Since the year 2006, bee farmers have become to notice sharp declines in their bee stocks. Because of these concerning observations of this unknown reason of the decline, scientists began to study “Colony Collapse Disorder”. The phenomena of colony collapse disorder became popular when there was a large decline of bee colonies, which was affecting many crops. This mysterious disappearing was pondered by many farmers, scientist, and concerned civilians due to the observations of less and less bee colonies, but; no increase of dead bees were seen around the beehives. Studies and investigations were and are still currently being done to uncover the mystery. Although it is not unusual for bees to die or colonies to vanish, the extent regarding to the matter was alarming. Honeybees play a major role in the pollination of plants and therefore these huge losses have become a serious concern. Through research, collecting data, and investigating this phenomena of Colony Collapse Disorder, there have been many founding’s pertaining to why this issue has appeared in the world and what each individual can do to help this from ruining the beautiful world as humans know it. 

Honeybees are the reason why our world is able to be physically beautiful and have delicious produce. There is an abundant amount of problematic issues that our world will endure if colony collapse disorder is not stopped. Through reading Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder by Renée Johnson, an abundant amount of information is given about the consequences of colony collapse disorder. The writer gives a strong argument as to why this is a serious problem and why action needs to be taken to help the honeybees and our world. For example, the writer uses logos by saying “by February 2007, large commercial migratory beekeepers in several states had reported heavy losses associated with CCD. Their reports of losses varied widely, ranging from 30% to 90% of their bee colonies” (Johnson 6). Johnson also provides multiple tables and charts to physically show the reader why this is an issue. Through giving multiple examples and logistics as to why this is an issue, the reader can be given a clear argument with physical facts as to why colony collapse disorder is a serious threat to the world we know. Johnson also uses ethos in her argument to provide the reader an emotional concept of her argument. Due to colony collapse disorder, the reader may feel sadness or anger when Johnson writes, “improving existing USDA conservation programs to better prevent habitat loss and sustain wild life populations; emphasizing the importance of pollinator diversity and sustaining wild and native pollinator species” (14). By using ethos, the audience may feel motivated to help this cause and take action to stop colony collapse disorder through efforts. 

The concern over Colony Collapse Disorder, the global disaster looming because of the decimation of the honey bee population, resulting from, among other things, pesticide poisoning and changes to the habitats where bees forage, is a concern that many people should keep in mind.  To help this issue, there are many ways to spread awareness and participate in personal actions to help the honeybees. The common fear of being stung by a bee or that “bees are mean” is half of the issue. There are many actions that can be done to spread the love of bees starting as early as elementary education. Amanda Lengnick-Hall, a teacher, has overseen beekeeping at other schools in her area and decided to spread the love of bees to her elementary school students. In Elemntary School Students Start Bee Keeping Club by The Honey Love Urban Beekeepers blog, there is a great example of a teacher spreading the passion to bees to her young students. Lengnick-Hall states:

But once they get into the suits and get closer to the bees and they start learning more about them, they start becoming really protective of them. It’s really exciting to see them go from scared … to being advocates and getting an opportunity to try something they probably haven’t thought they wanted to try (1)

If more people begin to have a larger appreciation of the honeybees and all of the work they do for society, there will be a larger likelihood of the colony collapse disorder coming to an end. For example, joining an Apis Mellifera Society to stay abreast of developments and possible remedial actions. Even operating on a local level, there is a hope of inspiring others to undertake simple, productive actions: plant a pollinator friendly window box; eliminate the use of pesticides lethal to bees; even buy local honey. One seemingly insignificant act can have long-range implications, especially if it is conscientiously and regularly practiced.  Through efforts and dedication, the hope to motivate others to become involved and to understand that the plight of the bees is universal and poses a threat to both nature and humankind. Any action can help expand the Society’s influence so that apian and human existences can survive and even flourish in tandem.   

There are many consequences to colony collapse disorder. The impact of colony collapse disorder can turn to be extremely treacherous to the world, as we know it. As honeybees gather pollen and nectar for their own survival, they pollinate a numerous amount of crops that humans need to survive to attain essential vitamins and nutrients. About ninety percent of crops are dependent on honeybee pollination. The video Colony Collapse: The Mystery of the Missing Bees | Retro Report created by The New York Times does a great job at explaining the detrimental affects of Colony Collapse Disorder. The video talks about many different things that could be causing Colony Collapse Disorder, but one in particular has been the increase in electromagnetic frequencies. The video states: 

There is a major correlation between the timeline of the appearance of colony collapse disorder and the timeline of the boom in wireless technology. Colony Collapse Disorder started to become a serious issue around the same time that cell phone companies started their mad rush to build as many cell phone towers as possible.

Although there are many other possible factors that could be the cause of colony collapse disorder, the video argues that this could be the main reason of the decline in bee colonies. This is an interesting possibility because the extreme increase of technological advances and where in this day of age where almost everyone owns a cell phone using electromagnetic frequencies and Wifi, it is interesting to think that something a part of a humans every day life could be the reason of Colony Collapse Disorder suggesting a “back up plan” for when the honeybee population goes extinct and the world still needs to pollinate its plants. Alessandra Potenza writes, “Bees are not doing well. Bee populations in the US and around the world have declined rapidly in recent years, possibly because of pesticides, diseases, and climate change. That’s bad for agriculture and the    economy: bees pollinate more than $15 billion-worth of crops in the US every year” (1). To avoid these consequences with loosing the honeybees, the article suggest the RoboBee, an artificial bee that artificially pollinates plants and can be controlled manually via a remote control. Even though this sounds like a great back up plan and all, this would cost a lot of money to produce all of these RoboBee’s, and it is very inefficient compared to the natural way bees pollinate. Those creating the RoboBee would support Colony Collapse Disorder happening because they would want to make profit off of this invention. However, those whose mindset is on saving the bees would want to prevent the RoboBee from actually becoming a reality.

