Bee decline sparks fears for pollination, food security and biodiversity

By Bharat Dogra 

Well-known environmentalist Pandurang Hegde has been leading a campaign to save bees in Karnataka. Imagine his distress when he recently found hundreds of honey bees on his farm in a state of agony and confusion—swirling aimlessly, trembling, and gradually losing their senses. Eventually, he had to clear hundreds of dead bees from the bee boxes on his farm. The fact that this tragedy unfolded on World Bee Day made it even more painful.

What had happened was that pesticides had been sprayed indiscriminately on areca plantations in neighboring farms. Unsuspecting bees that had foraged there returned carrying toxic pollen contaminated with pesticide residues. This led to acute distress and ultimately the death of hundreds of bees.

A sharp decline in honey bee populations and colonies has been reported in many countries around the world, including India. This is a matter of grave concern because honey bees play a crucial role in pollination. Protecting them is therefore vital for crops, wild plants, food systems, and biodiversity. The diversity of bee species is closely linked to the diversity of plant species in forests, with both existing in mutually supportive relationships.

The decline of honey bees has also alarmed many health-conscious consumers who fear a reduction in the availability of natural honey, a highly valued food. They point out that despite the decline in wild bee populations, packaged honey remains widely available in markets because many products are diluted or adulterated with artificial additives. As a result, while honey may remain abundant on store shelves, its nutritional and medicinal qualities may not be the same.

While these concerns regarding health and nutrition are valid, the larger and less visible threat is to our food systems and biodiversity. If natural pollination processes are disrupted, the prospects for sustainable and natural farming will be severely affected, as such farming systems depend heavily on ecological balance. Protecting honey bees by reducing the impact of factors harmful to them is therefore of critical importance.

Two aspects of distorted modern agricultural practices have been especially damaging to honey bees: the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops and the increasing use of chemical pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides. In some cases, these factors are linked, as certain GM crops are associated with the use of highly controversial herbicides such as glyphosate.

Glyphosate has been at the center of intense global debate. Many people who claim to have suffered adverse health effects have sought and, in some cases, received substantial compensation through legal action. If such chemicals pose serious risks to human health, one can only imagine the harm they may cause to honey bees and other beneficial pollinators such as butterflies.

Another major threat comes from neonicotinoids, which are widely used as seed coatings in several crops. These chemicals can make their way into pollen and nectar, exposing bees directly to their toxic effects. In addition to harming pollinators, neonicotinoids can persist in soil for long periods, adversely affecting earthworms and other soil organisms that are essential for maintaining soil fertility and ecosystem health.

A further concern relates to the introduction of exotic bee species. Such introductions often have harmful consequences for native honey bee populations. There have been instances in which diseases carried by exotic species have spread to local bees, leading to large-scale losses. At the same time, exotic bees frequently struggle to adapt to unfamiliar climatic conditions.

For example, honey bees originating from colder regions may fail to function effectively when introduced into much warmer environments. Faced with intense heat, these bees often reduce their foraging activity, resulting in poor pollination and lower honey production. In some cases, entire colonies collapse. Although some colonies are artificially sustained through heavy feeding of sugar and the use of medicines, their long-term survival remains uncertain.

It is important to learn from past mistakes and adopt all necessary protective measures to save honey bees. Protecting honey bees is integral to safeguarding the environment, maintaining healthy food systems, and preserving biodiversity. Their survival is inseparable from our own ecological security and agricultural future.

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The writer is Convener of the Save the Earth Now Campaign. His recent books include India’s Quest for Sustainable Farming and Healthy Food and Man over Machine. His website is bharatdogra.in