Opportunities to Save Honey Bees
There are a few ways to save honey bees as our 2007 2nd Place 4-H Essay Winner, Sage Mijares, pointed out:
Populous colony of honey bees, ready to pollinate and produce honey. (Photo by Paul Albano, Amenia, N.Y.)
I’ve been wondering what can be done with [the honey bee] problem and I don’t think there is one perfect solution. But there are some things that may help solve this problem. I believe that one thing that would help boost the honey bee population is to put more money into research [3]. This research should revolve around trying to find better solutions for mite and disease problems. If we find a solution it will help the bees by cutting back on mite damage. Another solution would be to protect some of the farmland in the US and/or control urban sprawl. Urban sprawl is a problem because we cannot grow food if our fields are covered with houses. Another thing might help is to have more laws protecting honey bees like we have for some of the other bigger animals (charismatic megafauna). Also, it would great if we could cut back on the use of harmful pesticides in our fields since pesticides sure don’t help the bees! Educating the public, especially the youth, on the honey bee problem would be great. If we get new generations helping us out, the more people the better. I don’t think that people understand we have a big problem with honey bees and that we need to conserve them because they are valuable creatures.
The Foundation not only helps fund research, but also educates the public about honey bee! We, however, cannot do this alone! We need your help! Donations to the Foundation can be made, but we also would like for you to support your local beekeepers and bee clubs. Please watch what pesticides you use and how you use them. Don’t just spray any pesticide everywhere without reading the fine print! And most of all, educate your community, your politicians, and your children about the importance of the honey bee.
