Notes On Abstract Bees Are The Backbone Of Agriculture And They Are

“Bees need food (nectar, pollen) provided by insect-pollinated plants in order to reproduce and produce more bees” (Corbet, Williams, & Osborne, 1991, p 2). By creating hives and environments that are conducive to bee sustainment, it is possible that strides can be to reverse the downward trend in populations. This is critical as one study showed. It stated that the loss of bees was a domino effect to other species. It stated, “If bee pollinated flowers

Bees are the reason we have jelly, fruit, nuts, coffee and so many other vegetation (Lecture 09/27). Without these creatures we would lose so much more of our biodiversity, which is already suffering from other anthropogenic actions. Our society has a habit of finding the most cost efficient methods to produce goods that please the consumers without considering all the consequences of these actions. More importantly, we do not recognize the harm that we have caused until the damage is outrageous and requires a solution. But, this problem cannot follow those footsteps because it is essential for our ecosystem to thrive. These solution would not only save millions of dollars by being proactive, but would allow us to sustain food sources, biodiversity, and the survival of

Bees are essential to the survival of many races on this earth. With over 85% of the world's plants depending on pollination that only organisms such as the bee can provide it is said that without bees the human race would have approximately 4 years to live. When bees land on a flower their feet often slip into a little groove that holds pollen sacs. When the bee then flies away it carries off this sac like a saddlebag stuck on its feet. When this bee lands on another flower looking for nectar, the "saddlebag" falls off, the pollen falls out of the sac, and pollination is underway. This occurrence is so important as it is what leads to the production of fruits that any given plant may produce. There are around 20,000 different types of bees

Furthermore bees specifically are particularly efficient with it being estimated that they are the sole pollinators for 50% of the approximate 80% of flowering plants which rely on insects for pollination (Bradbear, 2009). Their efficiency is further illustrated by the fact that a single colony containing 25,000 forager bees is able to pollinate 250 million flowers per day (Bradbear, 2009). As a result of this it can be seen that bees are hugely important as pollinators with many species of flower being completely dependent on them. Furthermore, the importance of bees extends beyond ecological diversity; certain types of bees are hugely important economically. In addition to pollinating a large variety of fruit and vegetables, bees produce Honey; together this results in them having an estimated value of service of £200m a year in the UK (National Audit Office (NAO), 2009). Overall it can be seen that bees are of significant importance that any decrease in population should be treated with concern, as a result of this a large quantity of research has been conducted into identifying possible

The honey bee is the substructure of the human population. It is imperative that the world knows about the decline of honey bees and work together to save the honey bee population. Nearly one-third of the world's crops are dependent on honeybees, but over the last decade the black and yellow insects have been dying at an unexpected rate in the United States. Pesticides, disease, poor weather, and the stress of being taken from one orchard to another to pollinate different crops all play a role in the decline of the honey bee. The honey bee as a species is not in danger of extinction, but a large portion of our food supply is, because the honey bee no longer has the ability to support the industry of commercial pollination. Without honey

(2014) showed pollination by bees could have an even greater economical value than previously thought due to the study not only considering value to the yield but the quality of the final fruits with regards to trade classes and shelf life the latter being the major factor determining the commercial value of pollination. It is estimated that between one third and a half of all fruits and vegetables are lost due to damage and deterioration during the packing, transporting and storage after harvesting, or wasted at retailer and consumer level.

Bees pollinating crops produce every third mouthful of food we eat. Bees contribute to thirty- five Percent of global food production, 87 of the leading 115 food crops are dependent on animal pollinators, including bees. (The United States White House, 2014). Without bees pollinating plants, there would not be very many fruits or vegetables to eat, Bees transfer pollen between the male and female parts, allowing plants to grow seeds and fruit. In the last decade scientist and beekeepers have observed remarkable decline of bees, in the US alone 30% of the national bee population has disappeared and nearly a third of all bee colonies in the U.S. have

Many plants rely heavily on bees as their main pollinator to reproduce. The main fear is that even though many flowers also rely on mammals and other insects to assist in the pollination process, bees are the biggest and most vital source of this life cycle. As the bees disappear the reproduction process of many plants does not happen as efficiently thus less plants are produced, this

