A major study by the U.S. government’s environment and agriculture agencies has suggested a strong link between the use of certain pesticides and the widespread deaths that have afflicted honey bee populations around the world in recent years.


humanodon:

    A California study discovered that 80 percent of the state’s waterways were contaminated with pesticides, for instance, while the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found similar traces in 60 percent of water samples in Georgia.

That is insane. I imagine that bees have been disappearing for decades, but I remember being a kid and finding bees everywhere.

On a different note, most of the "honey" in the U.S. comes from China and I use quotes because China has gotten into trouble in recent years for a plethora of fake foodstuffs, notably eggs and yes, honey. I have no idea how one makes fake chicken eggs or how it can be possible to create something that looks like an egg, much less eggs on an industrial scale that are cheaper than the real thing.

Honey sold in many supermarkets is mostly sugar with caramel coloring and some flavoring. If anyone has the chance to taste different wild honeys next to each other, do it. If one ever moves to a new country, this is one way that is recommended for getting used to the local allergens. Not to mention, a delicious way. The sheer variety found in wild honey is incredible, and not all of them are as sweet or palatable as I'm used to. Once I got the um, pleasure of having honey that tasted of durian. Blech.


posted 4000 days ago