How one GMHS teacher tries to help the decline of bees

In recent years, bee populations have been declining drastically. According to Business Insider, about 40% of the US’ honey bee colonies died between October 2018 and April 2019. These losses are primarily due to decreasing crop diversity, poor beekeeping practices, pesticides, and loss of habitat (caused by human activity and climate change).

Cary Wright, an English teacher here at Galileo Magnet High School, raises honey bees at home in honor of his grandfather who also raised honeybees. “I never got to learn from him how he did it. A friend wanted to start and I learned along with my friend.”

Unfortunately, both of his hives died this winter. “I was crushed,” Wright exclaimed. “It’s like they’re living things that are in your care...you’re supposed to be caring for them and now they’re dead, and so that means I totally failed. It’s such a learning experience because the first hive died [due to] disease and in the past, I was a little bit lazy with treating them for that disease, but now I know I really have to do it.”

Bees are essential to our environment and our way of living. According to scienceabc.com, bees are the primary initiators of reproduction among plants. Less production of food crops will ultimately lead to worldwide famine. Hunger and poverty will be very common. Freshwater will start drying up as well as there will be fewer trees for water retention to occur. With less water and diminishing food, humans will die of thirst and starvation. Fertility would also suffer a setback, followed by a drop in the rate of reproduction. Ultimately, we wouldn’t be able to sustain and would be forced into extinction within a few hundred years.

“Bees pollinate so many crops that we eat,” said Wright. “That's the main reason[people should take care of bees]. It's also an easy way to get in touch with the natural world. [The extinction of bees] is like the end of the world. Here we are on this planet and we should somehow have some ability to at least not cause harm, at least just go around and live your life and not hurt it. Because of all of the pesticides that we use and our other practices, we are going to start knocking out species that also affect us.”

Some say that taking care of bees isn’t very challenging. According to Ohio State Insights, there are only a couple of ways to take care of bees such as providing a honey bee-friendly habitat in your yard or other outdoor spaces, eating bee-friendly, avoiding the use of insecticides on your lawn, and don’t kill bees, just walk away.

On the other hand, Wright claims that bees are very challenging to take care of. “Sometimes the bees get angry as their food supply diminishes leading into winter. I use smoke on them to calm them down, but sometimes they are really defensive of their hive. [To maintain the bees I,] feed them raw sugar over the winter, move them to sugar water and some pollen at the start of spring, then make sure they don't overwhelm the space in the hive. Perhaps I add more space so they feel like they have enough room, then decide whether or not to harvest honey, then treat for mites and get ready for winter again.”

One Green Planet recommends that you should join some local initiatives dedicated to helping the bee colonies, be good to bees, and help make “bee roads”, which are areas with nectar-rich flowers that are habitual to bees and other pollinating insects, as an alternative to keep.”

Wright suggests that you should support local bee farmers if you don't want to raise bees yourself. “Local stores and the farmer's market sell local honey products. Betsy's Bees is probably the biggest local operation, and there are many smaller ones.”