The Honey Bee Crisis - What You Can Do to Help

Do you enjoy biting into a crisp, juicy apple?  Or do you prefer a freshly-picked, sweet summertime peach?

If researchers do not get a handle on the alarming disappearance of the honeybee, your favorite fruits and vegetables may be a thing of the past!

Honeybees are disappearing all over the world, and no one is quite sure why. Beekeepers became aware of this strange phenomenon back in 2006.  Healthy bees, off in search of pollen and nectar are simply abandoning their hives, never to return.  Scientists are calling the mass disappearance “Colony Collapse Disorder“, but nobody has an answer.  They estimate that nearly one-third of all honey bee colonies have vanished in the United States.

Through pollination, honeybees play a central role in our food supply, but unfortunately, little is being done to protect them.  But why are they leaving?  Scientists believe it could be a combination of issues that could be making bees sick, including the exposure to pesticides, parasitic mites, an inadequate food supply or new viruses.  The bee loses are currently ranging from 30 to 60 percent on the West Coast, with some beekeepers on the East Coast reporting losses of more than 70%! Researchers say the bees are most probably dying in the fields, perhaps becoming exhausted or disoriented and eventually falling victim to the cold.

This phenomenon is of grave concern.  If the bees continue to disappear, so does a portion of our nation’s food supply.  What can you to help?  You can start by making your yard as colorful as possible, diverse and pesticide free.  Use local and native plants in your garden and provide a great source of fresh pollen and nectar for bees to eat.  And be aware of what you’re spraying in your yard! Use organic fertilizers and garden safe pest remedies.  For more information, click on the Haagen-Dazs “Help the Honey Bees“