Sonoma Discoveries Summer 2017

The bees are vanishing in alarming numbers—and no one knows why. Last year the US lost 40 percent of its bee population. It’s a major concern and not because of the lack of honey. Bees pollinate a third of the world’s food supply. They are the source of the many good things we have come to love and expect. Without bees, there would be no melons or juicy mangos, no crisp apples or nutritious blueberries, no potatoes or pumpkin pie. And forget that cup of morning coffee or Valentine’s Day box of chocolates. Pantries would be sparse, food bland.

Honeybees are not native to the US. They were brought in by 17th century settlers for crop pollination. Unlike solitary native species, honeybees live in colonies and have greater pollination concentration. Both honeybees and native species are in decline. READ MORE