Honey Bee Mites

The Honey Bee population has been decreasing recently and this is a bigger problem than most think. Although most people might be happy that they won’t have to worry as much about getting stung at a family BBQ, the bees play a huge role in how we go about living every day.  The honey bee affects approximately 90 crops that we eat and most people eat at least one of these on a daily basis. The reason that these bees are endangered is because during the 1980’s 2 parasites where brought over that have been feasting on the bees for many years. One of these parasites called the tracheal mite, feeds on the blood of the bees which causes infectious disease to enter a colony of bees and this could potentially kill the entire colony. Since the parasites were found, scientists have been constantly researching ways to kill the mites without harming the bees.  Miticides were used to kill the mites and were proven effective till recent years when the mites have grown immune to the miticides. Now a new breed of bees is being created to be resistant to the mites that have infested the bee population. Also, because of deforestation, bees do not have places to live sense they typically need a tree that is big enough in the middle that you could fit 10 gallons of water. I believe scientists have a great start in solving the decline of bees and if the research continues and a stronger safer miticide is developed, I believe the bee population will begin to regain its full strength. One issue with the solution of creating a new breed of bees is that the other bees will not be immune to the mites and will eventually die. We need to make sure that something is done to insure the safety of the bees already living. I think that we all need to back the scientists up to insure the safety of our future.

http://www.pbs.org