Berberoglu 1

Storm Berberoglu
Mrs. DeBock
English IV Honors
February 20th, 2015
Question: Why are bees declining worldwide and what are the causes of the
decline?
Thesis: The honeybee decline in the U.S. and everywhere else signals a major
environmental imbalance that could dramatically affect our food supply.
Refined thesis: The decreasing honey bee population in the U.S. is a direct
result of all the chemicals on our plants and imbedded in our seeds, which will affect
our agricultural food supply and cause economic problems if not solved.
Annotated Bibliography
Bee Decline Not Only Due To Insecticides, Says Report Farmers Weekly 159.19
(2013):58.

Small Business Reference article Web. 12 Feb. 2015

U.S. agriculture studies conclude that bee population decline is not caused by
one main factor. Combinations of multiple destructive substances and harmful
stressors compromise the honeybees health. The decline is complex but some
scientist believe neonicotinoids are a direct link. European Commission will begin a
two year ban on the use of that chemical beginning December 1 st. The article
states that pesticides should not be the main culprit of bee colony crop disorder and
pesticides were at the bottom of the list of factors that are responsible for the
decline. Although pesticides may not be the leading cause honey bee populations

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are severely harmed by insecticides. This source supports my essay by testifying
reasons for the honeybee population decrease.

Declining Bee Population Causes for Alarm Burlington Post (ON) 04 Sept. 2013.
Points of View

Reference Center Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

In the article Declining Bee Population Cause for Alarm it states how people
are oblivious to the rapidly decreasing population of the honey bees and wild bees.
There has been stories that have been ignored like the colony collapse disorder, bee
die offs, and hive abandonment cases. Bees are the key to maintaining our food
supply, without them our landscape would be dramatically different. If bees
disappeared we would suffer economically potentially losing millions, and we will
lose strains of food. The article then addressed the population decline is worldwide,
within the past few years Canada has had a 35% population drop. My essay is
supported by this article by stating the importance of bees, the economic problems
that will be an affect from it and how this problem should not be ignored.

Dean Fosdick The Associated, Press. Decreasing Bee Population a Stinging Reality.
Toronto Star

(Cananda) 25 apr. 2014 Points of View Reference Center.

Web. 12 Feb. 2015

Bees are disappearing worldwide and their numbers have crashed rapidly,
some species have become extinct. Food supplies are dependent on bees and
without them we could be without many of our favorite foods. An estimated onethird of all foods and drinks are made by pollination. This article gives gardeners

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and average Joes a way to help our bees. People can plant flowers and create green
spaces, especially in urban areas where the population is nearly gone. The two
most important things gardeners can do is plant wild flowers free of chemicals and
creating greenspaces in urban areas to encourage an increase in bee numbers. My
research is supported by this article because it is letting people know how they can
be a part of the solution.