Definitions:
Varroa destructor - a parasite abundant in most countries that attacks honeybees.
beekeeping - the cultivation of bees for the production of honey
Summary:
Germany has about one million bee hives. During the winter, about one fifth of the hives did not survive. This was caused mainly by the Varroa destructor. "The Varroa mite, one of several pests plaguing bees, attaches itself to the insects and their larvae and feeds on their lymph fluid, passing on diseases such as deformed wing virus and rendering them more vulnerable to disease." Because many beekeepers' hives died, many people started stealing bee hives. "Reported thefts of beehives almost doubled, to 306 in 2008 from 164 in 2007, and the figure was unchanged in 2009, according to Germany’s leading insurer of beekeepers, Gaede & Glauerdt." The thefts are most likely being committed by normal people, not beekeepers. The people who are stealing the hives do not take proper care of the bees.
Discussion:
I think this issue is very important, because bees are are the third-most important livestock in Germany. Without bees, beekeepers do not make money, and there is less honey for the people to eat. If bees keep dying out, the price of honey will rise and there will not be much left. I chose this article because it sounded interesting. This article relates to my life because I like to eat honey. Without honey, lots of things taste bitter.
Questions:
1. I would like to know more about how a bee produces honey
2. I would also like to know about the different kinds of bees and what their jobs are in the hives.
Resources:
“beekeeping definition.” Word Net Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2010.
Crossland, David. “Germany abuzz over theft of hives.” The National. N.p., 4 July 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2010.
“Varroa destructor (arachnid).” Global Invasive Species Database. N.p., 20 June 2006. Web. 24 Sept. 2010.
