"...Bees are essential if Jamaica is hoping to be a flowering land flowing if not with milk but with organically produced honey."THE EDITOR, Sir:
MR. HUGH Martin's informative article "The Importance of Bees" and the questions regarding their positive contribution to agriculture is pointing to the need for more research and development of this vital natural resource.
Whether the reduction of the number of bees, especially wild species, is due to the "Varoa Mite" or not, other ecological/environmental factors should not be overlooked. What about the effects on this beneficial insect by the increased use of pesticides, herbicides and other broad-based chemicals? What about the continuous deforestation of the island's plant resources? What about the amount of non-flowering trees and weeds that are now taking over the indigenous flowering ones? Are there likely or actual predators affecting bees? Did the African killer bees ever reach Jamaica? Is the volume of traffic on the roads affecting bees as it has done in the case of some species of birds?
UNPRECEDENTED FLOOD RAINS
While these questions are being contemplated the negative impact of the unprecedented flood rains over the past two years would definitely affect bee population. This was also preceded by some terrible drought conditions in previous years. These and other negative environmental factors must have affected the habitat, niche and population of bees. Lack of food, for example, leads to low population growth in all species. During, for example, very heavy rains worker bees cannot gather nectar for the sustainability of the colony. Beekeepers all over the world know the importance of providing supplementary feed during winter or periods of low plant nectar availability.
Beekeeping is done successfully in Canada, North-West Territories and the Yukon where the summer flowering period is very short and the Artic cold winter weather is devastating. Based on the more equitable climate of Jamaica beekeeping can be manageable, sustainable and rewarding. On the other hand most wild life species depict population "peak and fall" over a period of time. Let's hope the concern about "bees" fall into this pattern.
Bees have an orderly social system. As "Odum" author of "Principles of Ecology" points out, human social well-being should be viewed through the indicators seen in natural or ecological systems. For many good reasons bees are essential if Jamaica is hoping to be a flowering land flowing if not with milk but with organically produced honey. Beekeeping is vital to sustainable agricultural development throughout Jamaica. Honey has tremendous value-added potential.
I am, etc.,
Dr. FRANK E.
LAWRENCE, J.P
Environmental/
Planner Consultant
