A few months ago I wrote about how my husband and I enjoyed watching a colony of bees that decided to build a hive on our porch. I also wrote then about the mystery of disappearing bee colonies, and now that it is summer it seems like a good time to revisit this story.
Bees and other pollinators are suddenly in decline due to a phenomenon that has become known as Colony Collapse Disorder.
While the exact cause has not been established, there is some evidence that bees are dying due to disease, loss of habitat and pesticide use. Other possible explanations include a new parasite, flowers that produce less scent and a combination of stresses such as poor nutrition, limited or contaminated water supplies, and the need for bees to be transported long distances for pollination of particular crops.
In some areas of the world the bee loss is being described as “catastrophic”, with some beekeepers in 2006 reporting between 30-90% losses. Similar losses were reported in 2007, but scientists do not know how many bees have died overall, since statistics only reflect what is happening in managed colonies.
Consider for a moment what will happen if the pollinators of our planet disappear!
About three-quarters of flowering plants rely on birds, bees and other pollinators to help them reproduce. And, bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion annually in crop value.
Ice cream maker Haagen-Dazs and Burt’s Bees, a maker of natural personal care products, are among companies who have pledged money for research and begun efforts to help save the bees. The problem affects about 40 percent of Haagen-Dazs’ 73 flavors, because ingredients such as almonds, cherries and strawberries rely on honey bees for pollination.
Haagen-Dazs has created a new limited-time flavor – Vanilla Honey Bee – and will use some of the proceeds for research on the disorder. Burt’s Bees has introduced Colony Collapse Disorder Lip Balm to “soften your lips while saving honeybees.”
The US government is also taking steps to approve financing for bee research.
One reason I am an Interior AlignmentTM Teacher is to awaken people to the interconnectedness of all things. All creatures are a vital part of the web of life and we human beings balance carefully on the shoulders of all other life on this planet. It is essential that we live in harmony with the rest of the animals and plants on this beautiful rock we call Earth.
This summer, if you find a hive in a spot that you believe would be harmful to you, your children or your pets, please do not spray the hive with chemical poisons. Contact a local beekeeper to relocate the hive. Also, raise awareness by sharing information about Colony Collapse with others. You can even write to your local news editors – newspaper or television – asking them to run the story and highlight local beekeepers as helpful resources.
Help the planet, save our ice cream, save the bees!
Copyright 2008, Deb Swingholm. All rights reserved
Tags: colony collapse disorder, honey bees, natural personal care, natural personal care products
