Many people dread bees due to their stings which are not only painful but causes allergies, I do too, although I love the honey they produce, lol, I can remember my reaction the first time I saw live bees, I had gone to buy oranges and I saw these creatures perching on the cut oranges that were used as sample. Thinking they were flies I moved closer but on seeing that they were bees, I was so afraid and made to scamper away but the seller told me not to be that they aren't going to harm me if only I don't disturb them. She said she has become used to them as they come in their numbers everyday to enjoy the sweet oranges.
Oranges just like every other flowering plant produce nectar and pollen that attract bees so don't be surprised if you see a bee coming to enjoy an orange with you, hehehe.
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As today, May 20th marks the World Bee Day, it's important to give a buzz of recognition to these tiny, winged wonders that make our world a sweeter place. Bees, often underestimated and misunderstood, are of great value to our ecosystems and play an important role towards maintaining biodiversity and food security and sustainable agriculture.
Their importance to our ecosystem is indispensable.
Bees' contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem health are vital to the survival of countless species, including humans in various ways;
- Pollination:
Without the bees, many of our food crops won't be able to reproduce effectively. Their role as agents of pollination has even been shown to increase crop yields and improve the quality of produce.
Through the process of pollination, the reproduction of plants are facilitated thereby leading to the growth of diverse plant species, which a variety of animal species rely on as food and shelter.
It may surprise you to know that one third of our food crops relies pollination by bees, that's why I call them man's friends.
- Maintenance of food chains:
Humans and many animals depend on the fruits and seeds produced by bee-pollinated plants, so without bees, the entire food chains could face disruption which wouldn't augur well for the ecosystem.
- Balancing Ecosystems:
Bees help maintain the delicate balance of ecosystems by promoting the growth of native plants and preventing the spread of invasive species like plants, birds, mammals etc.
- Contributing to soil health:
As bees engage in pollination and facilitating of plants growth, they are equally indirectly promoting a healthy soil by providing a rich source of organic matter through fallen leaves, fruits, and other plant materials.
However, these tiny, hardworking friends of ours are constantly facing numerous threats that could be disastrous to our planet. Some of which are;
Due to urbanization, natural habitats like forests, grasslands and wetlands are destroyed leaving the bees with fewer places to nest and forage for food.
Pesticide which are used in farming causes harm to the bees directly or indirectly by reducing the availability of food sources
There are numerous diseases and parasites which feed on adult bees, larvae, and pupae, weakening the bees and transmitting viruses that can cause deformities or even death.
The ever occurring climate change can alter the flowering and growing seasons of plants leading to decreased food sources.
The continued existence of these important and wonderful creatures lies in our hands. We all can help preserve them in so many ways like;
Planting an organic bee-friendly garden with a variety of native, pollen-rich plants that can bloom all through the season to provide food for the bees.
Patronizing organic bee farmers which can help reduce the use of chemicals that are harmful to the bees.
Many native bees nest in the ground, hollow stems, or deadwood so by providing nesting sites by leaving bare ground, creating a bee hotel, or leaving deadwood in your garden, you are helping to create habitats for them.
How about becoming a bee keeper, sounds great right? Doing this will keep you in an advantaged position to learn more about bees, and equally educate others about the importance of bees in the ecosystem.
Buying locally produced honey and beeswax products as a way of supporting and encouraging the local beekeepers is another great way to help preserve the bee' existence.
Just like the ants teach us teamwork, planning and organization, we can also learn a lot from the bees. Some of which are;
Teamwork: These creatures work together in a highly coordinated manner, dividing tasks and sharing resources for the benefit of the hive, that's one unique thing about the bees. The act of teamwork by the bees can serve as inspiration to us to collaborate and cooperate with others in whatever field we are to achieve shared goals.
Adaptability: We can learn from the bees the importance of being flexible and adapting to changing circumstances as they are notable for adapting and thriving in various environments and conditions.
Communication: We can also learn the power of effective communication and collaboration from the bees as they have a proper means of sharing information about nearby food sources and potential nesting sites, which is the waggle dance.
Ecosystem balance: The bees' role of maintaining the balance of our ecosystems through pollination is a way of teaching us the importance of valuing and protecting biodiversity.
Industriousness: The nature of bees are such that they are always busy working round the clock to collect nectar, produce honey, and maintain the hive. Just like Hivebuzz that is always buzzing, updating us on our latest achievements on Hive too and through we are motivated to be hardworking and persistent in our pursuits.
Thanks for reading...
Still the #threadsaddict 😂
This is for #mayinleo day 20
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Hello luchyl
thank you for the great article about bees for World Bee Day. I will definitely post it on my blog.
