You know those little, fuzzy bumble bees that are always by flowers? They’re going extinct and quite fast. Many people do not know this due to the fact that there is not a lot of information on it in the media.
Bees are the root of our lives. They pollinate all of the fruits and vegetables that we eat, as well as the plants that produce oxygen. Without bees, the world would not have these things necessary to survive.
One of the main reason the bees are disappearing is the use of pesticides to kill unwanted weeds, insects, rodents, and etc. People spray pesticides on their lawn and all over their flowers without thinking what it is doing to other parts of the ecosystem. Bees will land on pesticide covered flowers or plants and take in the toxic repellent and on the way back to the hive, they will suddenly fall and die.
Mites are also causing bees to go extinct. Mites, scientifically known as Varroa mites, will sit in a small puddle of water and latch onto the bee when they approach. The mite then detached when the bee gets to the hive and reattach themselves to the larvae, killing them before they hatch. The mites take out an entire generation of bees in the hives, causing the entire hive to lose productivity.
There are a few things that people can do to help put a stop to the decline of bees.
First, stop the use of pesticides that are extremely toxic. There are a number of non-harmful, natural pesticides that can be used as a replacement, some are baking soda and vegetable oil, garlic and onions, and many more that can be found here.
For the mite problem, there is a product called the Varroa Gate that prevents the Varroa mite from entering the hive. This solution to the mite problem is mainly for beekeepers, but it can still be helpful to get the information out to the public.
Even though bees are small insects, they play a major role in the well-being of the world. By just taking small steps, like changing the pesticide that you use or telling your neighbor about the decline of bees, you could help save the bee population as a whole.