The oldest known bee fossil is estimated to be over 135 million years old (The Xerces Society). Knowing this, one would certainly realize the importance of the relationship between plants and bees, as they have depended on each other for survival for such an immense period of time. The colossal variety of plant species are around today on behalf of the pollinators that evolved with them. However, this knowledge has not quite convinced society of the dangers the decline in bee populations pose to life as one knows it, as the loss of plants causes a dangerous chain reaction. At the curtains of every winter, a dwindling number of bees are making their debut in the thriving spring. The decrease can be seen in how United States beekeepers have lost 40 percent of their colonies since 2006 (Johnston,

Bees play a critical role in our ecosystem, and their significant decline in population will eventually lead to difficulty in maintaining the large variety of crops that we have; humans as a species need to come together to protect bees and assure their safety. Humans are largely dependant on bees for them to do their jobs in order for humans to continue to live and eat the way that we do. If humans desire to maintain the lifestyle that we have, action will have to be taken to try to preserve what is left of the bees and reverse the action that has been done.

The non-native honey bee, Apis mellifera L., plays an important role in plant pollination services, pollinating 90% of commercially insect-pollinated crops (Steffan-Dewenter et al., 2005). Additionally, they produce honey, which is an important international commodity. Understanding the ecology of honey bees is imperative as humans are becoming increasingly reliant on pollination services for food production. With the upsurge of backyard beekeeping (Salkin, 2012) it is imperative to understand and protect this species. However, according to(vanEngelsdorp and Meixner, 2010), honey bee populations are declining in the United States due to several factors, including such stressors as parasites, pesticides, and fungal and bacterial infections. The cumulative impact of these issues can lead to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), where honey bees leave the hive and never return, though the exact cause(s) of CCD is currently unknown. Honey bees require specific resources within a certain distance to their hive, and it is helpful for beekeepers and land managers to recognize this relationship in order to maintain healthy and efficient hives. A healthy beehive is more adaptable to a changing climate and can better withstand environmental pressures, and healthy bees promote the reproduction of crops and other plants that humans deeply rely on. Therefore, it is imperative for beekeepers to maintain healthy hives and to understand the best practices for honeybees. The

The honey bee, Apis mellifera, is commonly accepted as one of the most important species on the planet, for its role both as a pollinator species and its commercial exploitation for honey (Winston, 1987). Almost the whole planet is inhabited by the honey bee; they are able to live in both regions of cold climates with long severe winters, and in habitats such as the tropics where winters never occur and the summer temperatures are higher. These differences in environmental conditions have caused the species to adapt and form multiple sub-species, each with various ranges of tolerance to environmental conditions (Gupta et al., 2014). Due to the honey bee thriving in most parts of the planet, it is easily thought of as one of the top pollinators as the species is recognised and able to undertake its role across the world.

Albert Einstein once said, “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man” (“Einstein Once Said…”). After careful thought on this matter, this can be a scary concept to process. Millions of years have passed with the honey bee gracing the earth, and in fact, the honeybee is the only insect that aids in the production of food that is consumed by the human race (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”). Imagine going to a grocery store and there being no almonds to buy, a scarce supply of apples to choose from, and a very limited

Honey bees, feared by the misinformed and admired by the intelligent, are dying. The interest in bees from many environmentalists is not for a sudden cause, as this issue is not new to the world. Honey bees as a population have been in decline for years but have yet to reach the endangered species list anywhere in the United States except for Hawaii. Many people kill bees that buzz around joyfully, simply because they are afraid of being stung by them; however, a vast majority of bees do not sting and the others do not care. This unfortunate commonality is not even one of the top causes of the worldwide epidemic of honey bees. Although bees are jokingly idolized on the internet in pictures and videos as a result of a popular children’s movie, their population decline is in fact quite serious. Honey bees and other pollinators like birds and insects ensure the pollination of flowering plants and crops all around the globe. Not only do honey bees pollinate plants that produce the foods that humans eat, but they also pollinate trees that produce clean oxygen for Earth. Without honey bees, the world as we know it could soon end, due to carbon dioxide pollution and lack of farmable foods. The population of honeybees and other important pollinator-bee species is dwindling due to a dilemma known to scientists as colony collapse disorder (CCD) because of the use of bee-killing pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, the decrease of flower meadows in the world, and the general increase

Importance of Honey Bees Environmental Issue Environment As the honey bee population declines, there is a decrease in honey production and decrease in crop pollination resulting in a negative economic impact. The theory among the scientific community regarding the bee colony decline is related to multiple stressors including: 1 pests, pesticides, inadequate nutrition, poor management practices, and lack of genetic diversity (“Pollinator Health Concerns,” 2016). This supports