Bees Pollinators

Bees — the most important pollinators on Earth — provide approximately one-third of the world's food supply through pollination services. There are approximately 20,000 species of bees worldwide (not just honeybees — native solitary bees, bumblebees, stingless bees, and mason bees are equally important pollinators). The honeybee (Apis mellifera) is a managed agricultural pollinator: the US alone has 2.7 million managed hives rented to farmers for crop pollination, worth $15B annually. The pollinator crisis is severe: managed honeybee colonies in the US declined from 6 million in 1947 to 2.7 million today, despite increased demand. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD — workers abandoning the hive overnight, cause still debated) killed 30-40% of US colonies annually from 2006-2016. Contributing factors: Varroa mite (parasite introduced to North America in 1987 that has devastated wild bee populations); neonicotinoid pesticides (systemic insecticides in pollen and nectar that impair bee navigation and learning — EU banned most outdoor uses in 2018); habitat loss (monoculture agriculture reduces floral diversity); and disease (multiple fungal, viral, and bacterial pathogens). Wild native bees are declining even faster than managed honeybees — a study found 25% of 4,337 native North American bee species at risk.