THE LITTLE MIRACLE WORKERS - Honey bees

Honeybees play a crucial role in agriculture, providing essential pollination services for a wide variety of crops.

• Their ability to transfer pollen from male to female flowers is vital for many plants' reproduction and fruit production.

• This process, known as cross-pollination, not only ensures the survival of plant species but also increases the quantity and improves the quality of crops. Without honeybees, the global agricultural sector would suffer significant losses in productivity and economic value.

• According to research, the economic value of honeybee pollination is estimated to be several billion dollars.

• In addition to their pollination role, honeybees contribute significantly to the economy through various products they produce. These products include honey, pollen, bee wax, royal jelly, and propolis.

• Honey, in particular, is a highly sought-after commodity that is not only enjoyed as a sweetener but also has various health benefits and culinary uses.

• The high population of honeybee colonies is a critical factor in maximizing hive productivity and obtaining the highest yield of hive products.

• The decline of honeybee populations in recent years has raised concerns among beekeepers and researchers (Taha et al., 2020).

• The decline in honeybee populations is a matter of great concern for the agricultural industry.

Pollination is vital to life on our planet.

• Bees and other pollinators have thrived for millions of years, ensuring food security and nutrition, and maintaining biodiversity and vibrant ecosystems for plants, humans, and the bees themselves.

• Many of the micronutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oils that humans eat depend on pollinators to be produced.

• Growing research implicates these elements in the possibly significant loss in pollinator populations.

• The drop is probably going to have an effect on the price and production of vitamin-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, which will result in increasingly imbalanced diets and health issues like malnutrition.

Pollinators in crop forecasting are at risk.

Pollinators play a crucial role in the global food production system by facilitating the reproduction of flowering plants, including many crops that are vital for human consumption.

It is recognized that multiple and interacting pressures on pollinator species threaten to economically and ecologically disrupt a major ecosystem service and a keystone species interaction of all ecological communities.

However, these pollinators are facing numerous threats that could have severe implications for food security.

These threats include:

1. Habitat loss and degradation: The destruction of natural habitats, such as forests and grasslands, due to urbanization, agriculture expansion, and deforestation, results in a loss of food and nesting resources for pollinators. Without sufficient habitats, pollinators struggle to find the resources they need to survive and reproduce, ultimately leading to population declines.

2. Pesticide use: The widespread use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has detrimental effects on pollinators. These pesticides can contaminate nectar and pollen, leading to harmful effects on the health of pollinators.

This can include reduced fertility, impaired navigation, and foraging abilities, and increased vulnerability to pathogens.

3. Biological invasions: The introduction of non-native species can also pose a threat to pollinators. These invasive species can compete with native pollinators for resources, disrupt pollinator-plant interactions, and transmit diseases.

4. Climate change: The changing climate patterns and extreme weather events associated with climate change can disrupt the timing of flowering and the availability of nectar.

• Substantial agricultural methods can cause habitat loss and fragmentation, disrupting pollinator nesting places and refuges, such as pasture improvement, the construction of huge, uniform fields, and extensive grazing.

• Additionally, the extensive use of pesticides to eradicate pest insects may negatively impact insect pollinators.

• Additionally, intensive practices diminish foraging areas including flower-rich set-aside land, field margins, grasslands, and heathlands, which are home to numerous pollinators.

Pests and diseases resulting from reduced resistance of bee colonies and from globalization, which facilitates the transmission of pests and diseases over long distances, pose a special threat.

Source: FAO.

THE LITTLE MIRACLE WORKERS - Honey bees

K H Akhil Srinivas

(KHAS)