Friends, this is a follow up on my post about the movie Queen of the Sun, about the strange and sudden mass disappearance of bees. As I research more on the topic, it appears that the problem is much bigger than we can see and as important as all other environment related issues we have been looking at so far. So I thought of reiterating the issue once again. It is shameful to see that man?s greed is the root cause of so many problems. It is also shocking to note that the more human beings are getting educated, the more senseless and arrogant they are becoming. They only look at immediate gains and chose to ignore the problems that they are creating for their own future.

As per some sources, Albert Einstein once said: If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. No more bees, no more pollination , no more men! He wasnt an entomologist, but entomologists today, agree that the sudden and mysterious disappearance of bees from their hives poses serious problems.

Some information about farmers concerns for bee disappearance have bubbled up to the surface, but hardly any large-scale media attention has been drawn to this potentially serious problem. Recently bees have gone missing from hives around many parts of the world mainly in USA, Europe & UK. In few cases, the disappearance is very mysterious, as no sign or trace of bees has been found- no dead bodies either. While the figures are staggering, the rate at which this phenomenon is occurring is alarming and the implications enormous. The root cause of this problem however, is still baffling farmers, beekeepers  and scientists alike.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or  colony abruptly disappear, was first noticed in the USA whereby entire colonies of bees simply died out thanks to hitherto unexplained circumstances. One theory that does hold some water is the growth in genetically modified crops bees, of course, love pollen and the theory is that modified pollens may be detrimental to the creatures. An article in The Independent even discusses a theory that cell phone radiation seriously interferes with bees? ability to navigate through the air. Many people have speculated that the invasion of new species has hastened the demise of older ones. Another problem that has been raised is that of the widespread use of insecticide and pesticide. A number of these may also be killing bees. Disease is also a proposed problem with bees, as there are certain mites that are known to spread disease among the bee population.

Regardless of the causes, what we do know is that bee numbers are in rapid decline and some species are on the verge of extinction. Given that they are responsible for pollinating crops the loss of bees could be a global disaster. One study says that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in USA alone, mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts. Experts say that a third of our regular diet would be affected, crops would fail in massive quantities and animals – both wild and domesticated – would be left without the foodstuffs they rely on.

I take the liberty to repeat the words of a reader?s comment on a blog. -We have become like the ancient Romans, whose addiction to their lifestyle killed them off. Lead water pipes, lead wine jugs, lead cook ware, lead plates and utensils led to lowered mental capacities, insanity and death. And despite the health hazards, they kept the slaves at it in the mines, because they, like us, were so arrogant that they THOUGHT they were too wise to be so foolish!

By planting the flowers that bees love, and by raising awareness of their plight, we can help save these vital endangered creatures and ultimately ourselves.  I would like to conclude with Mahatma Gandhi?s quote, -Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.

Let us conquer our greed for a greener and brighter future.