Bees. Those notorious little flying insects infamous for stinging small children. When I was little, my mom did everything she could to "bee proof" our backyard after I was stung a couple of times. This included getting rid of anything that could be turned into a beehive and planting flowers that would deter bees, such as marigolds. This seems to be a common practice of parents to protect their children from being stung by a bee, but this practice has affected bee populations in a very negative way.
Bees are disappearing. While there is no known direct cause of the sudden population decline of our striped friends, it is thought that the increased use of pesticides, the shift in methods of farming, and an overall decrease in environmental quality. What is overlooked in this situation is how important bees are in maintaining our current way of life. Bees are pollinators, meaning that they help spread pollen between different plants. This helps maintain biodiversity in the plant population and helps spread genetic material between different plants.
Bees are crucial in providing us with all the food we eat. This is not just limited to plants. Eggs, meat, and milk all stem from the work done by bees. Eggs and meat come from chickens. A chicken's diet consists of grains and other plant material. These grains are able to thrive because of pollination by bees. This is a similar case in the event of other farm animals such as cows or goats. Bees are also crucial in maintaining the environment we live in. Plants pull carbon dioxide out of the air and recycle it into the oxygen our bodies need. Without bees, a lot of these plants would not be able to adapt and thrive in a changing enviornment.
Despite the terrifying reality of bees disappearing, there are things that can be done to protect and help our little buzzing friends. You can plant flowers that attract bees and other pollinators to your yard. You can install "bee homes" in your backyard to provide a safe area for bees to nest. Stop using harsh insecticides in your yard. There are species-specific insecticides if you are having a problem with a pest. Plus, harsh chemicals aren't good for humans, either. Have a small dish of fresh water sitting out in your yard. Bees need water too.
The most important thing that you can do, though, is to educate those around you about how important bees are. They are what is called a "keystone species" meaning that their disappearance would cause a whole ecosystem to unravel. Why should we care? Because we are a part of that ecosystem. Bees keep us fed and help provide us with oxygen. We need bees, and we can help save them.
