Several years ago, so many bees would be buzzing around our flowers during late spring that we took the insects for granted.
It was hard to imagine the situation that exists now — a nationwide alarm over the scarcity of the nectar-sipping insects, especially honeybees, which are essential for pollinating billions of dollars worth of crops each year. That includes nearly $400 million worth in Georgia, according to a University of Georgia study.
“Bees visit flowers to collect pollen and nectar as food, and as they do this they transfer pollen from flower to flower in a process called pollination,” explained UGA entomologist Keith Delaplane, a leading bee expert. “Pollination helps seeds and fruits to develop.”
But, as we prepare to observe National Pollinators Week (June 15-21), the future of our bees — and pollinators in general — is of great worry to scientists, beekeepers, farmers and others.
Last month, a national survey concluded that beekeepers lost 42 percent of their hives during the past year, continuing a prolonged die-off of honeybees. Disease-causing mites, the use of so-called neonictotinoid pesticides and other problems have been blamed as causes, but no one knows for sure why bees are dying in such alarming numbers.
The situation might be even worse for wild honeybees, Delaplane said. Also threatened are nonhoney bees — including bumble bees and solitary bees that nest in thick grass, soil, wood or tunnels in wood. “[They] are easily overlooked because they are rarely kept in hives, do not make surplus honey, and do not form large colonies,” Delaplane said.
The concern reached the White House last month when President Barack Obama outlined a new strategy to help bees and other insect pollinators. It calls for adding or improving bee-friendly wildflower habitat on 7 million acres of land, about the size of Maryland, by 2020.
For information on National Pollinator Week and how you can help, visit: pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2015.htm.
In the sky: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The moon will be new Tuesday. Mercury is low in the east around dawn and will appear near the moon Monday morning. Venus is in the west just at dusk and sets about three hours later. It will appear near the moon Friday night. Jupiter is low in the west at dusk and sets a few hours later. Saturn is in the southeast just after dark.
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