A bee performing the miracle that keeps the whole world running~
Picture credit: Bob Peterson/ Jacopo Werther
If like us, Spring at your house means working in your garden and/or your yard, here are some things that you may wish to consider before you begin.
In my email this morning was a new round of pleading from one of my favorite sources for keeping our Planet safe, the Cornucopia Institute.
They are once again, repeating a request for us all to stop using a certain type of insecticides in our yards because of the mortal effects they are having on our bees in America.
Bees and all pollinators are dying by the millions and it is having a ripple effect all across our Planet.
On the Weather Channel this week, a sad example was demonstrated live on the set, bees are being born with crumpled wings and only living a day or two, because they cannot fly, the source or cause of this deformity is mites.
Two more recent possibilities that have been reported as possible, or probable, causation for the massive Global bee deaths, are extremely cold weather and a plant virus.
So, when all of theses factors occur within a short period of time, the mites, pesticides, extreme cold and plant viruses, the world’s bees bite the dust by the millions.
Many are calling this phenomenon, a Beepocalypse.
We do not use any pesticides on our property because of our Airedale Breanna and our Gopher Tortoise Harriet.
We also do not wish to have our beloved green tree frogs or lizards killed by them.
Pesticides, like Monsanto’s Round Up are just plain lethal to all livings things, they are equal opportunity killers.
Insecticides have already been banned in Europe.
Surely if they can do this to save our Global pollinators and their food supplies, we can as well?
Another point to remember, if you like to eat, think about what the bees and pollinators do for all of us, every single day of their lives.
Without them out there doing their jobs, our food supplies would dwindle and quickly.
No bees, no food, no flowers, no people.
Pretty simple really, isn’t it.
As a result of the massive backlash against these lethal products, most lawn and garden departments now carry and are happy to refer people, to the ones that are safe, or safer and more natural and have a less harmful effect on all that comes in contact with them.
Here in Florida, this has now become a problem of nearly historic levels for areas like the Indian River Lagoon area.
This Ecosystem has seen catastrophic wildlife death numbers in the past few years from multiple causes, but the primary one is considered to be toxins in the water.
Pesticides used on our yards and in farming, are the worst offenders in Florida.
Manatees, Dolphins, and birds are sick and dying here and the water that they depend on for life, is to blame.
The only way to fix this, is for all of us to become very concerned and careful about what we use and do with any chemicals.
Is your yard being perfectly emerald-green worth an animal’s life?
Please remember Floridian’s, what goes on our lawns and on our land here, ends up in the aquifer and eventually in our drinking water.
Do you really know what is in that glass of water you are drinking today?
Places to learn more:
Why Congress Should Care About the Beepocalypse
Bees Dying by the Millions in Canada
How a Plant Virus May Help Cause the Beepocalypse
Bees are dying. Here’s why you should care
Walking with the Alligators 
The image at the top is a syrphid fly!
Have replaced the image. Thank you!
Bees keep this planet alive and sustain us all.
Absolutely!
MonSatan. !!!
??
DUH. I jut got this!
Holy Smoke Gator!!! :))))
I plant for pollinators, using no chemical pesticides, and also NO gmo plants, as some do not support caterpillars or insects! Back to the basics.
You are a life saver. Thank you so much for caring for them~
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Please, this is info that needs to be shared!! The bees are dying .. if they do, we will soon be behind!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!
Anytime, dear friend … if you search my blog, you will find several posts on this topic!!
Hugs!! 🙂
Will do.
Getting our butts kicked in Paisley right now!!!!
It’s started here too!! How bad is it?
I don’t have to go out, at least. Maryjane, my friend, has to pick up the kids from school … thanks heaven it’s not me!!
😎
Right on, Alligator Woman. Monsanto and their myth about Round Up’s safety…it’s abominable and utterly destructive. Thanks for putting this post in the world.
Round Up is the single most toxic chemical used in homes today! Spread the news~
Here is a story that I shared on my FB wall today about Round Up:
http://dailynation.lk/glyphosate-herbicide-linked-ckdu-finally-banned/
Reblogged this on Sonmi's Cloud.
Thank you so very much for sharing this!!!
More than 2.5 million of us campaigned to persuade the European Union to ban the use of bee-killing pesticides in Europe. Despite the huge amount of lobbying by corporate interests we managed to win the vote. Unfortunately this is not a permanent ban, it is only a 2 year moratorium. It really is crucial that worldwide we do as much as we possibly can to support bees. Bees certainly are a vital part of our daily lives, whether we love them or not – no bees = no food! Come on everyone, get planting for bees this Spring 🙂
God Bless you~
Could you please clone yourself and those who worked with you?
We need millions more just like you.
Thank you for all that you do for the innocents~
🙂
you might like to look at this webpage from Avaaz, one of the campaign websites that was working across Europe to summon up support for bees …
http://www.avaaz.org/en/bye_bye_killers_uk/?bVsqydb&v=23039
People from all over the world support campaigns on all kinds of social and environmental justice issues through the huge Avaaz community.
