Bye Bye Honey Bees

If the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plains, where does the snow in Mexico fall? Ok, enough nonsense. I am a little worried about what I am hearing about honeybees. It has been said that they are disappearing as if they were called to rapture without leaving any carcasses behind. Actually, I understand that they are starving to death. It seems that UV rays play an essential role in the bee's ability to navigate to the flowers that are imperative to their nutrition. Much like being blinded by working out in the sun all day without sunglasses, the exposure to the UV rays that are more intense due to the dissipation of the ozone layer is having adverse effects on the bees. Since they cannot find flowers, apparently they also cannot find their way back to the hive, which would explain the absence of carcasses at the hives. How will this impact agriculture? Consider the domino effect. Concerned? I think we should be.

Comments: 10

Nana to Seven Cutiepies Apr 10, 2007, 11:15am UTC

This situation is the biggest concern right now IMHO. Without the honey bees we will lose more than people realize. I have been reading and seeing so much about their plight and the more I read the more I learn about the impact on us. Sadly, it takes this to make me realize that bees just may be the most important factor in our food source. I don't see an answer to our survival without the bees.

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Amy B. Apr 10, 2007, 5:33pm UTC

I hadn't heard about the UV rays either, but I had heard about pesticides killing bees. Too many people use bug sprays indiscriminately - they don't realize they're killing the good along with the "bad" bugs. Too often, those bad bugs are the food supply for the good bugs, which just compounds the problem further. I have a pesticide free yard and love to see the honey bees flitting from flower to flower!

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Ina ♥ ♥ Apr 12, 2007, 2:28pm UTC

I remember a few years back, for whatever reason of that particular decade, there was a drought on the honeybees. My gardens didn't flourish and prices on fruits and vegetables skyrocketed. I hadn't heard about this, this time. I'll look into it.

(Very selfish of me...but I MUST have my flowers!)

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Deborah McEnery Apr 13, 2007, 6:25am UTC

Honeybees are so very important! We have honey producers near us. They have had trouble with the mold that kills them. If it gets started in a hive, the bees are doomed.

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