Keep 'Em Buzzing

Most people jump when they hearing the buzzing of bees. What they unfortunately don't know is that bees are crucial to pollination and therefore food production. They are 1 of 2 ways plants pollinate. These little insects are actually quite docile and are just trying to find some pollen to bring back to the hive.

A new phenomenon has been making it harder for bees to collect pollen and bring it back to their hive. Its a random absence of bees and any sign that they were even around, except for the empty boxes that were once a hive. The shell of a hive is of particular concern as they aren't covered in dead bees or have any noticeable damage. The bees just left. No explanation, no trace.

While the whole picture is still fuzzy there is some research that suggests steps are being taken to fix the problem and try to revive lost colonies. Colony Collapse Disorder could stem from many different causes but some have been shown to have direct effects on the bees. GMOs and systemic pesticides are the leading causes of CCD currently (article from the Boston Globe). These conventional farming practices seem to trigger a response in the nervous system of the bees causing the bees to lose their ability to gather pollen and return home. Each bee has a built in GPS but chemicals from farm practices confuse the GPS function of her brain, sending her flying off into the ether. If enough bees have this problem the whole colony will vacate- sometimes leaving the queen to attempt at repopulating the hive with the young that are left behind. However without her worker bees the queen and young won't have pollen for food and honey production. I think you can guess the end of this story.

Luckily some farmers and beekeepers have decided that CCD is costing agriculture and the planet too much. A group of farmers nation wide have taken a cue from France, a leader in CCD research and solutions, by starting organic and holistic beekeeping. Organic beekeeping sounds a bit lofty and like something you'd find in old Switzerland but its everywhere! There are organic beekeepers in rural Virginia, Florida, and many European beekeepers have been organic for years. I had the pleasure of working for farmers who loved bees and their incredible gift of pollination, so they decided to start a hive just a few yards from the farm.

(Pictures from Broadfork Farm blog)

These ladies will happily feast on some pollen produced from organic plants grown without GMO seeds or harmful farming practices. Hopefully happy, healthy bees at one farm can encourage others to do the same. Bees are relatively easy to take care of and provide us with so much- the food we eat.