How you can help save the bees, one hive at a time | Noah Wilson-Rich

Summary

The speaker discusses the alarming decline of pollinators, particularly honeybees, which are crucial for food production. With a 40% loss of beehives in the U.S. annually, the speaker emphasizes the urgency of the situation. They share their journey in beekeeping and research, revealing that urban beehives thrive more than rural ones, contrary to expectations. Through citizen science projects and innovative genomics tests like HoneyDNA, they uncover the importance of diverse habitats in saving bees and propose actionable solutions, including engaging governments and city planners to restore habitats and secure food systems, even in the face of natural disasters.

Takeaways

• 🐝 Pollinator decline, particularly honeybees, is a significant global challenge with severe implications for food production and ecosystems.
• 📉 Last year, the United States experienced a 40% loss of beehives, with Massachusetts alone losing 47%, indicating a dire situation for honeybees.
• 🌐 The speaker predicts that without intervention, bees could be lost within a decade, leading to a collapse in food systems and a moral crisis.
• 🧬 The speaker's background in honeybee immunology led to the start of a citizen science project in Cape Cod, focusing on improving bee health through vaccines and probiotics.
• 🏘️ Urban beekeeping has proven successful, with a beehive in a back alley producing more honey than any other managed hive, suggesting that urban environments may be beneficial for bees.
• 📊 Data collected from citizen science projects across the country have been instrumental in identifying areas where bees are thriving, primarily in cities.
• 🏙️ Urban beehives not only produce more honey but also have a longer lifespan and greater biodiversity compared to rural and suburban counterparts.
• 🚫 Contrary to initial hypotheses, cities were found to have higher levels of pesticides and similar disease prevalence among bees, challenging the assumptions about what's killing bees.
• 🌿 The key to thriving bee populations appears to be habitat quality, with urban areas offering a rich diversity of plants and flowers that support bees.
• 🌼 HoneyDNA, a genomics test for honey, has been developed to identify the plant sources of honey, providing insights into what plants are beneficial for bees and how to improve habitats.
• 🌳 The speaker advocates for planting diverse habitats, particularly in urban areas, and working with governments and city planners to scale this approach for the benefit of bees and the environment.

Q & A

What is considered a 'grand challenge' in the modern world according to the speaker?

Pollinator decline, particularly the decline of honeybees, is considered a grand challenge in the modern world.

Why are honeybees considered an 'indicator species'?

Honeybees are considered an indicator species due to their well-understood nature and their importance in the ecosystem, which makes their decline a warning sign of environmental issues.

What significant loss of beehives was reported in the United States last year according to the script?

Last year, there was a reported loss of 40 percent of all beehives in the United States.

How does the speaker predict the situation of bees in 10 years?

The speaker predicts that in 10 years, we will lose our bees if no action is taken.

What is the role of beekeepers in maintaining the bee population as mentioned in the script?

Beekeepers play a crucial role by replacing dead beehives, which helps in preventing the loss of foods that we rely upon.

What was the speaker's educational background before starting to keep bees?

The speaker completed their doctorate in honeybee immunology before starting to keep bees.

What is the significance of the urban beekeeping laboratory mentioned in the script?

The urban beekeeping laboratory is significant as it represents the speaker's initiative to improve bee health through citizen science and testing methods like vaccines and probiotics for bees.

How did the speaker's landlord react to the urban beekeeping laboratory?

Surprisingly, the landlord was supportive and suggested getting a beehive in the back alley, which turned out to be highly productive.

What was the main shift in research perspective after the discovery of the productive beehive in the back alley?

The research perspective shifted from 'How do we save the dead and dying bees?' to 'Where are bees doing best?'

What is the role of citizen science in the speaker's project?

Citizen science plays a crucial role by engaging the public to contribute data points from their own beehives, which helps in creating more accurate maps and understanding where bees are thriving.

What were the top three killers of bees identified in the script?

The top three killers of bees identified were agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides; diseases of bees; and habitat loss.

What did the speaker find out about the relationship between pesticide levels and bees thriving in cities?

Contrary to the initial hypothesis, the speaker found that there were actually higher levels of pesticides in cities where bees were thriving, indicating that pesticides are not the primary factor for their success.

What was the outcome of the study comparing bee diseases in urban, suburban, and rural areas?

The study found no significant difference in bee diseases across urban, suburban, and rural areas, suggesting that diseases are widespread and not confined to any specific environment.

What is 'HoneyDNA' and how does it contribute to understanding bee health?

HoneyDNA is a genomics test developed to analyze the plant DNA in honey samples. It helps identify the types of plants bees are visiting and the diversity of their diet, providing insights into bee health and the quality of their habitat.

What does the speaker suggest about the diversity of plants in urban, suburban, and rural areas based on the honey DNA data?

The speaker suggests that urban areas have the most diverse habitats with over 200 different plants, while suburban areas have very low plant diversity, and rural areas average around 150 plants in a honey sample.

How can the findings from the honey DNA data be applied to city planning and environmental restoration?

The findings can inform city planners and governments about which plants to prioritize for planting, especially those that are beneficial for bees and contribute to a healthy ecosystem, thus aiding in habitat restoration and food system security.

What is the potential application of honey DNA data in the context of natural disasters?

Honey DNA data can provide a baseline measure of the habitat before a natural disaster, allowing for informed decisions on which plants to replace and in what quantity to restore the ecosystem and support pollinators.

What is the broader implication of the speaker's work with honeybees and environmental health?

The broader implication is that by understanding and supporting bee health through diverse habitats, we can also improve environmental health, secure food systems, and potentially even inform the restoration of habitats in the event of natural disasters or the creation of new ecosystems.