Suche
Mein Konto
Animal cruelty in Halstenbek: 40,000 bees suffocated due to sabotage!
Beekeeper Jan Strauß reports vandalism in Halstenbek, where 40,000 bees were suffocated. A worrying incident.
Animal cruelty in Halstenbek: 40,000 bees suffocated due to sabotage!
A shocking incident occurred in Halstenbek in northern Germany. The beekeeper Jan Strauss reports on a cruel crime in which over 40,000 bees suffocated in a beehive. Unknown people deliberately closed the entrance hole to the hive, which meant that the hard-working animals could no longer escape. This animal cruel act shocked not only Jan Strauss, but also the entire beekeeping community in the region. Strauss expressed his concern about the incident and about the tireless work that goes into caring for his bee colonies. The incident occurred on Bickbargen Street, a place where vandalism has occurred several times in recent months, further fueling residents' concerns. As shz.de reports, this act not only arouses pity, but also an urgent question about the safety of beekeepers and their animals.
The importance of bees as pollinators for agriculture is undisputed. The FAO estimates that there are around 102 million bee colonies worldwide. Particularly in Europe, the number of bee colonies has fortunately increased by 47 percent since 1990. But the breeders not only need the animals for honey production, but also for the health of their plants. The importance of a strong and stable bee population is also highlighted by the problems beekeepers have with vandalism and theft. Recent reports show that beekeepers in Berlin have suffered material damage of over 11,000 euros due to the theft of 31 valuable beehives. These bee colonies belonged to a special breeding line that was bred for Varroa tolerance - a particularly important trait since the Varroa mite is considered the main cause of bee colony deaths. Long-term breeding work has been irretrievably ruined by the theft, endangering the entire beekeeping industry, not just in urban areas but beyond. This information is provided by agrarheute.com.
The challenge for beekeepers
Beekeeping faces challenges that go beyond physical attacks. Breeding also plays a central role in the future of bees. The new bee boxes, which were purchased with funding last year, should have helped to secure the bee colonies. But vandalism and sabotage represent a constant threat that calls into question the craftsmanship and commitment of many beekeepers.
The numbers on beekeeping clearly show that we are walking a fine line. In Northern Europe, for example, there has been an increase in bee colonies since 1990 from 0.1 million to 0.6 million - an impressive increase of almost 348 percent. At the same time, Eastern Europe is struggling with a decline to 10.9 million bee colonies, underscoring the uncertainty in beekeeping. These developments are important when one considers the challenges facing beekeeping throughout Europe, as destatis.de shows with figures.
Hopefully the beekeeping community not only learns from these incidents, but also finds ways to better protect the bees that are so important to our environment and agriculture. The latest incidents show that a lot of work still needs to be done to preserve the passion of beekeepers and to secure the bees for future generations.