Think before you kill that amazing honeybee

Imagine a world without the amazing honeybee. It would be a sad, dark, lifeless, and lonely place. First, all the beautiful flowers, trees, and plant life would begin to wilt and die. No sugarcane left to make sugar and no honey left to sweeten anything, making our favorite drinks very untasteful. No more delicious soft drinks; no more vegetables we so love to eat. Then after this short time of no plant life, all grass- and grain-fed animals, including cattle, pigs, horses, deer, poultry, and all the animals we have come to enjoy and love, would slowly succumb to starvation.

Because of this, there would be no more fast-food or restaurants, because there would be no more food for them to serve. Supplies of our favorite cereals would soon run out, and there could be no more made. There would be no more milk for cereal, because there would be no more dairy animals.

With no more animals or plants left, we could make no more dog and cat food and our favorite pets would slowly begin to die.

Finally we, as the last of all species and God’s great creation, lonely and in shock, would succumb to starvation, and mankind would be completely exterminated. Amazing how all our life and being depends upon the survival of the wonderful and beautiful little black-and-yellow honeybee. So the next time you decide to squish that honeybee or spray a toxic pesticide in your yard and garden, remember: Your life could be next!

Amazing how something so small could affect our lives so much. The hypothetical example used may sound like science fiction, but scientists have determined if the honeybee perished, mankind would follow within four years.

May we all work together to protect the honeybee, to plant flowers and trees, and to use only pesticides safe for bees.

Danny J. Skillman
(a proud beekeeper)
Altoona