Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Bees are facing a serious problem. They are becoming infested with parasites, sprouting deformed wings, and even harming their own young.
This year is expected to be particularly bad, with researchers at Washington State University in the US predicting that up to 70 per cent of honey bee colonies in the US could be lost due to various issues like disease, starvation and pesticide poisoning.
For those who aren’t farmers or beekeepers, these statistics can feel confusing and alarming.
Even scientists don’t fully know what causes colony collapse disorder, a problem that has grown significantly since the mid-2000s.
However, the decline in bee populations is more related to modern farming practices than nature reacting against them.
Answer: disease, starvation, pesticide poisoning and modern farming practices
