If you haven’t already heard, the honeybee population is dropping rapidly. Over the winter of 2013/2014 Ontario experienced one of the highest wintering losses. The honeybee winter mortality was 58.0% while the average mortality loss is 25.0% in Canada. There are three major issues that are contributing to this increase in honeybee deaths. One being loss of food and habitat, slowly we are removing fields and forestry that are filled with flowers and plants that feed bees and other insects. Without this food they are unable to feed other baby bees in the hive. Which can cause reproduction to become slower or cause death among the young bees. Another problem bees are experiencing is the Varroa destructor, a harmful mite that can only reproduce in a honeybee colony. It attaches itself to the body of a honeybee and sucks blood from it, leaving the bees weakened and often leads to death. An infestation of these mites can cause an entire hive death. The third, most known, cause of mortality among honeybees is the increasing use of pesticides and insecticides. In the early 90’s, when pesticides were first introduced, bee keepers noted an abnormal increase in bee mortality. Now, 20 years later, we are still spraying our crops with these harmful insecticides while we understand the dangerous impact it is having on bees. When a honeybee is infected by these pesticides they attempt to return to their hives. Once they arrive the “guard” bees won’t allow the contaminated bee inside the hive to protect the lives of other bees, they often die right outside of the hive. But why are the lives of honeybees so important? 1 of every 3 bites of food you eat was pollinated by a honeybee. Without the pollination of these bees we could loose up to 80% of the foods we eat today. We would be living off plants that pollinate through wind such as; rice, corn, wheat, rye, barley and oats. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want to live in a world where I am unable to eat a variety of different flesh fruits and vegetables. But if we don’t attept to help these bees that may be what we are heading for. Many of these problems may seem out of our control but there are always small actions you and your families can do to save the honeybees! Planting flowers and seeds in your own garden or in parks in your area can help provide bees with more food. Also avoiding using harmful insecticides and pesticides on your lawn at home. The most important part of saving the bees is to educate yourself and others about how this increased honeybee mortality is impacting our world. The honeybee is an important part of balancing biodiversity in ecosystems and are a large factor in the foods we eat today. Join the movement and save the honeybees.
Megan Daultrey