder. The Bt Cry toxins in GM crops are crystals of condition being that to ensure cognitive impairment in proteinaceous insecticidal endotoxins, whose mode of bees, there should be a shortage of available protein, as action is to form a pore or make a hole in the insect's occurs in the autumn. So we have autumn collapse or — gut cell membranes.” While investigating CCD in the fall dwindle disease of bees, also known as colony USA, Cox-Foster et al. noted that their bee autopsies collapse disorder. ound symptoms never observed before: scar tissue in he internal organs." Perhaps these internal scars are Sub-Lethal Effects and Disease Susceptibility he result of non-lethal damage to the bee's gut, caused It is important to note that Bt is not the only _ bythe pore-forming Bt Cry toxins. insecticide that has been shown to cause cognitive Wikipedia describes leaky gut syndrome as "a impairment in bees. In the USA, vanEngelsdorp et al. — condition of altered or damaged bowel lining, caused by mentioned that neonicotinoid insecticides can produce oxins...which has led to increased permeability of the sub-lethal effects, such as learning impairment, and gut wall to substances which normally remain hat, as a result of such learning isolated".” impairment, bees "may not be able to German research has shown that earn the location of the hive"’’ and bees which were fed Bt became hus may be unable to navigate back . greatly more susceptible to a o the hive. So the learning subsequent disease challenge. The So there is a recognised trend of . ° ° University of Jena study showed that earning impairment in bees, caused impairment in bees, mortality in bees exposed to a by insecticide exposure at a sub-lethal induced by parasite was far greater in bees that dose. VanEngelsdorp et al. clearly Q had previously been fed Bt, compared state that if bees are eating "pollen consumption of to bees that were not previously fed contaminated with these chemicals at insecticidal GM Bt*—meaning that Bt increased the ow levels, they may not cause susceptibility of bees to the pathogen mortality but may impact the bee's Bt pollen, can be and thus Bt multiplied the mortality ability to learn or make memories".'* seen as part of a caused by the pathogen. A DS is hat is very similar to the known to increase mortality from previously mentioned finding larger trend for pathogens in humans. In regard tom Ramirez-Romero et al., who . to the increased mortality, the ound "disturbed learning sub lethal doses of German study authors concluded: performances" in bees after some insecticides "{T|he significant differences consumption of GM Bt pollen.” . indicate an interaction of toxin So the learning impairment in to produce learning and pathogen on the epithelial bees, induced by consumption of Impairment in bees. cells of the honeybee intestine. The underlying mechanism which causes this effect is unknown".* Could it be that the Bt Cry toxin makes a non-lethal hole in the insecticidal GM Bt pollen, can be seen as part of a larger trend for sub-lethal doses of some insecticides to produce learning impairment in bees. bee's gut lining, which then The difference between allows a pathogen to gain entry, neonicotinoid insecticide sprays and the Bt insecticide as described above in leaky gut syndrome? in genetically modified crops is that the former is very Cox-Foster et al. said of the CCD bee colonies that they easy to restrict or recall and has even been banned in studied: "(WJe hypothesized that something had various European countries, whereas the GM Bt Cry compromised the bees' immune system, making them toxins may prove impossible to recall. With genetic susceptible to any number of infections that healthy materials, the quantity of GM material in existence gets —_ colonies would normally fend off".” VanEngelsdorp et al. bigger and bigger as time passes. If problems develop __ noted that during the autopsies "when wet mounts were with GM crops, then those problems will likely increase | examined they appeared to have crystalline arrays" and as time passes. For example, bans on exotic pests like that "[c|rystal-like formations were observed in the fire ants do not mean that such imported pests _ thorax".* Bt Cry toxins are crystalline. suddenly disappear. It can be incredibly difficult to get Cox-Foster et al. did consider the possibility that bees rid of biological pests. with CCD may have been poisoned by pollen from When trying to find the cause for CCD, scientists often genetically modified crops. However, these CCD discover a variety of diseases in the bees remaining in Working Group members simply referred to earlier the hive. Perhaps those diseases in the bees remaining research showing that the Bt toxin is only activated in So the learning impairment in bees, induced by c consumption of insecticidal GM larger trend for sub-lethal doses of to produce learning impairment in bees. 28 * NEXUS Bt pollen, can be seen as part of a some insecticides DECEMBER 2010 - JANUARY 2011 www.nexusmagazine.com