Sophia Tran
ENGL 1202-52
Formal Outline
Thesis Statement: Many people think bees are a nuisance or are even afraid of them; however, bees are essential to our ecosystem. It is estimated that bees pollinate about a third of the food we eat, as well as food for other creatures. Without bees our food sources and ecosystem would be impacted greatly. So why are bees disappearing? It is important for us to look at how our behavior affects other species and actively protect bees before they become extinct.
1. Worldwide, there are around 25,000 different types of bee species. This huge number is divided into over 4,000 genera of bees, which are further subdivided into nine families.
A. The Apidae family is perhaps the most well known family, with familiar members such as the honeybee,
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The Varroa mite is a parasite that attacks honey bees.
E. Poor nutrition in bees’ diets due to intensive farming methods.
F. Reduced biodiversity in plants affected the immune system of bees.
i. In 2008, scientists in the UK reported that the diversity of bees and other insects were falling alongside the diversity of plants they fed and pollinated on. ii. Cedric Alaux and colleagues from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) in Avignon have traced a possible link between the diversity of bees’ diets and the strength of their immune systems.
1. “We found that bees fed with a mix of five different pollens had higher levels of glucose oxidase compared to bees fed with pollen from one single type of flower, even if that single flower had a higher protein content,” Dr. Alaux told BBC News.
a. Bees make glucose oxidase (GOX) to preserve honey and food for larvae against infestation by microbes which protects the hive against disease.
b. That means that those bees have better antiseptic protection compared to other bees, and so would be more resistant to pathogen invasion.
G. Climate change poses an increasing threat to bees as global warming and its impact
This project was chosen to investigate the decline of the honeybee and the impact on Australian agriculture. The honeybee decline is interconnected with environmental sustainability with key environmental challenges threatening the future of the honeybee and the industry of beekeeping. Some of these factors such as land degradation, limited water availability, loss of plant biodiversity, climate change, pests and pesticides loss of public lands such as National Parks, State forests and reserves, all impact on the sustainability and ecosystems which the honeybee depends and likewise, the ecosystems depend on the honeybee. With the disappearance of land to urbanisation and government restrictions on access to public lands some 70% of Australian
In the novel, the conflict is caused because all the bees in the world die. If that were to happen, not only would a major pollinator disappear from the earth, thus destroying fauna throughout the world, but animals that rely on bees as part of the food chain would also suffer. In Stung, the absence of the bees leads to a pandemic, which scientists then try to solve with a vaccine. However, the vaccine turns children into beasts instead of curing them of the disease that threatens to engulf the entire human race. Finally, at the end of the book, a successful vaccine is discovered, allowing science to mitigate some of the damage it caused—but that does not change or excuse the fact that pesticides and vaccines nearly caused the extinction of humans as well as other
“Beekeepers across the United States lost 44 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning from April 2015 to April 2016” (“Nation’s Beekeepers lost 44 percent of bees in 2015-2016”). Many famers today plant their cops in sections farther apart depending on the plant. When the bees go to collect nectar they cannot get as much food without getting tired. This has had an effect on bees because they die faster from having to fly so far. Many beekeepers think that this reason causes bees to fade away.
Bee hives are disappearing daily, not only will this cause some food consumption to go down but also, economic decisions could be different because there will be no choice to have honey, shelter, and fiber, so we should focus more on measure to protect bees, that way they don 't become extinct. Bees also pollinate in the spring causing there to be enough plants and trees, and to maintain they are alive. Bees pollinate plants by landing on the flowers, picking up pollen and then transferring it to other plants of the same species while they collect nectar. Without bees the plants wouldn 't be able to be pollinated as easily and there wouldn 't be that many that would even get any pollen. It has often been said that bees are responsible for
Not only that some species of bees have very specific need for a certain type of plant/flower so if the killer bee takes a lot of pollen from one certain type of plant what will happen to that species of bee (Plants to attract bumblebees and other interesting native bees, 2013)? The population of The Killer Bees also affects the economy in more ways than one. Such as, beekeeping because they are having troubles because there are more expenses, and more difficulty finding sites for bees because of public fear.(Africanized Honey Bee, 2014). Overall the impact of the bees is greater than just than how it affects the
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the USDA’s internal research agency is leading several efforts to find the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder, and ways to stop it. The ARS has been striving to enhance honey bee regulation and health as well by improving bee management practices and studying honey bee diseases, vectors, and how to control them. Plus, a number of Federal agencies and state departments of agriculture, private companies, and universities have all started to seek the source and treatment of Colony Collapse Disorder. This is not the first time that bee population has declined drastically. There have been several periods in recent history that bees have been documented to have severe population loss, the 1880’s, 1920’s, and 1960’s.
