Honeybee Blight

On another EarthDate you heard that bees are dying. While it’s common for a hive to lose 15% of its bees each winter, rates since 2007 have sometimes hit 40%. This has scientists concerned, and after a decade of research, they’ve traced the bees’ troubles to several factors. First, stress. A decrease in wild acreage means fewer wild bees, so that more commercial bees are needed for pollination. This has the hives traveling farther and more frequently. Rising temperatures also have an impact, making it harder for bees to maintain the constant temperature needed in the hive. Second, pesticides. A recent study of honey samples found most of them were contaminated. While the concentrations were too low to affect humans, they impacted the bees’ ability to navigate and find nectar. Finally, pests. The Asian Varroa mite has infested some U.S. and European bee colonies. They feed on larvae and bees, weakening their immunity systems and making them more susceptible to disease, like the viruses the mite carries—including one that renders bees flightless. But there is some good news on the horizon. Scientists are working on new bacteria for the bees’ microbiome that would kill the Varroa mite. And, since mites, disease, pesticides, and stress work synergistically, eliminating one or more of them may allow the colony to better manage the others. Humans need to get on the bee team so bees can continue to pollinate our global food supply.