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There are over 19-thousand species of bees found all over the world, including two species that have been found near the edge of glaciers in the Arctic. It is estimated that bee pollination is key for about one-third of the world's food supply, either directly or indirectly. Bees play a vital role in the ecology of the planet, yet these unsung heroes of the natural world may be at risk.
Pesticides, fragmentation of habitat and climate change all pose threats to bees. And according to Laurence Packer, if they are in trouble, then so are we. Dr. Packer is a melittologist and a Professor of Biology at York University in Toronto.
In his new book, Keeping The Bees -Why All Bees Are At Risk and What We Can Do to Save Them, he writes about common misconceptions, some of the more exotic species he has encountered, and suggests simple ways ordinary people can help bees.
