Bee populations have been on the decline for years, but in 2006 scientists noticed an alarming drop in population and found that entire colonies were being abandoned as bees went off to die elsewhere, a phenomenon labeled “colony collapse disorder” (CCD).
With
bees disappearing, farmers are scrambling to find enough of the
little guys to pollinate their crops. The seriousness of the
situation became clearer this spring when a hive shortage threatened
California’s almond crop (California supplies the bulk of the worlds
almonds).
Many culprits could possibly be behind the bees demise including
viruses, bacteria, mites, chemical exposure, and poor nutrition, but
scientists are now zeroing in on pesticides.
“A study published Friday in the scientific journal PLOS (Public
Library of Science) One found about three out of five pollen and wax
samples from 23 states had at least one systemic pesticide — a
chemical designed to spread throughout all parts of a plant.”
The PLOS study found 121 types of pesticides in 887 bee wax, pollen, and hive samples. Though the data seems conclusive, federal officials assure the public that the pesticides are not a risk to honey sold to consumers.
The Environmental Protection Agency has also come under fire for allowing certain pesticides to be sold in the US, which could be harmful to bees. In 2008 Bayer Crop Science gained conditional approval to sell a pesticide, which it was required to label as “potentially toxic to honey bee larvae through residues in pollen and nectar.”
The National Resources Defense Council sued the agency saying it did not give enough notification for the new pesticide application. The NRDC won the case, but the product had already been on the market for one year.
While the big agencies battle it out and bee populations suffer you can help the honeybees in your area plant some native flowering plants to provide food. Haagen-Dazs’ Help the Honey Bee campaign and website http://www.helpthehoneybee.com/ has valuable gardening tips to help attract bees to your yard.
This article was contributed to Celsias by Raegan Payne
Be Informed, Take Action on Climate Change - www.Celsias.com.