Throughout the month of October, Yon-Ka will be running their Save the Bees campaign. There are about 25,000 different species of bees on Earth, which would be a much different place without their invaluable pollinating services. As such, it’s important that we devote ourselves to the protection of bees everywhere. Yon-Ka is giving you the opportunity to donate to the cause to help preserve the honeybee population.
In recent years the bee population has been declining at an alarming rate. Why? Well, there are a few different reasons. First, the diminishing bee population has been linked to a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder. This disorder occurs when most of the worker bees within a colony disappear, leaving their queen behind and leaving young bees with very few nurse bees to care for them. Although researchers aren’t 100% sure of its origin, scientists are investigating varroa mite infestations, new or emerging diseases, pesticide poisoning, and changes to habitats where bees forage as possible factors. Second is the issue of pesticides. While necessary to keep harmful insects, weeds, and diseases at bay, pesticides have repeatedly been linked to killing bees and impeding their reproduction. Neonicotinoid pesticides, a commonly used class of insecticides derived from nicotine, kill bees over an extended period of time and are particularly threatening to queen bees, thus lowering the reproductive rates of affected hives. Neonicotinoids dissolve in water and can seep into the pollen and nectar of flowers miles away from the farm where the pesticide was originally used. Last is the varroa mite problem. These deadly parasites feed on bee blood and larva and can spread viruses and take down whole colonies of bees. Beekeepers can use a combination of natural and chemical treatments to control infestations. People who are passionate about eradicating this issue altogether, like the ones at Birds & Bees Farm in Columbus, NJ, are utilizing selective breeding to strengthen behaviors related to varroa sensitive hygiene, a natural defense mechanism against these pests.
What’s Going on With the Bees?
