How strange is the hierarchy of our affections for other animals. The
extinction of the Yangtze River dolphin is mourned extravagantly because in
its round, intelligent eyes we saw ourselves, before we killed it off.
Similarly, the bonobo ape of Central Africa has become the endangered animal
du jour in America, on account of its supposedly human characteristics, or
those we aspire to: peacefulness, intelligence and an abundant interest in
sex.
The bonobo is the subject this week of an 11,000-word profile in The New Yorker,
in which it is described as a loveable cross between “a dolphin, the Dalai
Lama and Warren Beatty”. (I can confirm the highly sexed part because I once
interviewed a female bonobo that had learnt to “talk” using a computer at
the primate research centre in Georgia. The interview came to an abrupt end
when she abandoned conversation and demanded to make love. It was never
going to work out, but we still write to each other.)
Nearer to home, the sight of cattle slaughtered to prevent the spread of
foot-and-mouth disease is horrifying. We care far less, however, for poultry
— allowing birds to be bred in conditions of appalling cruelty for sake of a
revolting £2 chicken — because the scruffy birds have few amiable
anthropomorphic qualities.
There is, however, a notable exception to this rule. One creature, more
closely compared to humanity than any other, is dying in vast and
inexplicable numbers, and largely unmourned in Britain. It has been
cultivated by Man for thousands of years, providing food and inspiration: we
use it as metaphor for hard work as well as indolence, politics, love and
the ideal society. No other animal, except human beings, uses a
representational language, in the form of a complex dance, to convey
information. And now that it is facing a threat to its very survival, we
hardly care.
This is the humble and beleaguered bee.
Bees are dying across the world at a terrifying rate. The apian epidemic
started in the United States, where entire populations of honey bees have
simply vanished in the phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder (CCD).
At least a quarter of America’s 2.5 million honeybee colonies have been
wiped out already, and CCD has spread to Brazil, Canada and parts of Europe.
Bee populations are also sharply reduced in Britain, with some keepers
reporting the abandonment of more than half their hives. Defra insists that
this is not due to CCD, but many beekeepers fear that the mysterious
affliction has arrived here.
There are many theories about the cause of the population plunge — parasites,
GM crops, pesticides, global warming, and even radiation from mobile phones
interfering with bee navigation — but no conclusions. The implications for
humanity of the disappearing bee are enormous: honeybees pollinate about 80
per cent of flowering crops, which in turn furnish one third of the human
diet.
The economic contribution that bees make to agriculture and horticulture in
this country has been estimated at £1 billion, yet the looming threat to the
bee population has been all but ignored. While money is poured into other
forms of agricultural defence and support, the Government spends just
£180,000 on bee research, a figure that has shrunk continuously over recent
years. Put another way: for every £1 the bee contributes to the British
economy, we spend less than two hundredths of one penny on exploring ways to
keep it alive.
Our neglect of the bee is bizarre given the cultural affinity we claim with
the insect. The hive has always been a paradigm for the hard-working Utopia.
When Napoleon was crowned Emperor, Notre Dame was festooned in golden bees.
At the end of the otherwise dire film The Swarm, in which killer bees
threaten the world, Michael Caine observes: “I never dreamt it would turn
out to be the bees. They have always been our friend.”
When we tell our children the facts of life we turn for example to the birds
and the bees, although having read Bee (sic) Wilson’s remarkable book The
Hive, I wonder if this is sensible: the male drone lies around doing nothing
all its life, then about one in every hundred gets to mate with the queen,
the only point of his existence, after which his genitalia drop off and he
dies. The rest are then systematically starved to death or murdered by
sterile females.
The perils of dating apart, this insect’s life is sociable and demonstrative
(the celebrated waggle dance), hygienic (workers clean one another on
demand) and staggeringly industrious, each pound of clover honey requiring
nectar from about nine million flowers.
Yet while we worry about the health of our milk producers, we hardly protect
the creature making the honey to go with it, or wonder where the bumble bee
has gone (three native species are already extinct and nine are threatened).
The National Bee Unit inspection service sounds like something from Monty
Python, but it has existed since 1942, performing a function crucial to the
agricultural health of the nation. The bee inspectorate is being steadily
eroded and starved of funds, with bee inspectors dropping like flies; by
2009 it could disappear altogether, unless the Government is stung into
action.
We need bees. When Tolstoy had given up everything else — meat, tobacco,
religion — he still loved his bees. Einstein is said to have calculated,
perhaps apocryphally: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe
then Man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more
pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more life.”
Bees are not as cute as dolphins or as obviously useful as cows. They cannot
“speak” like the bonobo, yet as they perish in ever increasing numbers, they
are trying to tell us something, and we had better listen.
