Our Pollinating Friends: Why We Need Bees
“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.”
― Ray Bradbury
image by Jon Sullivan
Honey bees are so important to humans that they are the most studied creature, second only to human beings. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, honeybees pollinate 80% of the United States’ crops – over $20 billion worth of crops each year. When you buy just 16 ounces of honey, there are a thousand bees behind it that traveled over a hundred thousand miles and visited more than 4.5 million flowers.
There has been a decline of almost 3 million honey bee colonies over the years in the U.S.
Industrial agriculture, parasites, pathogens and climate change are the main reasons for the global decline in bee populations. The loss of biodiversity, destruction of habitat and lack of forage due to monocultures and bee-killing pesticides are particular threats for honeybees and wild pollinators. Protecting our little winged friends has never been more important.
Here are four easy and effective ways you can do your part to help keep bee populations in your area healthy.
- Provide a honeybee-friendly habitat in your yard or other outdoor spaces.
- Eat bee-friendly.
- Avoid the use of insecticides on your lawn.
- Don't kill bees.
Bee happy. Bee Healthy. Save the Bees
