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The Critical Need To Protect Our Bee Population

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People may associate bees with honey for their tea and home remedies, but bees are also responsible for about one out of every three bites of food we eat. 

Many crops grown for their fruit, seeds, nuts and fiber require pollination from bees. Last month, seven species of yellow-faced bees, native to Hawaii, were deemed endangered by The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. And in September, millions of honeybees were killed in South Carolina after being sprayed with an insecticide used to kill Zika-carrying mosquitoes. Most scientists agree,the global bee population is in danger, and its loss would be devastating.

Here to discuss bees, beekeeping and efforts to protect and preserve the bee population are owner of TwoHoneys Bee Co., Liz Tilton; one of the founders of Pollen Nation, a group of beekeepers at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Melanie Evans; and Co-Founder and Beekeeper at Queen City Bee Co., Carlier Smyth.

The  Cincinnati Zoo will hold its annual Native Plant Symposium this Saturday, November 12, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For information and tickets, click here

Maryanne Zeleznik is responsible for all news and public affairs programming at WVXU. She also hosts Morning Edition Monday through Friday.