Where Have All The Bees Gone?

U.S. bee populations are still declining and scientists believe pesticides are a critical piece of the puzzle.

On December 8, Pesticide Action Network and Beyond Pesticides joined beekeepers from around the country in calling on EPA to pull a neonicotinoid pesticide linked with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) off the market immediately.

CCD is the name given to the mysterious decline of honeybee populations across the world beginning around 2006. Each winter since, one-third of the U.S. honeybee population has died off or disappeared. CCD is likely caused by a combination of pathogens, the stresses of industrial beekeeping, loss of habitat and more. But many scientists believe that sublethal pesticide exposures are a critical co-factor potentiating this mix. In the U.S., agencies are focused on research, trying to quantify these risks. In Germany, Italy and France, they decided they knew enough to take action years ago, banning suspect neonicotinoid pesticides. Bee colonies there are recovering and beekeepers here are outraged.

What can the home gardener do to help the BEES? Don't use pesticides and build a few simple bee houses.

Bee houses are easy and fun to make. To build your own, start with pieces of untreated scrap lumber and drill holes of various sizes from 1/8-inch to 5/16-inch in diameter. 5/16th of an inch works best for Mason bees, including the Blue Orchard Bee. Use some scrap lumber and drill holes 3 to 5 inches deep but not all the way through the wood block. Space the holes about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch apart. Nail your bee blocks securely in places protected from direct sun and rain, such as under building eaves, in the early spring.