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Our Bees Are Missing?
By Davey Greenjack Bee-keepers and scientists are still unsure what is causing the disappearance of so many bees, but the sad fact is that the bees are still disappearing at an alarming rate all over the world. Worldwide, approximately one third of what we eat is naturally pollinated by bees. Most of the fruits, including apples, pears, raspberry's, plums, cherries and strawberries are reliant on these tireless workers for their pollination. Did you realise that the small honey bee can visit up to 1000 flowers a day? Imagine if we had to do that job ourselves with little brushes. However it's not just fruit and vegetables which we eat that is under threat, alfalfa, which is a major cattle feed crop, is 90% reliant on pollination by bees. Worldwide the bees play a crucial role in pollinating over 90 commercial crops. With food production already under pressure from rising populations, wars and natural disasters, this potential crisis that could threaten our crops, could not come at a worse time. Commercial Bee colonies have always been vulnerable to disease because they are forced to live in hives that are densely placed next to others. This means that infections can spread rapidly through a hive and then infect its neighbours. One bacterial infection known as the foul brood has been causing damage to bees for more than a century. In recent years, one of the biggest threats has being the varro mite. This tiny parasite feeds off the bodily liquids of the bee and has spread around much of the world. Although this is a serious problem, because the mite is proving more more resistance to chemicals, these problems pale into insignificance when compared to this new mystery. Over the last several winters, more than 25% of the Western honey bee population has disappeared. One cause of these losses is an alarming phenomena has been dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) which occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers. The missing bees are never found, but are believed to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives. As yet no reason has been discovered. What can be done? Most scientists agree that we should be taking pro-active steps to help try and stabilise the wild bee population, which includes bumblebees and solitary bees like leafcutters. We need to ask and encourage our farmers to adopt wildlife friendly farming methods. This should include the replanting of hedgerows and the re-creation of hay meadow and chalk grassland habitats to try replace those similar areas that have been lost over the last 20 years. This was the natural habitat of the bees before modern farming methods caused their destruction. This also now makes economic sense for farmers as well. Recent scientific research proves that farming will actually benefit from such action. It will increase crop yields, while at the same time improving the fertility of the countryside beyond measure. In our gardens, we need to make sure that we and our neighbours are planting traditional cottage garden plants and wildflowers. Gardeners should be encouraged to seek out and propagate heritage plants and seeds. Bumblebees and solitary bees, that visit the garden need flowers that produce pollen and nectar from early spring until late summer. Many exotic and modern hybrid blooms just do not produce enough of either. Sometimes the problems in the world can seem, overwhelming and daunting. This time, there is no need to feel helpless. It does not matter if you have a garden, a container outside your door or even just a window box. If you make the effort to plant a bee friendly flower you can help save the world. It is not just a question of sprinkling some wildflower seeds on a rough piece of your garden, as some experts suggest, but with some care you can guarantee some success ....
click here to read more..... Greenjackdavey is an Artist, Writer and Gardener living in South West England.
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