Dead Bees

The 2008 calendar indicates that another spring has arrived in North America and the signs of the new season are everywhere. The buds have appeared on trees, heralding the arrival of new leaves. The light grew and the sun warms act as harbingers of the emergence of flowering plants that will soon begin their summer cycle of growth. Nurseries and home centers like Home Depot and Loews, are selling plants, rakes, shovels, mulch and fertilizer.

Indeed, the familiar signs of spring are everywhere. However, once again this year, there is a real problem in nature which is tempering enthusiasm for the upcoming agricultural season. This is a problem that was identified in 2006. The problem continues to be the disappearance of the bee. Once again, there is little progress to report on research in this mystery that surrounds the bee called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

CCD occurs when all adult bees disappear from the hive, leaving the honey and pollen behind. Few, if any, dead bees are found around the hive. Between 50 and 90% of commercial bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in the United States have been affected by CCD and the problem is making it difficult for U.S. beekeepers to pollinate crops. Approximately one quarter of beekeeping operations were affected by CCD during the winter of 2006-2007 only. It is estimated that up to 70% of U.S. bees have simply disappeared due to Colony Collapse Disorder. The problem continued during the winter of 2007-2008.

In addition to the recurring problem of the CCD, believe that local news reports indicate problems with the bees die this spring in the United States. In Hawaii, a microscopic mite is devastating Oahu honey bee population and long-term affects could wipe out much of the Island's agriculture. Western Washington State has a crisis of agricultural development as the bees are dying of a new pathogen called Nosema ceranae. This fungus attacks the bee's gut, making it impossible to treat food and the bee dies of hunger following the death.

In general, the various problems are disappearing and dying bees are rapidly taking a toll on the entire United States beekeeping industry. It was reported that the number of guards who produce more than 6,000 pounds of honey annually has declined from 2,054 in 2005 (the year before keepers started experiencing colony collapse) to about 1,100 this year.

At the international level, the lack of a sufficient number of bees is responsible this spring for blueberry pollination problems in Canada. The Fraser Valley produces about one fifth of the world's blueberries, but no longer has a sufficient number of bees to support its blueberry pollination, and bees are being imported for pollination.

In England and Wales, proposals to protect the bees were recently announced by the government. However, beekeepers complained of a lack of research funding and the slow governmental response since the number of bees continues to decline.

Today it is estimated that nearly half the population of Italy 50 billion bees died last year. That bee mortality rate will have a drastic effect on 25 countries of the honey industry million (which could be reduced by at least 50% in 2008) and wreak havoc on fruit crops. The epidemic in the world of bees has also hit France, Germany, Great Britain, Brazil and Australia.

The rising cost of energy in food production and transportation has already led to an inflation of food prices worldwide by 45 per cent over the last nine months. There are severe shortages in the world of rice, wheat and corn. The rising cost of food has recently been responsible for deadly clashes in Egypt, Haiti and several African states.

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