Exploring Current Bee Deaths: the Effect on Humans and Crossover with Politics

Ailey Weber

Photo by Dmitry Grigoriev on Unsplash

In recent years, there have been serious concerns regarding bee populations. One of the biggest causes of bee deaths is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). The disease started attacking colonies in 2006 and some beekeepers reported losses of 50 to 90 percent of their bees. This usually occurs during the winter months, when the majority of worker bees leave their hives to look for pollen and never return, leaving the hive barren with only the queen and a few nurse bees. The exact cause of CCD is unknown. For the past couple of years around 40 to 50% of colonies have been lost each winter; however, experts say that the number is likely much more severe now.

In addition to the annual loss due to CCD, bees are in more danger than ever with changes in the climate that affect many natural habitats and recent extreme weather conditions, such as widespread wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes. Parasites caused by these unnatural changes, such as the varroa mite, have also been a threat and there has been possible pesticide exposure. In the past year, honey bee losses have been at an all time high, with 60 to 70% of bees having been lost compared to the annual losses of 40 to 50%. Current losses are likely from a combination of the environmental factors listed and Colony Collapse Disorder. This is potentially one of the worst honey bee losses in history, increasing anxiety amongst scientists.

In the past, we have had similar scares regarding the state of our honey bees. While recent numbers have shown that honey bee populations are at an all time high in the US, the rate of colony loss annually has increased. While honey bees are a domesticated species and bees can be bred, resulting in a spiked population, that does not mean that the pressing issue, a high rate of loss due to Colony Collapse Disorder or climate change, has been addressed. Losses are still increasing and populations are in a constant flux depending on the level of breeding.

Although this might not seem significant, these losses have devastating impacts on human life. 35% of the world's crop production, according to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, relies on pollinators, with bees being especially important pollinators. They also play a crucial role in the stimulation of about 100 crops consumed by Americans, not to mention the production of honey. This means that current food production could be affected, with many important food crops that Americans and the rest of the world rely on in everyday life being affected, such as vegetable plants, fruit trees, and nut trees. These crops might also not be able to be fully pollinated, resulting in lower quality rather than lower quantity. 

The steady decline of supply of many crops could have a significant economic impact for people affected directly, such as beekeepers and the whole agricultural industry, and for the broader population and economy. With beekeepers going out of business, farmers and people who depend on bee colonies won’t be able to pollinate their crops anymore. The decline in important food crops also pose risks to food security, with less healthy fruits and vegetables being available in stores, and prices being jacked, further restricting access. 

In addition, current proposed federal spending cuts in the US can undermine the work being done to solve these issues. Proposed cuts to the United States Department of Agriculture, which operates the only national survey tracking honey bee losses and supporting the beekeeping and agricultural industry, reduces resources for finding out the causes of these issues. Several labs’ funding have also already been cut, weakening any hopes of finding a solution. With bee losses coinciding with recently imposed tariffs, farmers already affected by the losses could have a harder time selling their crops abroad, and people will further struggle to afford imported and local goods. 

These potential overlaps of changes all coinciding at once and affecting our bee colonies could further increase the rising expenses for Americans. Overall, it is crucial for us to continue fighting to support scientific research on the subject of CCD and climate change causing bee colony losses and seek the roots of our problems while paying closer attention to our pollinators, especially considering the volatile state of our environment and government.