This problem first came to light almost 10 years ago in 2006, when a significant proportion of American beekeepers were complaining of unusually high rates of colony loss as their bees broke from their overwintering clusters. Of course some mortality/loss is typical; however beekeepers across 22 U.S. states (including Hawaii) reported the problem, with some beekeepers losing nearly all of their colonies. Also, many beekeepers in Europe have complained of the same occurrence.
Perhaps the most important detail in this crisis is that beekeepers and researchers alike have had a difficult time understanding the cause of this phenomenon. To be blunt, we have no idea what is happening to them, which is cause for concern, given the ecological importance of honeybees. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), bees are responsible for the pollination of 80% of our flowering crops, which constitute 33.3% of everything we eat. Dietary staples such as apples, broccoli, strawberries, nuts, asparagus, blueberries and cucumbers will all be affected, as well as the beef and dairy industry which requires bee pollinated alfalfa for feed. In the United States alone, these pollination services contribute to crop production worth $20-30 billion in agricultural production annually. So, the picture above is a preview of what life may be like if we continue to lose our bees.
Watch the video below to learn more about honey bees.
I recently wrote a paper about this very problem! Click here to read it.
Photo Credit: Upworthy.com