The worrying disappearance of bees

For several decades, Albert Einstein has been credited with these words: “If the bees disappear, man has four years to live.” An erroneous assignment, its origin is in Belgian beekeepers, but it does not detract from the meaning of the sentence. The role of these insects in the daily life of the planet is essential.

Bees are responsible for the pollination of a third of the crops, in addition

Around 5% of plant species depend critically on these animals. A main actor that is losing more and more weight and it is not because of the appearance of alternatives, but because of their disappearance.

Just over five years ago, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) warned of the slow disappearance of these insects.

According to his research, 40% of invertebrate pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, face extinction. “37% of bee populations are declining, a clear example that the prevailing agri-food model is leading us to a dead end,” says the IPBES text. Situation that has not improved over the years.

About 400 kilometers southwest of Rabat (Morocco), bees have their particular kingdom in the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve. Almost 2.5 million hectares protected by UNESCO, which houses the oldest colony on Earth, the unique collective hive of Inzerk.

A five-story natural megastructure of wooden struts and dried mud where each compartment houses a cylindrical wicker hive, covered with a mixture of earth and cow manure.

However, for a few years the buzz caused by the 200 beats per second has been heard less and less. In recent months, the National Office for Sanitary Safety of Food Products of Morocco (ONSSA) has monitored the decline in the population of these insects. “There is no disease”, this is the conclusion.

human action

Now the diagnosis requires the search for other variables. The rural exodus is one of them, the fields are becoming less populated and the hives less attended. “The abandonment of beehives is an unprecedented phenomenon in Morocco,” says the ONSSA. But, it is not the only one.

The hand of man is present in the environment of these insects. Your home (the hives) or your workplace (flowers) are often contaminated with chemicals. Insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides are applied to crops, but reach bees through pollen, nectar, air, or water and soil. These pesticides, for

alone or in combination, they can be toxic to bees.

However, the human footprint does not stop there. These small invertebrate animals are also, according to several studies, very sensitive to climate change. The current extremely mild winter weather with spring-like temperatures is having a serious side effect on nature. “The ideal would be to have a good cold period of 2 to 3 months. But this change from hot to cold destroys the colonies, “experts warn.

Research has revealed that honey bees in Poland are responding to changes in the weather by bringing forward the date of their first winter flight, as part of a phenomenon often known as ‘shifting of the seasons’. The first winter flight has been advanced by more than a month during 25 years of observations, “and this is attributed to higher temperatures,” the researchers note.

Added to this are more frequent periods of drought. This has a negative impact on bees’ production of honey and pollen and their vital role in the environment. The decline in bee populations worldwide has been known for more than half a century, but in recent years its pace has accelerated.

However, beekeepers say that “the extinction of bees in the short term is unlikely.” Despite this, the impact of this problem is double in Spain, according to the report “Impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change of Mediterranean beekeeping”, presented by the Spanish Office for Climate Change (OECC)

The Iberian Peninsula is one of the areas of the planet most sensitive to climate change due to its location and its socio-economic fabric, closely related to climatic impacts. And, in addition, Spain is the first country in the world in number of hives and the decrease in this population can cause, according to this text, a strong impact on the country’s biodiversity.