Danger to Bees is Danger to Us - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... Besides, when bees feel threatened, depending on their strain they can sting once and in some cases respond to threats in great numbers and even can pursue intruders with more persistence. Bees remain the significant commercial pollinators of crops that rely on animal pollination which account for 35% of world food production (Genersch 87). Therefore, bees are vital for economic and sustainable agriculture as well as food security; hence, their threat translates to human threat. For instance, honeybees and their health has been a major topic in the recent past considering their significant role in pollination and food production. Although some exaggerated suggestions claim that humankind would not survive long if bees disappear, production of many fruits and crops that contribute to healthy diet rely on animal pollination. Therefore, a consideration that goes beyond caloric to consider a balanced and nationally valuable diet animal pollinators remain to be essential, which signifies the importance of honey bees in crop production. Independent crop pollination that never rely on animal pollination account for about 65% and 90% of the remaining 35% is carried out by honeybees. Hence, although demise of bees may not spell the end of human kind, the human diet if honeybees become extinct will be greatly impoverished with the decline of bees. Therefore, the decrease of honeybees and their connection to worldwide food security make the decrease of bees an increasing concern for people because of the declining numbers of bees. Since pollination of crops in North America as well as Europe heavily relies on honeybees, the prevailing development of loss of honeybees is alarming though different nations are affected differently. The decline in number of honeybees in the 1990s within Europe attributed to political as well as economic upheaval caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Several countries in the soviet used honey as form of currency, which motivated people to keep bees but after the economic system changed, honey lost its economic relevance, which forced people to give up beekeeping. These economic links imply sustainable economic benefits for beekeepers in nations with declining bees and beehive management can contribute to stabilization or increase of bees or increase of managed beehives (Genersch 88). The prevailing bee losses are not sustainable and the trend is down as is the case with the quality of bees, which if not handled would lead to lose of many bees. The gravity of the threat to bees was acknowledged when the European commission signified its intention of imposing a ban on class of pesticides often referred to as neonicotinoids, which are widely used in the world (Grossman). This class of pesticides is considered a leading cause of colony collapse in bees; hence, the European commission had to announce the controversial decision following the conclusion by the European Food Safety Agency that pesticides represent acute risk to bees. The action by the European commission came as scientists and regulators showed their increased concern regarding the impact of colony collapse on the world’s food supply since many of the planet’s significant food crops rely on insect pollination. According to Grossman, a study regarding crop systems in 6 continents indicated ...Download file to see next pagesRead More