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As we launch another summer of our ever-popular, annual Beauty of the Bee Photo Contest, it offers an opportunity to spread the good word about the inherent, sacred beauty of humanity's constant insect companion, the bee. It's also a chance to reflect on its truly remarkable value to our survival as a species, fully engaged with agriculture as a way of life.
Bees have recently been declared the most important living beings on Earth by the Earthwatch Institute during a meeting at the Royal Geographical Society of London. This declaration highlights the crucial role bees play in maintaining our ecosystems and food security. Bees are responsible for pollinating around 70% of the world's crops, making them indispensable for food production.1
Why Bees Matter
Bees are essential for pollinating flowers, which allows plants to produce fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Without bees, many of the foods we love would be much harder to grow. Some of the crops that rely on bee pollination include apples, almonds, blueberries, and tomatoes. In fact, about one-third of the food we eat depends on pollination by bees.
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Honey Bees vs. Native Bees
When we think of bees, we often picture honey bees. Honey bees are known for producing honey and living in large colonies. Recently, there have been reports that honey bee populations are starting to recover. This is great news, but it's important to remember that honey bees are not the only pollinators.
Native bees are also crucial for pollination. There are over 4,000 species of native bees in North America alone, and they come in many shapes and sizes. Some native bees are even better at pollinating certain crops than honey bees. For example, bumblebees are excellent pollinators of tomatoes and blueberries. Native bees often work more efficiently because they have different ways of collecting pollen and are active in different weather conditions than honey bees.
~ John Jordan-Cascade,
Web Manager and Photo Contest organizer
Write to me if you would like to contribute a bee-themed prize for the Beauty of the Bee Photo Contest.
Please visit our Facebook group so you can vote for your favorite photos as they are posted.
NOTE: Facebook votes will not be the primary determining factor in choosing winners, but we will provide special recognition for the photo that gets the most positive recognition on Facebook.