Beekeepers across the United States reported losing more than 48% of their managed colonies in the most recent annual survey — a figure that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago. That's not a one-year anomaly. Colony loss rates have hovered between 30% and 50% for more than a decade, and wild bee populations are declining even faster than managed ones. We are in the middle of a bee crisis, and it's accelerating. The stakes are direct and measurable. Bees — both honeybees and the 4,000-plus species of native bees in North America — pollinate roughly one-third of the food we eat. Almonds, apples, blueberries, avocados, and most vegetables depend on bee pollination. The USDA estimates the economic value of bee pollination at over $15 billion annually in the United States alone. Lose the bees, and the agricultural system as we know it collapses. No single cause explains the crisis. The science is clear that multiple stressors interact and compound each other — a colony weakened by pesticide exposure is far more vulnerable to disease, and a colony that's been moved across the country for commercial pollination has less resilience against either. Here are the four major drivers. [More details at link.] https://thebeeconservatory.com/blog/the-2026-bee-crisis/ A taxpayer-funded waterpark in a Texas city has sparked online fury after announcing they would openly discriminate against non-Muslims to celebrate an Islamic holiday. As The Daily Mail reported, Epic Waters in Grand Prairie released fliers for a June 1 event celebrating a major Muslim holiday called Eid al-Adha. The event will require a “modest dress code” and solely serve Halal-slaughtered meat. Epic Waters, which is funded by an additional sales tax on Grand Prairie residents, will essentially resemble a hard-core Islamist country rather than the great state of Texas. ... men and women will not be separated during the event, but attendees are told to ‘uphold Islamic etiquette’ by ‘lowering the gaze’ throughout the day. Just imagine the national outrage if a group of Christians decided to ban Muslims from a theme park. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/05/taxpayer-funded-texas-waterpark-announces-muslims-only-day/ The Chinese news outlet Caixin reported on Thursday that a Chinese-owned ship, openly marked as such, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, days before the Iranian foreign minister visited Beijing to discuss his country’s ongoing conflict with the United States. The Caixin report, citing sources familiar with the situation, did not identify any perpetrators of the attack, though it did note that Iran’s terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was intentionally targeting random civilian ships in the Strait of Hormuz to disrupt global commerce and had targeted a French company’s ship on Wednesday. Two unnamed U.S. officials told NBC News on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” — the plan for American military forces to safely escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz — was “paused” after less than 48 hours because Saudi Arabia denied the use of its airbases to protect ships from attacks by Iran. Later on Tuesday, President Trump suddenly announced a “pause” to Project Freedom, ostensibly at the request of Pakistan, which has been mediating talks between the U.S. and Iran. According to NBC’s sources, the real reason for the pause was that Saudi Arabia indignantly informed the U.S. that its Prince Sultan Airbase could not be used to support Project Freedom, and U.S. military aircraft would not be allowed to fly through its airspace to participate in the effort. This would have removed the air support Hegseth described as integral to the operation. A Saudi source also disputed the characterization of Saudi Arabia as angered by the timing of Trump’s announcement. Former intelligence agent Aimen Dean said on Thursday that NBC News, or its sources, misunderstood the Saudis’ reservations about Project Freedom. They were not taken by surprise, because as Hegseth and CENTCOM noted on Sunday, the Gulf states have been working with the U.S. military on security solutions for the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, the Gulf states were worried that the U.S. might not protect them against Iranian retaliation, because the U.S. is focused on making a deal with Iran. “You had attacks against Emirati infrastructure. Fujairah was targeted. Multiple waves involving drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles,” Dean wrote. “And Washington’s response was basically: ‘Meh. Minor incident. Let’s not escalate.’” Dean was referring to Iran’s Monday missile and drone attack on the UAE’s Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, a major oil and cargo hub. The attack caused a fire to break out at the facility. President Trump said on Monday that the Fujairah attack did not rise to the level of “heavy firing” that would constitute a ceasefire violation. The Spanish government has disclosed details of its response plan it intends to deploy for the Dutch cruise ship Hondius, facing a hantavirus outbreak, once it arrives at the Canary Islands this coming weekend. The Hondius and its 147 passengers are expected to arrive at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife over the weekend after the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) deemed it the nearest safest location to arrive. Per the Spanish Health Ministry, the outbreak aboard the ship has resulted in eight confirmed and suspected cases. Three of those people have died, one is hospitalized in Switzerland, one hospitalized in South Africa, and three symptomatic patients that were evacuated from the ship to Amsterdam. The newspaper El País reports that Defence Minister Margarita Robles affirmed that the quarantine will be “voluntary”... The Health Ministry, on the other hand said they intend to use all “legal measures” to ensure high-risk individuals comply with the quarantine protocols. “I am convinced that both families and passengers are responsible enough and have enough common sense”...
The 2026 Bee Crisis: What's Happening and How You Can Help:
Pesticides — Especially Neonicotinoids, Habitat Loss and Forage Scarcity, Varroa Destructor [parasitic mites] and Disease, Climate Change.
What Can You Do to Help Bees?
Plant Native Flowers, Stop Using Systemic Pesticides, Report Swarms Instead of Exterminating Them, Support Pollinator Conservation Organizations, Talk to Your Neighbors and Local Government.
Taxpayer-Funded Texas Waterpark Announces “MUSLIMS ONLY” Day – Will Require “Dress in Accordance with Islamic Values” and Serve Only Halal-Slaughtered Meat:
Report: Chinese Tanker Attacked in Strait of Hormuz Days Before Iranian Foreign Minister’s Beijing Visit:
Report: Saudi Arabia Blocked ‘Project Freedom’ by Denying U.S. Access to Bases:
Hantavirus Ship En Route to Spain, Asymptomatic Passengers Will Fly Home, Madrid to Quarantine Nationals in Military Hospital: