Bee colony collapse becomes a global phenomenon

Share Link:

Decline of much needed insect is going on world wide, scientists say

We have been following the mysterious death of honeybee colonies across the country, most recently here, but now United Nations scientists say the problem has become global. "Declines in managed bee colonies, seen increasingly in Europe and the U.S. in the past decade, are also now being observed in China and Japan and there are the first signs of African collapses from Egypt," Michael McCarthy of The Independent in London reports. The scientists, in a report from the U.N. environment program, warn that unless humans change the way they care for the planet "declines in pollinators needed to feed a growing global population are likely to continue," McCarthy writes.

"The scientists warn that a number of factors may now be coming together to hit bee colonies around the world, ranging from declines in flowering plants and the use of damaging insecticides, to the worldwide spread of pests and air pollution," McCarthy writes. To restore populations the scientists say farmers and landowners should be offered incentives for restoring pollinator-friendly habitats by placing flowering plants near crop-producing fields and closely monitoring the use of insecticides and other chemicals. (Read more)