What If the Bees Disappeared?

Let’s imagine something for a second.

It’s 2045. Grocery stores are... weird.

Produce aisles are half empty. No apples. No melons. No squash. Strawberries? Seasonal luxury. Almonds? Gone. Coffee? Only for the rich.

What happened?

We ignored the bees.

Twenty years earlier, wild bee populations had already dropped by 50%. Native species like the rusty patched bumblebee were hanging on by a thread. Habitat loss, pesticides, climate disruption — it all stacked up. Managed honeybee hives couldn’t keep up, and pollination services collapsed.

Some farmers tried to hand-pollinate with paintbrushes. It was slow, expensive, and not nearly as effective. Yields fell. Prices soared. Millions of people — especially in developing countries — lost access to nutritious food.

But here’s the thing: that future isn’t guaranteed.

We still have time. Time to plant native flowers, ditch harmful chemicals, support conservation efforts, and rebuild habitat. Time to bring the buzz back.

If we act now, we don’t have to imagine a world without bees. We get to live in one that still blooms.