Nowadays, it is very evident that honeybee colonies decreased their number, thus these pollinators are facing the danger of extinction. Choosing chemical free beekeeping is the only answer to this problem that has affected most beekeepers.
Most of our flowering plants depend on insects like bees, bats, birds and other animals to help them carry their pollen to ensure fertilization and production of food. However, there are an obvious number of colonies that were lost for some time now because of the presence of pathogens and environmental and cultural crisis.
Yes, there number is diminishing and you might not notice now; but in the long run you will experience the effect of this since almost one third of our food rely on these insects, whose hard work is not fully appreciated.
Because of the fact that we are partly dependent on bees and other insects for our food source, many researchers have focused their studies in discovering the root cause of the colony collapse disorder that plagued bees and other insects. They have also worked on the possible treatment for the fungal and viral diseases that caused the death of domesticated honeybees. But, researchers were not able to identify even a single cause for this for this problem; thus it remains unsettled. Today World Info
The researches however, have determined the possible factors that contribute to the existence of disorders in these little but helpful insects. Hives are routinely treated by chemicals and antibiotics, which produces residues that are known to be toxic to human as well as to honeybees. The sub lethal level of pesticide use has greatly affected the bee health.
Additional possible factors include stress that bees can get from long distance hauling, lack of variety in the diet of bees, water and air pollution, climate change, supplemental feeding of corn syrup rather than naturally produced honey, electromagnetic field pollution as a result of increased use of cell phones, exposure to crop seed that undergone treatment, inbreeding of queens in the hives and introduction of new species of bee in the same colony or hive.
The use of insecticides and pesticides for commodity and crop farms to prevent the damage of weeds and insects furthermore tear down the natural habitat of our bees and can possibly be taken over by imported colonies. This may result in the decrease of food production like fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Today’s conservative way of agriculture lacks ecosystems diversity. The rise of commodity prices pushes farmers to indulge in unconventional methods of farming to increase food production. Nonetheless, they are not aware that this ways further declines the habitat of our natural pollinators such as bees and they pull down our natural ecosystem.
As the research progresses, bee enthusiasts that uses chemical-free beekeeping or organic beekeeping methods believe that bees don’t require special food for bees or treatment, they claim that bees only need more variety of flowering plants and time to naturally do bees’ tasks.
Chemical-free beekeeping can definitely help save our world by the bee’s job of serving our natural methods of farming and add one third to our food production. Beekeepers can provide good shelter and food for honeybees’ survival. Organic farmer on the other hand can help by recognizing and practicing the importance of rearing beneficial bees.