Bees, the creators of honey, are flying insects that collect nectar and pollen to turn into their popular product. Honeybees are the only insects that produce food eaten by man. (Honeybee Facts).  They are incredibly unique creatures that are very valuable.

“Bees are important because they pollinate approximately 130 agricultural crops in the US including fruit, fiber, nut, and vegetable crops. Their pollination adds approximately 14 billion dollars annually to improved crop yield and quality,” according to tpwd.

Why should we celebrate bees on World Bee Day? “Bees significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and environmental conservation, as well as preserve a healthy environment and biodiversity. Scientific studies have proven that bees have become increasingly endangered” (World Bee Day).

According to ABC News, nearly 40% of the world’s insect species is in decline. “The die-offs are primarily because insects are losing their habitats to farming and urbanization. As for its average lifespan being 28 days, between 800 to 1200 bees die each day,” says Business Insider.com.

The honey creating insects are often mistaken as wasps, which are insects closely related to the bees but aren’t them. They don’t have much of a purpose except for being predators for pest such as flies, caterpillars, and spiders. As bees are mistaken for wasps, they are usually attacked or killed since they both have the same physical features.

On May 20, World Bee Day acknowledges the roles of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem. This date coincides with the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer beekeeper from Slovenia born in 1734.

To help celebrate World Bee Day you can do some of the following:

• Plant friendly bee shrubs or flowers in your garden or yard
• Support a beekeeping/environmental charity like OperationHoneyBee or The Haven at UC Davis. (You might even consider visiting The Haven since it is so close!)
• Alert those on social media about World Bee Awareness Day
• Have a bee breakfast that contains honey or hive products
• Do not harm bees! Yes, they may sting, but that’s only if you threaten them or they feel threatened