World Bee Day

The United Nations designated 20th May as World Bee Day and will celebrate its 4th observance this year. The 20th May coincides with the birthday of Anton Jan?a, who pioneered modern day beekeeping techniques in Slovenia. Jan?a praised the ability of bees to work hard while needing little attention.

Bees and pollinators?

Close to 90% of the planet’s wild flowering plants, 75% of global food crops, and 35% of agricultural land worldwide depend on animal pollination. Pollinators contribute directly to food security and are also crucial to conserving biodiversity. The UN’s goal for World Bee Day is to improve measures aimed at conserving both bees and other pollinators, which in turn would contribute significantly towards solving problems related to the global supply of food and eradicating hunger in the developing world.?

The majority of the 25,000 to 30,000 species of bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) are efficient pollinators, and together with flies, beetles, wasps, butterflies, and moths, make up the majority of pollinating species. Did you know that insects aren’t the only pollinators and that there are also vertebrate pollinators? This includes bats, non-flying mammals (such as tree squirrels, rodents, and several species of monkey), and birds (such as hummingbirds and some species of parrot).?

Why do we need pollinators??

Without any pollinators, we would have no food diversity, meaning no coffee, chocolate, blueberries, and so much more. Pollinators also indicate emergent risks to the environment, therefore signalling the health of an ecosystem. It is not just food that pollinators help provide; they also directly contribute to the production of fibres like linen and cotton, medicines, construction materials, and biofuels. The majority of flowering plants are only able to produce seeds if pollinators transfer pollen from the anthers to the stigmas of their flowers. If pollinators could not do this role, then many of the interrelated species and functioning processes within the ecosystem would begin to collapse.?

Why do we need to act now??

Current extinction rates of species are between 100 and 1,000 times higher than the normal rate due to the impact of humans on the planet. Nearly 35% of insect pollinators, especially butterflies and bees, and roughly 17% of vertebrate pollinators, such as bats, are at risk of extinction. If this pattern continues, then nutritious crops, such as vegetables, nuts, and fruits will be increasingly replaced by staple crops, such as corn, potatoes, and rice, leading to many having an imbalanced diet. Land-use change, pesticides, monocultures, intensive farming practices, and higher temperatures (which are associated with climate change) all pose a threat to the global bee population, and, in turn, the quality of the crops that we can grow.?

What can we do to help protect bees??

Bees need a diverse range of native wildflowers which flower from spring to autumn to feed. These include:?

• Rosemary, honeysuckle, geranium, and bluebells?
• Shrub willows and ivy for food during the early and late months of the year?
• Sunflower, alyssum, sweet william, michaelmas daisy, and cornflower for nectar in summer?

Bees also need places to both hibernate and nest in. You can help by:?

• Buying ready-made bee boxes?
• Leaving fallen leaves, a pile of stones, log piles, and dead plant stems for bees to hibernate in during winter?
• Forming patches of bare ground in places that are warm and sheltered for bees to nest in?
• Purchasing raw honey from local farmers as opposed to supermarkets?
• Purchasing products from sustainable agricultural practices?
• Avoiding the use of fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides in our gardens?
• Making a water fountain for bees by leaving a bowl of water outside?
• Raising awareness in our local communities by sharing this information?