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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bees

The Spokesman-Review

Summer brings out the flowers, birds and the bees. However, this summer you won’t see as many bees.

First thought is no more being stung! Who really likes to be out enjoying themselves and get stung by a bee? So what do we do to get rid of them? We spray them with our pesticides and other concoctions. There you have it. No more bees!

Besides annoying us, bees play a vital role in our life. We all know that bees make honey and pollinate the flowers we see blooming. Besides that though, what else are they good for? Bees also pollinate other things, like the crops we use. When you hear the word crops, what come to mind? Apples, cherries, maybe even corn. In fact, these are all crops plus some. In this crop production, honey bees pollinate more than $14 billion worth.

So when you’re outside this summer and you see a bee, are you going to grab a can of bee-killer and start spraying it? If you truly think about this, what are you killing? Is it the bee, or is it a huge source of income and the food you eat?

Jordan Badinger

Spokane Valley