As the vernal equinox approaches, bees will begin to rise from their winter rest, assembling for their new phase of life, preparing to carry the livelihood of our plants and harvests for the upcoming season. Despite their philanthropic contributions to humans and the planet, they don’t receive the recognition or appreciation they deserve. With various species becoming increasingly endangered, we must welcome them this season, treating them with the same politeness they give us each year.
Although they are tiny in size, these remarkable creatures are far more complex than most people realize. Honeybees have several intricate forms of communication. They use scent, vibration signals and various movements to work in harmony. Pheromones are one of the most prominent methods they use, and one of the most effective due to the sheer size of the hive and their sense of smell. As explained by Premier Bee Products, they have more odor receptors than most insects, and it is roughly 100 times more sensitive than a human’s sense of smell. These chemical scent signals involve every colony aspect: navigation, warning, signaling, foraging, organization and even mating. Another common and striking form of communication is dancing. The waggle dance is a term used to describe the sequence of movements performed by the bee to provide directions to a particular location. On top of that, they feel the communication through their vibrations. Honeybees cannot hear the buzz their wings and abdomens give off; however, they can sense it, sending and receiving signals through the combs.
The significance of these insects extends to great lengths, upholding the biodiversity of our ecosystems, providing food security and shaping several aspects of different cultures. According to farmers.gov, over 80 percent of flowering plants, where most of our food comes from, depend on pollination. As a result, farmers rely on bees for a substantial harvest to stay in business and provide nourishing produce. It goes beyond the fruits and vegetables on your plate; it directly impacts meat intake. The vital crops fed to livestock are primarily pollinated by bees. If they become extinct, our natural food source will collapse, and ecosystems will follow. The hundreds of millions of years’ worth of evolution alongside flowering plants will cease to exist if no action is taken.
Pesticides, habitat loss and climate change are all contributing factors to the endangerment of bees, and they are affecting them at alarming rates. As stated by Museum Of The Earth.org, “At least 45% of Europe’s bumblebees are in population decline due to habitat fragmentation and loss of foraging plants. In North America, four species of bumblebees are in decline, and one is already extinct.” The consequences, though manageable, are growing prominent in the agricultural and honey industry. According to the National Library of Medicine, it poses a direct threat to the income of those who are in the beekeeping business, accompanied by poorer crop pollination, which is harmful to communities that rely on small farmholders. The deterioration of these insects, along with several other essential pollinators, need to serve as a sign of the inaction towards the growing climate crisis and threats of habitat loss.
There are a number of things you can do to support them this spring and summer: Providing a range of flowers outside your home, whether it be a designated space, an addition to your garden or a tiny pot on a windowsill, give them a plentiful supply of nectar and pollen. Accommodating them with resources such as a safe shelter and shallow water source helps them with climate change’s shifting and threatening conditions. Bee houses, similar to birdhouses, are wooden structures with a variety of tiny holes that pollinators can lodge in and that even provide a home for solitary bees. You can DIY a bee bath by placing a shallow bowl of water with pebbles outside, equipping them with safe accessibility to water. According to the World Wildlife Fund, if you come across an exhausted and struggling bee with no bee-friendly flowers close by, give them a spoonful of a mixture consisting of 50 parts water and 50 parts white sugar. (NOT brown sugar or honey.) This provides them with rejuvenating carbohydrates, giving them a potentially life-saving boost. There are a number of small gestures that can positively impact the bee population; however, being mindful of your impact on the environment while simultaneously advocating for environmental protection and preservation can make a drastic difference. We share one planet with these creatures, along with several other species that all contribute to the well-being of Earth, so we must protect it. Next time you stumble across a bee, whether it be a fluffy bumblebee or a diligent honey bee, observe it politely rather than fearing it. They are likely paying no attention to you but to the vibrant flowers in front of them.