Last year, both of my hives were wiped out within days of the farmer next door spraying his wheat crop. This year I asked him to giving me warning in order that I could move the bees; he was confrontational and unhelpful. GM crops damage the bees' intestines and so they are unable to fight disease.
Tim, Southampton, UK
I have just found a mass of dead bees in my garden, somebody said that they were dying of a mysterious illness. So I looked on the web and foud this article. I haven't seen anything on the tv about this I can't understand why It hasn't been more publicised.
Frederick Hunt, Woking, Surrey
Hi; I am in a relatively small town,in Eugene,Oregon,usa,which has small farms and is a timber and agricultural state,very wet,rainy, often compared to Britain's weather. I belive most of the small organic farms are doing ok. here. I was asked"what about independent areas,where no one imports bees,bee products,and does not use pesticides?"Well, I do not; I have let my place(slightly under one acre) grow wild,for some years,very untended. There are not many flowers,but many trees, bushes.I had tons of plums,blackberries(wild)and even some grapes, and cherries this past spring.LOTS of plums. These are even old fruit trees,not pruned well.Basically,all these bees here are wild,living unkept,in all the greenery,bushes,ect..I also have tons of garden spiders,butterflies,some squirrels. We always used very organic gardening methods,many years ago. These bees were healthy enough to pollinate every thing very well. I hope that gives you info. to go on.
Dorothy, Eugene,Oregon,, USA
Does anyone question the way in which bees are kept in our civilised society? About how we are ever going to strengthen them to cope with modern conditions if we insist on feeding them sugar, clipping the queens' wings, trying to prevent swarming, shipping them around the country, even now putting them in polystyrene hives for God's sake? Manipulation is rife, and all in the name of 'good beekeeping practice'. It may produce more honey, but the cost of this can only be a subtle and gradual lowering of 'bee vitality'. It's been going on for hundreds of years. Bees are not machines, they need our protection, not our exploitation. Let's start thinking again ...... and sooner rather than later.
Penny, Sussex, UK
I have been wondering all year why there have been so many dead bees on the pavement. Last sunday we went to the fields near our house to pick plums, as we do every year, and I coldn't believe it, but there were not plums at all, not one. So having heard some time ago that bees in the usa were dying of a strange virus or something, I decided to look up "dying bees" on the internet, and low and behold I have found your article. The first serious article on the subject that I have read. This is a very serious problem and I cant believe that the government is not taking it as seriously as they should, this is a serious sign that the eco system is changing becaue of the activities of mankind. The implications of non-pollination are catastrophic; what about our fruit trees or honey; it doesn't bare thinking about. It is also very distressing to see all those lovely bees lying on the ground dying. I think I will write to the Prime Minster asking him to let us know what is going on.
nicola wakeham, london, unirted Kingdom.
Keep bees at the bottom of your garden! Easy to keep, need little attention. Join a local beekeeping association. I have a hive at the bottom of my country garden, a gift from my partner for my last birthday. I am frightened to death of the buzzing creatures !!! But want to do my bit.
Sue, telford, uk
The very fact that Defra do not see a problem means we should be very worried indeed
B Stewart, Luanda, Angola
This article is the first I have read which seems to stress the seriousness of the situation and has some emotion.
This potential environmental disaster should be front-page news, not relegated to other parts of newspapers. What is more should we be hearing by now what plan of action Governments are putting in place to find the cause.
Oddly enough I read that honey production had increased in the UK the year after the last outbreak of foot and mouth disease in UK. Was this true?
Mary Lane-Jones, Gaborone, Botswana
The government are very aware of the causes. I lived in a top floor council flat with a mobile phone tower on the roof (directly above my daughter's bedroom.) I researched the effects of mobile phone towers and found one to be CCD. I contacted the council about my fears, including CCD. I was offered a house nine weeks later, away from any phone towers.
Strange considering the average wait is five years!
The government know what they are doing to the bees and us too for that matter but with councils being paid up to £200,000 for every mast erected, it is not surprising that the bees get forgotten. We all need to make a stand and show that we are not idiots and are very aware of what we are dealing with. The longer we sit quietly and let "progress" continue, the worse things will become. Enough is enough, We need our world to stop "progressing" and go back to basics. Ironic as I am sending this via email!
Sarah, Shoeburyness, Essex
It's a pity you had to spoil an important article with that throwaway nonsense about 'GM crops, pesticides, global warming, and even radiation from mobile phones'. The fact that CCD has 'spread' very rapidly around the globe in the last couple of years clearly doesn't fit any pattern we would expect if one of those causes were responsible - instead it seems pretty obvious that a 'parasite' or virus is at work. Which doesn't mean we should ignore the problem, of course.
