Buzzing about Bees
Honey bees have been making the news recently with stories about colony collapse and crop failures due to lack of pollination. The Internet is ripe with resources, stories and groups about bees. Bee products abound even in the big box stores, and locally produced honey is a hot commodity in many areas. Beekeeping is a growing activity for hobby farmers and anyone interested in self-sustainable food production. Cities, including Springfield, are beginning to consider allowing backyard beehives inside the city limits. Did you know there is a colony of honey bees living upstairs at Highclere Castle, the set for the popular show Downton Abbey?
Bees are quiet, gregarious and hardworking little creatures that have a direct impact on the food supply of every human on the planet, yet they often go unnoticed or are misunderstood.
The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a vital part of the food chain. As pollinators, they are responsible for ensuring continued plant life for many field crops, nearly all fruit trees and vegetables. Without them, the rest of the food chain eventually experiences famine. Their worldwide population has been declining for the last 40 years, known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). There are many factors that cause CCD, including pesticides, viruses and mites. Research is ongoing to identify other factors and to find methods of stopping the honey bee decline.
Click on the links below for further information about bees.
Books
Bees: A Natural History
Keeping Bees in Towns and Cities
Storey's Guide to Keeping Honey Bees
The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America
Better Bee Keeping: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Stronger and Healthier, More Productive Bees
Honey Bee Hobbyist: The Care and Keeping of Bees
Keeping Bees with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Tend Hives, Harvest Honey and More
From the Web
List of Crops Requiring Pollination
EU Policy is Driving up Demand for Pollination Faster than Honeybee Numbers
Bees Capable of Learning Feats with Tasty Prize in Sight
Stress a Key Factor in Causing Bee Colonies to Fail
Single Gene Separates Queen from Workers
Local Media
On Bees' Knees -- Springfield News-Leader*
How to Deal with Swarms of Bees -- Springfield News-Leader*
Delaware Abuzz After Bee Truck Overturns -- KY3
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