The Bee population is dropping at breckneck speed. A 40% drop in the winter 2018-2019. A big concern is the use of Neonicotinoids(Neonics) which is a synthetic pesticide used to prevent insect damage. They are used widely on farms, nurseries, gardening and landscaping. There is a number of brand names that contain it but the chemicals that are used the most: Imidacloprid (the most common), Dinotefuran,Thiamethoxam,and Acetamiprid. These chemicals are sprayed on crops, turf, and fruit trees they are also used to coat seeds before they are planted. When the seeds sprout the plant carries the chemical into it’s leaves, stems and roots. Neconics can last for a long time.
When the bees consume the nectar and collect the pollen from treated plants the bees track it inside the hives. Neconics do not discriminate between bees and insects. The pollinators become collateral victims.
Neconics are not the only thing that is causing Colony Collapse Disorder but it is playing a major role as a toxic attack to bee colonies.
Albert Einstein-“Mankind will not survive the honeybee’s disappearance for more than five years.”
Bees are responsible for about one third of the food we eat. They also contribute about 20 billion dollars a year to the crop value in the United States. (ABC news July 9. 2019).
There are plants and seeds available that do not contain Neconics. Some of the garden stores are turning away from getting plants and flowers that have been treated. Home Depot for instance has stopped carrying plants that have Neconics.
The decline in bees will lead to higher food prices and some foods will start to become scarce. Even cotton depends on the bees to pollinate.
Taking care of the bees is important and necessary to support the food supply.
Written By: Delmer Eldred
Pulse of America 