Bees declared one of the most important species on earth after years of research
Most of us believe that bees can be a pest in our lives. We do our best to get rid of them when they’re near and get rid of their nests, too.
But did you know that bees are a vital part of our ecosystem? Without bees, we would not have a regular supply of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and even coffee.
Can you imagine a world without coffee?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, pollinators contribute directly to food security. Nearly three-quarters of the plants that produce 90 percent of the world’s food require this external help. And while birds, rodents, and monkeys can pollinate, the most common pollinator are bees.
What is pollination though?
“Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of the flower, the anther, to the stigma, which is the female part of the flower. Upon the two’s meeting, a plant’s seed, nut, or fruit is then formed. Some plants rely on animals to assist with their pollination process, while others can pollinate themselves or rely on the wind to do it for them,” Jessica Tucker explained in her article on One Green Planet.
Because of this, we can safely say that bees are much needed for plant reproduction. If there are no bees, at least 30% of the usual food we enjoy will not be available for us.
Some of the food that will not be available include, but not limited to broccoli, asparagus, cantaloupes, cucumbers, pumpkins, blueberries, watermelons, almonds, apples, cranberries, and cherries.
Having a decline in produce affects humans as well. With the loss of harvest, farmers lose out on their incomes that provide for their families, especially in developing countries. Agricultural crops requiring pollination are an important source of jobs and income for farmers, especially small farmers, and family-owned farms in developing countries.
Bees are responsible for pollinating more than a billion plants and millions of agricultural crops each year.
Bees are also responsible for the production of many seeds, nuts, berries, and fruit, which wild animals eat. And we all know that bees produce honey and lots of it. Well, not only does the honey they produce feed their fellow bees, but it also feeds birds, insects, opossums, and raccoons.
And since bees are part of the world’s food chain, they are prey for specific predators, including blackbird, ruby-throated hummingbird, and starling, praying mantis, and dragonflies.
When bees are gone, their disappearance will affect the lives of these other creatures.
What factors threaten the existence of bees in this world?
There are two known factors: air pollution and pesticides.
Insecticides, also known as neonicotinoids, mitigate the lethal threat they pose to bees and their trickle-down effect on pollination as a whole. And air pollutants mix with the scent molecules of plants and disrupt the bees’ ability to look for the plants. This makes them slower and less effective pollinators. This then disrupts the reproduction of plants.
What can we do to prevent bees from being extinct?
The UN Environment Programme suggests these steps.
- Plant nectar-bearing flowers such as marigolds or sunflowers on balconies, terraces, and gardens
- Raise awareness among children and adolescents on the importance of bees
- Preserve old meadows, which protects a diverse array of flowers, and sow nectar-bearing plants
- Cut grass on meadows only after the nectar-bearing plants have finished blooming
- Use pesticides that do not harm bees, and spray them in windless weather
Want to find out what will happen if we start to live in a world without bees? Watch the video below.
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