If you've been following recent environmental news in the last half decade, you're aware that honey bees in Europe and the United States are undergoing a massive decline in hive population, at an increasingly alarming rate. When a bee takes on a new job usually done by a younger bee, its brain stops aging! When the honey bees in her apiary began dying off, she began to research the cause.“Bees and insects have no food because everything is green, everything is grass,” she said of her property surrounded by dairy farms.Post said the Dutch government identified a decline in beekeeping, the use of pesticides and fertilizers, invasive pests, and a shortage of food and habitat as contributors to the decline of bees.“Three problems of the four problems, I cannot do anything about it. Here are just a few notable foods humans stand to lose in substantial quantities if they continue dying.Alfalfa, Almonds, Apples, Apricot, Blackberry, Blueberry, Bok Choy, Brazil Nuts, Cherry, Clovers, Cucumbers, Grapes, Mangoes, Muskmelon, Nectarine, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Persimmon, native Plum, Prunes, Pumpkin, Raspberry, Squash, Sunflower, Tamarind, Tomatoes, Trefoil, Watermelon and Vanilla.This is just some of what we'd be missing, production wise.
Timmermans said they serve as nesting space for swifts, bats and other birds.While these efforts appear to be having a positive effect on wildlife, it’s unclear exactly how much damage urban development had on the bees and pollinators in Amsterdam before records were kept.Timmermans said an initial survey was conducted in 2000 to establish a baseline for future research, and whether a significant loss in bee species occurred before that is unknown.However, a 2015 survey of pollinators found 21 bee species not previously documented in the city.The dwindling bee populationhas been noted in the Netherlands since the 1950s.David Kleijn, an ecology professor at Wageningen University, said the biggest factor contributing to the decline of bees globally is loss of habitat. It is amazing that such a small insect could have so much influence on all that we eat, but it does. In Wisconsin, beekeepers can apply to have their honey certified as pure and use “Wisconsin certified honey” on their packaging.
I think it is excellent that you are raising awareness of this issue because honey bees are necessary for our existence. I don't think many people put much thought into it, though :( At least not where we are (maybe in California).Anyway, great article :) I'm sharing it on Flipboard :)just blog hopping here and drippon by to greet you happy new year.
Bees exist in all types of climates around the world, from forests in Europe to deserts in Africa–even in the Arctic Circle. But recently, scientists from the University of Maryland have identified a cocktail of fungicides and pesticides that are contaminating pollen that the bees collect to feed their entire colony.However, this is only one factor that attributes to honey bees disappearing worldwide. It’s scary because we don’t really know why this is happening, and it’s causing a loss of a significant number of bee colonies.
Honey bees and bumblebees live socially, led by a queen and serviced by male drones and female worker bees.
The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.Let our news meet your inbox. Michael is an author with a passion for the environment and he is trying to save the planet, one reader at a time!Are you aware that honey bees worldwide are dying from Colony Collapse Disorder, an affliction that could have global ramifications? No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked.
I'm so glad you found a use for the image that could help bees.
I thank you, so do the honey bees!My daughter and I found this bee lying dead in our garden and she asked me to photograph it. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.I stumbled onto this site. Soldier bees, discovered in 2012, work as security guards their whole life.
if only we could imitate bee's attitude towards work, then i am sure the world will be better.I apologize for taking so long to reply Ann, it is very saddening what we're doing to our planet.
Unfortunately, corporate greed is still a prevalent factor in the declining health of the entire planet.There have been some unsubstantiated claims and theories around the causes of colony collapse disorder. Sixty-six percent of all bee species in the country are on the red list, classifying them as endangered.Post lives about 40 miles southwest of Amsterdam in a rural community. Yet these agrochemical companies put all their efforts not to address the problem but spend their immense resources to dissuade the public of the devastating consequences of fiddling with nature.Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has approved yet another insecticide that is highly toxic and deadly to honey bees.