Jonathan Vause, Westbourne, UK
Sadly, in my own garden, bumble bee nests have been systematically dug out and eaten by badgers. In 2006 there were at least 8 dug out and destroyed. Last year I counted 5, this year none, and there are very few bumble bees round my hyssop plants. It seems as though we 'protect' one single species at the peril of disrupting the whole balance of nature.
Terry, Devon,
I think - as does my wife - that bees are incredibly cute. I agree entirely that we need to find the cause of this dreadful state of affairs. I have seen far fewer bees this year and even planting our Lavendar has not helped bring more out. There do seem to be many more wasps though.
Bob Blower, London, UK
last week it was reported that nearly all of the bee and wasp population of finland was wiped out by a disease,is there some kind of link to this.
pat jay, helsinki, finland
Many cultures, such as in Slovenia, have a very strong relationship with bee-keeping. Slovene hives are often brightly decorated and there is a museum to bee-keeping. THe countryside always seems alive with the buzz from some multi-coloured hive. Perhaps it is time that we did more in Britain to celebrate bees and bee-keeping.
Ross Laird, Penicuik, UK
I left my lawn for about 6 months before strimming last summer.whilst strimming i came accross a large round mound of grass a large bee appeared causing me to fall backwards in shock and run away .I spoke to a colleague who had a great interest in Bees who informed me i had Bumble Bees which were rare and protected(big fines if you mess with them) .I soon learned to enjoy their prescence-they were not at all aggressive and i simply left the area alone.sadly there has been no activity at all this year.
i think a lot of ignorance exists-people mistakenly think they will attack etc-this may lead to Nests being attacked /destroyed.
neale crump, plymouth, devon ,england
This is already causing great concern in the USA.
Pollination reduction has serious implication for future agricultural production which seems not to be a risk fully allowed for in many economic forecasts.
Increased radiation in the 2.4ghz band (which is used by wireless devices as well as mobile telephony) is a feature associated with the approximately 11 year sunspot activity cycle. Dendrochronology associates this cycle with unusual historical cyclical events as well as altered plant growth and crop yields.
It was not possible to generate (or directly to measure) electromagnetic radiation at such high frequencies for commercial use until the later part of the last century.
dr venables preller, Warminster, UK
Statements criticizing the chinese culinary habits have no merit, I believe. They've been doing this for thousands of years. The fact that we don't it, it doesn't mean they have to kick that habit. Would we ever quit eating pork or beef because some other cultures consider it to be wrong?
This article is extremely insightful, indeed. It indicates that the majority of the population tends to ignore the real benefits of bees being around. In other words, no bees no plants and no plants no food on the table.
Richard L, Hannover, FRG
Just as Agent Smith from 'The Matrix' said; humans are a virus. We cause more harm to the planet than any other factor.
We instruct our politicians to pillage the planet and then wonder where all the animals went. You ate them all greedy people! Way to go!
Simon Peter, Godalming, England
The phenomenon of disappearing bee colonies is widespread in France, where I have read it attributed to a particular species of hornet, native in Asia, which eats bees. Apparently Asian bees have developed a technique for attacking these predators, which French bees have yet to acquire. This, however, can only be one local cause. There should be a global study made by some group like the WHO because worker bees have a short (30 to 35 day) lifespan. There is a lot of information out there, principally with experienced beekeepers, and it ought urgently to be co-ordinated.
Nicholas Wibberley, Neuvic-Entier, France
Sadly, here in Devon, the bumble bee population has been all but destroyed by our friendly badgers. In 2006 there were 8 nests dug out and eaten. Last year 5 and this year none. There are no bees now round my hyssop plants which were literally buzzing at this time of year. It seems if we 'protect' one species we disrupt the balance of nature.
Terry, Devon,
I have seen four large swarms of bees presumably leaving their hives this summer, a phenomonen which I have never encountered before on this scale.
susie , bury st edmunds, suffolk
get rid of the cell phones i believe they are the cause of the honey bees disappearing people had better wake up but,they will not they only care about now not the future foe other people they will wait until, its too late
amarcaletti anna, houston,texas, harris
No wonder Einstein left the maths to his wife.
Watkins, Leicester,
I have been a vegetarian for ten years for ethical and moral reasons
i buy organic food as much as my purse can
I am always concerned when a species disappears
However, apart from feeling sad, guilty and sometimes horrified by human selfishness, i always wonder...
What can I do?
What can I do as a citizen?
I vote for the green party then...i don't know how I can save the bees
the thing is that good-willing people are fed up with reading the news, all the articles mention horrible things happening everywhere
and it is a vast feeling of helplessness, unability to help which invades me
...
