The Bees are Buzzing Away Because of Climate Change

Climate change has been one of the prominent issues over the past decade and its impacts are ones that can be grave and harming to future generations. As Earth sustains more damage by the day, its ecosystems are facing  the bulk of the devastating impacts. This has been especially true for bees. 

Bees play an integral part in our food supply,  but their population has been lowering every year. The United States Department of Agriculture found that the honey bee colony population has been decreasing by 39.7% over the past 11 years. This rapid decimation of bees is concerning because according to The National Environmental Education Foundation, they contribute 15 billion dollars in agriculture to the United States a year. 

As climate change progresses, this contribution could become compromised, as global warming offsets the farming process, especially as it  has affected bees’ ecosystems in a way that the plants that the bees pollinate have begun to bloom earlier and have disrupted the blooming cycle. 

This disruption will continue to grow and many more bees will be lost. This doesn't just affect the bees however, it affects the farmers who rely on the pollen bees produce to grow their crops. 

Floods and fires are also affecting the bee population in a negative way as they are contributing factors to the destruction of their habitats and ways of getting food. Additionally, as temperatures continue to rise, Varroa mites are becoming a greater issue for the bee populations.

Varroa mites are an invasive species with a devastating effect on honey bee populations. The Varroa mite population feeds on honey bees throughout the world and weakens the bee colonies as a whole. The changing climate has played a part in the Varroa having more chances to spread in the bee colonies and increasing losses in the winter months. These mites are one of the most serious threats to honey bees and their harm to bees has only been amplified by climate change.

With all the negative effects of climate change on bees, there are ways that we may be able to prevent further harm. Since many bee populations do not always have a safe place to build their homes, planting gardens is a great way to combat this. These gardens, also called pollinator gardens, can provide bees with a secure location to thrive and stay nourished. Pollinator gardens also contain native plants that provide the bees with pollen throughout the year, which is very effective and beneficial for the bees’s pollination cycle and overall well being.

Although bees have sustained various setbacks due to climate change, it's important to educate ourselves on the issues our animal species face so we can take proper actions towards reparation. If a single pollinator garden can help a colony survive, we as a human population have the potential to create even greater change to ensure a bright  future for our bees.