Throughout the past couple of years, U.S. beekeepers have faced obstacles to healthy bee supervision. And still, in some cases, colony collapse disorder (CCD) continues to threaten honey bees.
If you didn’t know, honey bees play a vital role in our planet’s ecosystem, we depend on bees for a large portion of our survival. The pollination of bees, helps our food grow, and the beeswax is used in thousands of products.
The loss of bees could be deadly. According to the USDA. In this article, we are going to dive deeper into what colony collapse in bees is, why it happens an offer so tips on how you can do your part to help stop these unwelcoming phenomena.
What is Colony Collapse in Bees?
Bee colonies affected by CCD can appear healthy and balanced, but then the adult bees vanish from the colonies.
Since 2006, beekeepers have reported higher-than-normal colony losses.
Colony collapse in bees is also known as colony collapse disorder (CCD), is a disorder affecting honeybee colonies that are characterized by abrupt colony death, with a lack of healthy adult bees inside the hive.
While the trigger is not really known, researchers believe that various components are involved. The disorder generally seems to affect mature bees’ capability to navigate.
They depart the hive to locate pollen and do not come back.
Honey and also pollen are usually present in the hive after the collapse.
In some cases, the queen and a small number of survivor bees may remain in the colony.
Colony collapse can also be characterized by the postponed withdrawal of the honey in the dead colonies by different, healthy bee colonies within the immediate area. As well as slower than usual invasion by typical pests, for example, wax moths and tiny hive beetles.
The disorder at this time only seems to affect only the European honeybee.
Why Does it Happen?
The Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. structured initiatives to manage the CCD crisis through research and data collection.
They propose a range of probable reasons for CCD.
There have been quite a few theories about the cause of colony collapse in bees, though the researchers who are leading the effort to find out why are now focused on these factors:
- Elevated losses because of the intrusive varroa mite (a pest of honey bees).
- New or surfacing diseases like the Israeli Acute Paralysis virus and also the parasite Nosema.
- Pesticide poisoning through exposure to pesticide sprays applied to crops or in-hive insects-like mites.
- Stress bees experience due to management practices such as transportation to several locations across the country for providing pollination services.
- Shifts to the environment where bees forage.
- Insufficient forage/poor nourishment.
- Potential immune-suppressing anxiety on bees caused by one or a mixture of components determined previously mentioned.
Some of the smartest and brightest minds in science and agriculture are currently working hard to save the bees and solve colony collapse in bees. And you can help too.
Beek’s Best is a beekeeper’s best friend, they offer tools and supplies that can help you keep your bees healthy.
They also are a wonderful resource for getting involved with a great cause. If you want to learn more about how you can help save the bees, pick up your phone and call them at (866) 712-3357.
In the meantime let’s talk about a few things you can do on your own to begin.
What Can You Do to Help Save The Bees?
There are some small actions you can take to help Save the Bees:
- Planting flowers wherever you are able to. This is always a positive move toward re-population.
- Decide on plants that are indigenous to your location.
- Avoid treating your property with pesticides, particularly when flowers are in full bloom. The reason being pollen may be easily contaminated with poison and taken straight back to the hive where it will seriously harm other bees along with the queen.
With a little research you see, there are plenty of alternatives and more natural ways to protect your yard from pests.
- Shop for local, unprocessed honey whenever you can. Raw honey is delicious and the purest honey you can buy. Not only that, but it supports your local hard-working local beekeepers
- Let wildflowers and dandelions grow in your yard and garden.
These are just a few tips to help out our very important honey bees.
In Conclusion
Bees are extremely important to our economy and more important to the livelihood and eco-system of our planet.
Colony collapse in bees his a phenomenon that took beekeepers and the world by storm. Today there has been much improvement in the reasons why this has happened and monumental efforts to prevent the colony collapse of our bees from happening again.
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