Beehives in the Muniellos Nature Reserve in the province of Asturias, Spain
Beehives in the Muniellos Nature Reserve in the province of Asturias, Spain (© ABB Photo/Shutterstock)
Saving and celebrating honey bees
Today we’re celebrating World Honey Bee Day, honouring the humble bee’s role in pollinating our crops and sharing honey goodness with us. It’s remarkable to consider that there are 20,000 different species of bees around the world, but just eight species of honey bee. And it’s sobering to realize how fragile their existence is. Billions of honey bees have disappeared over the last 15 years in what’s known as colony collapse disorder. There’s no definitive explanation for the die-off, though scientists believe pesticides, loss of habitat, climate change, mite infestation, and disease are contributing factors. Now we need to reintroduce bees and other pollinators to safeguard our food system.
© ABB Photo/Shutterstock