There have been worrying reports this week that wild bumble bees are now catching deadly diseases from domesticated honey bees. Numbers are declining across Europe, North America, South America and also in Asia. You can read the Guardian article about the situation HERE. Then there are problems with pesticides that halve bees’ capacity to gather pollen. Last month the Guardian reported that:
“A two-year EU ban of three neonicotinoids, the most widely used insecticides in the world, began in December, following research that showed harm to honey and bumblebees. The neonicotinoids are “systemic” pesticides, being applied to seeds so that the chemical spreads within the plants. Over three-quarters of the world’s food crops require insect pollination, but bees have declined in recent decades due to loss of flower-rich habitat, disease and pesticide use.”
You can read the rest of the article HERE.
One thing is certain, without bees we will start going hungry. But if this is all too depressing, here’s a view of our Much Wenlock garden taken last summer where there were in fact very many bees. So for all of us who think that winter will never end, take heart. Summer will come again.
Weekly Photo Challenge: threes for more trios
@guardian @guardianeco
Tish Farrell 
You have the most colorful posts,Tish. A perfect entry for the challenge. A wonderful story about the fate of bees. Let’s hope that more people become awAre of this so that they can survive.
Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
You’re most welcome.
A beautiful set of photos, Tish.
I struggle to read stories like this as with all reports of the ever increasing collapse of nature and much of humanity’s apparent ambivalence toward it all.
I tend to go into a fug and mentally switch off as it is too distressing. Yes, I am a bit nuts in this regard.
Dear blogpal Violetwisp, http://violetwisp.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/emergency-plan-christianity/
who lives a bit up north to you, Scotland) has quite a number of super bee shots on her blog that are worth a squizz.
She hasn’t been back on Mud-island too long ( though it is ”home” in a sense) having spent time over in Argentina.
It’s surprising how many of us are resident ( former residents ) of far flung climes.
I understand your switching off. It’s especially hard if there is little or nothing you can do about these situations. Thanks for sending me over to violetwisp. A good bee pic and an interesting post. And yes, it’s interesting what wanderers many of us bloggers are. Blogging as vicarious travel maybe.
Maybe.
I am quite the stay at home type, I’ll be honest and I am fortunate that I live on a nice property in a pretty decent part of Johannesburg.
I grew up in the UK, in Chester, ( and a few other towns/cities) though I’m not sure I would move back. Perhaps? Who knows.
My folks are still there.
I have a sister currently nursing in Malawi for 12 months and a brother in Australia. Cousins in Italy and Antigua and blogpals in several countries across the globe, as do many of us, I am sure.
I feel pretty confident of a warm welcome if ever I was in their neck of the woods, as I would welcome any with open arms should they venture this far south.
The internet has done more for the concept of the Global Village than can possibly be imagined, I’d say.
It’s quite astounding how far its come in such a short space of time.
Meant to say – I’m from Cheshire too – Sandbach. But going to Chester was such a treat. Still is. And yes I agree about the global village effect. Blogging is also a bit like having loads of penpals. But we can now see so much of each others’ lives with all of us clicking away, posting the things that matter/interest us.
I’ve been following this story for a few years. I don’t think most people realize the implications of the decimation of the bee population. All agriculture depends on bees for pollination.
Meanwhile, we’ve lost virtually every American bat to a disease brought over from Europe — by accident — soon, the bees. I think maybe humans are next in line.
well, I guess without the bees, we will be next in line. Not a happy thought. At some point we might learn that capitalism is not good either for the state of the environment or for us. Tough when we’re all so addicted to consumption.
A rather sad thing to happen. The flowers are beautiful, though. 🙂
Yes, we do need the bees, Celestine – wherever we are.
A great capture and what a unique response to the challenge. I really like this one.
Thanks, John
I don’t know exactly how world food shortages will play out, but the urgency of solving these problems as quickly as possible is screaming at us. The progress in identifying a possible cause of the recent bee declines is significant. The research has to happen fast and action taken quickly – a good test for our governments/us peoples.
Yes, Bumba, we do need to wake up on this. One problem is that so many of us have become estranged from the means by which our food is grown. Everything comes ready processed/ready to microwave etc. Thanks for commenting.
That’s true about being estranged from agriculture. But even city folk can be informed. It’s no excuse.