Bee life has halved in the last 50 years  

Uncertain future

A new study is sounding the alarm as it shows that the lifespan of bees has shrunk by 50% in the last 50 years. The ” European Red List ” of bees shows that almost one in ten wild bee species is at risk of extinction. The research explains why we are seeing increased levels of bee deaths around the world in recent decades. For example, in the winter of 2006-2007, American beekeepers lost 90% of their colonies, while increased deaths were also reported in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Australia and Canada.

Using mathematical models, the study shows that since 1969, the lifespan of bees has decreased from 34 days to 18 days. It is worth noting that worker bees that were removed from the colony and not wild bees were studied.

Bees are now more susceptible to diseases such as a virus that deforms their wings, which was discovered 40 years ago and is now very common. Bees may also have been weakened by new generations of pesticides that did not exist 50 years ago. Many times the pollen they feed their young is contaminated with pesticides, so the toxic substances cause a reduced ability to fight disease.

Another possible explanation is that bee genes have changed their lifespan, with natural selection or artificial selection (via beekeepers) favoring shorter lifespans.

A separate study by the University of Bristol revealed that fertilizers change the electric field of plants, in turn changing the way bees sense flowers, causing them to stop visiting them.

Reduced life span of bees means reduced pollination. Bees and other insects are essential to 75% of human crops worldwide. They also pollinate 80% of all wild plants. So further research into the reasons behind bee deaths is necessary for the future not only of their species, but also of humans.