Across the world we are currently experiencing a massive decline in the bee population. In the UK alone an estimated 54% of bees have disappeared in the last 30 years, about 30% of hives dying each year. So why are so many bees vanishing? What is their role in our ecosystem? And how can we solve this overwhelming problem?
The decline in bees has been a result of a variety of variables; such a disease, parasites such as Vera destructor, and hunger. The amount of honeybees have halved since 1945. A huge factor in this decline is due to the change in farming practices after World War 2. Farmers began replacing natural fertilizers such as clover and alfalfa that the bees fed off with synthetic fertilizers. Herbicides were used to kill off weeds, many of which were flowering plants, providing bees with food. Also giant monocultures of crops such as corn have been planted that do not supply bees with food.
The most damaging and controversial variable being the use of insecticides. Insecticides are sprayed over crops and flowers to kill any pests that eat the plants, but this situation has unintended consequences. In a recent study from Harvard University, bee colonies were exposed…show more content… Large scale solutions to this problem would include the banning of pesticides, replacing monocultures with permaculture, as well as replacing synthetic fertilizers with naturally fertilizing ground covers and planting roadsides and parks with wildflowers instead of perfectly manicured lawns. But there are other solutions that we can contribute to as individuals. These solutions include planting flowers in our backyards, pots and anywhere else we can, buying organically produced food to support the farmers who are fighting the use of pesticides and setting up a beehive on our own land. This issue has become very political in the last few years so it is also important to show our governments that we want to save the