Genetically Approved Bees?

It has come to light that the bumble bee population of the United States, Europe and Asia, has seen a 90% decline over the past two decades.

The Humble Bumble

So what, many will say. Who cares?

In itself it may not sound significant, but it is an indicator to some, of what the future possibly holds in store for us.

Scientists across the globe have been messing with the building blocks of creation for decades without ever thinking of the consequences. Now we have reports that a serious decline in the common bee is being seen in many countries.

A Pollen Loaded Bee

So what do bees do? If you think about it, they are an essential part of nature, for they are important in pollinating our plants, enabling them to grow and continue growing.

They are of course not the only pollinators, for a variety of insects do the same task, but none as efficient as the humble bee. On our planet, only 10% of plants are pollinated by the wind, the other 90% must rely on insects, and to a small extent, birds.

The actual pollination of our plant life is similar to our own reproductive process, the male pollen (sperm) must be introduced to the female pollen (egg) for the plant to reproduce. It is this process that is so expertly managed, if unwittingly, by the birds and the bees.

But why is the bee population dying? To the experts there are two reasons, in-breeding and disease!

The Bee Hive is Fast Disappearing

Bee keepers have been in-breeding their swarms for such a long time with the obvious result that the bees have become weaker, and lost their immunity to sickness. Now they are dying in their millions because they cannot fight off a disease that to them would have been inconsequential before.

This trait is also seen in the human race, for if a certain number of people in-breed constantly, they will also eventually lose their immunity to disease and die when the first microbe comes along.

Roses for M'Lady?

For example, plant growers, and in particular those who grow roses, have been cross-breeding them for decades in an attempt to ‘manufacture’ the perfect rose. What is wrong with the rose that nature gave us?

A Manufactured Blue Rose

Whenever a woman receives a rose, the first thing she does is hold it to her nose to smell it….only to be disappointed! It’s a natural instinct, for we all know roses possess a wonderful scent, but not anymore. They have over the years lost all trace of that unique scent they used to have before we, mankind, bred it out of them.

Steak On the Hoof

Believe it or believe it not, but our meat has gone the same way. When was the last time you had a really juicy steak that actually tasted like steak? Not for a long time I’ll bet. When was the last time you had a really tasty portion of chicken that tasted of chicken instead of the flavouring you poured on it to give it some taste? Only the old folks will remember those days.

Like Sardines in a Can

Due to the advances in breeding all meat has become bland, and it is necessary to add flavourings to make it taste good. When I was a child I could immediately tell beef from pork or lamb, and chicken from turkey blindfolded. Try that today and you would not be able to tell the difference.

In the last decade or so we have begun to mess with the very building blocks of nature in so-called ‘genetic engineering!’ Sounds very important, but is it good? Personally I don’t think so, for we have already messed with nature too much and, admittedly on a small scale, are now reaping the first breeze of the coming whirlwind.

But who can say what the effects will be if we continue on this course? The scientists are all quiet when this question is put to them because they don’t know either. They are guessing! “I shouldn’t think that….” “It’s highly unlikely that….” etc. etc.

A Bee on Essential Duty

We are all products of nature, just as the plants and animals we use to sustain us. To me it seems madness to mess with things we have very little understanding of in the true sense, especially when we do not know the final outcome. As we begin more and more to mess with nature, the one certain thing is, we will mess it up!

To put it in its simplest terms: No insects – no pollination. No pollination – no plants. No plants – no food. No food – no human race.

Carrot Monster on the Loose.

Many will think that is an over-dramatisation, and quite possibly it is but I am sure you get the connection.

We should never forget that all of nature is a very delicate balance with all elements relying on the other, so if one part is tampered with it can effect the rest. First in small ways, but we have the possibility of a ‘domino affect’ that can eventually lead to catastrophe.

Roy.