"If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than

four years to live.“Albert Einstein

The Facts“Every third bite of food you take, thank a bee or other

pollinator.” E.O. Wilson 1996

o In the UK around 70 crops are dependent on, or benefit from bees. 

o Huge Economic Value

o If the UK were to replace the work of bees with people it would take over 30 million workers.

BBC, 2009a; BBC, 2009b; NRDC, 2011

The Facts

o In the USA one third of honeybee hives were lost in two years

o In the winter of 2008/2009 one fifth of honey bee hives were lost

o 25 Native Species in the UK

Vanishing Bees, 2013

Crops Pollinated by Beeso Alfalfao Allspiceo Almondso Appleso Artichokeo Asparaguso Avocadoo Blackberrieso Blueberrieso Broccolio Brussel sproutso Cabbageo Cacaoo Cantaloupeo Carawayo Cardamomo Carrotso Cashewo Cauliflowero Celeriac

o Celeryo Cherrieso Chicoryo Chiveso Cinnamono Citruso Coriandero Cottono Cranberrieso Cucumberso Currantso Dillo Flaxo Fennelo Garlico Gooseberrieso Kaleo Kiwio Leeko Macadamia

o Mangoo Mustardo Nutmego Oniono Parsleyo Parsnipo Passion fruito Peacheso Pearso Plumo Pumpkino Radisho Raspberrieso Squasho Sunflowero Tangerineo Teao Watermelon

NRDC, 2011; Vanishing Bees, 2013

Colony Collapse Disorder

(CCD)o Majority of worker bees leave the hive

o Abandoning the Queeno Inadequate number of worker bees left to do the

jobo Queen and workers starve and die

vanEngelsdorp, 2006

Why?o Disposable Cupso Parasiteso Poor Nutritiono Loss of Habitato Genetically Modified Cropso Pesticideso Stress

Or…Returning to their home planet Melissa Majoria in sense of

the coming doom…

Doctor Who, 2008

Disposable Cupso Bees are lured by the sugar left in

disposable cupso 25,211 dead bees in 30 days

o 680 bees per day are manually killed at recycling centres

o 1.3billion – 800million cups of tea and coffee consumed daily using disposable cups

Chandrasekaran et al. (2011)

Parasites

o Bumblebees imported from Europe carry pathogens

o Varroa mite

BBC, 2013c; BBC, 2010; Martin, et al. 2012; Science Daily, 2012

Poor Nutritiono Honey bees require:

oCarbohydrates (sugars in nectar or honey)

oAmino acids (protein from pollen)o Lipids (fatty acids)oVitamins and mineralsoWatero All these nutrients can be obtained by bees in a natural setting

Huang, 2010

Loss of Habitat“The decline in wild habitat and forage is the most significant long-term threat

to honey bee populations in Europe and the US”

Professor Ratniek, UK’s only Professor of Apiculture (2010)

o Healthy bees need abundant food supplies

Ecologist, 2010

Genetically Modified Crops

o GM Crops resistant to pest and herbicides

Global Research, 2011

Genetically Modified Crops

o James and Pitts-Singer (2008) oBt protein is of no harm to beesoHerbicide resistant crops pose no direct

toxicity effects to bees

o Professor H. Kaatz (2009) o Found that bee colonies fed pollen with the Bt

protein collapsed after 3 weekso “Since they are something no one wants to hear

it is difficult to find an adequate place for them”

GM Watch, 2009

Pesticideso Neonicotinoid pesticides;

o ImidaclopridoClothianidino Thiamethoxam

o Targets the bees central nervous system

Pesticides

o Researchers treated 16 hives with different levels of Imidacloprid

o Exposure to the pesticides lowers brain activity

BBC, 2013d; BBC, 2013e; Genersche, 2010; Monbiot, 2013; Mongabay, 2012

Stress

o The colony depends on the efficient cooperation of the individual worker bees for essential tasks

o If too many bees get sick, it increases the work load on the other bees

Discovery Communications, 2013; Royal Holloway University of London, 2013; Woody, 2013;

Stresso Bees begin life as a larvaeo They mature into ‘hive’ bees, for 21

days they;oMaintaining the temperature of the hive,

building, cleaning and ventilatingo They mature into ‘forager’ bees and

collect nectar and polleno After 21 days they die, and hive bees

replace them

Discovery Communications, 2013; Royal Holloway University of London, 2013; Woody, 2013;

Stresso Dead bees are quickly replaced,

however impaired bees carry on attempting to work just at a far slow rate, hindering the colony

o A tipping point is reached when more bees die (of natural causes) than are being born

Discovery Communications, 2013; Royal Holloway University of London, 2013; Woody, 2013;

Stresso Pesticides such as neonicotinoids

have been found to be one of the major contributing factor to stress in bees

o Other factors such as;o Poor nutrition/Habitat losso Parasites

“Exposing bees to pesticides is a bit like adding more and more weight on someone’s shoulders. A person can keep walking normally under a bit of

weight, but when it gets too much – they collapse.”

Dr John Bryden, Royal Holloway (2013)

Discovery Communications, 2013; Royal Holloway University of London, 2013; Woody, 2013;

Why Should We Care?o Significant drops in the level of

pollination

o Reduced availability of certain fruits and vegetables

o Increased food prices

o Harder to get a healthy balanced dietBumblebee Conservation Trust, 2013; Natural Resource Defence Council, 2011

Why Should We Care?o Non-Consumable products of bees

oWaxoCosmetic companiesoCandle makersoPharmaceutical companiesoDentistsoChewing gum companies

University of Illinois, 2007

"If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than

four years to live.“Albert Einstein

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Background Image• Autan (2013) European Honey Bee Touching Down.

Available at: http://thebigfoto.com/bee-powered#photo24 (Accessed: 14 October 2013).