For the first time in American history the bee has been added to the endangered species list. The groups added to the endangered species list are several Hawaiian bee species. In recent years, bee populations all across America have seen declines. According to beeinformed.org, beekeepers across the U.S. documented 44 percent of colonies lost in one year. So what does the decline in bee population mean for you?

Well everyone needs food to survive and without bees we will not have food. Bees are an essential part of agriculture, without them we would have a big problem. A bee is responsible for pollinating plants aka the main component of crop growth. A decline in bees can cause not only the cost of food to go up, but a shortening as well.

The decline in bee population is clearly alarming, but what is causing this? Many factors contribute to bee loss like habitat destruction, pesticides, changes in environment, humans . However, the biggest contributor currently is a parasite attacking colonies. This mite, known as the varroa mite, is lethal and spreads like wildfire through colonies. My mom, who is a local beekeeper, lost several hives thanks to this parasite. This mite is a major problem and trying to contain the spread has been a constant battle for beekeepers. Not only is it affecting bees, but communities that local beekeepers, like my mom, supply honey to.

So what can we as the human race do to help? First off support your local bee keepers. These are people in your own community helping your environment. Odds are they have been affected by the varroa mite, see what you can do to help them. Even simply buying a jar of their honey can help them get the funds to create new hives. Second, do not kill bees, for the love of mankind. Trust me when I say they are harmless, remain calm and they will leave you alone. If you do have a serious problem call a beekeeper to extract them and re-home them. Lastly, spread the word of declining bee populations. The media is not informing the public about this crisis, so we must take it upon ourselves to spread the word and save the bees.