Numerous different organisms coexist on the planet alongside the human race. However, some of those organisms, such as honey bees, have been decreasing for many years, with the process referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) (VanEngelsdorp). Although CCD was recorded back in the 1860s, little supporting data on its causes exist, but there are some similarities between separate researches (VanEngelsdorp; Walsh). CCD is characterized by abandoned hives with honey and intact wax still inside, and its most common reasons include pesticides and parasites like Varroa mite (VanEngelsdorp; Walsh). In addition, in cases of CCD, the adult population of bees may leave the brood completely unattended without an obvious cause (VanEngelsdorp). Research suggests that CCD is only the beginning that indicates larger dangers to the environment (Walsh). Although honey bees seem to have wider opportunities to survive, as they are useful to humans, their wild relatives are under more threat (Walsh). Despite that, some people seem not to take CCD seriously but rather make jokes about the dying insects (“Area Man”). For instance, a bank teller from North America claims to keep millions of bees in a jar in his basement, implying an endless amount of such creatures, with their decrease not being a problem (“Area Man”). On the other hand, real beekeepers experience losses of their colonies that they have to replace at a high cost (Walsh). Moreover, the replacements impact the productivity of honey production and require adding a supplemental feed, like corn syrup (Walsh). Although organisms such as bees may not seem important to the human population, as they are a part of the environment, their decrease serves as a sign of a bigger problem.
Works Cited
“Area Man Suddenly Realizes He’s the One Who’s Been Killing Off World’s Bee Population.”The Onion, 2010, Web.
VanEngelsdorp, Dennis, et al. “Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study.”PloS ONE, vol. 4, no. 8, 2009, Web.
Walsh, Bryan. “The Trouble with Beekeeping in the Anthropocene.”Science Time, 2013, Web.