Honey Bees Loss

Honey bees play a significant role in the production of the various crops humans consume on a daily basis. Without the pollination services of the honeybees, 35 percent of the human diet would disappear. The bees assist in producing fruits, vegetables, almonds, hay, cotton, and other crops which provide nutrients that are necessary for survival. However in recent years, bees have been dying at an alarmingly high rate. This is a problem that must be acknowledged and addressed because it is creating a rapid decline in crop production. As stated by Einstein, “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Although this statement is an exaggeration of how important honey bees are, it is still …show more content…
During the winter of 2006 and 2007, beekeepers observed that adult worker bees were vanishing from their hives, abandoning the young bees, the queen, and their honey. The hives gradually perished entirely due to the absence of the worker bees that were critical to sustaining them. This phenomenon, known as Colony Collapse Disorder, is a growing worldwide predicament. In 2006, the total colony loss in the United States was 32 percent, having some beekeepers experience losses from 80 to 100 percent. Within the next year, the rate in losses increased to 36 percent and within the next subsequent year, it stabilized to 29 percent.

There are several reasons for the declining mortality rates of honey bees. The first reason is due to viruses, which can be transmitted from parasites. One example of a parasite, named Varroa Destructor mites, has the distinct ability to reproduce within honey bee hives. The eggs are then hatched on the bee larvae which spreads through the entirety of the hive. The parasites would weaken the bees which would cause the potential collapse of the bee