Bees are crucial for almost all ecosystems on our earth because they ensure the pollination of many plants and thus our food chain’s richness. Bees need many flowers to reproduce. These insects, in turn, need flowers to gather food. But these curious creatures are also important to humans as agricultural animals because of their pollination capacity and as producers of raw materials. As a result, their economic benefit plays a significant role in our lives.
Bees and the Basics of Biodiversity
The honeybee is responsible for ecologically balanced biodiversity as well as for high-yielding harvests. These little backyard laborers work hard to pollinate 80% of our wild and valuable plants. This is a considerable burden for our tiny buzzing friends because only 20% of the remaining pollination work is done by butterflies, bumblebees, and other insects.
In 2019, 40% of honeybee colonies in America died off. This is why protecting these unpaid laborers is so important.
The Bee as a Farm Animal?
Agriculture is dependent on honeybees and their animal colleagues, even if they are often not treated with care. Although bees aren’t domesticated like goats or sheep, they are our third most crucial livestock after pigs and cattle. When eating nectar and pollen, they carry pollen from flower to flower and ensure flower reproduction. Bee pollination gives us diverse foods at our dinner table and even increases fruit yields many times over.
Did You Know…
- A worker bee produces around one tablespoon of honey in its life, which is relatively short at five to six weeks.
- One queen bee lays almost one million eggs in her lifetime.
- Impressive flyers, they zoom around at up to 12 mph.
- Bees communicate by dancing.
- Community-driven, they huddle together like a pile of puppies to sleep, holding onto one another’s feet.
- Bee pollen, enriched with vitamins and minerals, is the most important source of protein for bees.
- In spring and summer, wildflowers and plants such as crocuses, dandelions, various types of clover, willows, and orchards offer a rich supply of food in this regard.
- Useful plants such as asparagus, zucchini, pumpkin, or herbs such as sage, thyme, and lavender are also popular food sources for bees.
Plant Pollination
As beautiful as they sometimes bloom, cultivated, or hybrid, flowers are of little importance to honeybees because they provide little to no nectar or pollen. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for them to survive because of the widespread monocultures in agriculture and forestry and the use of chemical pesticides.
Part of Our Ecosystem
Plants are pollinated in two ways—Either the wind ensures the pollen is spread, or pollen must be spread by animals or insects, especially by the bees of the world. This is why bees, wasps, beetles, and sometimes even birds or bats have an enormous influence on the biodiversity of plants.
We may be delighted by pretty flowers, but more importantly, animals that rely on plants as a source of food would starve to death without the pollinators. Bees are excellent pollinators and, therefore, an indispensable part of our carefully balanced ecosystem.
Economic Benefit of Bees
The pure economic benefit of bees is estimated at around $16 billion. This corresponds to the value of the crops that are pollinated by insects. This enables farms to achieve high and secure yields. Apple, pear, and cherry trees would only bring in around a quarter of that without bees.
The real value is much higher because the failure of natural pollination within an ecosystem cannot be replaced at all. The follow-up costs for this could not be estimated—It would be a disaster.
How is Bug Out Pest Control Committed to Our Bees?
Everyone can contribute to protecting these adorable little indispensable energy suppliers. Whether in your own garden or on the balcony, even small wildflower beds help the bees in their foraging.
At Bug Out Pest Control, we understand the bees’ role as indispensable keepers of creation. We want to protect our bees, which is why we offer honeybee rescue. We can remove honeybee hives from your property and take them to an official honey bee relocation center. If bees are bugging you this summer, call us at 317-777-5005, so we can protect one of the earth’s most essential creatures together.
Are you on Facebook? We are, too. Let’s be friends!
Recent Comments