As if i was just unable to do more to save the planet
so please, fellow journalists, stop making me feeling guilty
i have never killed a bee in my life
waret, london crouch end,
Thank you! Finally somebody writing about this phenomena that is happening all over the globe!U.S.A lost almost 50% of theire bees in total(West/East cost) last year. Why is not subjects like these headlining the news? I dont care about Paris or Britney, I want to know about what is going wrong(and i'm not refering to celebville) in the world, and what measures we are taking to prevent or slow it down. Don't people understand that the media isn't tackling this the way they should(after all they are suppose to inform us of important issues,and what is more important then our survival). The plant and animal kingdom is suffering so bad because of one specie(humanity), is it not about time we start reading all the signs that are blaintenly in our faces everyday, and start thinking: lets DO something about it?After all we can do anything we want to, all YOU have to do is to put yout mind,soul and compassion in it! Lets take care of mother earth, like she takes care of us. No Nature, no Man!
Nancy Thomsen, alicante, Spain
show the bees you care.give them flowers.
beemble bu, dundee, tayside
I am listening, but the next question is what to do about it?
K McIntosh, Carterton, Oxfordshire
The Yangtse dolphin story has nothing to do with it's cute face, and everything to do with the British media's obsession with bad news (ANY bad news) from China. The plight of the dolphin has been well known in China for decades, and conservancy attempts and abortive searches for surviving dolphins have been frequent.
However, not until some Brit university group, (with solar topees and shooting sticks poised, no doubt), solemnly declares that they found no dolphin, therefore the dolphin is extinct, did this story merit news attention.
John Maynard, Cranbrook, UK
Wow - if the bees die we all die soon because of no more pollination! Funny thing is that: according to the theory of evolution, bees arrived millions, if not billions, of years after plants. How did plants survive all that time without them? Or is Einstein trying to cryptically tell us that the theory of evolution is rubbish, and that God created it all just like he said he did?
Rev. Dr. Michael B. Wieteska, Geneva, Switzerland
For those here that are being flippant about this article , I urge you to read the following.
Farmer plants a crop , say oil seed rape.
The crop flowers.
The bees come in & polinate, = seed= oil = food ?
The bee's don't come & polinate
No pollination
The flower dies & drops off.
No flower, = no seed.
No seed = no oil.
Now think of all your vegetables, all your fruit , all your seeds.
The highest percentage of crops are pollinated by bee's
None of these will survive without BEE'S.
The world will starve.
Now do you see how serious this is ?
Maggie Millington, Brittany , France
For the first time in many years I have seen swarms of bees in trees in the Chichester area. Part of South Street, Chichester was closed for several days recently and I saw swarms in the nature reserve around Pagham Harbour. No doubt there will be logial reasons/causes for this phenomenon which would interesting to know even if it would seem to be at odds with Mr McIntyre's view - or was he finding it difficult, in this silly season, to find something to write about?
Terry Carlton, Chichester, UK
Does anyone think God is telling us something?
Victor Lombardi, Burlington, NC USA
I keep my 'bees' in my bonnet...They do get a little fisty at times, so I've given them every saturday nite off...they usually stay in there 'hive' and party...so much for bees and global warming....smile....
tim mccarthy, san marcos, U S of A/Ca.
Does anyone think that this just might be God knocking on the Worlds door saying, " Hello, Hello, is anyone there, anyone listening?" We attribute everything like this to " some unexplained reason", yet the very reason maybe right in front of us.
I wonder how many people have stopped to think about the ramifications of Bee's with no hives and no Bee's in general, it is worse than a plague of locusts.
Hello, is anyone listening to God and the message he is sending to the World?
Just a thought for all to think about.
Cheers
Victor Lombardi, Burlington, NC USA
"No other animal, except human beings, uses a representational language, in the form of a complex dance, to convey information."
What about ants?
I thought there were quite a few other examples.
STEM, Ramsgate, Kent
This is an odd article. It's mixing two subjects that don't really fit that well together.
The honey bee and cows are domesticated, and diseases such as foot & mouth or varroa are a problem for human consumption and economy.
The problem with the Yangtze River dolphin and bonobo are about species becoming extinct. Something that introducing the honey bee to new places in the world has contributed too.
Yes there is a problem with the honey bee in certain areas.
Yes there is a problem with species becoming extinct, and
Yes there is a problem with people only worrying about the "cutest" species when it comes to trying to save them, but mixing different and in some cases conflicting problems doesn't seem to be helpful to either cause.