A lot of us really do care deeply about what is being done to our planet – together we really can make a difference 🙂
Thank you for mentioning the Indian River, they are finding RoundUp in the water according to local testing.
Thank you so much for sharing.
The Indian River Lagoon area is a critical habitat for countless animals.
I love the whole area and have written about it several times on this Blog.
Please feel free to keep me/us updated on current issues there by commenting on any of these “Lagoon” posts.
The world needs to know what evil lurks in the waters of the “sunshine” state.
Of course Round Up is in the Lagoon, along with countless other chemicals and toxins used everyday in the surrounding areas.
They are the primary reason the wildlife is dying.
Reblogged this on Kentucky Angel's Train Wrecks and commented:
If you wonder why your plants are not being pollinated, or why honey is so expensive now, just read this.
Thank you so very much for sharing this~
I am a person who loved honey, and I love organic food, so the bee situation has concerned me for several years now. We’ve almost succeeded in what appears to be our “scorched earth” policy. What are we leaving for our future generations, other than concrete, steel and glass?
Thank you so much for sharing and caring.
Please tell me/us more about the “scorched earth” policy?
Important! Thank you for posting!
Thank you Cindy~
This is so true. We should really think about all the good things these little guys help provide us with. And what harm do they do really? The just buzz around. And a garden shouldn’t be absolutely perfect. Is it really worth it to have no pest to not have any food that needs the bees to polynate them?
Thank you for your wonderful words~
Without pollinators, we would virtually have nothing.
No yard or garden is worth losing what they bring and do for all of us.
It’s scary; however, nature abhors a vacuum. I’ve noticed that here in Pennsylvania, bumble bees are proliferating. They seem to be becoming the chief pollinators.
If only the rest of the world would/could be the same!
Reblogged this on MOONSIDE.
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thank you for this. We take bees for granted when they truly give so much to us.
Yes we do. Without them, humans would soon cease to exist.
I learned much from your post. Thank you.
I am rewarded beyond measure if that is true.
Thank you for caring about wildlife~
Oh, yes. Very true. I pass a bee-keeper every day. Now, I will know….
Wonderful.
Now, please spread the word.
Teach what you have learned to all you meet.
Their lives are in our hands.
We must change hearts and minds if they are to be saved.
Yes, I will!
Very nice! My girlfriend is doing be research on why the bees are dying! 🙂 Hopefully she’ll make a post or two also! Very important stuff thanks for sharing!
I am happy that you found this of value and will join the effort to change this!
Amen, dear Gator Gal. If conscious beings exist in later millennia, they will ask, “Why did Homo sapiens of the late twentieth and early twentieth centuries allow bees to die?”
Bees are the canaries in the coal mine of this globe. We ignore their deaths at our peril.
Love your thinking!!
I watched this last night, explains why bees, birds, fish and people are dying in huge numbers, with the worse to come. (Don’t be fooled by the title or description, it’s not accurate at all) http://youtu.be/fL7cbypAQWs
Neonicotinoids are also laying a role in the mass killing of bees. Neonicotinoids have been banned in many European countries. I’m afraid with our current political state of plutocracy in the US that nothing will be done to stop Bayer and Monsanto from exterminating all living things. Yes, they are slowly killing us too.
This is one of the most important stories on the planet. Thank you for posting this.
Gator Woman, Very nice website& posts!!! I took a look around! Many thanks for the “Likes” on my “About” & my 7th PastaPost on http://excuseusforliving.com/ Phil
Thank you so much. I love your Blog, it is wonderful.
The food looks yummy!
I was quite thrilled to have your highly educated in the Social Sciences presence on my tahtonka Blog,
which is my newest one.
That Blog is my heart felt dedication to Global Culture, which is where my education was in California.
YOu have absolutely no idea how much I hate the Monsanto corporation… They kill everything on their path and are ok with stripping the livelihood of farmers that try to save seeds. If their seeds accidentally get blown to someone’s land, they can sue the person for theft of intellectual property and other counts… they drag these lawsuits until the farmer has to declare bankruptcy and settle out of court, which involves the farmers either closing down their farms or buying seeds from Monsanto…. What a shower of bas$&^£$&^… (sorry)
And something else… now they have this strain of seeds that have been nicknamed suicide seeds or something of the kind. These seeds are able to sprout only once and produce only dead seeds. It really hurts me that someone in the world can own seeds. Hats off if you have the technology to manipulate seeds and the expertise, but privatizing seeds is pretty much the same as privatizing water or any other natural resource…
Please, oh kindred soul, do COME here: http://flawlesspandemonium.wordpress.com/
Done! Following that! I am glad we all question these things, but the more I find out about everything, the more I wish I was ignorant of it all… The first struggle comes in trying to make my family aware of all of this, but I have become the hippie in the family… well, so be it!
Wonderful to have you here!
Welcome to my world~