Honey Bee Die-Offs Spell Disaster

Now that the weather’s gotten warmer, bees have started coming out of the woodwork. I saw one in my yard just this morning in a patch of clover. Most people know that bees, honey bees in particular, are important for pollination, but few know exactly how important they are for our survival. Einstein himself said that humans would only survive for about four years if bees were to disappear. Given this sobering prediction, it is alarming to find that bees actually are disappearing, and scientists have yet to determine an exact cause.

According to an online article by Grist Magazine, honey bees have suffered an average population loss of 30 percent a year since 2006. The Pesticide Action Network said that this “presents an imminent hazard for U.S. agriculture.” As of right now, 100 crop species provide 90 percent of the world’s food supply. Honey bees pollinate over 70 of these crops including almonds, apples, blueberries, broccoli, onions, and cabbage.

Colony collapse disorder (CCD) among bee populations has increased dramatically in the past few years. This disorder is a mysterious condition in which entire bee colonies disappear by disintegrating, leaving not even their dead bodies behind. Grist interviewed Steve Ellis, secretary of the National Honey Bee Advisory Board (NHBAB). Ellis said that he was able to qualify for disaster relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture because he had so many “abnormal bee die-offs” last year. In addition to colony collapse disorder, bee populations overall have been suffering from poor health and shorter life spans. This means that surviving honey bee populations can pollinate fewer crops.

Potential causes of diminished honey bee health and colony collapse disorder include parasites, viruses, habitat loss, and pesticides. Much of the research conducted recently has focused on improving our understanding of how pesticides affect the health and population size of beneficial insects. Scientists have found that certain pesticides called neonicotinoids or neonics, in particular clothianidin, are deadly for bees. Neonics are used to treat seeds before planting. As the plant grows, the neonics are absorbed by the plant’s vascular system. When honey bees try to collect pollen, the pesticides attack the bees’ central nervous system, killing or sickening them. The genetically modified corn and soybeans that we (unfortunately and often unwittingly) eat today are treated with neonics, and studies have shown that bees do collect pollen from these plants.

Purdue University conducted a study to learn more about neonics and the likelihood that honey bees will be exposed to the pesticides. Researchers found high levels of the neonic clothianidin in the exhaust of planting equipment after the spring planting of treated corn seed. They found neonics in weeds growing near the planted fields, in the soil of nearby unplanted fields, in dead bees found near hive entrances, and in pollen stored inside of the hives. The Pesticide Action Network said that finding neonics in unplanted fields was extremely troubling because these pesticides persist in the soil for years.

This news report discusses Purdue’s study. Pay attention to what the researcher says, but please try to ignore the cheesy reporter.

Do you want further evidence that neonicotinoids are a major problem? A recent article in the International Business Times mentioned another study on these pesticides. Results showed that colony collapse disorder had not been seen in Italy since it banned neonics. While this study does not prove a cause and effect relationship, it does reveal a strong correlation.

Whether you care about the environment or not, this is a problem for everyone, especially since one out of three bites of food on American plates comes directly from honey bee pollination. This is also a problem for big agriculture since the Pesticide Action Network estimates that the crops relying on honey bee pollination are worth over $15 billion per year.

So what can you do?

• Sign this petition from the Pesticide Action Network asking the EPA to ban clothianidin and other neonics.
• While you’re at it, sign this petition asking the EPA to label genetically modified food. It is currently not labeled. We have 10 days to get 12,500 more signatures.
• Support local, organic farmers or grow your own food. This will also help you get fresher, healthier food.
• Support organizations like the Pesticide Action Network and the National Honey Bee Advisory Board.

Thanks for reading! What causes do you care about most? Please let me know in the comments.