Honey bees are dying at an alarming rate due to a pesticide being sprayed to control Zika, a mosquito spread disease. After this pesticide was sprayed, it was reported that the honey bees tried to escape this pesticide and would die shortly after being exposed to it. The number of pesticide related honey bee deaths was estimated to be about 2.5 million bees, or 46 bee hives.

Another problem is that the pesticide related deaths were attracting parasites, such as maggots, that would get into the hive and kill baby honey bees and eat any honey left in the hive. Juanita Stanley, a resident from Flowertown, Minnesota, talked to CNN about the matter saying that she had no notice of this pesticide being sprayed. County officials notified Dorchester County of the pesticide distribution but failed to reach out to Flowertown Bee Farm and Supply. Stanley could not effectively keep her bee hives safe due to the lack of information, causing death in her bee hives.

It is determined that the food supply for America will dwindle if this continues. A study showed that 70 out of 100 of the world’s top crop species are pollinated by bees. These foods feed about 90 percent of mankind. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that if the overall bee population goes down 19 percent or more, then the economy will be unsustainable. About two-thirds of all beekeepers are losing their bees at an alarming rate, which is about twice the threshold of the current bee population. Bee farmers say this can be prevented if a ban is placed on the neonicotinoid that is threatening the bee population.

If the bee population continues to drop then most supermarkets will be forced to close due to the lack of food. This alarming death rate could cause a food shortage in America in the near future.