阅读理解
(2018·安徽合肥高三质检)
Bees play a vital role in the world. Unfortunately, bees are dying by the second.
The main purpose of bees is to make honey. Honey, shockingly, does not exist for human consumption; it is essential to the insects. Honeybees store honey in their hives(蜂箱) in order for the bees to have energy for their flight muscles and for heating the hives during the winter period. They collect pollen(花粉) which supplies protein for young bees to grow.
According to National Honey Board, the increased production and quality of agricultural crops as a result of honeybee pollination are valued at more than $14.6 billion per year. These insects are responsible for over 70 of the fruits and vegetables we eat today, including apples, grapes, coffee, beans, and broccoli.
So if they are so valuable to agriculture, why do they keep dying off? A key suspect seems to be pesticides(农
