---
title: "The Death of Bees in a Nutshell (Video)"
description: "If you ask a person to name their favorite pet, most will say dogs or cats, some may even name a snake or pet iguana...but no one will say \"bees.\" This, of course, is a little understandable, as most people have been stung at one point their their life. Admittedly, getting stung by a bee is..."
date: "2015-07-16"
modified: "2015-07-16"
authors:
  - name: "Jolene Creighton"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jolene-creighton"
url: "https://futurism.com/watch-the-death-of-bees-explained-in-a-nutshell"
categories:
  - "From Quarks to Quasars"
---

# The Death of Bees in a Nutshell (Video)

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/bees-ccd.png>)

If you ask a person to name their favorite pet, most will say dogs or cats, some may even name a snake or pet iguana...but no one will say "bees." This, of course, is a little understandable, as most people have been stung at one point their their life. Admittedly, getting stung by a bee is not the most pleasant thing in the world, but bees are hardly the terrors that many *seem* to think they are (what with all their running and screaming when they see one).

In fact, bees are absolutely necessary to our survival. According to a [Cornell University study](<http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/mar04/form0304.pdf>), the value of honey bee pollination to U.S. agriculture is more than $14 billion annually (though this obviously varies based on the year). If that's not enough, scientists estimate that, thanks to pollination, bees are responsible for [the production of nearly 1/3 of all food that is consumed](<http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/274/1608/303>).

Which brings us to a rather frightening fact: The bees are dying. This phenomenon is known as [Colony Collapse Disorder](<http://www.ars.usda.gov/news/docs.htm?docid=15572>) (CCD). This disorder was first noticed in October 2006, when several beekeepers began reporting losses of 30-90 percent of their hives. Of course, some colony losses are expected; however, not at this magnitude.

Scientists think that there are a number of causes, and we certainly don't have all the answers, but this video by [Kurz Gesagt](<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsXVk37bltHxD1rDPwtNM8Q>) tells you what you need to know in a nutshell.

## Watch: The Death of Bees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqA42M4RtxE

I will leave you with this quote from environmental conservationist and bee expert Dr. Reese Halter: *“To begin to tantalize your wonderment of this critter—the next time any one of us takes a hearty teaspoon of honey, would you believe that that’s 6,000 miles, 10,000 kilometers, that a dozen bees have spent their entire foraging lives (three weeks, seven days a week working) to make that one teaspoon.”*

Listen to the rest of Halter’s commentary [here](<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIKnLqK8g_4&feature=youtu.be>), and learn all that you ever wanted to about honey bees. And see[ this site](<http://www.naturalnews.com/041194_honeybees_neonicotinoids_pesticides.html#>) for more information.

### Author social links  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/jolene.creighton>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolenecreighton>)  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/sciencejolene>)