Environment: Alarming report lists dangers to bees
On the occasion of World Bee Day, May 20th, a report reveals that unprecedented threats are weighing on the pollinators essential to our survival. War zones, microplastics, and light pollution are among the twelve emerging dangers identified by the organization Bee:wild.
If bees were to disappear, many of us would miss honey. But the problem goes much further. Nearly 90% of the world's flowering plants depend, at least in part, on pollination by insects that carry pollen from the stamens (male organs) to the stigmas (female organs) of flowers. About 35% of what we eat is linked to the action of bees. Pollination promotes the production of seeds or fruits. As a result, dietary balances would be profoundly altered, with fewer fruits and vegetables.
But a report from the NGO Bee:wild has identified several emerging threats that could accelerate the disappearance of pollinators over the next 5 to 15 years. What are these threats?
- Armed conflicts, such as in Ukraine, reduce crop diversity, depriving pollinators of varied food throughout the season;
- Microplastics are now contaminating European beehives – tests on 315 bee colonies revealed the presence of synthetic materials in the majority of them;
- nighttime light pollution reduces floral visits by nocturnal pollinators by 62%, disrupting the crucial role of moths;
- Antibiotic pollution potentially contaminates beehives and honey, and affects pollinator behavior, including reducing their foraging and flower visits;
- air pollution which affects their survival, reproduction and growth;
- fires, more frequent and destructive, destroy habitats.
“Identifying new threats and finding ways to protect pollinators as early as possible is essential to prevent further major declines,” warns Professor Simon Potts of the University of Reading, lead author of the report. “By acting early, we can reduce damage and help pollinators continue their important work in nature and food production. They are essential to our food systems and our economic security.”
The authors therefore point to solutions that could help protect bees, such as establishing stricter laws limiting antibiotic pollution, encouraging the transition to electric vehicles, creating flower-rich habitats, or developing RNA-based treatments that target parasites without harming beneficial insects.
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