CBC radio has announced that the popular science program Quirks and Quarks, hosted by Bob Macdonald, will feature the collapse of the honeybee and the possibility of a crisis in our food supply as a result.
Honey bees are the unsung heros of agriculture — their ceaseless hunt for nectar ensures our food crops are fertilized. In fact, without the honey bee, agriculture would be in a pretty sorry state. The problem is, things aren’t looking good for bees. Over the past few years, two-thirds of the North American honey bee population has mysteriously disappeared, a disturbing phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder. American science journalist Rowan Jacobsen has been following the honey bee decline, and in his new book, Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis, he explores the complex world of the honey bee, our precarious dependence on them, and the frightening consequences if they continue to die out.
This program will air on Radio One on Saturday, 24 January 2009, at 12:06 p.m., with a rebroadcast on Monday evenings at 11:06 p.m. It may also be heard on Sirius satellite radio. Past shows are usually made available on the website, for those who miss the broadcast.
On Nov. 25 while on the road to Regina, my wife heard on the CBC radio a program about the dying out situation of the honey bee….. I would like a copy if possible. Thank you.
L.N.
Central Beekeepers Alliance does not have access to the recording archives of CBC Radio, sorry — you would need to contact the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation directly to ask about getting a copy of the program you heard. The CBC website can be found at http://cbc.ca.