Bee Happy. Fewer bee colonies were lost over the last winter than the previous year, according to the annual survey of beekeepers by the United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA). While this is an improvement, the loss, which is estimated to be 23 percent, is still such that beekeepers are struggling to sustain economic viability. A press release from the USDA states, “(I)t is a marked improvement over the 30.5 percent loss reported for the winter of 2012-2013, and over the eight-year average loss of 29.6 percent.”
Bee Cam! The USDA also announced the launch of its People’s Garden Apiary bee cam at the USDA headquarters. The video livestreams female bee activity in the hive, 24/7.
Why Bees Matter. According to the USDA, “Honey bees are responsible for pollinating more than 100 crops and one out of every three bites of food Americans eat.”
We spend billions thumping our global chests and flexing our nuclear muscles, while one the key elements of our basic survival quietly fades away. How utterly stupid we humans are!
Well said, Helen!