Importance of Honey Bees

Study Notes

One out of three meals eaten by humans is made possible by honey bees
If all honey bees were to die out, thousands of plants would follow, leading to millions of people starving
The dollar value of plants pollinated by honey bees each year is around $265 billion
Food that would be affected by the loss of honey bees includes apples, onions, pumpkins, and plants used for feeding livestock (milk and meat)

Millions of hives have died in the last few years, with annual losses of 30-90% of colonies
"Colony collapse disorder" has affected honey bees in many countries since 2006
Parasites such as Acarapis woodi and Varroa destructor have invaded honey bee colonies
Varroa destructor reproduces in honey bee hives and feeds on the bodily fluids of bees, weakening them and spreading viruses
Neonicotinoids, a chemical family similar to nicotine, are deadly to bees and have been used extensively in agriculture since the 1990s
Neonicotinoids harm bees in various ways, including causing convulsions, paralysis, and death, and impairing their ability to navigate

The demise of honey bees would be a catastrophe for human food production and diversity
Humans need to take better care of their surroundings to ensure the survival of honey bees and other lifeforms
An alternative to neonicotinoids is urgently needed, but the chemical industry is delaying this by sponsoring studies that downplay the toxicity of these chemicals to bees

One-third of human meals rely on honey bees for pollination
Honey bees' extinction would lead to widespread plant extinction and massive food shortages, affecting millions of people
The annual value of honey bee-pollinated crops is approximately $265 billion
Fruits and vegetables that would be affected by honey bee loss include apples, onions, pumpkins, and livestock feed

Honey bee colonies have experienced devastating losses, with annual losses ranging from 30% to 90% of colonies
Colony collapse disorder has plagued honey bees globally since 2006
Parasites like Acarapis woodi and Varroa destructor have invaded honey bee colonies
Varroa destructor reproduces within hives, weakening bees by feeding on their bodily fluids and spreading viruses
Neonicotinoids, a nicotine-like chemical, have been extensively used in agriculture since the 1990s and are toxic to bees
Neonicotinoids cause bee convulsions, paralysis, death, and impair navigation

The extinction of honey bees would have catastrophic consequences for global food production and diversity
Humans must take responsibility for their environment to ensure the survival of honey bees and other species
An alternative to neonicotinoids is urgently needed to protect honey bees