Bee careful
Without bees, the diversity in the food we eat would not get pollinated; many common fruits and vegetables would go extinct, including apples, strawberries, onions, and carrots. Beginning as early as the 1970s, the honeybee population in Canada has been in decline, with some beekeepers reporting losses of up to 70 percent. Many of the deaths are due to colony collapse disorder. The disorder occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen and plenty of food. Bee-friendly plants and flowers have been in decline causing bees to use honey to feed their young. The bee problem is made worse with the high level of agriculture. Instead of planting bee friendly plants, many farmers’ plant corn and soybeans, bees need a variety of flowers that can last throughout the summer.
Another big concern has been the use of insecticides being neonicotinoids. What makes this insecticide particularly dangerous to bees is the neonicotinoids are sprayed on the plants, and then absorbed, where they can live for a very long time. There is growing evidence the insecticides have negative effects on honey bees.
