The Buzz on Bees

It seems like every year there is a new thing to worry about that is going to cause the end of the world. I admit that I was afraid of Y2K and semi believed that cell phones caused cancer but for the world to end because of honeybee extinction made the most sense. I had heard about this issue from some friends so when I came across the slate.com article “Bee Not Afraid” by Heather Smith I was quickly calmed by the cute title and had no choice but to read.  Our adorable and fuzzy honeybees are suffering from microscopic little bugs called Varroa destructor. The poor honeybee in which we associate with sweetness is getting their blood sucked out from these nasty little bugs that have the fitted last name of destructor. Although this is a heartbreaking problem, according to this article it is not going to lead to the end of the world. In fact, the honeybee has been almost extinct in North America for ten years now.

The extinction of the honeybee may not lead to the end of the world but does not make the honeybee less valuable. The honey bee stays true to it’s “busy” reputation by supplying a &14.6 billion in free labor. We get our honey mostly from overseas but the free labor is also included in pollination. I remember seeing “Bee Movie” which made me realize the importance of bees pollinating. Without the pollination of crops we would have no food for animals, which means no food for us humans and a bad economy. Scientists already trying to solve the problem by inventing different types of bees such as the blue-orchard bee but will most likely suffer the same fate as the honeybee by the Varroa destructor. Scientists will always be able to create a new species of bee to do the honeybee’s former job but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to save the honeybee. This article really made me realize no matter how many times I have been stung by a bee that I am not ready to see this cute little insect go.

No matter what the big worry about the earth whether it be global warming, a huge black hole, or someone just wakes up from one big dream we should preserve all the life around us. It’s hard to believe that we can survive without the honeybee after all it does for us. The honeybee is kind of like our appendix because we can survive without it but why not still keep it healthy? I wouldn’t feel complete without my appendix and the honeybee.