Where has the Honey Gone?

Recent news has shown us that bees are dying everywhere. Populations are dwindling and people are panicking.

It's something we learned in elementary school. Bees fly from flower to flower, spreading pollen and making honey. We heard that bees are good for the environment, despite how painful it is to be stung. Unfortunately the importance seems not to have fully reached our ears as children, because we are at least partly to blame for their deaths.

In an Oregon Target, customers found 25,000 dead bees in the parking lot, almost an entire hive decimated on that 2013 day. This kind of incident was not just restricted to one area or one time. In 2007, commercial bee owners began reporting a large number of losses across many states. This has continued through the last several years.

In fact, over the last few years, bee losses have continued in the 20-30% range. Because of this and incidents like the 2013 Oregon mass bee death, the EPA and the Department of Agriculture created the Federal Pollinator Health Task Force with goals including "restoring honey bee colony health to sustainable levels" and proposing restrictions on various "highly toxic pesticides."

It has been noted that bees are responsible for nearly a third of our food supply. This isn't surprising considering that besides the delicious honey-laden treats they give, they also supply plants with needed pollination. Some of these plants include almonds, blueberries, and avocados.

In a statement released by Jeff Pattis, of the USDA, "We are one poor weather event or high winter bee loss away from a pollination disaster."

Currently, the thing getting the biggest blame for this bee-mageddon is the use of insecticides, particularly ones that include the chemical neonicotinoid.

The first problem with neonicotinoids is that they are absorbed into the plant. What this means is that they are present in the pollen and nectar that the plant produces. Also of note is that neonicotinoids are used in many common lawn and garden treatments. And they can stay around in your lawn for months or even years after one coating.

Of course this means that bees are exposed to it. Often.

This wouldn't be such a problem except that it is particularly lethal to butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. There is also research that even if it doesn't kill them, it makes them more susceptible to parasites and diseases. Which brings us to the second bee killer.

Parasites. There have been many fingers pointed at parasites like the Varroa Mite for their habit of bringing about diseases. These can spread through the entire colony, bringing a quick death to an otherwise healthy group of bees.

The third biggest issue for bees? Climate change. With climate change come droughts, higher temperatures, and more chaos in terms of storms. Weather becomes less predictable and colonies don't have a way to protect against it.

Unfortunately, nor do the plants they need in order to survive.

There are things you can do, though. Instead of asking where all the honey has gone, consider taking action. You could plant things like clovers and wildflower in your yard or property. Bees will take to these plants and it will help them survive.

A similar thought process goes towards trying to curb global warming by working on your personal emissions.

You could reduce or completely cut out your use of pesticides, including Bayer products which specifically use neonicotinoids. Another option is to call a beekeeper when you find a swarm of bees, so they might relocate them.

Or consider becoming a beekeeper yourself.