Since 2006 the bee population has begun to diminish and disappear. Maybe you are thinking this is great as now you don’t have to worry about getting stung, but this is anything but great.
Scientists have estimated that almost one-third of the United States bee colonies have vanished. Many crops are pollinated by bees each year and estimates are up to $15 billion in crops rely on bees for survival. This reduction in the bee population is causing a pollination shortage and can have a HUGE impact on the US produce supply and thus the economy.
Why the bees are disappearing remains a mystery. Cell phones and cell towers were once blamed but now scientists have ruled out this theory. Today theories point to pathogens, parasites and environmental stress. Pesticides, herbicides and contaminated water cause large amounts of stress to the bees by forcing them to transport these items to multiple locations to pollinate crops resulting in pollen scarcity.
The reduction in bees has been labeled as the colony collapse disorder and it is a real thing. As a society we need to focus on environmental safety to save the bees to save our crops and planet.