subject: The Disappearing Bee [print this page] In recent years the bee population has been in decline which has become a very serious situation. Can you imagine a world without bees? Bees have a very important job to do to allow the human race to continue. It has been stated that without the bee the human race would probably not last for more than a decade, due to the fact that they in no small part, help to pollinate crops of fruit and vegetables not to mention our garden flowers. Some species of bee have such a close relationship with certain plants that without them the plants would most probably disappear from our countryside for ever. Therefore for the human race to survive we must do more to save the humble bee.
Bees have sustained significant declines through recent years due to the impact of intensive farming. Since the Second World War their habitat has fast been eroded by intensive farming and pollution from the increased use of pesticides.
Other factors have had their effect on the bee, like the cooler wet summers and inbreeding which has reduced the bee's genetic diversity. Another major problem has been the parasite known as the Varroa mite which weakens the bees immune system, which in turn leaves the bees open to attack from other diseases. When a colony becomes contaminated by way of the mite and it is left untreated it is likely that the colony will probably perish in just a short period of time.
If that was not enough in 2006 it was being reported that a strange thing was happening to bee colonies in the United States; the hives were being abandoned almost overnight. This was to be known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This then spread to Europe and the UK with devastating results. Reasons for CCD have been suggested, like parasites and viruses, but even with large sums of money being spent to ascertain the cause the answer has yet to be found.
Yet another problem is likely to affect the bees, a problem that is unknown at present like the effects of GM crops and the extreme changes to weather conditions that may be a result of climate change.
We can all do things to make a difference. We need to throw away garden pesticides and start growing plants which have nectar-rich flowers. We can use organic fruit and vegetables and if able install bee hives in gardens and learn how to look after the bees. They are going to repay your care and attention by manufacturing honey and wax as well as pollinating your flowers and vegetables. You will possibly not feel that these kind of comparatively basic actions can undoubtedly help to make a positive change to the plight of the bee, but when all of us take action, however modest, collectively it will eventually produce a significant improvement to the plight of the humble bee.
