warmer weather, bouncing, baby animals and a world of blooming flowers waiting
for their buzzing friends the bees to pollinate them and their brethren. Well,
let's hope you like those cherry blossoms the way they are because the buzz is
honey bee colonies are collapsing on a global scale. And no pollination means
Despite the growing trend of urban beekeeping spawned in
some part by Michelle Obama's installation of beehives in the White House,
honeybee populations are mysteriously on the decline all over the world.
According to The Independent, scientists working for the United Nations have revealed that the phenomenon of
the disappearing bees, which began in the mid 1960s but has been seen to be escalating in Europe and the
US in the past decade, has spread to China and Japan with the first signs of
disappearances cropping up in Africa.
Scientists cite many possible contributing factors to what
they are referring to as the "colony collapse disorder," including
insecticides, parasites, air pollution (which could interfere with bees'
ability to locate flower plants) and habitat degradation such as the loss of
some flowering plant species. Scientists warn that if we do not change our
global management the colony collapse will continue. It has been suggested that
farmers and those with available land plant flowering plants and be more
careful with insecticides - especially in the case of wild hives.
So, beekeeper readers, what do you suggest? How can we keep
the bees buzzing and the fruits growing?