Honey bees are dying in staggering numbers the world over. Close to one-third of all honey bee colonies have simply vanished into thin air, mysteriously disappearing all along the planet. This disappearance of the bees from their hives, leaving behind only a handful of young bees and the queen, is termed as the colony collapse disorder. There are no dead bees in the colony or the apiary; the bees leave the hive and simply never return, bewildering bee keepers and scientists alike.
The primary theory for the cause of colony collapse disorder is a variety of imbalances in the environment, and the secondary theory puts the blame on current agricultural and industrial practices. Bees are sensitive to the constant flood of manmade chemicals into their system, especially pesticides, many of which accumulate over time. The pesticide and insecticide exposure for honey bees living near agricultural fields affects their immune system.
Bees pollinate one third of our diet. Does this phenomenal disappearance signify that our food system is unsustainable? Is it still possible to save these bees?
View this documentary film for more buzz on the vanishing bees.
Source of video: Vanishing Of The Bees