March 15th 2009 Issue

Colony collapse crisis

The cause of colony collapse disorder remains elusive, but several bee colony stresses could be playing a role.

Bees are pushed hard to pollinate multiple crops, and some crops might not provide adequate nutrition. Dr. Zachary Huang, Michigan State University Approximately 130 crops grown in the United States depend on honeybees for pollination. Examples of bee-pollinated fruits include almonds, apples, cherries, blueberries, pears, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, and the melons (squashes, cucumbers, pumpkins, and watermelons). Vegetable seed productions that require bees include asparagus, broccoli, onions, cabbages, and radishes. A Cornell study in 2001 estimated the total value of pollination to these crops in the United States to be about $15 billion per year. This value far exceeds the value […]

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