Bee Threats
Bees face many threats: pesticides, habitat loss, food shortages due to climate change and monocrop agriculture, viruses, varroa mites and the Asian Giant hornet.
The term ‘Colony Collapse Disorder’ (CCD) refers to the mass die-out of honeybee colonies. There isn’t any one cause of CCD. It is the result of multiple, overlapping factors. These deadly problems are exacerbated by industrial agriculture practices and climate change. Industrial beekeepers often treat the symptoms, by treating the hives with chemicals to eradicate mites and viruses. However, the root causes often go unaddressed.
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Neonicotinoids
Neonicotinoid pesticides are particularly harmful to bees. Neonicotinoids are primarily used in large-scale agriculture, but they are also ingredients in many backyard pest-control products. Despite overwhelming evidence linking neonicotinoids to CCD and wild bee declines, they are still legal in the US and Canada. Read a letter from over 200 scientists and published in the journal Science, calling for the worldwide ban of neonicotinoids here.
While beekeepers maintain honeybee populations by reproducing colonies and using more toxic chemicals, wild bees continue to die.
Image Source: http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/final-section3.png
Actions
We can help honeybees and wild bees to survive by taking a few simple actions:
Avoid using neonicotinoid pesticides on your lawn and garden
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Find a list of common home and garden products containing neonicotinoids here.
Look for these common neonicotinoids on ingredient lists:
Clothianidin, Acetamiprid, Dinotefuran, Imidacloprid, Nitenpyram, Thiacloprid & Thiamethoxam
Plant a bee garden
Backyard habitat counteracts habitat loss
Mow your lawn every two weeks
Weeds and grass provide bees with habitat and food
Support organic farmers
Shop at farmers markets, farmstands, and buy organic produce at the supermarket. Check with your local farmer - sometimes produce is pesticide-free, but not listed as "certified organic".
