Are Bees Disappearing Because of a Change of Mind?

Bees around the globe are under threat from climate change, diseases, vandalism, theft, the persistent and the continuous loss of bee-friendly forage through habitat destruction, urbanization and according to some scientists – cell phones, the definitive 2012 website www.mi5.co.za reports.

These insects are responsible for pollination to crops worth around $190-billion to the population of the world in terms of being fed.  If they all disappeared overnight, so would nearly 10 per cent of the total value of global agriculture production used for human food.

There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven to nine recognized families. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants. (Wikipedia).

Now a study in Germany called “Economic valuation of the vulnerability of world agriculture confronted with pollinator decline” warns that artificial pollination would escalate food costs to $380-billion – a sum that the world can hardly afford considering the present scarcity of food and water resources.

There is a decline in bee populations around the planet.  there is up to 60 per cent drop in bee colonies in some parts of Europe and across the Atlantic,  American honeybees, which pollinate more than 90 commercial crops in the United States, have declined by 30 per cent in the last 20 years.

This poses a challenge to agricultural interests such as California almond farmers, who need about 1.4 million colonies of honeybees to pollinate 550,000 acres of their trees. By 2012, the state’s almond farmers are expected to need bees to pollinate 800,000 acres according to an article by Juliet Eilperin published in the Washington Post already some four years ago.

There appears however to be no consensus of opinion regarding the cause of the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD – the disappearance of all the bees from a hive) has been attributed to everything from climate change and diseases to urbanisation and destruction of bee-friendly foraging…to which the radiation from cell phones has now been added.

In fact cell phones may only be the tip of the iceberg.  Not only is there a saturation of electromagnetic clutter but stories surfacing regarding the US’s High Frequency Active Auroral Research Programme (HAARP) have raised alarm bells around the world.

Established in 1993 the programme aims to control weather and develop ionospheric weapons technology.  HAARP’s core feature is a high power, high frequency radio transmitter which is designed to manipulate or change natural electromagnetic conditions contributing to weather conditions. 

In this situation even on the most elementary level there will be a disruption for the bees, birds and many other animals and mammals that use the planet’s magnetic field for navigation.

In this sense however, cell phones may be the forerunners of a far greater problem related to HAARP.  One more likely to spell the end of mankind than Einstein’s prediction that four years after bees become extinct, so will all humans. 

Transmissions from cell phones alter a person’s brainwaves according to two recent experiments – one at the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, and the other at the Loughborough University Sleep Research Centre in England.  The change in the brainwaves changes a person’s behaviour resulting in a form of mind control.

In a crude but effective pun, it does not take a brain scientist to draw conclusions from the fact that HAARP also emanates radio frequencies on a huge scale by comparison.   In German, research has shown that both power lines and cell phones affect the behaviour of bees.  

In the face of this around the world individuals concerned about the degradation of our planet are joining the fight to save the bee population.  South African businessman Jason Grove is one of them and he is passionate about bees.

He says much has to be done to protect them in the South African environment where employment creation is an addition, vital aspect.  “It is not only the loss of revenue to the country from the fruit farms of the Cape to the widely cultivated areas in Mpumalanga, the crucial element of providing employment and an income for some of our poorest rural groups must be factored in.  South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world.

“Beekeeping for Poverty Relief is a ‘green’ initiative that needs all the support it can get with the possibility of deriving both social and economic benefits tied to the critical role that bees play in the pollination of crops and other plants in nature.”

Jason is helping set the pace in preserving bee colonies.  He has some 40 hives in Mpumalanga and is growing this bee community with a view to helping others do the same.  “Apart from recognised problems facing bee pollination around the globe, we have additional factors locally. 

“Just one for example is the dramatic effect on bee communities with the on-going elimination of eucalyptus trees as alien plants which account for 80 per cent of their foraging.  It must be recognised however that we also have a severe water problem and these trees consume huge amounts of moisture…so we are really between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Of course the role of bees in the flora cycle also provides the attractive plants that enhance gardens that we all love so much.”

In addition to the campaign to save the bee population in South Africa, Roxsure Insurance Brokers under Jason’s guidance has launched a campaign to plant 20 000 trees over the next 10 years to ensure that all its clients become CO2 negative under this umbrella.  A step in this direction was the donation of 500 trees to the Aspen Nature Estate recently. Jason said that the approach of working with like-minded people had resulted in many customers being with the company since its founding 30 years ago. 

This long-standing relationship has been built on the highest levels of excellence, respect and integrity in all aspects of our business and our purpose is to enrich the lives of the people we touch.  One of the ways we are doing this today is improving the environment we all share and hope to pass on to our children.”