Bee Very Afraid...

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"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years left to live." ~ Albert Einstein

Hey Pards,

Bees may not seem like a western type of subject, but it is amazing to think of how much we all depend on these little critters. And these little critters are having a hard time lately...

It appears honeybee colonies are dying off at an alarming rate. What is more alarming is the experts don't seem to know why. While the die-offs are not a new problem to beekeepers (see this 1996 "Time" article) what makes 2007 a crisis is the nationwide scope of the colony losses. Honeybees are essential for pollinating crops, and a large-scale wipeout of honeybee colonies would imperil crops from coast-to-coast.

"Why is it worrisome when bees die by the thousands? Three words: global food supply. The lowly honey bee is required for the pollination of a wide range of plants, affecting everything from clover (think cows) to fruits to vegetable seeds. Honey bee-pollinated crops represent more than $15 billion annually to the economy. That does not even take into consideration indirectly affected items, such as beef, milk, cheese, wild animals, or birds."

Just to give an idea of how widespread this can be: Some crops REQUIRING pollination are - apples, avocados, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, cucumbers, melons, oranges, grapefruit, pumpkins, squash, sunflowers, tangerines, and watermelon. On the ranching side of things, forage plants for cattle (like clover and alfalfa) need pollination as well.

I know I was surprised to hear about how much we depend upon those little fella's. Let's hope the "experts" discover the source of the die-offs and come up with a solution. I'd hate to have to live without food.

Don't let that horse come home without ya!

Lincoln