A few more comments
the bees on the orange are either interested in the sweet fruit sugar or they are getting water. Yes, bees need water too. Or they get both.
absolutely correct, pollination is the most important thing that bees contribute to maintaining the food chain for us humans - some estimates put the value at around 600 billion US dollars or more. This means that bees are also the most important animal for us humans, even more important than cows, pigs, chickens and fish - something that is often forgotten.
it has been found that fruit that is pollinated by bees grows more symmetrically, has a thicker skin and therefore lasts longer, contains more vitamins and the quantity increases significantly.
diligence of bees - Do you know how long a bee works per day? Ok, on average I mean - of course it depends on the stage of life. It is said to work 4 hours a day, where it does everything (brood care, cleaning, honey, pollen, propolis and water collection), then it sleeps for about 3 hours. And what does she do in the remaining 17 hours? Well, what are the girls' favourite things to do - that's right, they chat ;-) So they communicate 17 hours a day to keep the whole landing going - they've had a Facebook system running for millions of years ;-). - That's what I call efficient - they're just girls.
Yeah, that's why the orange vendor said that they come there everyday to enjoy the orange.
Exactly, without them we would be facing challenges in getting adequate food crops. It's really sad that these wonderful creatures are not being given maximum attention due to them
This is a good point to note
So why then are they reffered as busy if only they work for four hours per day?
Hahahaha, you mean girls chat for 17hrs of the day?, no way am I going to accept that.🤣. What then do the boys do? 🙄
Well, I'm glad you acknowledged that girls are efficient so I'll let it pass, lol.
I really do appreciate your visit and wonderful contribution. They are sure enlightening.
!BBH
"So why then are they reffered as busy if only they work for four hours per day"
It is simply the mass of bees that gives the impression of continuous labour. In spring and summer there are around 50000-70000 worker bees in one of my colonies. And communication takes place via round dance, tail dance, odour and vibrations on the honeycomb. It has now also been discovered that bees also communicate outside the hive by sending light signals to oncoming bees through their wings.
"...what boys do?"
They keep the girls' backs free so that they can work as efficiently as possible. No - joking aside - they are only there for one purpose - to mate with the queen. And they die in the process. And after the summer they are no longer needed and so the girls throw the remaining ones out of the hive - there is no more assisted living😉. By the way, drones don't have a stinger.
Another small note - the honeybee itself is not so threatened, it is well looked after by beekeepers all over the world. The problem is the wild bees, which are under pressure because so little is known about them and their social life.
Beekeeping greetings
BeeSmart
Oh, now I understand.
This is incredible, how long have you been beekeeping?
Oh, what a pity giving their lives for bee-manity, not humanity this time around. 😂
So it's a girls world after all especially in the bee Hive 😉
Yeah, I read this about them. I guess it's because they don't live for long or maybe they don't have anything to protect in the Hive.
I do beekeeping since 15. years. It is my refugium to my job. But my grandpa and grand grand Pa has bees running, too
Wow, that's a long time. I presume you've got a wide of knowledge about bees. I haven't been opportune to visit a bee farm before. It would be a place worth visiting.
Yes, I also give courses for beginners and advanced beekeepers and also breed queens. I am also on the board of an association that deals with the 800-year cultural history of bees in the region called Zeidelwesen.
Your Content Is Awesome so I just sent 1 $BBH(1/20)@beesmartblog! (Bitcoin Backed Hive) to your account on behalf of @luchyl.
we all should be mindful that if we disturb the bees then it will disturb humans because of food chain and food web which is necessary cycle for survival.
Exactly. If we preserve them then we will have adequate food crops for consumption.
Very informative and interesting piece you have shared here friend. The advantages of honey are plentiful mankind oo, lol. So by a means we must prioritize persevering these bees.
I'm glad you found the post informative, thanks for reading
The perching on the orange gave me one kind look😂.
What brought bees to an open place, it seem their house is close by in that area.
The pollination,
You reminded of biology studies in school.
Nice one🙌
I was equally surprised seeing them in the open. I guess their Hive is somewhere close by.
Yeah, and it's dangerous too.
I have loads of experience 😅
This was very educative and informative, I have always feared bees too and seeing all their importance to the ecosystem now is very fascinating. Thanks for sharing!
#dreemerforlife
I'm glad the post added to your wealth of knowledge. I appreciate your contribution.
!BBH
Bees are very important to our ecosystem, the earlier we recognize that, the better for us.
Exactly, we all need to be in the know.
Yeah we need to.
aha, so what you are saying is that humans need to Beehave ;P
Cheers from a fellow #dreemerforlife
Of course lol 😂
Bees are very important to nature plus I enjoy their honey a lot. Too bad they have to sting people once in a while and that's what scares me😁
That's the reality of life. Whatever that sweetens also has a sour taste, somehow.
😂😂😂 I agree
You are welcome
This is a lovely piece. Bee is undoubtedly an important specie to our ecosystem. Many people hated them because of the ugly experience associated with there physical contact with man. However, they are one of our greatest friends going by the what you mentioned.
#dreemerforlife
You are right, we need them as much as they need us to preserve them.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
You are welcome