Pollinator

Native pollinators and European honey bees have experienced widespread declines in the Midwestern United States in recent years. These insects play a significant role in the ecosystem and provide important ecosystem services by pollinating vegetable crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency recently developed the CP-42 conservation planting practice to restore habitat for pollinators. The goals of the program are to provide at least three pollinator-friendly wildflowers…

Honeybee Crisis In Brief: - The population of honeybees is at a steady decline due to a recent disorder in hives - Scientist are desperately trying to find the cause of the phenomenon, and potential solutions to save these pollinators - If nothing is done to help this situation, not only will many produce that humans consume daily may become unavailable, but over two-thirds of plants throughout the entire world Think of all the produce you buy and consume on a daily basis. Now, imagine if over…

therefore reproduction. Blueberries are one such species of plant. They are also one of the main products of Maine. In 2007 alone, Maine gained around 250 million dollars from their blueberry industry (University of Maine 2007). One of the key pollinators of Maine blueberries are the native bumblebees. There are 17 known native bumblebee species in Maine, but there seems to be a problem. It is well known that there has been a major problem with honeybee colonies dying without explanation, but…

Albert Einstein once wrote that “if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” (Goodreads). Insect pollinators are responsible for approximately one third of food crops (Greenpeace, 3) Most wild plants rely on indirect or direct pollination in order to reproduce and thus the environment and economy govern on successful pollination (Green Peace, 3).…

are in decline (Potts, 2010). With the given projections for human population growth to reach around 9 billion by the year 2050, the importance of bees to human survival is vital (Brown, 2009). The US Fish and Wildlife Service has listed over 50 pollinator species as endangered, and in the last half decade alone, wild honeybee populations dropped by over 30%, and nearly one third of all US honeybees have died due to a phenomena called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) (Hagopian,…

In my freshman year of college, I researched and prepared a speech for my communications class about the Colony Collapse Disorder affecting bees and what it could mean for the plants and animals reliant on pollinators. Just recently, bees became the newest addition to endangered species list causing increased concern over the vitality of our ecosystems if the humble insect were to be eradicated altogether. While few news organizations have written about the placement of bees on the list, one…

hive losses globally. In the United States, beekeepers annually report a loss of 40 to 50 percent or more. Furthermore, our region has experienced a steady 30 to 40 percent loss each year. Frankly, these statistics are quite unsettling. Though pollinators are small, they are not to be underestimated. According to the NRDC, cross-pollination helps at least 30 percent of the world's crops and 90 percent of our wild plants to thrive. Without them, we can expect the extinction of many everyday…

The Disappearance of Bees What would be the agricultural significance if our bees, the world’s most important pollinators, gradually disappeared over time? The answer: the agriculture industry will experience shortages in food, lose profits, and heavy pressure will be placed on farmers who won’t be able to meet demands for food. The world is seeing an increase of bees missing every year, and it’s all thanks to a mysterious phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder. In order to prevent the bees…

There are many different speculations of why the honey bees are disappearing. Research suggests that one cause of the disappearance of the honey bees are diseases. One of the biggest threats to honey bees is Varroa Destructor “a large external parasite that attaches and sucks the blood from the bee. The Varroa mite, introduced by accident in 1987 by the Asian Honey Bee, has since developed a disastrous relationship with the American honey bee resulting in a significant loss from coast to coast…

typically around the crops in larger quantities. However, as of 2014 they are still not proposing any changes to labels of chemicals. Also in 2014 in coordination with the EPA, President Obama established a Pollinator Health Taskforce. This task force is to ensure the safety of pollinators, better understand the loss, and prevent this from happening in the…