Coffee, cherries, chocolate, cashews, cardamon and cranberries. These are just a few of the foods that we owe to the bees.
In fact, bees pollinate more than 90 common commercial crops that we rely on.
In honor of World Bee Day, May 20, 2023, we’re talking about the planet’s favorite fuzzy, buzzy insect, the important role they play, and how to protect them.
Why are bees important?
Pollination
There are more than 20,000 species of bees worldwide, and 4000 in the US alone. Honeybees, bumble bees, miner bees and more.
To varying degrees, bees are essential pollinators. It’s estimated that 33% of the world’s food production relies on bees. They play a critical role in pollination of both wild and crop plants.
Bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers. They rely on these substances for food. Nectar provides carbohydrates and pollen is an important source of protein for offspring.
As an added benefit of their food collection, pollination happens. When bees land on flowers, pollen, which contains male sex cells, gets caught in their hairs. When they land on the next flower, the pollen is deposited into its female reproductive organ. This encourages fertilization, which causes the plants to grow seed-bearing fruit.
The fruit (which includes vegetables and nuts, too) provides food for humans and animals. The seeds allow the next generation of plants to grow.
In addition, the growth of new plants provides habitats for wildlife, helps prevent soil from eroding, and keeps our water and air clean.
Bee products
Humans rely on bees for their products, as well. The most common one is honey, with nearly 2 million tons produced worldwide, annually. Other commonly used bee products include:
* Beeswax
* Propolis
* Royal jelly
* Bee pollen
* Bee venom
These products are used for food, medicine, construction, cosmetics and more.
Economic stability
Bees are a powerhouse contributor to the global economy. Every year, food and product production is worth up to $577 billion dollars.
Why are the bees disappearing?
Bee populations, both wild and domesticated, have been in noticeable decline since 2007. Major causes include:
* Habitat loss caused by climate change and urbanization. This affects all areas where bees live, including:
* Forests
* Grasslands
* Gardens and cities
* Meadows
* Wetlands
* Farmland
* Mountainous regions
* Near riverbanks
* Pesticides
* Disease, fungus, and mites
* Low nutrition caused by limited access to suitable foraging spots
* Invasive plants and bees (some of which can spread diseases to native bee populations)
* Poor quality queen bees (weak, don’t lay enough eggs), who are responsible for populating the colony. Living conditions may contribute to the queen’s overall hardiness. If a queen bee dies, the rest of the hive becomes disorganized. The worker bees (all female) lay more eggs. In turn, more drones (male bees, who are only useful for mating) are born. They stress the colony’s resources, eventually leading to its decline/destruction.
* Mismanagement. For domesticated colonies, beekeepers can reduce stress on the bees by providing additional nutrition and disease prevention measures.
How to help the bees
Grow native gardens (and leave the weeds)
Growing bee-friendly flowering plants that are native to our region can provide bees with nutrient-rich foraging spots.
Also, we often think of certain plants as weeds, unsightly, useless greenery to be ripped up. But native flowering weeds can be an important source of food for bees. Weeds often bloom at times when other flower sources are low (early and late in the season).
Proper nutrition keeps bees strong.
Go organic
This applies to both personal gardens, and our grocery lists. Since many pesticides can harm bees, it’s best to avoid planting seeds/seedlings that have been treated with them. Additionally, local organic farms can be excellent foraging spots for bees. Buying local organic produce when possible means supporting local businesses, and the bees.
Create good nesting spots
70% of bees nest in the ground, and the other 30% in hollow spaces, in the open, or in self-made structures. We can create great nesting spots by leaving dead trees or brush piles. Additionally, we should avoid mulching, especially with wood chips. Heavy materials can make it hard for bees to emerge from the ground.
Lobby for local bee conservation
Advocating for a bee-friendly community means raising awareness about the importance of bees. We can lobby our local government to reduce pesticide use, grow pollinator-friendly gardens, and conserve natural areas. We can also support policies that protect bees, and advocate for community-based bee education programs. Advocacy can be done in affiliation with organizations like Bee City USA.
Key takeaways
* Bees are important pollinators, responsible for 33% of global food production. Their decline threatens food security and ecosystem health.
* Habitat loss, pesticides, disease, and poor bee management contribute to population decline.
* To help bees, plant native gardens, avoid pesticides, create nesting spots, and advocate for community-based, bee-friendly policies and conservation efforts.
https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/en/pollinated-foods
https://www.statista.com/topics/5090/honey-market-worldwide/
https://www.museumoftheearth.org/bees/threats
https://www.pollinator.org/learning-center/bee-issues
https://xerces.org/blog/5-ways-to-increase-nesting-habitat-for-bees