An incredibly worrying news story from the USA this week. Most of their honey bees have just vanished this year. Queens and drones are left in the hive but it seems that the worker bees have just flown off and apparently forgotten where home is! 90 percent of the world's almonds are grown in California, and they cannot fruit without being pollinated by bees. Commercial companies (who have bees left) are raking it in by driving their hives round to orchards all over the USA.
Where have they all gone, not even the top scientists have an idea. My theory is that the GM pollen has addled their little bee brains somehow and they have lost their sense of direction. This story has epic, even global ramifications!
The UK is not without its problems either. As a youngster I used to help my Dad keep bees on the allotment where we lived in Boston Manor. For my eighth birthday my present was my very own bee hat and gloves! I was the only girl guide in the county of Middlesex who had her beekeepers badge!!! Every couple of years the Council would send round a "bee inspector" to make sure the hive was healthy and free of disease. DEFRA in its wisdom has severely cut the National budget for bee inspection and there are now only a couple of bee inspectors left for the whole country. British honey bees are falling prey to diseases too!
No more honey bees...no pollination...no fruit... no veggies..no plants....no animals..get the message?