Timmcdonnell. "Here's why all the bees are dying. "Mother Jones. N.p., n.d. Web.
Many have said, “that the cause of colony collapse disorder is likely a combination of factors that includes the widespread use of pesticides and fungicides, as well as the spread of viral pathogens and parasitic mites in beehives“ (Tucker). these can wipe out an entire colony or even thousands. This problem is a global problem, as Europe is also seeing the effects of an extraordinarily strong winter rolled by, potentially causing around 50% of their bee population to drop due to the harsh cold and crisp air. This is generally the most concerning against global warming causing harsh winters and summers, potentially dropping the bee population
Every day bees are disappearing from their colonies at dangerously rapid rates. Everyone should become bee keepers and/or have bee gardens. It is the peoples’ duty to protect and save the bees. Bees play a major role in our everyday lives, and they go unnoticed. Without bees our food supply would quickly decrease.
This again stops the bees from doing their job of pollinating and stops them from getting the food they need to survive. The community can help bees survive by employing a few tactics. One tactic alone will not cure the bee population degradation but it can help boost the bee population. One local and more personal tactic would be to have a “bee garden” that consists of flowering plants that bees like which include apples, oranges, lemons, limes, cucumbers, carrots, and cantaloupes. Another tactic would be do be more environmentally conscious.
This all started when we changed our methods of farming. We started spraying various types of pesticides all over crops, using synthetic fertilizers, and removing small flowering plants. We started large farms for a single plant. The problem is that pesticides act like pollen and adhere to the bee. As a result, the bee larvae died or would take longer to develop.
Due to pollution, air quality is already poor. The deficiency of all of these factors will inevitably affect humans negatively. In order to protect the pollinators, the environment, and mankind, we must reformulate pesticides or cease the use of them altogether. Dr. Fairbrother, a renowned scientist and former member of the Environmental Protection Agency, noted that commercial bee-keeping companies reported losses of up to ninety percent of their colonies in 2006 (719). Scientists are blaming the losses on Colony Collapse Disorder.
Therefore, areas with lots of flowers are best for bees to live in. Bees are very important for plants as they spread pollen around allowing plants to reproduce. Bees also supply humans with bees wax and honey. Bees have an open circulatory system. Blood does not flow through veins it fills the whole body.
Mites have been responsible for the collapse of millions of honey bee colonies over the past decade. For example, the invasive parasitic mite Varroa destructor is the biggest problem for honey bees worldwide. Over the past few decades, is has been spread out of southeast Asia and reached almost a global presence. The mites have responsible for collapsing a colony of 50,000 – 60,000 honey bees can be completely wiped out by a Varroa infestation in as little as 2 years. Mites cause damage to developing honey bees.
These levels were high enough to kill a bee instantly. In a study from 2016, 35 different pesticides and fungicides were collected from pollen that bees used to pollinate food crops in five U.S. states. Bees that came in contact with these combinations of chemicals were more likely to be infected with the Varroa Mite, a parasite that is associated with Colony Collapse Disorder. Colony Collapse Disorder is a phenomenon that occurs when all or the majority of worker bees suddenly disappear and leave their queen, plenty of food, and a few nurse bees behind. Without the worker bees, a hive cannot sustain itself and will eventually