Stop Killing Bees! Our Lives Depend On It!
There have been a lot of apocalyptic buzzwords floating around the web-o-sphere these days. Terms like global warming, bird flu, and weapons of mass destruction are enough to make any one cringe.
But there is a very common cause, of environmental problems, that is destroying our planet.
Pesticides.
More specifically, killing bee’s and wasps with pesticides.
Take a moment and imagine, if you will, a world without bees.
Now you may be thinking to yourself, “Yeah what’s the big deal with bees? Why do I care if they all die? They sting me and torment my dog”.
Well maybe that’s just my dog (bees love to sting him for some reason), but that is beside the point.
You may not realize this but bees are a large reason that we are alive today
Bees are responsible for about 30% of the United States food supply.
Think for a moment how many things are pollinated by bees. Oranges, apples, watermelon strawberries and pears just to name a few. Ok so you think “that’s ok I can still eat meat”. Unfortunately the other vegetation that would be largely affected is alfalfa. The very same alfalfa that feeds the cattle America consumes.
No bees = 30% less crops = less food all around
With people starving as it is, and resources becoming more and more fleeting and valuable. I’d say its time to leave our bees and wasps alone.
Scientists Are Baffled By The Decrease In The Honeybee Population
The honeybee population has dwindled to nearly 50% of what it was just 50 years ago. Billions of bee’s, an essential part of our ecosystem, completely wiped out! 50% of their population destroyed since 1958!
The contributing factors?
Mite’s: The Bee’s Natural Enemy
- THE VARROA MITE atttacks the larvae killing bee’s before they are born.
- TRACHEAL MITES can wipe out an entire hive in just a few hours by attacking the respiratory systems of adult honeybees
Factor #2: Chemical Pesticides
This one WE can control. Even if not directly sprayed on a hive, the porus material can soak up all sorts of rotten chemicals. Bee’s are fragile as it is, and their immune systems have no ability to fight chemicals pesticides.
One more reason to go organic and stop using stuff that kills nature.
Just say no to chemical killers.
There are plenty of ways to ward off unwanted insects without killing them We will be discussing them in future posts.
The next time you are outside enjoying a picnic and a honeybee stops by to say hello, before you swat him away think about how much your life depends on his.
Posted: May 29th, 2008 under Organic Gardening.
Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from Amy
Time: May 29, 2008, 4:05 pm
“Colony collapse” has had be freaked out for some time now. I think it was Einstein that said when the bees die, humans have about 4 years left. I sure hope they can survive this.
Comment from Mandy
Time: May 29, 2008, 4:49 pm
Hi Amy,
I agree it is very scary to think about a world without bees. We depend on them so much but many people just don’t realize how important they truly are.
Comment from Leo Z
Time: May 31, 2008, 1:56 am
Great thoughts, but a serious correction. Alfalfa is not pollinated by honeybees. Alfalfa and clover can only be pollinated by bumblebees and solitary bees, in the industry usually leafcutter bees. The flowers have a trigger that hits honeybees in the head, disallowing them to either collect nectar or pollinate. Bumblebees are too large to be affected, and leafcutters are small enough to avoid the booby trap.
I do very much agree. Bees are important.
Comment from Mandy
Time: May 31, 2008, 10:31 am
Hi Leo Z
Thank you for participating and for bringing my attention to my error. I found a lot of my information from a Time magazine article that can be found at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1552024,00.html. I trusted it as a reliable source.
However, I did do a bit more research: I found that alfalfa is pollinated by two different types of bees the Alkali bees and the Leafcutter bees which are both solitary bees as you mentioned. These bees are facing the same danger from mites and pesticides as the honeybee.
I apologize for my error.
Thanks for participating and I hope to see you again.
For more information please visit the National Biological Information Infrastructure at http://pollinators.nbii.gov/portal/community/Communities/Ecological_Topics/Pollinators/Pollinator_Species/Invertebrates/Bees_and_Wasps/
Comment from toxic planet
Time: May 31, 2008, 3:55 pm
the chemicals that are being sprayed globally at high altitudes to manipulate the weather may have something to do with it…
Comment from corndust
Time: June 21, 2008, 10:51 pm
Bee eat (deadly to insects) BT corn dust.
Comment from clon
Time: June 23, 2008, 2:37 pm
now that you mention it… i do not remember any bee around my house in the last… 3 years.
Comment from Sam
Time: July 23, 2008, 5:44 pm
If you are going to write about bees, please use a picture of a bee and not a yellow jacket, which is a wasp. It is this careless confusion that leads many to think that they are being bothered by honey bees rather than wasps.
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