C Knox, London,
I think that Bill from Luton has hit the snail on the head. Its all the fault of Blair/Brown. As is everything else in the world. I suggest they stop bothering themselves with keeping the economy healthy, global warming and stopping people from killing each other and focus more on bees. They were little stripey jumpers don't they? and make beer? Also they should do something about Luton. Its an awful place. Perhaps they could turn it into a big hive. Perhaps Boris can take it up for me if he gets elected, which though implausible is more likely than me getting in. Got to dash, being pestered by one of those flaming bees, now wheres my insect spray?
Cameron, The Shires,
We polute the air with car fumes , aviation fuel and factories , we cover the fields with chemicals rip up hedgerows and put chemicals in our gardens - I am amazed there are any Bees left. I love them , they do not attack , if you are careful and GENTLE you can even stroke them they enhance our lifestyle but are not considered cute. How many children go missing every year - yet Madelaine , tragic as it is , gets for 100 days ALL the publicity. Could it be because she is small pretty & cute? We always destroy things that are near to us that we take for granted - I believe it was Sir David Attenborough that said every 50/60 million years the earth is wiped clean by a natural dissaster and mankind is the current one. SO - WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE BEES??
John Brandler, Brentwood, Essex
I love honey, unlike my wife, more importantly I know that honey is in effect a life giver and sustaining food, and a tremendeous medicine. In southern europe where I was born it is still used as a preventative medicine.
Bees themselves I can't claim to like, especially the idea of being stung is one of the worst nightmares I have as a child, that doesn't stop me from knowing that if there were no bees, we would live in a very different world. If this is actually true it would worry me greatly, as opposed to some dolfin or rat somewhere, this would matter more than in a emotional sense. This would be dangerous for all of us.
Jondi Saka, London,
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust (http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/) is working to raise awareness of the decline in some bumblebee species (3 out of our 25 native species have already become extinct). It's well worth joining!
Jan, Hebden Bridge, UK
Excellent article - very thoughtful, not too eco-warrior or preachy. Really enjoyed reading that.
Jonny, Derby,
I don't think there is much the government can do. We should just let nature (evolution) run its course. A certain population of bees will be immune to the parasite - hopefully. Over time, these bees will become more numerous. Problem solved.
Robinson, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
As we drive through the vast food growing areas of California, we are aware of the huge numbers of bee hives set out seasonally near all fields and groves.
These fields will not produce without those tiny, diligent workers.
We had better find out what is up.
And soon.
Rachel R, Morro Bay,, California, USA
It's a pity that wasps don't suffer the same decline. I hate them and I cannot think of a single useful purpose they serve.
Mind you, they probably think the same about us.
Ken , Bedford, UK
Bumblebees, which are not domesticated, and which do not live through the winter, are just as important to pollination of crops etc as honeybees. They are declining too, but not from Veroa, to which they are immune. Modern agricultural practice, especially the early cutting of grass and ploughing right in the middle of the life cycle, mean that many nests are destroyed before they have produced next year's Queens, and the drones to mate with them before they go into hibernation. Another factor is the fashionability of foreign flowers and plants in gardens, which are pollinated by bats or birds and which the bees cannot use. Plant native species, don't be too tidy in the garden and never disturb a bumblebee nest until late autumn!
alexandria, Sheffield, UK
Corin, others are listening. The trouble is, the right people are not listening. Bees are as important to our continued food supply as the oil we so readily went to war over.
Anyone reading the article and comments, please start emailing you MP now and demanding action.
KR, Stockport,
People respond to cute pictures more than well written articles.
sarah clayton, san diego, usa
Maybe it is the sun's magnetic field being so high that floors them? They navigate by magnetic fields in the sky - is it possible they are just lost?
Sue Doughty, Reading, UK
When we finally wake up and see the acute problem this could give to the whole of Mankind, it will possibly be too late. What a world we are giving to our children.
Ian, Arundel,
The alledged Einstein quote has been well debunked. It's Einstein the theoretical physicist. Not Einstein the bee keeper.
Not only did he not say it, it's not true anyway because a lot of farmed food production is wind pollinated.
Please stop perpetuating this myth.
A. Greenwood, London,
If this article depresses you and you want to do something to help save the bees, then sign the Petition to the Prime Minister to Increase funding
for research into honey bees at the National Bee Unit and other
institutions.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/bee-unit-funding/
It takes just two minutes.
Ian Kirk, Dulnain Bridge, Inverness-shire
Your article on this crisis of the bee existence is timely. This ecological disaster which can become worse should be the No 1 immediate environmental problem ahead of the issues of global warming, hunting of whales, bird flu and pollution. If bees become extinct and there is a real risk it can happen we shall all be in big trouble over food supplies to human beings. The complex social structure of a bee colony my well make it less resilient as a species. Reslience is an important concept in ecology defined by C S Holling a famous Canadian ecologist. Governments around the world must take immediate actions to respond to this bee crisis which is actually a crisis for us human beings.
