There are approximately twenty thousand different species of bees, but when you picture one, a striped black and yellow furry insect comes to mind. Interestingly, the largest of bees is around 40 millimeters long while the shortest is just 2 millimeters, but even the smallest of bees are vital to the planet. And, in this post, we will look at the importance of bees to the world.
Pollination – How it Works & Why is it Important
Pollination is the process of transferring pollen from the male part of a flower, the anther, to the stigma, which is the female part of a flower. When they both meet, a plant’s seed, nut, or fruit is then formed. Hence, bees are important because some plants rely on bees to assist with their pollination process.
Why Are Bees Important?
Bees have a special relationship with plants, which makes them important to our planet. They are primordial in our food chain and responsible for a third of the food we eat. Environmental organizations are raising the alarm concerning the decline of bees across the world. We must support bees before they come to extinction, and if they ever do, what would become of us as we do not have a backup plan?
The Contribution of Bees in our Food-chain
Simply put, bees maintain crops and plants alive through pollination. Humans and animals feed on those crops and plants, and humans further feed on those animals which feed on crops and plants. Back to the source, without bees, we would not have much to eat.
Bees and the Economy
In 2016, the new Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) reported the annual economic value of pollinators at $235-577 billion. According to the National Honey Board, the top five honey producing states in 2016 were
| State | Pounds Produced | Dollar Value of Production |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 37,830,000 | $65,446,000 |
| Montana | 12,243,000 | $21,425,000 |
| South Dakota | 19,880,000 | $34,591,000 |
| Florida | 11,880,000 | $23,404,000 |
| California | 10,750,000 | $26,320,000 |
Hats off to the Team Spirit of Bees
Research is still ongoing on how to protect our bees, but meanwhile, it is mindful to educate our population on these wonderfully industrious colonies of bees. Bees are well disciplined, organized, and hats off to their team spirit and collaboration in pollinating flowers from plants that produce our fruits and vegetables. And, of course, they provide us with delicious honey every day!
What can you do to Save our Bees?
You can plant a bee-friendly garden as bees love gardens where there are plenty of plants and flowers. If you are looking for a clue on which seeds will grow beautiful flowers, you can consider planting these seeds: Lavender, Iris, Sunflower, Cornflower, Ivy, Snowdrop, or Crocus.
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