Threat to bees is a threat to humans

Many beekeepers believe the declining numbers of bees may result in limited food for humans.

According to Greenpeace America, bees are responsible for 80 per cent of pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day including fruits, nuts and vegetables. About 70 out of the top 100 foods of the world are pollinated by the bees.

Statistics Canada research shows there are over one million colonies of honey bees in Ontario, operated by 3,000 beekeepers.

According to Greenpeace America, scientists believe bees are dying from a number of factors such as pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, air pollution and global warming.

Anastasia Bake has been teaching about bees for five years at St. Clair College and she is also a beekeeper.

“There are some 20,000 species of bees and seven of them are responsible for making honey,” said Bake. “Honey is basically a nectar that bees consume from flowers.”

She also said honey is being used to cure injuries as it has healing properties and it can do no harm. One historic medical book contains 700 remedies and honey was sourced in 142 of them.

According to Bake, honey bees are the only pollinators that humans can manage. People move them around to pollinate and fertilize hectares of fruit, nuts, trees and vegetables. When their numbers are reduced than there is less access and availability to fresh and affordable foods.

A quote from one of the world’s smartest people could be alarming.

Albert Einstein said if the bee was to disappear off the face of the Earth, man would have only four years left to live.