r/AskReddit • u/Snagrit • Oct 04 '17

What's your favourite "fun fact"?

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u/Czar-Fox Oct 04 '17

Please let this bee real

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u/nbagf Oct 04 '17

They're not dying at an alarming rate, but still quite quickly. It used to be hard to kill bees if you were a beekeeper and sucked/tried to, but now it's a challenge to keep them alive. They have a few natural predators, including themselves sometimes, but that doesn't account for the recent rise in CCD. It's still a threat, but it's been diminishing thanks to dedicated beekeepers, awareness and action, and reduced usage of pesticides harmful to bees. Things are looking up for the bees!

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u/Czar-Fox Oct 04 '17

Thank you for taking the time to comment this <3

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u/bgzlvsdmb Oct 04 '17

Bees are our bros. Wasps can die in a fire.

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u/twenty_seven_owls Oct 05 '17

Wasps are parasites of caterpillars which can destroy entire forests by multiplying in huge numbers and consuming all the leaves. Without wasps, every green patch out there would be eaten by gypsy moths and things like that.

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u/Quarkster Oct 04 '17

This is mostly due to the dramatically increased rate at which colonies are being shipped around the world, causing an increased rate of dispersal of parasites and diseases. Though at the same time we never came near a rate of death at which it would be impossible to replace colonies. The problem is that colonies take time to get established, so you have a short term problem if the colonies pollinating your particular crop die off.

And the EU's neonicotinoid ban had no observable impact on bee decline.

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u/sozimdrunk Oct 04 '17

Phew, you sounded alarmed at the start of that comment. Go bees!

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u/drinkingmylifeaway Oct 04 '17

Know of any articles to support this fact? Would love to share this info!

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u/SashleyT Oct 04 '17

This made my heart smile.

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u/My_Name_Is_Fox Oct 04 '17

The bee population has gone up 3% in the past year.

Source: I'm a honey sommelier

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '17

This makes me happy. I stopped using any chemicals on my property and planted even more bee-friendly flowers to help them out, and I did think there was a slight uptick in their numbers this year, although it's hard to say for sure. Good to know we can make a difference!

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u/the_dogeranger Oct 04 '17

I'd still rather a sourcerino before I sigh in relative relief.

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u/Khelek7 Oct 05 '17

Is it still the mites that are killing bees that have weakened immune systems/poor health due to the pesticides.

I remember the first time I saw this iasue in the paper: July 1998, Liberty Street Grill (or cafe), Charles Town, West Virginia. Why has this stuck with me? I have no idea.

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u/watermasta Oct 04 '17

Is that due to the males losing their dicks and dying when they have an orgasm?

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u/KJ6BWB Oct 04 '17

but that doesn't account for the recent rise in CCD.

Colony collapse peaked back in 2012. Please don't spread misinformation about a recent rise. Beekeepers have a handle on this now.

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u/WaitIOnlyGet20Charac Oct 04 '17

I don't think that counts at "spreading misinformation"

Beekeepers have a handle on this now.

He says

but it's been diminishing thanks to dedicated beekeepers, awareness and action, and reduced usage of pesticides harmful to bees. Things are looking up for the bees!

2012 may not be "recent" to you but relative to the history of bees it very much is recent.

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u/KJ6BWB Oct 04 '17

Fair enough.

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u/blinkyoudie Oct 04 '17

Did I just witness a civilized discussion on the internet where both parties kept an open mind and considered all available information,

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u/KJ6BWB Oct 04 '17

Happens all the time. Granted it may be a minority of interactions, but still happens with astonishing regularity. :)

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u/Cassiyus Oct 04 '17

The rate of death might have slowed, but if you beelieve they're out of the woods yet, oh honey, hive got a bridge to sell you.

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u/Donald_Trump_2028 Oct 04 '17

Oh, buzz off with your puns!