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Alexis Stogner

Mrs. DeBock

English IV Honors

23 February, 2017

Essential question: Why is the bee population decreasing?

Working thesis: The bee population is decreasing because humans practice non-ethical practices

with the environment.

Refined thesis: Bee populations still face decline due to human negligence, colony collapse

disorder, and viruses that are weakening global bee populations.

Annotated Bibliography

Ballaro, Beverly, and Tom Warhol. "Honey Bee Population: An Overview." Points Of View:

Honey Bee Population (2017): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

This article discusses the honeybee population decrease. Scientist have called this

occurrence Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD was discovered in 2006 and has since been

observed by beekeepers across the United States. Colony Collapse Disorder takes place when the

majority of worker bees leave the hive and never return. Scientist have discovered a link

between Colony Collapse Disorder and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV). Other contributions

to the sudden bee loss is Nosema apis, a parasitic fungus. The honeybees may be spreading this

fungus to other bees. Researchers have also shed light on a commonly used insecticide called

neonicotinoids. Which causes the bees to become susceptible to a mite that causes diseases.

There are multiple factors that could be leading to the mysterious honeybee die-off. Reason???
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Brutscher, Laura M., Alexander J. McMenamin, and Michelle L. Flenniken. "The Buzz About

Honey Bee Viruses." Plos Pathogens 12.8 (2016): 1-7. Academic Search Complete. Web.

22 Feb. 2017.

This newspaper article presents the current understanding of the viruses that are

diminishing the health of the honeybee. One third of the food we consume requires bee

pollination. It has been reported that thirty three percent of US honeybee hives have had annual

losses. Scientist can confirm that about three to eight percent of those cases are attributed to

Colony Collapse Disorder. CCD is the display of the rapid loss of adult bees in a beehive. This

newspaper article also talks about other viruses including, Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV),

Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV), and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV). Some of the many factors that

are negatively affecting the health of the bees are pathogens, agrochemical exposures, lack of

quality forage, and reduced habitat. It is important to figure out the problem causing this bee

colony loss so we can sustain the global food production.

Hoyt, Jeannette. "Exploring The Plight Of The Diminishing Worldwide Bee Population."

Oriental Medicine Journal 23.2 (2015): 10-19. Alt HealthWatch. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

In this article, the author talks about the sudden decline in bee population. She says that

about ninety percent of the United States wild bee population has died. Bees are accounted for

one in every three bites that humans eat. Without bees, we would only have about four years to

live. The article discusses how important it is for scientist to observe bees behavior so they can
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further understand why the bees life is in danger. Bees are exposed to many diseases and

viruses. This may be the cause for their disappearance. But there are continuous things that

humans can do to ensure the bees stay around for good.

Ian Johnson Science, Correspondent. "Eighteen-Year Study Links Pesticide Use

with Bee Extinctions." Independent (UK) 17 Aug. 2016: Newspaper Source Plus. Web.

22 Feb. 2017.

In this newspaper article, the author talks about the pesticide neonicotinoid that is

commonly used with crops. Originally used as oilseed rape seed treatment to protect the crops

from other insects, excluding the bee. Increasingly banned for use by governments as its effects

on bees, the pesticide has made bees that are known to forage on these seeds population decrease

faster than other bee species. Researches found a correlation between decreases in bee

populations, and the neonicotinoid pesticide use. Bees that depend on these seeds are mostly

affected by this pesticide. The evidence showing bee population declines, related to

neonicotinoid pesticide, is supportive that chemicals are bad for the bees. Without regulating and

banning use of this pesticide, unrelated issues can stagnate food production; slow pollination

which can slow food production. The disappearance of large bee populations that feed of oilseed

rape seeds shows that neonicotinoid pesticides are detrimental on bees health. The decrease in

bee populations supports this claim.

"Save The Bees!." Science World 72.11 (2016): 14. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

This article focuses on the causes of colony collapse disorder when colonies of bees

collapse. The Bee Informed Partnership program analyzes the amount of colonies lost, parasites
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(varroa mite), and poor nutrition of bees. In 2015, beekeepers reported a 40 percent loss of

honeybee colonies after the previous 12 months. Bees pollinate up to a third of American foods.

When beekeepers started noticing in the mid-2000s every winter colonies were disappearing, it

was because the male worker bees were disappearing. Leaving the Queen and unhatched young

to starve, and the colony left to collapse was named CCD (colony collapse disorder). The Bee

Informed Partnership collects data from beekeepers nationwide for a general idea of bee health.

Thought causes include parasites, fungal infections, malnutrition, and pesticides. Starvation and

abandonment are the leading causes of CCD. The mites suck the bees blood through the skin and

can transmit viruses. Diversify their food; pollinating just one crop can be unhealthy for bees

diets. Combinations of these factors are being researched. Mite control, healthy diets, and less

pesticides can help save the bees!

Schutt, Bill. "Bee Extinctions, and a Resulting Catastrophe, May Be Inevitable." Are Mass

Extinctions Inevitable?, edited by Noah Berlatsky, Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Accessed 7 Feb. 2017. Originally published in Dark

Banquet:

Blood and The Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures, Crown Publishing, 2008, pp.

246-251.

This database continues the discussion about the sudden rapid death of the adult worker

bees. Researchers have studied this topic and have concluded that cell phones, non ethical

breeding practices, and viruses carried from mites have mainly contributed to the bee extinction.

Beekeepers have been selectively breeding honey bees for certain qualities. But they have
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unknowingly made the bees susceptible to many diseases and viruses like Colony Collapse

Disorder. Mites that lay their eggs in bee hives have been known to transmit viral and bacterial

pathogens. A far-fetched idea that Scientist are taking into consideration is cell phones. An

experiment was tested with a beehive that was exposed to cell phone and a beehive that was not

exposed to cell phones. The beehive that was not exposed seemed to thrive better. The exposed

hive only gain six bees out of the twenty six that left the hive to go pollinate. The study only

revealed half of their findings. So it is unknown how many bees returned to the non exposed

hive. As the author said before, it is a far-fetched idea. There are many known factors that are

contributing to the bee extinction, it is just not yet exactly known.