Goh B S, Sydney, Australia
Thankyou for the interesting read editor. I was not aware that the humble bee was so important! Why is it always the small things in life that are so cruical to our existance.
Steve Mason, Fleetwood, Lancashire, England
Wake up call is here world. We are destroying our planet. How ignorant can we be when the most important bee which pollenates and cross pollenates is going the way of may other animals on this planet.
We overfish, overharvest, take and never put back. In the end there will be nothing here. We are our own worst enemies. Destroying the ozone, global thermal warming. For supposedley intelligent homo sapiens, we are extremely stupid. Don't we care what we are leaving behind to be dealt with by our children and grandchildren.
Enough of the me, me, me, generation with no thought of the future. Now is the time to be accountable before there is nothing to be accountable for.
Wake up humanity!!
yvonne, Charlotte, USA
Ever heard of the canaries down in the coal mines, they were a warning system to coal miners to get out out and not be over come by poisonous gases.The animals now dying are our canaries, the problem is no one is listening or does not care, time is fast running out.
michael, Enniskillen, UK
I keep seeing bees crawling along the ground, and not flying all around the pathways and pavements around my home area, both last and this year. Is this normal - I've never seen this happen before.
Michael, Edinburgh, Scotland
The reason why people are not listening is because in the West we've not gone hungry - I have noticed a huge drop in bees just in my London garden. Last year one could sit there and listen to their humming melody, this year I can count on one hand the number we have. And yes it does affect our garden as we've found that plants which we collect seeds for for next years plans are not being pollonated, hence no seeds. As one old American Indian quoted "once we've killed everything and poisoned our waters then we'll realise we can't eat money!"
Lana, London, UK
Insect pollination reduction has serious implication for agricultural production.
Increased electromagnetic radiation ) from the sun in the 2.4 ghz band is associated with the peaks of the approximately 11 year sunspot activity cycle. Dendrochronology correlates extreme peaks of this cycle with unusual historical events, as well as altered plant growth and crop yields around d those years.
Sunspots have been observed as a visual indication of localised surface solar activity since the nineteenth century, but it is only since radio telescopes came into use that the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation emitted have been measurable.
It was not possible to generate (or directly to measure) electromagnetic radiation at such high frequencies for commercial use until the later part of the last century.
dr venables preller, Warminster, UK
It's true, I live in the country side & have a garden planted with bees ,butterflies , birds in mind, I have a huge orchard , now over grown & left to nature & nettles for catepillars & vast areas of bramble.
Many large mature fruit & nut trees of different varieties.
This year is the first time in 14 years the honey bees which normally arrive in spring looking to nest somewhere, did not arrive.
It's also the first year the hornets which always have a nest somewhere on my property , didn't arrive.
As for the bumble bees they have been few & noticeably absent.
The one regular that seems to be here in their normal numbers is the big shiny, jet black bee , who when it's had a good day becomes half yellow ,carrying the pollen on it's head.
I thought it must be the wet weather & so the floods [though we have not had them as bad ] which had drown the bumble bees.
I have really missed them. :(
Maggie Millington, Brittany , France
In total agreement Ben! It's time governments got off their collective beehind and put all their weight into bee research.
Mike , Malaga, Spain
Obviously it must be caused by climate change, because everything bad is caused by climate change.
Frank Upton, Solihull,
May be a local anomaly but our lavender hedge is alive and buzzing with hundreds of bees right now. Certainly no less than in previous years. Perhaps the BBC should do a 'Bee-Watch'?
Brian, Farnham, UK
Sadly, here in Devon, the bumble bee population has been all but destroyed by our friendly badgers. In 2006 there were 8 nests dug out and eaten. Last year 5 and this year none. There are no bees now round my hyssop plants which were literally buzzing at this time of year. It seems if we 'protect' one species we disrupt the balance of nature.
Terry, Devon,
Not quite the same topic - but related!!
Over the last couple of years I have converted my inner Nottingham city concrete yard into a small but thriving garden - my little oasis! This year in particular I have planted lots of flowers, as opposed to mostly veg, and the lavender I planted last year has gone mad - as a result I seem to have provided a safe haven for a small army of bumble bees - they are every where!!! I'd read about them being threatened for various reasons - and whilst no one can say for sure what it is down to, I feel like I'm making a contribution to help, and the increase in numbers has really been noticeable this year!
So even if you've not got much space a few pots of honeysuckle, lavender etc. can provide a good home for a bumble bee or two!!
And apparently they prefer a slightly messy garden with different plants and habitats - which means you have good justification to avoid to much trimming, edging and pruning!!!
