The Effects of Globalization on Honeybees

"Globalization has opened up new markets for honey and bee products but it has also resulted in the spread of a parasitic pest [varroa destructor] which threatens beekeepers' colonies, wild bee populations and consequently the effective pollination of many crops worldwide."

"The blood-sucking varroa mite was first reported here in 1987; within a few years, practically every managed colony in the United States had been infected. Since the early eighties, the number of hives has dropped by almost half. Wild honeybees, meanwhile, which were once common across the country, have nearly disappeared."