Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is one of the most disturbing observations of the twenty-first century. It is a term used to describe the mass disappearance of worker honey bees from the hive. When this happens, they leave behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees. This mystery disappearance results in the breakdown of the entire colony. Every hive needs sufficient worker bees present to maintain the colony, and this is why CCD is so worrying.
The video below takes a look into the mystery of the missing bees.
My Notes:
The mystery of the missing bees is not just a sound bite; it's a serious concern. Bees are actually crucial to the wellbeing of the entire planet. In fact, without bees populating the earth, 30 percent of the world's crops would not exist. Even worse is that around 90 percent of wild plants would not exist either. We are also finding out just how these tiny insects could be our immune system's secret weapon. We need bees. If all the bees disappeared, humans would have to change their diet.
In October 2006, a number of beekeepers reported losses of 30-90 percent of their hives. Colony losses are not unexpected or even rare, especially over the winter months. What was alarming in 2006 though, was the sheer size of these losses, as they were unusually high.
The points to note when CCD occurs are as follows:
- What is the root cause of the problem?
- Dead bees don’t always mean CCD
- What is being done? For example, survey data collection to determine the extent of CCD. Analysis of Bee Samples. This is needed to determine the prevalence of various pests and pathogens. It is also necessary to look at bee immunity and stress, and potential exposure to pesticides.
The Effects of Colony Collapse Disorder
From about 2008 to 2013, more than 11 million beehives were wiped out because of CCD. Needless to say, this had serious implications on worldwide ecology and economy. According to UN estimates, of the 100 crop species responsible for providing 90% of food worldwide, 71 are dependent on bee pollination.
Colony collapse disorder is not usually the result of a single entity. There is usually a combination of factors, the most common being:
- Undiscovered or new pests and disease
- Poor nutrition
- Varroa mites and associated pathogens
- Chemical toxins in the environment
- Chemical use in bee colonies
- Queen source
- Bee management.
- Traditional bee pests and diseases
A press release by the prestigious Harvard School of Public Health had something to say on the CCD phenomenon. They claimed that one of their researchers found that a common insecticide used on corn is what caused the problem. You can download a copy of the study at the Bulletin of Insectology.
Summary
At the time of writing, the exact cause of Colony Collapse Disorder is still not known. Some of the contributing factors are, but not all the pieces of this complex puzzle have been put together – yet. For now, it doesn't look as though scientists can agree on any single root cause, if indeed there is one. All we can do is hope that things sort themselves out in much the same rapid way as they occurred.