THE IMPORTANCE OF HONEY BEE CONSERVATION
Pollination
Bees pollinate billions of plants each year, including millions of agricultural crops. In fact, pollinators like bees play a key role in one out of every three bites of food we eat. Without them, many plants we rely on for food would die off.
Wildlife Habitats
Bees are known for their role as pollinators and it's vital for the growth of tropical forests, savannah woodlands, and temperate deciduous forests. Many tree species, like willows and poplars, couldn’t grow without pollinators like bees.
Even your own garden serves as a home for hundreds of tiny creatures, from birds and squirrels to thousands of tiny insects. If bees disappeared, the animals that depend on these plants for survival would vanish as well.
Biodiversity
Bees play a part in every aspect of our ecosystem. They support the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants, which serve as food and shelter for creatures large and small. Bees contribute to complex, interconnected ecosystems that allow a diverse number of different species to co-exist.
There is no doubting the importance of bees to our food supply. Without them, our gardens would be bare and our plates empty. But we should also remember the other reasons bees are important to the environment.
Wild Plant Growth
It’s not just farm-grown fruits and vegetables that rely on pollinators to thrive. Many species of wild plants depend on insect pollinators as well. Bees are responsible for the production of many seeds, nuts, berries, and fruit, which serve as a vital food source for wild animals.
Here are some educational videos of honey bees for your watching!
WHAT IS COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER (CCD)?
CCD only refers to phenomenon characterized by the sudden -- overnight, in some cases -- loss of the vast majority of the hive, leaving a queen, full brood (larvae) cells, and full honey stores behind. In collapsed hives, no dead bees are found, puzzling scientists and posing a major challenge to the study of the disease. The USDA has been studying the phenomenon since 2009, when it became apparent that Colony Collapse was not something that would disappear on its own.
CCD, while alarming, is not the main reason behind the mass die-off of the bees, and is much less common today than when we first started hearing about it in the media.
CAUSES OF HONEY BEE POPULATION DECLINE
Research on the possible causes of honey bee population decline is currently ongoing, and there has been progress! Most recent evidence points to a combination of factors as the culprit— according to the USDA, these factors include “parasites and pests, pathogens, poor nutrition, and sublethal exposure to pesticides.”
Parasites
Current scientific research indicates that parasites, and the diseases they carry, are the main threat to the lives of honey bees. The most dangerous parasite threatening beehives currently is a mite with a descriptive name: Varroa destructor. Commonly known as Varroa mites, these parasites often infect bees before they can even emerge as adults. Their parasitic relationship with the bees is similar to that of ticks and mammals; the main issue lies in the diseases the mites carry, such as Deformed Wing Virus. When a hive is already weakened, a Varroa mite infestation can wipe it out. Other parasites involved in collapsing hives include the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida; and Nosema spp., a microsporidian gut parasite.
Diseases
Weakened immune systems leave hives susceptible to bacterial and viral diseases as well. Two of the most well known diseases to infect bees are American Foulbrood and Deformed Wing Virus. American Foulbrood affects larvae less than a day old, preventing them from surviving until adulthood, while Deformed Wing Virus is transmitted through Varroa mites and prevents the bees from being able to fly.
Poor Nutrition
Some human farming practices are making it more challenging for the bees to forage a well-balanced diet, such as monoculture farming. This is when only one crop is grown on a piece of land, and it limits the bees’ diet to one type of pollen for extended periods of time. Think of it as if a human was limited to eating only strawberries for three months— not very healthy! These malnourished bees are more susceptible to chemical pesticides, parasites, and pathogens, as their immune systems aren't as strong.
Pesticides
Pesticides are also a contributing factor to honey bee decline. Scientists are continuing to research the effects different types of pesticides and application methods are having on the health of the bees. The most studied chemical culprit is a class of agricultural pesticides called "neonicotinoids." These chemicals are systemic, meaning the plant takes them into its vascular system, and spreads it to all tissues. They are effective after only one application, and affect only invertebrates, meaning they are less susceptible to runoff, and less dangerous to humans, birds, livestock, etc. They're very popular. In theory, the pesticide shouldn't affect bees, who are eating the pollen and nectar, not the plant's tissue. However, studies have found trace amounts of pesticide in pollen grains. Bees bring pollen back to their hives for food - one pollen grain with trace chemicals wouldn't be an issue, but scientists have found that the chemicals accumulate to critical levels within the beeswax. Pesticides also interfere with bee communication, which is almost entirely reliant on chemical and physical signals. The chemicals in pesticides have been shown to alter their foraging behavior, their communication, and their larval development.
Pesticides lower the bees' immune systems, weakening the hive and leaving it wide open to parasitic infection.