If bees start disappearing, the main food chain could be disrupted

Stating that bees are extremely important for the ecosystem, Medical Pharmacology Specialist Professor Okan Yıllar said, “If bees start to disappear, we will face a vital threat in terms of nutrition and we will lose honey, royal jelly and propolis. If we do not take measures, the main food chain may be disrupted. Thus, we will have great difficulty in finding food.”

Stating that environmental pollution, climate change and intensive use of pesticides cause the death of bees, Beykent University Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Medical Pharmacology Specialist Professor Okan Yıllar made important statements and suggestions.

“PESTICIDES SPRAYED ON FIELDS AND TREES INFECT BEES AND CAUSE MASS DEATHS”

Prof. Okan Yıllar stated that pesticides called pesticides are sprayed intensively on fields and trees and said, “These pesticides sprayed on trees and fields are definitely contaminated on bees. The sprayed pesticides kill the parasites, but in this context there are mass deaths of bees, which are very useful for us. The introduction of chemicals other than pesticides and the contamination of water affects many living things, including humans. If you look for pesticides in the blood of people in agricultural areas today, you will find them. Because they are constantly exposed to these pesticides. Pesticides used to have worse effects, but now there are pesticides that do not harm people. Previously, these pesticides were absorbed through the skin and passed into the bloodstream, where they showed signs of poisoning. Since these pesticides that affect humans are already applied to insect species, bees are automatically affected. The beehives need to be placed in very sheltered places to avoid being affected by these pesticides, but the bees go out and roam the land; they roam around flowers, fruit trees, so they are affected very badly.”

“IF BEES FAIL TO POLLINATE, THE WORLD FOOD CHAIN WILL BE DISRUPTED”

Referring to the importance of bee pollination, Prof. Yıllar said, “Albert Einstein (Scientist) says, ‘If all bees die, the human generation will start to waste after 4 years. The inability of bees to perform their pollination task means that plants cannot reproduce, trees cannot develop and bear fruit. After a certain period of time, herbivores will start to disappear because they will have nothing to eat. As herbivores decline, carnivores will also start to decline and the food chain in the world will be disrupted. Suddenly we will have removed a link from the food chain from the very beginning. Humanity will be directly affected,” he said.

“THE END OF HUMANITY WILL COME WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IT POLLUTES”

Stating that attention should be paid to environmental pollution, Prof. Yıllar said, “We need to pay attention to chemicals and factory fumes. I am saying these for bees, but it affects all of us. We need to educate people on this issue. With pesticides and factory wastes, humanity will come to an end with the environment it has polluted. Plants, animals, us, every living thing in the world has an enemy. We need to take measures that will not pollute the environment as much as possible.”

“IF WE DO NOT TAKE PRECAUTIONS, WE WILL HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY IN FINDING FOOD”

Prof. Yıllar said that there is no limit to the tricks of humanity and noted the following:

“For example, when we give sugar water to bees, their nutrition deteriorates. While the lifespan of a normal bee is 2 or 3 months, the lifespan of the queen bee fed with royal jelly increases to 6 years and can produce 3 thousand eggs a day. Bees have a selective program. The bee goes to the flowers one by one and according to our latest information we can sort them out. It chooses what it takes from there. Both honey and royal jelly are very valuable, so is propolis. We see what the bee takes. The interesting thing is that there is a terribly selective program. The substances that the bees take do not even interact with each other, of course the bees apply this program for themselves, but then we take it from them and apply it to ourselves. The bee makes honey for itself, not for us, and it contains substances that are terribly valuable. If the bees start to disappear, we will have a life threatening situation in terms of nutrition and we will lose honey, royal jelly and propolis. A very serious danger awaits us. If we do not take precautions, the main food chain may be disrupted. When the food chain is disrupted, we will face hunger. Thus, we will have great difficulty in finding food.”