It has been reported that this year (2013) has seen the worst bee die-off in 40 years, the beekeepers have seen that they have lost more than 50% of their bees in 2012--2013 winter. Honey bees contribute to more than $15 billion dollar in the US economy, and are responsible for producing one out of every three bites of food that we eat. Without them -- nuts, squashes, berries, most fruits, cucumbers -- almost most of the fruits and vegetables that we enjoy will become obsolete.
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Scientists are predicting that such huge number of bees are dying due to the use of a very common neurotoxic pesticide known as neonicotinoids, or neonics. American Bird Conservancy reports that they are also harming birds. European Food Safety Authority has labelled neonics as harming bees. Neonics is produced by Bayers and is the fastest growing and widely-used insecticide in the world. They are used to pre-treat almost all the seeds and trees that are sold in the US (unless they are organic); they are used in flea-medicines of dogs and cats, lawns, fertilizers and agriculture. The neurotoxic gets into the system of the seed and plants and spread through the system to every root, stem, leaves, tubers, every nook and crany of the plants. They do not go away by washing the plant or the fruits and vegetables produced by such plants because the toxic is in the system. Many European countries are imposing a ban on this insecticide, and they are soon seeing a bee recovery.
The above picture is taken by me, the bees visiting my sunflowers in 2012. I hope those bees are alive. With all the development in science and technology, life is seriously becoming a hassle in this century. We are already becoming solitary creatures busy with our facebook, laptop, cell-phone and all the gadgets. We are working longer, suffering from stress and trauma much more, eating and drinking bad, inhaling polluted air. On top of all these, no longer I can walk into a nursery and buy my plants and seeds unless they are organic (and it is not easy to get organically grown seeds and plants at least in the nurseries around here). I always need to have my antennae up, thinking constantly will the seeds have some kind of toxic treatment, will the plants be healthy?
More information and details can be found here: http://www.foe.org/news/blog/2013-03-worst-bee-die-off-in-40-years
I did not know about the worsening of the bee decline, thanks for posting this sobering information. It is good to hear that in some countries this neurotoxin is being banned. Sadly in this country self-interested corporations have so much control over the political and regulatory system that it becomes nearly impossible to take strong action. However, it helps when people like you spread the word.
ReplyDeleteJason, honestly too much control of the operations over the government :-(. That control can only be broken if each and every of us realize this and stop using their products. However, I don't see that happening as I see all around me people using chemicals to make their lawn look pretty!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting. I don't know of any nurseries that sell organically raised or cultured plants but organic seed is very easy to buy. Thanks for this info!
ReplyDeleteCasa, here you can only buy organic vegetable seeds in stores. Organic flower or herb or ornamental plant seeds are not available. In such cases, they need to be ordered online.
DeleteI try to plant only organic seeds and it is disheartening to think everything is treated with this nasty stuff. If the bees decline any more we are really in such trouble. I find so many bees in my garden but I use no pesticides...my neighbors do though without a thought about it. At some point I may get enough time and courage to rip out more of my lawn and plant more native plants...my neighbors would die...they don't understand why we don't treat the lawn or even water it...I am trying some natural methods to enrich the soil and hope that may make them curious and entice them to try these things and not chemicals.
ReplyDeleteDonna, same here :-). Everywhere people using chemicals, chopping down trees, mowing grass now (when it even snowed last week) and spreading invasive species!! Any sort of chemical is almost prohibited from our house - kitchen, bathroom, garden, cosmetics, everywhere. They are used only there is nothing else.
DeletePlease share your methods of enriching soil in your blog :-).
This is a big topic here in Britain, and has been for a good few years, although the reason for the decline in bees was not really know in the beginning, only that the population was getting smaller. It will be interesting to see how legislation eventually will come in and regulate, and what we get instead. All those chemicals are not used for no reason, there need to be a non-chemical alternative in place, soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat awful news about the 2013 prediction. I can't imagine a 5 year prediction would look like. The media has done a pathetic job of reporting this story. This country will be shocked when it's too late for legislation to help us all.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting caught up on my reading. My husband was telling me about these predictions, and it is disheartening to think that we won't protect ourselves until it's too late. And then, it will be too late. I don't think the average American public understands or knows about the food they're eating, or the way the seed is being manipulated. I understand the need for cheap food, but we are killing ourselves for it.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! Thanks, KL!
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