Causes of Increasing Death Rates and Overall Decline of the Bee Population: We can't just let them BEE.
Darence Gonzales, September 9, 2018
Bee declining rates have skyrocketed in the recent years. GreenPeace USA has stated in their article “Save the Bees” that “In the U.S., winter losses have commonly reached 30-50 percent, in some cases more. In 2006, David Hackenberg — a bee keeper for 42 years — reported a 90 percent die-off among his 3,000 hives. U.S. National Agricultural Statistics show a honey bee decline from about 6 million hives in 1947 to 2.4 million hives in 2008, a 60 percent reduction.” News and statistics like these are very alarming, not just for the bees and their sake, but for the overall state of mankind and the world.
It is a world-known fact that bees are significant to the sustainability and stability of nature and the world. GreenPeace has also said in the same article that “Honey bees — wild and domestic — perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains are primarily pollinated by the wind, but fruits, nuts and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees.” Due to this, the continuous decline of the bee population should be looked upon and given increased attention for getting solutions to solve the problem. The main causes of bee decline are nothing out of the ordinary. Bee-killing pesticides have trended together with the evolution of modern-day agriculture and farming (Monoculture). This has directly affected the bee population with the ability of the said pesticides to wipe out bee colonies with ease. On the other hand, climate change also plays a part in the increasing death rates of bees, with the severe weather patterns and temperature changes giving a direct hit to the survivability of the bees. Lastly, industrial processes and practices that include expansion and land reforming with the relentless destruction of wild habitats forcing the bees out of their nesting sites.
With all the information that was presented, something can still be done to prevent and decrease the death rates of the bee population. Pushing for a ban of the most dangerous anti-bee pesticides can be one. Asking for increased protection of wild habitats from our governments can be another. Lastly, embracing traditional and ecological agriculture nationally and globally can be of huge help to save the bees because there will be no danger in pollinating without artificial materials like pesticides.
The human race should take notice of this issue because without the bees, certain daily essentials like food would take a hit due to the crop pollinating power of the bees. The world will also lose most of its beauty with the destruction of floral landscapes and wonders. This is why we can’t just let them BEE. Bees are significant to life itself. We should take action and take the path of being a bee-friendly world by following the solutions presented previously. In other words, we should all BEE a hero.
Sources:
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/why-bees-are-important-to-our-planet/
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/save-the-bees/
http://sos-bees.org/causes/
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43200277
It is a world-known fact that bees are significant to the sustainability and stability of nature and the world. GreenPeace has also said in the same article that “Honey bees — wild and domestic — perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains are primarily pollinated by the wind, but fruits, nuts and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees.” Due to this, the continuous decline of the bee population should be looked upon and given increased attention for getting solutions to solve the problem. The main causes of bee decline are nothing out of the ordinary. Bee-killing pesticides have trended together with the evolution of modern-day agriculture and farming (Monoculture). This has directly affected the bee population with the ability of the said pesticides to wipe out bee colonies with ease. On the other hand, climate change also plays a part in the increasing death rates of bees, with the severe weather patterns and temperature changes giving a direct hit to the survivability of the bees. Lastly, industrial processes and practices that include expansion and land reforming with the relentless destruction of wild habitats forcing the bees out of their nesting sites.
With all the information that was presented, something can still be done to prevent and decrease the death rates of the bee population. Pushing for a ban of the most dangerous anti-bee pesticides can be one. Asking for increased protection of wild habitats from our governments can be another. Lastly, embracing traditional and ecological agriculture nationally and globally can be of huge help to save the bees because there will be no danger in pollinating without artificial materials like pesticides.
The human race should take notice of this issue because without the bees, certain daily essentials like food would take a hit due to the crop pollinating power of the bees. The world will also lose most of its beauty with the destruction of floral landscapes and wonders. This is why we can’t just let them BEE. Bees are significant to life itself. We should take action and take the path of being a bee-friendly world by following the solutions presented previously. In other words, we should all BEE a hero.
Sources:
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/why-bees-are-important-to-our-planet/
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/save-the-bees/
http://sos-bees.org/causes/
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43200277