Page 3 - Boca ViewPointe - July '23

July 2023 Viewpointe, Page 3
Bee Bop-A-Loo-LA—Don’t Bop That Bee

By William A. Gralnick derives largely from their numerical abundance rather than org explains that the bee grabs onto a flower and vibrates
the quality of their floral “visits” reports a study by the its flight muscles but not its wings. This causes the flower
Moments in life that are University of California/Davis’ Journal of Botany. to release its pollen. It also creates an audible buzz at the
accompanied by “ouch!” As honeybees struggle to hang on, other pollinators find frequency of a middle C note.
are long remembered. I themselves in similar, even more dire circumstances. Yes, there are other pollinators—other bees, butterflies,
had such a one from an US bee populations are declining due to parasites, and birds come to mind. If you’re curious, look’em up.
encounter with honeybees. pesticides, habitat loss, disease, and more. These losses What’s important here is to treat these insects with the
I believe I was 16, but I can’t remember why I wouldn’t have have critical implications for food production and ecosystem importance they deserve. We know that many species
been at summer camp. I remember that I signed up to take health. In spring 2022, more than 40% of all colonies were of butterfly populations are crashing. One of the most
an American Youth Hostel bicycle trip to French Quebec. It afflicted with Varroa mites, a parasite that targets bees. important and beloved is the exquisite Monarch, listed
was a memorable trip with intermittent adventures happening This combination of issues, which can lead bee as endangered. Following the Bird of the Month posting
throughout like my bike beginning to run away on a steep, colonies to collapse quickly, has been called Colony by the Audubon Society, one learns that virtually every
downhill stretch. I applied my brakes—they popped right Collapse Disorder. bird shown is in decline. It is possible that, though hard to
out of their holders. I didn’t stop, couldn’t stop, until the Despite this disorder, commercial honeybee populations believe, an alert will come that one day in the future will
end of the street, at which there was a church perpendicular have increased by 10% since 2006, thanks in part to the warn of a radical drop in crop production due to crashes in
to my bike. The stairs flipped the bike and me “A&! over close monitoring of colony health by the CDC and the pollinator populations.
tea kettle.” I came to rest looking at a statue of Jesus who Environmental Protection Agency. The rooftop hive We better be for the bees before it’s too late—at least
seemed to be saying, “Ouch, that must have hurt.” It did but additions on Brooklyn rooftops are part of the increase. from my perspective.
not compared to the bees. Let’s look at another common bee, the Bumble Bee. I
Here’s the setup, and then we’ll get to the bottom line. have a memorable story about them too. On a wicked hot Columnist and author Bill Gralnick was born and
The day was beautiful, the ride was flat, and the area was summer’s day, before the age of going to sleep-away camp, raised in Brooklyn, NY. He is writing a three-part
lovely. A fresh breeze was bathing us with cool air. I was the neighbors turned on their lawn sprinklers for us to play humorous memoir. The first is “The War of the Itchy Balls
in a T-shirt and Bermuda shorts that billowed out from my in. I was splashing around in the mud when suddenly I felt and Other Tales from Brooklyn.” Just published is the
gear-pumping legs in the air. Suddenly, someone seemed to that Braveheart had rammed his sword into the sole of my sequel, “George Washington Didn’t Sleep Here.” Both are
poke me with a cattle prod—in the groin. I shot straight up on foot and pushed until it got to my mouth, from which issued available on Amazon. You can find his writing at https://
the bike and screamed…and screamed…and screamed. My a Braveheart-like scream. I took off like an antelope that www.williamgralnickauthor.com. 
out-of-control vehicle landed on someone’s lawn, where I lay had smelled a wolf. Wailing, I exploded into the house,
pounding my crotch. In minutes, I was the subject of interest “Mommy! Mommy! Help!” I had stepped on a Bumble
for many homeowners drawn to their porches watching this Bee, and he plunged his stinger into my foot as payback. Watch Your Speed!
American kid having some sort of fit. In those days, they were almost on everything that held
As it turned out I had been hit by a what? A pod? A flight pollen. That was then. Now, not so much.
squadron? A Flock? of honeybees that were also out for an Formerly common throughout much of its range, Speeding fines
excursion. In a “you couldn’t do that again if you tried” populations from central California to southern British are being enforced!
moment, they flew into my billowing Bermudas. Their flight Columbia and west of the Sierra-Cascade Ranges have Fine schedule: 6-20
ended at my crotch. They then began expressing their anger, declined sharply since the late 1990s. Significant range mph over the limit
each and every one of them. losses have been in these regions, particularly from lower $50 and more than
Ever since then, I’ve had a healthy respect for honeybees. elevation sites in California, western Oregon and western 21 mph over the
It has grown exponentially as I’ve delved into the problems Washington. This from a study by the Xerces Society.
of our globe. In short, the industrial agriculture industry is According to a study, American bumblebees have limit $100. Please
killing off bees at an alarming rate. Why that should matter completely disappeared from eight states, and the obey the posted
and why buildings in Brooklyn, for instance, are creating population in the country has declined by 90%! (Earth.org) speed limit signs

rooftop hives will bring it all together. Why does this matter? Bumble bees are very efficient and drive safely! 
The importance of honeybees as crop pollinators pollinators because they “buzz pollinate.” Flwildflower.

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