One of God’s Beloved Creatures
In 2016 I wrote an article about concern for the honeybee.
“The small honeybee is in danger these days due to pesticide exposure, parasites, diseases, and a lack of flowers.
When we speak of justice and peace issues often, we forget the many important justice issues which affect the plant and animal life around us and have a direct impact on human life. Many of the 4,000 species of native bees are in decline or on the verge of extinction. So much of our food supply depends on these small pollinators. When these pollinator-plant relationships are in danger, as they are now, then we all will pay a heavy price.”
The situation with bees in the United States has not improved since 2016. Bee populations continue to dwindle.
One of the reasons is monoculture farming. Monoculture farming is the practice of planting a single crop in an extended area year after year. Over the years large-scale farming called consolidated farming has replaced often smaller, traditional family farming which was often diversified. Because crops are no longer rotated, as was the practice years ago, fields have been dedicated to single crops which are grown year after year.
Bees live on the flowers which are produced when crops begin to bloom. This is a short period of time and thus once the flowers have died and crops grow into the various types of food we eat, the bees do not have a continuous source of food. The lack of diversity in their diets contributes to poor nutrition and makes them susceptible to disease and viruses.
Because these large monoculture farms do not use crop rotation, another side effect is the depletion of the soil. As a result, stronger fertilizers are used to replace nutrients in the soil. Thus, this cycle continues. What is needed is better agricultural practices which would not only give new life to bees, but also help the soil to restore needed nutrients. Raising different crops within the same growing season which would be harvested and replanted quickly (multicropping) or mixing different crops in a single season (intercropping) are two methods which would restore the soil and give new food sources to bees.
In addition, planting cover crops, which are nonmarketable plants grown either at the edge or within crop fields can restore the health of the soil and offer healthy food sources for bees.
Often the emphasis about saving our bees has been on reducing or eliminating toxic pesticides. These pesticides do contribute to the demise of bees. However, shortsighted, unsustainable farming methods are another major contributor to the loss of our bee population. This issue of the potential loss of bees is not only an ecological concern but a real justice priority for the survival of humankind but also the extinction of one of God’s beloved creatures-the BEE!
Ann Kasparek, smr