It’s no secret bees are disappearing from the environment and now from the grocery store.

To make a statement about the world’s plummeting bee population, Cheerios has pulled its mascot bee off of its Honey Nut Cheerios box.

For the first time this year, a bee species became the first in the continental United States to be declared endangered. The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee was declared endangered in the U.S. by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; its population has declined more than 87 percent since the 1990’s.

“The bees go out on the plants that have had pesticides on [them], bring it back into the hive and it kills the bees. The Varrora Mite (an invasive species) goes in, attaches to the bees and transmits different viruses to ’em. It kills them,” said Rick Stephens, Vice President of the Washington County Beekeepers Association.

Bees play a critical role in pollinating over thirty percent of the world’s food supply.

“There’s a shortage of bees, and we have a sticker on our truck with our businesses’ name. We’ve been flagged down, [and] people ask if we have any bees because they need pollination,” explained Daniel Smith, F&D Apiaries.

Smith is a fourth generation beekeeper, who is actually allergic to bees

Smith’s family has “pollination contracts” with farmers who cannot sell their crops without a certain amount of bees per acre.

“New Jersey for blueberries; California for almonds; Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland for apples; Maryland and Delaware for watermelons; Maryland and Delaware for cucumbers. I think that’s about all we cover right now,” laughed Smith.

Smith said he believes the beekeeper population is declining along with the population of bees. That is a phenomenon he partially attributes to the hard work the profession demands.

That is hard work he remains passionate about, because it gives him the opportunity to educate others about the importance of bees.

So, what can be done to help them?

“Part of the act is to get state lands to provide habitats for pollinators,” said Stephens.

“A big problem [has] been spraying with pesticides recently, so not spraying in the middle of the day when bees are flying [is the way to go],” added Smith.

The duo also suggested planting a pollinator-friendly garden, but Stephens stressed to check that your seeds are “pesticide free” first, explaining many seeds are pre-treated with neonicotinoids.