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FOR BEES AND REDUCE THE PESTICIDE USE THAT’S KILLING THEM. DEBORAH: 11 NEWS REPORTER DAVID COLLINS HAS THE STORY. DAVID: BEES ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR FOOD SUPPLY. SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE BITES OF FOOD WE EAT EXISTS BECAUSE OF POLLINATORS LIKE HONEY BEES. EXPERTS ARE CALLING IT AN INSECT APOCALYPSE, BEES UNDER ATTACK BY THE VERY PLANTS THEY FEED ON. A NEW STUDY LINKS THEIR DEMISE DUE IN PART TO AN INSECTICIDE SPRAYED ON PLANTS AND CROPS CALLED NEONICOTINOIDS. >> AND TO RESPOND TO THIS CRISIS, WE HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN SOME BIG STEPS TO PROTECT OUT POLLENATORS. DAVID: HOWARD COUNTY IS JOINING THE BEE CITY USA COALITION. THE COUNTY IS COMMITTING TO REDUCE PESTICIDE USE AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE HABITATS FOR BEES. THE COUNTY HAS CREATED 55 ACRES OF POLLINATOR FRIENDLY MEADOW HABITAT ON HOWARD COUNTY PARKLAND. >> WE’VE ENGAGED PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHERS FROM THE PATUXENT WILD LIFE RESEARCH CENTER TO CONDUCT BEE SURVEYS AND CENTENNIAL PARK. DAVID: STUDIES SHOW NEONIC IMPACT A BEE’S ABILITY TO FORAGE NECTAR, REMEMBER THE LOCATION OF FLOWERS, IT IMPAIRS THEIR ABILITY TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO A HIVE. IT WEAKENS THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND AFFECTS THE FERTILITY OF THE QUEEN. >> WE LOST 60% OF OUR HIVES FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND I THINK THAT’S A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE. WE HAVE VERY EXPERIENCED BEE KEEPERS WHO CAN’T KEEP THEIR BEES ALIVE AND LOSE 80 TO A 100% DAVID TO PROTECT THE BEES HOWARD : COUNTY PLANS TO LIMIT PESTICIDE USE, NEARLY ELIMINATE USING NONICOTINOIDS AND OTHER HARMFUL CHEMICALS, HOST EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND EXPAND POLLINATOR FRIENDLY HABITATS >> WHERE PROTECTING THEIR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF EVERY LIVING THING IN HOWARD COUNTY AND SEND A MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE STATE, THE NATION, AND THE WORLD. DAVID: AS ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTIES TO BECOME A BEE CITY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PLEDGES TO RE-NEW THAT CERTIFICATION EV

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Howard County is now officially a bee sanctuary county.Howard County Executive Calvin Ball on Friday detailed steps the county is taking to create sustainable habitats for bees and reduce the pesticide use that's killing them.Bees are essential to the human food supply. Scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food eaten by humans exist because of pollinators like honeybees.Experts are calling it an insect apocalypse: bees under attack by the very plants they feed on. A new study links their demise in part to a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids, which are sprayed on plants and crops."To respond to this crisis, we have recently taken some big steps to protect out pollinators," Ball said.Howard County is joining the Bee City USA Coalition. The county is committing to reduce pesticide use and create sustainable habitats for bees, and has created 55 acres of pollinator-friendly meadow habitat on county parkland."We've engaged professional researchers from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center to conduct bee surveys at Centennial Park," Ball said.Studies show that neonicotinoids hamper a bee's ability to forage nectar and remember the location of flowers. They also impair bees' ability to find their way back to a hive, weaken their immune system, and affect the fertility of the queen."We lost 60% of our hives for the last several years, and I think that's a conservative estimate. We have very experienced beekeepers who can't keep their bees alive and lose 80% to a 100%," said Bonnie Raindrop, a beekeeper.To protect the bees, Howard County plans to limit pesticide use, nearly eliminate using neonicotinoids and other harmful chemicals, host educational events and expand pollinator-friendly habitats."Our bold actions will protect their health and, as a result, the health of every living thing here in Howard County, and send a message to the rest of the state, the nation and the world," Ball said.Ball said Howard County is one of the first counties in the nation to join the coalition, and he pledges to renew Bee City USA certification every year.