The Mosquitos and The Bees

I have a fundamental appreciation for bees. I'm fortunate to not be allergic to bee stings. I read enough in early childhood to quash any possible fears that might have developed. I actually find bees pretty darn cute. At the very least I understand they are incredibly important. Not everyone shares this view. Let's see what I can do to change that.

In conversations with friends and family, the concept of the circle of life comes up often enough. It's a nice little reassurance that even if an animal seems completely useless or irredeemable in humanity's eyes, they can be worked into a necessary cycle that facilitates a standard quality of life for another creature. Maybe even a creature that humanity needs! Or a creature that impacts another creature. Or a creature that impacts another creature that impacts etc. You get the idea.

The topic usually rolls around when the dark of night is being enjoyed outside and the mosquitos are biting. This is usually brought up with the context of how mosquitos don't fit into that cycle. That's right! The sheer number of mosquitos are beyond excessive. Especially when their dwindling number of predators are taken into consideration, and not being their predators' only food source, it makes mosquitos seem kind of... irrelevant. They carry diseases. They leave irritating bumps. They're loosely bug vampires, and vampires aren't real, so why do mosquitos need to be? Not the best final argument but it seems to cap off my feelings nicely.

Mosquitos actually have been under attack from scientists that have genetically bred and released 'sexy' male mosquitos that, when reproducing with female mosquitos, result in a genetic dead end for that mosquito line. This is good! We need less of them! We can survive without them! Contrary to Disney's Lilo and Stitch, the mosquito is not an animal in need of protecting. No, my friend, what you're thinking of are bees.

Yes, bees! See, I brought it back around. Bees are about as crucial to the circle of life, the animal food chain, as is possible to be. They're the pollinators. They bring about fruit and vegetable production. Most plant matter humans consume has been brought about by bees. Most animals humans eat have subsisted off of plant matter that flourished under bees' influence. Also they make honey. We eat that too.

They're fuzzy forces of good in the universe. And they don't want to fight you, unless you start wrecking their hives. But you'd be mad if someone smashed up your house, so I'd say you brought that on yourself. That's called swift justice.

And YET. Many pesticides produced and tossed over plants to protect them for our consumption don't take bees into consideration. Or at least not as much as they should. Whole colonies are being obliterated en masse. The number of bees is shrinking at an alarming rate. Note that we NEED these specific bugs to have harmless access to these plants.

It's not often enough that I hear someone speak in favor of bees. You'd think something that can impact the longevity of the human race would have more of a buzz. So I'm writing about it. I'm still doing more research on it. Someday I hope to house and tend to my own hive. But for now, all I can do is be informed, support local beekeepers, and encourage others to do the same.