How Air Pollution is Hurting Bees, Not Just People

Do you see blue skies when you go outside your home? Or, instead, are you wearing protective wear due to air pollution or fire smoke from wildfires near your residence? In the throes of fire season, many people experience intensified asthma and breathing issues as they navigate the smoke-filled air. In the day-to-day, most people hope for clear skies and easy inhalation, but as air pollution is on the rise, we need to realize it doesn't just affect people but all living things, including bees. Bees can't throw on a mask or respirator when there is smoke or pollution in the air, so what is the solution for keeping bees safe from growing pollution in the air? The answer may not be clear, but understanding and acknowledging what we do matters may be the first step.

Air Pollution Threatens Pollinators

Air pollution is more than just the looming cloud over large metropolitan areas. It can be toxic gases, dust, tiny particles, and, of course, smoke. Well-known contributors to air pollution are emissions, construction, factories and industries, and wildfires. If you think about how humans adapt or tolerate these conditions, how much more are the pollinators struggling to survive?

Foraging Sources Hidden

Pollinators must forage, and foraging is done outdoors, which means their survival includes going out into the air, whatever the condition. Bees are unable to avoid the consequences of air pollution. Tiny particles and ash stick to their bodies and wings over time, and they must find food and water under the materials that settle on plants, flowers, and soil.

The collection of particles on plants and flowers results in smaller pollen grains produced, which, over time, can kill plant species and lower the diversity of sources for bees and other pollinators.

Pollution Can Damage and Kill Bees

The body of a bee is fragile, and air pollution is relentless to bees, plants, other insects, and animals. Researchers believe they have enough evidence to show that pollution weakens the immune system and leaves bees more at risk for infection. Additionally, as it affects every living thing, air pollution makes breathing more difficult. The difficulty breathing likely leads to the bees' brain function being altered and causing disorientation when leaving and returning to the hive.

Bees Smell to Survive

One of the impressive things bees use to find food, water, and habitable spaces is their olfactory senses. Queen bees continually release pheromones that let other bees know all is well in the beehive. Air pollution interrupts bees’ ability to smell clearly, breaking communication between bees. Additionally, bees not being able to find water and pollen sources easily makes their job more difficult and puts the hive's needs at risk. If bees can't find food and water sources easily, they may stray further from the hive and risk not returning or being able to smell their way back.

A disrupted sense of smell may only seem like a minor inconvenience, but it is much more concerning. Bees are one of the most critical pollinators. Minor disruptions to their ability to provide for their hives leave them vulnerable and risk depleting numbers and species to keep the pollination process thriving. Whether you know it or not, pollination keeps food on the table!