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Bee Die-Off Threatens Dinner, Dessert

Colony collapse means trouble for fruits, nuts—and ice cream

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 18, 2008 9:02 PM CST
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(Newser) – The ongoing mystery of the diminishing honeybee population is threatening an important part of the American diet: ice cream. Bee colonies have been disappearing at a rapid rate, potentially causing problems with supplies of vegetables as well as fruit and nuts, which Haagen Dazs says may keep it from offering a full variety of flavors.

One-third of America’s food depends in some way on pollination by bees, CNN Money reports, and Haagen-Dazs says bees play a part in about 40% of its 60 flavors. “The bee problem could badly hurt supply from the Pacific Northwest," said the firm’s brand director, and if there's no progress, the company may have to "re-examine the flavors that we currently offer our customers."

A bumble bee gathers pollen, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007, on a sunflower at Quail Run Farm in Grants Pass, Ore., where farmer Tony Davis depends on them to pollinate crops. Amid the rising concern that honey bees are being wiped out by a mysterious condition known as colony collapse disorder,...
A bumble bee gathers pollen, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007, on a sunflower at Quail Run Farm in Grants Pass, Ore., where farmer Tony Davis depends on them to pollinate crops. Amid the rising concern that honey...   (Associated Press)
Haagen-Dazs is voicing concern about the diminishing bee population, which would cause fewer fruits to pollinated, and thereby, fewer flavors produced by the popular ice cream company.
Haagen-Dazs is voicing concern about the diminishing bee population, which would cause fewer fruits to pollinated, and thereby, fewer flavors produced by the popular ice cream company.   (Getty Images)
Haagen-Dazs is voicing concern about the diminishing bee population, which would cause fewer fruits to pollinated, and thereby, fewer flavors produced by the popular ice cream company.
Haagen-Dazs is voicing concern about the diminishing bee population, which would cause fewer fruits to pollinated, and thereby, fewer flavors produced by the popular ice cream company.   (shutterstock.com)
Haagen-Dazs is voicing concern about the diminishing bee population, which would cause fewer fruits to pollinated, and thereby, fewer flavors produced by the popular ice cream company.
Haagen-Dazs is voicing concern about the diminishing bee population, which would cause fewer fruits to pollinated, and thereby, fewer flavors produced by the popular ice cream company.   (Wikipedia Commons )
A bumblebee gathers pollen, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007, on a sunflower at Quail Run Farm in Grants Pass, Ore., where farmer Tony Davis depends on them to pollinate crops. Amid the rising concern that honey bees are being wiped out by a mysterious condition known as colony collapse disorder, threats...
A bumblebee gathers pollen, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007, on a sunflower at Quail Run Farm in Grants Pass, Ore., where farmer Tony Davis depends on them to pollinate crops. Amid the rising concern that honey...   (Associated Press)
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Green blogger applauds Haagen-Dazs' effort
Grist

UK also fearing bee desertion
BBC

 
honeybees • insects • bee colony collapse disorder • Haagen-Dazs • ice cream

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