Thursday, August 16, 2012

The Honey Bees Are Dying - Do We Need Them?

Dying off in alarming numbers!
For most of us it would have gone unnoticed; although it is fact since the late 1980 honeybees are dying off in alarming numbers. Unless we hear it on the news or read it somewhere in the newspapers, how would we know? After all it is only a humble little bee of no great interest or importance to most of us, or is it?
Bees are known to bring us honey and are also respected for the sting!
Do you know after a bee stings it will die? Unlike a wasp which is not affected after it fired its torpedo. It most likely flies away with a smirk on its face.
The little bee is not getting reduced in numbers because of its suicidal mission. We are responsible in many other ways for its disappearance.
The first thing that comes to our mind when we see a bee is "honey". Nothing wrong with that! Honey has many good nutritional values and been excepted as healthy food and a natural substitute as sweetener.
It doesn't end there!
Our little bee spreads its wings further than that. It pollinates all our fruit and vegetables.
In all, bees pollinate over 130 different crops all over the globe. Our food supply depends on this humble little worker and also contributes to global food security.
Although, there are many other pollinating insects the bee alone is the biggest contributor of the food we consume. It is hard to imagine how life would be without the multitude of flowers, varied fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries etc.
Bee colonies are disappearing!
Reports have confirmed that bee colonies around the globe are disappearing. It been estimated since 2006 almost one - third of the honey bee colonies have vanished.
The million dollar question here: What is causing this? There is only a short answer to this: "US"!
We contribute to their extinction by working our mechanically clever designed devices representing a terrible biological disaster and destroying what nature has given us.
What is the cause of their extinction?
One of the theories is due to infestation by a mite. The virus carried by the parasite is infesting the bee's habitat.
Other facts are more and more highly toxic insecticides used in the agricultural application as seed treatment in hundreds of crops.
GMO (genetically modified organs) which are highly toxic, get in to soils and ground water were they can stay for a long time, even years.
Some European countries like Germany and Poland have discontinued using GMO in all crops.
This is no longer just a theory that genetic engineering of crops is bad for the environment and the human population, this has become fact.
The use and planting of herbicide-tolerant GM crops is not only affecting many insects including butterflies, it is also killing other plants some insects rely on for habitat and food.
How can we help our honey bees?
We must say NO to the GMOs, its herbicides and chemical roundup that is killing our bees and also affecting our own health just for the benefit of some to make a fast buck.
For the benefit of your own health use lots of honey! This is the only food on our planet that will not rot or spoil. No matter how long you keep it, it might crystallize and go sugary, although the perfect quality still remains.
Scientists of today also accept honey as a very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey is natural and has no side effects. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases. Honey also has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures many diseases.
If taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.
If possible get the honey from your local beekeeper. It is better quality and you are supporting your local organic farmers market at the same time.

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