art by Natasha Mayers ‘HONEY BEES IN BODY BAGS’

Poor honeybees! For anyone who isn’t aware, bees have been disappearing inexplicably at an alarming rate. Considering they’re a necessity in our food chain, this can’t be good.

Facts & Theories:

Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food.

Theories are that genetically modified foods as well as pesticides used on crops are causing the bees to become disoriented and not able to find their way home they die. They may also be causing the bees to become more susceptible to mite attacks. Current studies are examining these theories.

Global warming has contributed to a shorter off-season for the bees and has possibly caused too much stress on the bees’ cycle.

UPDATE (02/03/08)
Note: I learned the following information from the Nov/Jan 2007/2008 edition of Organic Gardening.

In the 2006-2007 fall and winter, over a half-million honeybee colonies were mysteriously lost (a little over 30% of their population).

Scientists studying the bee crisis have discovered a number of different parasites afflicting the honeybee such as the varroa mite, the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida), and a once-rare Asian parasite (Nosema cernae) that has also turned up in Europe recently. Honeybees are increasingly exposed to these pests as they are transported from crop to crop across the country. Similarly, exposure to insecticides/ pesticides is a factor in the bee destruction, and although some are meant to destroy the very parasites that endanger the bees they ultimately weaken the bees’ immune systems. These products are also becoming increasingly available for household lawns and gardens in addition to commercial food crops (Merit and neonicotinoids are more common varieties). Other factors may include bad weather and lack of genetic diversity.

While honeybees are used to pollinate most commercial crops, other bee varieties such as the bumblebee and native bee species pollinate crops such as tomatoes, eggplant, watermellon, zucchini, blueberries, strawberries, and native wildflowers (echinacea, lilac, aster) to name a few. Native bees are also able to extract pollen from plants in ways that honeybees are not able to by vibrating their flight muscles to draw the pollen out of the plant which is the only way certain crops like tomatoes are able to be pollinated. However, native bees live alone or in small groups so unlike the honeybee colonies they are not easilly transport-able for commercial farming practices. Interestingly, while honeybee populations have been declining there are some studies indicating that native bee populations are on the rise.

The best thing that could happen is for commercial farmers to adopt less destructive farming practices and foster sustainable farming techniques that help control pests, add nutrients to the soil, foster crop diversity, and encourage strong healthy plant. But we can all do our own part as well by limiting our use of pesticides, incorporating native wildflower varieties into our gardens, and planting vegetables/ fruits that require native bee pollination.

(And not to worry: there is no evidence supporting cell phone radiation as a factor in honeybee decline).

http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-65-69-1622,00.html

Links:

Honeybees Vanish, Leaving Keepers in Peril

Growers Fear the Sting of Bee Die-Off

Mysterious Disappearance of US Bees Creating a Buzz

Honeybee Die-Off Threatens Food Supply

New Research Shows Genetically Modified Genes Are Jumping Species Barrier