The use of pesticides is a very controversial topic within society. Some believe pesticides to be polluting and toxic to the air, earth, and nature as it is. Others believe it to be beneficial to their farms and crops as the pesticides keep pests and bugs away from eating the crops. However, pesticides have been known to be very vital to the honeybee’s lives. The article Pollinator Protection: Colony Collapse Disorder written by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writes about the phenomenon of colony collapse disorder which occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen. The article simply states that pesticides are not the cause of colony collapse disorder, however; pesticides are killing bees. This opinion is viewed differently by other but the article states that, “When most or all of the bees in a hive are killed by overexposure to a pesticide, we call that a beekill incident resulting from acute pesticide poisoning. But acute pesticide poisoning of a hive is very different from CCD and is almost always avoidable”(2). The EDA is acknowledging that pesticides are killing the bees, but the EDA is not stating that pesticides are the cause of colony collapse disorder. The EDA is giving evidence to the reader that pesticides do cause bees to loose their lives but gives other factors like:

Increased losses due to the invasive varroa mite (a pest of honey bees).

New or emerging diseases such as Israeli Acute Paralysis virus and the gut parasite Nosema.

Pesticide poisoning through exposure to pesticides applied to crops or for in-hive insect or mite control.

Stress bees experience due to management practices such as transportation to multiple locations across the country for providing pollination services. 

Changes to the habitat where bees forage.

Inadequate forage/poor nutrition.

Potential immune-suppressing stress on bees caused by one or a combination of factors identified above. (3) 

These are all potential reasons as to why colony collapse disorder is affecting our world. Without the acknowledgment and spread of awareness of the issue and why it is happening, there may never be help given to the bees. Debbie Hadley is experienced to be writing 10 Possible Causes for Colony Collapse Disorder because she has spent the past twenty-five years as a naturalist and teacher, sharing her passion for wildlife with others. There are many possible reasons as to why Colony Collapse Disorder is occurring, but no one can exactly get one clear answer. Hadley’s number two cause is pesticides. Pesticides may not have caused colony collapse disorder but it has definitely had an effect on honeybee population. Parasites and Pathogens are also a possible cause for CCD because the varroa mite kills bee’s larvae. I agree with most of the possible causes Hadley discusses, but some of them are a little too over dramatic in my opinion.

Nature itself can attack nature. The veracious Varroa Mite has been a common pest for many honeybee colonies.  The Varroa destructor (Varroa mite) is an external parasitic mite that attacks the honeybee colonies. The Varroa mite can only reproduce in a honey beecolony. High mite populations in can cause a crisis when drone rearing ceases and the mites switch to worker larvae, causing a quick population crash and often hive death. In Honey Bee Virus, the Deadly Varroa Mite Associates by the Extension blog, there are many facts about the Varroa Mite that can be linked to colony collapse disorder. The article states that, “evidence suggests that Varroa and their vectored viruses affect the immune response of honey bees, making them more susceptible to disease agents” (1) which shows why this could be a large consequence to colony collapse disorder. Within the hive, there is an inner factor that is affecting the mass reproduction of honeybees. If there is a pest that is killing larvae and causing bees to not live, this would stop the colonies from their biggest population potential. The article states: 

One of the serious problems caused by Varroa is the transmission of viruses to honey bees which cause deadly diseases. Viruses found in honey bees have been known to scientists for 50 years and were generally considered harmless until the 1980’s when Varroa became a widespread problem. Since then, nearly twenty honey bee viruses have been discovered and the majority of them have an association with Varroa mites, which act as a physical and or biological vector. Therefore controlling Varroa populations in a hive will often control the associated viruses and finding symptoms of the viral diseases is indicative of a Varroa epidemic in the colony. Viruses are however, the least understood of honey bee diseases. Emerging information of honey bee viruses continue to alter our understanding of the role viruses play in honey bee colonies (3)

This mass of information shows that a disease spread among a beehive can cause a serious detrimental affect to the production of bees out of a hive. With the Varroa mite disabling bee larvae to become pollinators to our world’s precious crops, this can result in a massive decline of crops. 

         Without bees, our grocery stores would look completely different. There would be no variety of fruits, vegetables, and all of the different delicious foods that we love. In Bees and Cover Crops: Using flowering cover crops for native pollinator conservation by Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, there is a massive amount of evidence given as to why bees are so important for the worlds crops. The article states:

Pollination services are essential for the production of the majority of our fruit, vegetable and nut crops including apples, tomatoes, and pumpkins.  Although much of the world’s primary staple crops are wind pollinated (e.g., corn, rice, wheat), a third of the food we eat every day can be attributed directly to pollinators.  While managed colonies of European honey bees are most frequently used for crop pollination, wild or native bees commonly provide the same pollination services for ‘free’ without the costs of renting or maintaining honey bee hives.  Native bees only require adequate food and habitat resources to sustain the healthy and diverse bee populations needed for effective pollination.  (1)

Without honey bees there would be a terrible affect to the world’s crops.

Honeybees are one of the most essential animals to our world and nature. Without the extremely beneficial affects of honey bees our world would be bland, unhealthy, and not nearly as beautiful as it is today. Although colony collapse disorder is a very controversial subject as to what is the main affect, there is evidence to show which subjects are problematic.
