after working on a lawsuit over an insecticide called spirotetramat, which is potentially toxic to honeybees. “Bee populations have experienced significant declines in recent years. A phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder occurs when adult bees abandon seemingly healthy hives en masse, leaving behind brood and honey stores – without the worker bees, the colony dies.” The Natural Resources Defense Council has been working to protect pollinators, Wang says. “Researching the causes of pollinator decline is ongoing, but likely factors include global warming, exposure to pesticides and industrial chemicals, habitat loss, nutritional deficiencies, and parasites and diseases. The pesticide spirotetramat was first approved in 2008 for nationwide use on hundreds of crops. The chemical interferes with insects’ ability to synthesize fats and studies show that it may have negative effects on bees’ reproduction and the long-term ability of the hive to survive.”
King, who has given talks locally about beekeeping, is pleased that more people are becoming interested in the activity. She hopes the hive in residence at the Ursinus three-acre organic garden will continue to inspire students to pursue the work of environmental stewardship. “The honeybee is an awesome creature that captivates our hearts and minds,” says King. “They are gentle and possess the knowledge to take flower nectar, place it in perfect six-sided wax containers, ferment it and create a product that keeps indefinitely. The honeybee suggests a piece of the secret of immortality.”
“Honeybees contribute about $15 billion of value to U.S. agriculture - the crops they pollinate include apples, almonds, berries, cucumbers, and pumpkins.” - Vivian Wang, Litigation Fellow with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
With the onset of winter, the bees in the Ursinus organic garden continue to do well, says Julia Bull. “They are now in the hive for the winter, and we’ll see what happens when we open it up again in the spring,” she says. Students built a structure around the hive to protect them from the wind, snow, and rain. Sue King’s help has been immeasurable, she says. “If I was too busy to make food, Sue would drive up and drop some off. I am very thankful to have both Sue’s and Warren’s guidance in this project.”
Plants Pollinated by Bees Okra, Kiwifruit, Onion, Celery, Carambola, Beet, Rapeseed, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, Turnip, Mustard, Caraway, Safflower, Chestnut, Watermelon, Tangerine, Tangelo, Coffee, Crownvetch, Hazelnut, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Squash (plant), Quince, Carrot, Buckwheat, Strawberry, Soybean, Cotton, Sunflower, Walnut, Flax, Lychee, Lupine, Macadamia, Apple, Alfalfa, Cactus, Avocado, Lima bean, Scarlet runner bean, Plum, Cherry, Apricot, Almond, Pear, Boysenberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Redwood Sequoia, Tomato, Eggplant, Clover (not all species), White clover, Alsike clover, Crimson clover, Red clover, Arrowleaf clover, Blueberry, Alfalfa, Southeastern blueberry, Broad bean, Vetch and Grape. Source, Natural Resources Defense Council. WINTER 2011 PAGE 23