About the 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

Importance of Honey Bees 

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.

The vast majority of plant species-almost 90% in fact-rely on pollinators like honeybees to reproduce. Pollination is the process by which pollinators help plants to produce fruit (technically anything with seeds on the inside, so that includes things we normally think of as vegetables, like cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes) by transporting pollen from one flower to another. There are approximately 200,000 different species of animals around the world that act as pollinators. Of these, about 1,000 are vertebrates, such as birds, bats, and small mammals, and the rest are invertebrates, including flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, and bees. Pollinators provide pollination services to over 180,000 different plant species.

Bees are responsible for ONE of every FOUR bites of food that we eat!  Losing them would be a disaster. Pollinators help plants survive and plants:

• Produce ⅓ of our food supply by giving us countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts
• Provide ½ of the world’s oils, fibers (such as the cotton used to make clothes), and other raw materials
• Are used to create many medicines
• Provide food and cover for wildlife
• Keep waterways clean
• Prevent soil erosion
• Produce the oxygen we breathe
• Absorb CO2, counteracting global climate change

Significance of Honey Bees as Pollinators

Honey bees are among the most numerous and efficient pollinator species in the world. Considering that the average honey bee can visit more than 2,000 flowers in one day, these bees greatly increase the chances of a plant producing a fruit or vegetable.

Honey bees are the species most commonly used as commercial pollinators in the US. They are managed and used to pollinate over 100 crops grown in North America, and contribute $15 billion to the US economy every year. Many crops, such as almonds, which contribute $4.8 billion to the U.S. industry each year, rely on honey bees for more than 90% of their pollination.

But honey bees don’t only pollinate crops-they also pollinate wild and native plants, thus contributing to all the environmental and societal benefits attributed to pollinators in general above.

Honey Bee Population Decline

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.

Bee colonies are in the midst of a massive die-off, due to dangerous pesticides that poison them and destroy their habitats. Yet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has so far done little to regulate the widespread use of bee-killing pesticides.

For decades, insecticides like neonicotinoids have been used on crops to kill plant pests. But it’s the bee population that has severely suffered, declining at an alarming rate and heading toward extinction.

The number of managed honey bee colonies in the United States has declined steadily over the past 60 years, from 6 million colonies (beehives) in 1947 to 4 million in 1970, 3 million in 1990, and just 2.5 million today. Overwintering loss rates have increased from the historical rate of 10-15% to approximately 30%, and beekeepers have collectively lost approximately 10 million beehives.

The Role of Native Bees

Native bees are often overlooked because they aren’t domesticated, or because some of them don’t look like “traditional” bees (fuzzy, black and yellow). But these bees are the original residents of North America, who quietly and industriously pollinate our crops side by side with the honey bee.

Native bees might not spend much time in the spotlight, but they make a huge contribution to our environment and our economy. Sadly, native bees are struggling just as much as honey bees. Many species are endangered, and a few have already gone extinct. The factors that harm managed honey bees also harm wild bees such as parasites, pathogens, and poor nutrition due to monoculture farms. Now more than ever we must find new and innovative ways to protect these national treasures and preserve the balance of our ecosystem.

What Can We Do?

Here are 10 easy and effective ways you can do your part to help keep bee populations in your area healthy.

1. Plant a Bee Garden

One of the largest threats to bees is a lack of safe habitat where they can build homes and find a variety of nutritious food sources. By planting a bee garden, you can create a habitat corridor with plants that are rich in pollen and nectar. You don’t need a ton of space to grow bee-friendly plants — gardens can be established across yards and in window boxes, flower pots, and planters.

2. Go Chemical-Free for Bees

Synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and neonicotinoids are harmful to bees, wreaking havoc on their sensitive systems. Avoid treating your garden and green spaces with synthetics. Instead, use organic products and natural solutions such as compost to aid soil health and add beneficial insects like ladybugs and praying mantises that keep pests away.

3. Become a Citizen Scientist

Join a global movement to collect data on our favorite pollinators! Gather photos and other information about native bees and upload them to the iNaturalist app. Make it a group activity for friends by hosting a BeeBlitz event! Together, we can learn about the bees in various sites and cities and identify opportunities for nurturing them.

4. Provide Trees for Bees

Did you know that bees get most of their nectar from trees? When a tree blooms, it provides hundreds — if not thousands — of blossoms to feed from. Trees are not only a great food source for bees, but also an essential habitat. Tree leaves and resin provide nesting material for bees, while natural wood cavities make excellent shelters. With deforestation and development on the rise, you can help bolster bee habitats by caring for trees and joining tree-planting parties in your area.

5. Create a Bee Bath

Bees work up quite a thirst foraging and collecting nectar. Fill a shallow bird bath or bowl with clean water, and arrange pebbles and stones inside so that they break the water’s surface. Bees will land on the stones and pebbles to take a long, refreshing drink.

6. Build Homes for Native Bees

Did you know that, with the exception of honeybees, most bees are solitary creatures? Known as mining bees, 70% of solitary bees live underground, while 30% live in holes inside of trees or hollow stems. Species like bumble bees build their nests in undisturbed land, and you can provide safe haven for them by leaving an untouched plot of land for them in your garden! “Bee condos” — which have small tube “apartments” — allow species like mason bees to take up residence. They’re easy to make or purchase.

7. Give Beehives and Native Bee Homes

Keep honeybees, nurture native bees, or help gardens and schools around the U.S. and Canada grow food and strengthen local environments. Donate to programs that create safe havens for precious pollinators in underserved communities by supplying the tools, gear, and education needed to successfully home bees, or apply to receive a home for your group or organization.

8. Teach Tomorrow’s Bee Stewards

Inspire the next generation of eco citizens with guides, lessons, and activities to get them buzzed about bees! Educators and bee advocates can bring nature and ecology into the classroom — and the hearts of children everywhere!

9. Host a Fundraiser

Host a fundraiser online, or do something you love to help inspire honey bee advocacy. Fundraising events create community building and information sharing opportunities that inspire while raising funds for honey bee conservancy programs. It’s an easy, fun way to make a serious impact.

10. Support Local Beekeepers and Organizations

Local beekeepers work hard to nurture their bees and the local community. The easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy locally-made honey and beeswax products. Many beekeepers use products from their hives to create soaps, lotions, and beeswax candles. Plus, local honey is not only delicious — it is made from local flora and may help with seasonal allergies! You can also give time, resources, and donations to local beekeeping societies and advocacy groups to help their programs grow.