Description
Fears about the extinction of honeybees emerged with the rise of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in industrial honeybee colonies in the USA in 2005. The vital role of bees in the pollination of food crops and their symbolic value provoked almost apocalyptic concerns about a world without bees. While theories about the causes of CCD varied, they centred on agricultural chemicals and honeybee diseases, particularly the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor.Based on fieldwork with beekeepers in the UK, Scandinavia, and the USA, this paper explores the contradictions in beekeeping practice. Many oppose the agricultural pesticides that harm bees, and yet they use miticides in their hives to combat Varroa. Some ‘natural’ beekeepers, worried these miticides would harm their bees, have experimented with non-chemical methods and allowed colonies to die off, so that resilient strains might evolve. Others have turned towards breeding ‘native’ bee strains, adapted to harsher climates in the UK and Scandinavia. A new threat, the ‘Asian hornet’ is reigniting fears about extinction in Europe and the UK, sparking racialized narratives about invasive species in the media.
This paper argues that the honeybee offers a lens to unsettle anthropocentric approaches to disease eradication. Through these ethnographic case studies, it examines the moral and ecological terrains through which beekeepers navigate competing ideas of care, control, and coexistence.
| Period | 24 Apr 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Health, Environment, and AnThropology (HEAT) conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Degree of Recognition | International |