Bees in Peril
Sunday’s episode of the TV show Nature, “Silence of the Bees,” has been haunting me for days. It describes how over the past couple of years, billions of honeybees have disappeared, victims of a mysterious killer called Colony Collapse Disorder. Scientists around the world are rushing to try to find the cause, and a cure. But though theories abound, so far the mystery remains.
Beyond the effects on the bees themselves, and on beekeepers, this has the potential to be a major problem for everyone who needs to eat. Honeybees play a vital role in agriculture by pollinating crops - including many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, even soybeans. If the bees disappear, we could be facing a diet of gruel, varied by gruel, followed by gruel….
So it’s natural to wonder whether there anything ordinary people can do to help the bees. The “Silence of the Bees” Web site has some suggestions here. They include becoming a backyard beekeeper. People interested in this route can get more information from local groups, such as the Forsyth Beekeepers Association. (If you’re not inclined to become a beekeeper, you can help support local beekeepers by buying local honey and beeswax products.)
Other options include planting a bee garden, full of nectar-bearing plants that could help feed local bees. Of course, it’s important to avoid using pesticides in such a garden to avoid poisoning the bees. You can also buy pesticide-free foods at the market (better for you and the bees); and write to federal and state legislators in support of funding for bee research.
The ice-cream maker Haagen-Dazs is also concerned about Colony Collapse Disorder and has a Web site, helpthehoneybees.com, where you can learn more and also take such actions as making a direct donation to bee-research centers.
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