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Words

beekeeper  noun - a person who owns and breeds bees

hive  noun - a structure where bees live

colony  noun - a group of people of one nationality or race living in a foreign place

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Many beekeepers are reporting 30% to 90% losses of their hives every year. We do not know what is causing this. More and more hives are being affected by a condition called Colony collapse disorder. There are a lot of factors we consider are contributing to the demise of beehives, but currently, we do not know how to stop them. 

Every third food we eat at the moment is here, thanks to bees. They are responsible for the great diversity of foods we enjoy today. If they were to disappear now, thousands of plants would follow, and humans might have starved to death. 

Some of the dangerous enemies of bees include parasites like acarapis woodi and varroa destructor. They can severely impact every hive, but by themselves, they are not enough to cause the demise of the whole colony. 

It is believed humans play a significant role in bees extinction too. The usage of insecticides like neonicotinoids can damage the bees’ nervous system, paralyze them, and even kill them. In small quantities, it can stun them, and they might not be able to find the way back home. If this happens frequently, enough the hive might lose its ability to self-sustain. Another contributor is the stress caused by human activity. 

Even if we are not interested in preserving the unique diversity nature has, if we want to continue living this way, we need to take urgent actions. We need to lower the rates of bees extinction. If not for nature’s good at least for our own.

The tragic death of a bee.