Bees: feared by many, yet needed by all. As spring and summer closely approach, we start to see the pollinators everywhere among flowers, in the air, and buzzing about. Many avoid the friendly creatures in fear of being stung… and the stigma is high among bug haters and the general public. However, bees are essential to the world as we know it. Bees pollinate around one third of the food we eat, which is around 84% of the food grown for human consumption. Without them, the world would be vastly different, and unfortunately, they are becoming endangered at this time.
Bees have been praised and acknowledged throughout history and mythology in Greek, Hindu, and Islamic culture. According to the Greeks and Hindus, bees are seen as a gift of eloquence and beauty, and even of prescience and foresight. In the Ayur Vedas, it calls for “O Asvins, lords of brightness, anoint me with the honey of the bee, that I may speak forceful speech among men!”. In Islamic culture, the Quran has a chapter named “The Bee”, praising Allah for giving the Earth with all its wealth to mankind. According to this sura (chapter), all wonders of the natural world, like seas, stars, mountains are proofs of God’s infinite power (Quaran 16:14).
There is an apocalyptic quote attributed to Albert Einstein (although there is no proof he actually said it): “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years left to live.” It resonates with people as a plausible consequence of the bee’s demise. While the timescale is wildly exaggerated and fails to take into account man’s ingenuity, it highlights how mankind’s survival has been inextricably linked to bees. Cave drawings dating back 20,000 years depict images of honey hunting. The ancient Egyptians transported their hives along the Nile to pollinate crops and buried their pharaohs with containers full of honey to sweeten the afterlife. The antibacterial and antiseptic properties of honey have made it as important to the apothecary as the chef over the centuries, while beeswax embalmed the dead and created artificial light. In the 15th century, the pilgrim fathers took their honeybees with them to spread their farming practices and colonize the new world. The native Americans called the honeybee the “white man’s fly”. The continent had wild bees, but no honeybees, as was the case in Australasia before western settlers arrived.
Today, many types of bees exist, and the most widely known is called the European honey bee, otherwise known as Anthophila in the scientific community. They are most acknowledged for their role in pollination and honey production, and are highly important to humans. However, beekeepers in the west have been reporting a high number of colony decline, known as colony collapse disorder, due to impaired protein production, changes in agricultural practice, or unpredictable weather. However, research conducted in order to wholly understand the disorder find it to be more of a syndrome, than a disorder. Multiple factors may come into play, instead of a single pathogen or cause. A well supported hypothesis is that the bees are falling victim to a combination of insecticides and parasites, seeing the use of the aforementioned chemicals being used in agricultural and common day to day work.
Why are bees important? We’ve all heard that bees are one of the most important pollinators. Bees not only pollinate fruits and other direct crops for humans, but pollinate the crops grown as fodder for livestock. Furthermore, bees pollinate cotton plants. Not only do they help the human race, but they protect our diverse ecosystems as well. Bees pollinate the seeds, fruits and berries which are consumed by small animals at the bottom of the food chain. Some may dislike the creatures due to their infamous reputation to sting, but they only do so if harmed or they feel threatened. Remember, once a bee stings, its’ stinger becomes lodged in the victim’s skin, quite literally ripping the bees abdomen apart. She will die, because she has sacrificed her life to protect her colony.
You yourself can help bees thrive, in your own home. By planting a garden of vegetable or flowers, you will help bees have a source of food while helping pollinate your plants.
Sources:
Benjamin, Alison. “Why Are Bees Important? You Asked Google – Here’s the Answer.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 17 June 2015. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.
Atharva Veda 91-258, quoted in Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat (Anthea Bell, tr.) The History of Food, 2nd ed. 2009:14.
McDonald-Gibson, Charlotte. “‘Victory for bees’ as European Union bans neonicotinoid pesticides blamed for destroying bee population”. The Independent. Retrieved 10 April 2016
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