Bee Colony Collapses Essay

Colony collapse disorder is affecting the honey bees in a big way. In a few short years the population has significantly dropped. The math says that if you lose 30 percent of your bee colonies every year for a few years, you rapidly end up with close to 0 colonies left.The most common factor that many scientists say has been a large contributor to the decline of the honey bees is the amount of stress being put on them. Many researchers have found through the tracking of honey bee activity that they have been forced to go find food or pollen at a young age, ultimately collect less pollen, and die far earlier than generations before. These factors lead to the accelerating of bee colony collapses. One thing that researchers have found that can cause this stress is

In recent years a relatively new family of pesticides called neonicotinoids has drawn particular fire; while studies of the chemicals have had a confusing mix of results, it seems clear that at certain doses, and in combination with other, standard plant treatments, neonicotinoids can be harmful or even deadly to bees.” (7) Pesticides and the Honey Bees have had a very long history beginning when they first started using them on crops to keep the bugs off. Global Research states: “...a type of insecticide called neonicotinoids, is known to cause acute and chronic poisoning not just of one bee, but the entire colony. Bees take the contaminated nectar and pollen spread through the plant’s DNA back to the hive, creating a highly toxic living environment for all the bees. Toxicity builds up destroying the Central Nervous System, causing further disorientation and bees ultimately can neither fly nor make it back to the nest.” (8) One of the most common chemically treated plants is corn, which also carries pollen. While honey bees do not directly pollinate the corn, the pollen can find its way onto a beautiful flower