“If honey bees become extinct, human society will follow in four years,” Albert Einstein.
Bee populations the world over are being decimated. Colonies in the northern hemisphere which should be thriving in late summer are dying or disappearing. 90% of the wild bee population in the US has already died out. Bee diversity is down by 80% and many species of bees are now extinct in Europe. Many hives are experiencing colony collapse disorder in which the worker bees disappear from the hive. The disappearance of bees has been rapidly increasing since the introduction of neonicotinoid pesticides and, this year, have reached alarming proportions. Without aggressive intervention, honey bee populations will be all but extinct within the next few years. While neonicotinoids have already been banned by the EU, North American farmers have petitioned for their continued use.
In Ontario, the loss of honey bee populations has been so severe that the governing Liberal Party has formed a bee health committee to make recommendations to Health Canada on how to mitigate bee deaths in the province.
Of course, neonicotinoids don’t only kill honey bees and all insect populations are suffering severe losses which ultimately affect the entire food chain. Neonicotinoids have also been found to harm birds and reduce the microorganisms that ensure soil health.
70% of cultivated plants rely on pollination as does 35% of our overall food consumption. Bee deaths will affect the yields of crops such as apples, strawberries and cucumbers.
Take Action: Sign our Petition to get Health Canada to ban neonicotinoid-based pesticides and help save the honey bees of Ontario today!
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neonics are causing colony collapse disorder and also are also responsible for the disappearance of our butterflies
Thanks Robert. Its a dire situation that will affect the entire ecosystem and once gone, these precious insects cannot be recovered.