Honeybees are in crisis. This has caught the attention of the news lately. Honeybees are disappearing worldwide at an astonishing rate- while in the year 2000, there were 7 million colonies in the US, where today there are only around 2 million. Nearly ¾ of the bees are gone.

But why?

This phenomenon has been called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Researchers are working on the problems but the definite cause has yet to be determined. So far, it appears that there are several factors involved: Pesticides, Herbicides, Pollution, Parasites and Viruses.

But why should we care?

Over one-third of the world's food supply is dependent on bees for pollination. Our global food security depends on bees and if they become extinct, or reduced to numbers unsustainable for food production, a biological disaster will be upon us.

Is it too late? Is there anything that can be done?

Plant Bee-friendly gardens; reducing pesticide and herbicide use, or use bee-friendly options. Consider hosting a hive near your garden, or provide shelter for flying insects.

Support your local beekeepers and buy local honey.

What can I do to help? 

• Don’t use pesticides! 

• Not even herbicides (check out our Facebook page for a simple, bee-friendly weed deterrent recipe!)

• Tell our political leaders that systemic neonics are not good for bees and that’s not good  for us, either!