Like a modern day tale of science and mystery, the alarming disappearing act of whole colonies of Honey Bees from their hives is one enigma that is in dire need of a ‘beesuited’ Miss Marple to solve……..
Is it just another chapter in our self written saga..’Crimes against mother nature’ or something altogether more inexplicable?
click thumbnail for a full image of an illustration inspired by this story..
From as far back as 2004 beekeepers worldwide have reported finding huge numbers of their bee hives bereft of occupants. The bees have literally shut up shop, packed there bags and buzzed out of town. To where nobody knows. Are they dying off on a mass scale globally (the absence of any dead bodies make this a conundrum of sorts) or is something altogether more inexplicable happening.
As one of our most ancient allies the humble Honey Bee pollinates up to one third of everything we eat. Without them the whole food chain would be seriously compromised, affecting our primary sources of food (fruit vegetables nuts) and the farming industry.
Forget your Hollywood doomsday fest, this would be the real deal. An unimaginable scenario. Researchers are exploring a wide range of theories for Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the name given to this phenomena. Theories include.. viruses, a fungus, certain pesticides that are used in agriculture and the timely theory that the proliferation of wi-fi waves may have something to do with the puzzle. They may even just be ’stressed’ out, due to being raised to survive a shorter offseason before being put out to ‘work’ pollinating, thus likely lowering their immunity to viruses.
I have noted myself over the years the growing lack of a bee presence while out and about. What few I have seen, for the most part have looked docile and decidedly ill looking compared to the bees of years past.
A new film called ‘Vanishing of the Bees” by Geoge Langworthy and Maryam Henein attempts to address this dilemma from the viewpoint of the beekeeper and that of hard science, whilst keeping in mind the mythic spirit of the Honey Bee.
As someone who disturbed a nest in my youth and received a good number of stings to my left arm for the trouble, I seriously hope that those concerned can find a solution to this mystery. I know that some readers may consider the bee a menace and scourge of beer gardens (although the wasp surely takes top prize here for this activity, how many of us have had the pleasure of a wasp trying to dive bomb into a pint of the golden throat charmer, kamikaze style?) but gripes and fears aside the bee deserves some serious detective work from ourselves… sooner rather than later.
For more info on ‘Vanishing of the bees’ as well as screening dates and a petition to sign for a systemic review of the impact of pesticides on our most important pollinators, please visit the ‘Vanishing of the bees’ website……..
www.vanishingbees.co.uk
Watch the trailer for the film here….
At first glance, it’s easy to say, “Honey bees, so what?”
However, it would be wise to figure out what’s happening to them, if they really are vanishing. It could be an early warning sign to something bigger.
We were talking of getting a hive ….. think I might need to go on a bee keeping course or something first…….probably wise to…