Gemma, Nottingham,
"Rock and Roll"
Patrick Bateman, Santa Monica,
This article is well written. I do believe the bees will survive, but it may take a while for some kind of balance to be achieved. We are not starving yet...but food choices will dwindle, prices will rise. I encourage everyone to have a garden.
phillitup please, Portland, Maine, USA
Everything in the physical world is connected: recall the buterfly effect - see wikipedia. This could result in unpredictable changes in the ecosystem.
mark, Bristol,
Now that I think about it this is the first year where, early in spring, I've not had huge bumble bees buzzing in through my bedroom window early in the morning then needing to be let out again. Oh, and Gavin Smith, yes British soldiers are dying in Iraq and it's a disgrace but can't you get your head around a couple of subjects at the same time?
Mark, London, England
"God Creates Bees
God Creates Man
Man Destroys Bees
God Destroys Man"
with apologies to Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park.
J G Ross, East Molesey, Surrey
The quote attributed to Einstein is indeed apocryphal. There is no evidence that he ever made such a calculation or wrote or spoke those words.
Max, London,
It's true, I live in the country side & have a garden planted with bees ,butterflies , birds in mind, I have a huge orchard , now over grown & left to nature & nettles for catepillars & vast areas of bramble.
Many large mature fruit & nut trees of different varieties.
This year is the first time in 14 years the honey bees which normally arrive in spring looking to nest somewhere, did not arrive.
It's also the first year the hornets which always have a nest somewhere on my property , didn't arrive.
As for the bumble bees they have been few & noticeably absent.
The one regular that seems to be here in their normal numbers is the big shiny, jet black bee , who when it's had a good day becomes half yellow ,carrying the pollen on it's head.
I thought it must be the wet weather & so the floods [though we have not had them as bad ] which had drown the bumble bees.
I have really missed them & it's very worrying. :(
Maggie Millington, Brittany , France
i for one am sorry to hear the bee is having such a hard time
but what concers me more is the manner in which the female
acts toward the male.
we are all told as children about adam and eve
i for one think my ex wife must have been a descendant of the bee because the similarity in behaviour uncanny!!!!!!!
stephen, Blackpool,
I've just moved back into the countryside after 30 years away and can't believe the lack of birdsong. The dawn chorus used to be deafening and I can now here a solitary wood pigeon in the mornings. Something's up!
anne, somerset, uk
There is something magical and mythical about bees. The moment my father passed away in the front room of our house, a swarm of bees came rushing down the chimney as though possessed.
Emma, Norwich, UK
Oh no, no bees no honey, but then people are dying too. Who's going to post the final words of mankind. . . dippy the dolphin, whally whale or angus the anteater..... sod it, I've lost the plot somewhere.
SAVE MANKIND FIRST.
Bill, Notts, UK
Yes, bees are getting more rare by the day, but my father's bees have a different problem - they are not generating enough to retain the brood over winter this year. My own garden seems to be buzzing with bumble bees and wild bees but they are late in season for building a store for themselves.
Bad weather and Colony Collapse might well wipe out the bees, but Nature abhors a vaccuum so something else will appear and feast on the nectar we grow for them.
Sue Doughty, Reading, UK
The problem is I think.... Every day more stories of whats good to eat & what is not, what species are under threat, what species have recovered from the brink....etc.etc So now the great reading public largely discount all comment and news reporting of environmental issues, as something to be largely disregarded, since it will be contradicted next week. Possibly by the same correspondent!
Ian Nicholas, Walton on Thames, Surrey
We have friends, also in rural Somerset, who whilst not bee keepers, are keen gardeners. They say there has been a marked reduction in bees visiting their garden this year. We are in Frome, however, and our garden is abuzz with bees.
Are there not suspicions re that huge amount of human generated electro-magnetic radiation (our old friend, the mobile phone tower) is causing chaos in the bee population?
Jeremy Poynton, Fromeville, 51st State
City bees are having a rough time as well. Exhorbitant parking fees push many residents to stick two fingers up at the local council and pave over their gardens, but in doing so, they kill many if not all of their garden flowers - the very flowers that the bees were looking to for food. In a push-on effect, the local bee population has migrated enmasse to the (still intact) gardens in front of our flats, to the point that it is now brimming with bees of all different kinds.
Julian, Twickenham, UK
Ironic is it not, that something as small as the ( bumble )bee may turn out to aid and abet, by it's absence, the demise of the human being? And a host of other species into the bargain suffice it to say.
We would do well to look direct and indirectly to all fauna, and flora for that matter, for support to survival on this planet - irrespective of size, appeal or human resemblance. And for that we in turn must take absolute care of all there is.
