Lhe loss is considerable for this American supermarket chain. At the end of January, nearly 60,000 bees were stolen by one or more criminals from the headquarters of this Pennsylvania retail company. “Bees are a vital part of our food supply chain and having these hives was a way for us to help combat the declining bee population in our community,” said Jessica Groves, executive. of Giant, in a press release relayed by The Guardian Thursday February 10.
For the time being, the investigations of the local police are continuing to find the trace of the thieves. In 2020, the Giant company installed a photovoltaic farm to support the surrounding fauna, including bees but also birds and other small animals. Bees are valuable insects for agriculture. An essential link in biodiversity, they pollinate plants and therefore allow them to reproduce and provide edible species, including vegetables and fruits. The value of these little yellow beasts would even represent 15 billion dollars for the GDP of the United States. However, their population is undergoing an alarming decline.
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A worrying massacre of bees
According to The Guardian, the number of bees in the United States has fallen sharply in recent months. Their population would have decreased by 45% nationally, between April 2020 and April 2021, while in Pennsylvania, 41% of the colonies would have disappeared. The losses would be even greater in the state of Iowa, with a 58% drop. Despite their predominant role in global food production, bees have been victims of a hecatomb for several years, due in particular to a parasite and insecticides known as neonicotinoids.