Instead,with the help of our Government, in this country at least, we are merrily sawing away at the very branch we are sitting on, as usual. I wonder will it merit a Darwin Award at some point in the future - provided we are still around to dish it out/ receive it collectively as the human species?
Cornelia Hanning, Edinburgh, Scotland
Those really wishing to "save the planet" should welcome this latest development, as it could severely reduce the number of the planet's greatest polluter and predator, one which actually kills off species to complete extinction just for the pleasure of it, Homo Sapiens. The world will be a far better place when it rids itself of the scourge of Humanity,and it is beginning to look as if it may be able to do just that over the next hundred years or two, who knows, maybe even sooner?
Roger Cole, Carson City, Nevada.
The Chinese as in the case of most backward countrys have an appauling record on Animal Cruelty they will kill almost anything that crawls flys swims & moves for profit Boycott the bejing Olympics in 2008. Dont buy or eat Chinese ever.
China alone kill s over 7 million dogs each year by boiling them alive, Hanging, & Electrcution . Korea hang them . Visit www.heathermillmcarney.co.ukdogcat fur.Sign petition
Globoll Warming . It is to good for humans but its a start for their crimes , its pay back time for their cruelty to animals.
G. Deighton, London , uk
Man exists because conditions were right for him to exist (not being sexist) They must have been right because we are here to pose the question. If we change those conditions, not just with bees but everything else we think we know better than nature, then we will eventually not exist.
Andy, Chesterfield, England
The Knock on affect of losing our bees is a concern for all man kind. NO Bees NO pollination NO man.
Brian Hunter, Manchester, England
"One creature, more closely compared to humanity than any other, is dying in..."
what does that mean? Do you mean essential to, involved with, something like that?
John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England
Telling this government bees may die out will just fall on deaf ears.
So here's how to do it:
Hey! Gordon! Food will out in four years, which could affect the economy which could affect HOUSE PRICES!!!
Kevin Smith, London, England
I agree with the author's opinion,There are some other insects like bees ,
The most horrible beings are our human beings,we shound konw that we are also the animals ,just like the bees.
王长安, guangzhou, china
British soldiers are dying in even greater numbers. Let's worry about that
Gavin Smith, London,
Recent reports in the European press have pinpointed an Asian-birthed micro parasite as the erdicable culprit.
Trevor Aubert-Jones, Beauharnois, Quebec
I have certainly noticed is the number of dead honey bees on the ground, both in my garden and elsewhere. While there would always be the odd one I have noticed a marked increase in the number of corpses and wondered if something is wrong with bees in general. I'm not a beekeeper, or even particularly 'into' bees, it's just an observation.
Sinead, Galway, Ireland.
Wouldn't it be nice if the government would stop wasting money on focus groups, initiatives, quangoes, commitees, special advisors and the other myriad organisations that Blair / Brown throw money at, in the vain hope of appearing to be doing something about it, and actually DID something about it.
This could be a devastating problem Brown, so for once stop procrastinating and DO something, even if it's only throwing money somewhere useful, such as at the National Bee Unit.
Bill, Luton, UK
I read a comment on a blog discussing the bee issue, which stated that the writer's "organic" hives were fine, it was those being kept in far larger & numerous hives that were collapsing. Another case of man pushing nature beyond its limits perhaps?
Joss Bolton, Caterham, UK
I feel bad as i killed one yesterday that was bothering me when helping students at a school on a construction project. I feel that the bonobo fasination is part of trend just like that with more and more people seeming to believe in ghosts. It is all linked to a lack of respect for science and general environmental awareness.
The Bee was relentless!
Paul, Newcastle,
I have noticed a surprising lack of bees in recent years in the garden - bumble bees are nigh on non existant
Emer, Dublin, Ireland
Thank you for this article. I do care. A lot.
Please keep us updated and give some contact details of associations to contact in order to offer support promoting their cause.
Brown, London, UK
We have many bumble bees trolling and toppling in our garden here in Surrey but I don't recall ever seeing a honey bee.
Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK
I have been on the lookout for bees on the lavender plants outside our offices in Leeds.
In the last two years there have been many but yesterday I saw only one all day (a bumblebee, I have seen no other types at all), and it had some strange whitened bald patch on its back.
Has anyone any idea what this condition might be?
Duncan Bickley, Leeds,
I note, from the lack of coments, that no-one else ,other thanme, appears to be listening
Corin Keiler-Lloyd, Wolverhampton,
It is obviously a question of to bee, or not to bee....
Clive Britcher, Caracas, Venezuela
I keep bees in my garden in rural Somerset and this winter the colony was unusually strong. Indeed this summer looks like a bumper crop partly due I think to the fine spring weather.
adam forrester, chard, England