Unless you are a botanist, scientist or
nature lover, when a bee hovers around a garden or in the woods, you probably
get a little nervous and wonder if you are about to be stung. But bees are an
important part of nature and have an important job to do.
To keep bees employed, so to speak, Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve in
Atmore, Ala., has been planting pollinator plants for bees and other insects
and pollinators. Persimmon trees also have been planted to help sustain the
wildlife. Click here
to see a video about persimmon tree budding.
Bees contribute countless benefits that
most people forget about. Let’s discuss a few of them …
Animals, plants and nature
Bees use plants to help cultivate the various
nutrients that feed animal species native to the area. And plants in turn
benefit from bees’ pollination in order to reproduce. Plants rich in pollen and
nectar allow habitats to thrive and bees are an essential part of that process.
Agriculture
Bees are important to agriculture because
without their pollination, many crops simply would not flourish. Pollination
happens in a variety of ways, such as through the wind or a flower that
self-pollinates, but bees are pollinators by nature. By using bees to
cross-pollinate, plants produce viable seeds, which produce viable crops.
According to New Agriculturist Online, bees pollinate about one-sixth of the
world's flowering plant species and about 400 of its agricultural plants.
Humans
The harvesting of honey is the most
common aid bees provide to the human race. Honey has many health benefits,
including being a natural immune system builder and remedy for ailments. And as
stated earlier, the pollination that bees do makes many foods we enjoy
possible.
Without bees, the food supply chain would greatly diminish. Apples,
berries of all kinds, sunflowers, watermelon … all of these “crops” need
pollination and pollinators such as bees to grow.
Wax
Another reason to keep bees around is the wax they produce. Not only are their honeycombs made from wax, but a plethora of products humans use are made from beeswax. Crayons, candles and skincare products are good examples of how bees make life better. Not to mention other uses of wax, including wax thread to make handmade crafts, preventing rust or lubricating wood. Beeswax also is a common remedy for dry hair.
Another reason to keep bees around is the wax they produce. Not only are their honeycombs made from wax, but a plethora of products humans use are made from beeswax. Crayons, candles and skincare products are good examples of how bees make life better. Not to mention other uses of wax, including wax thread to make handmade crafts, preventing rust or lubricating wood. Beeswax also is a common remedy for dry hair.
So next time you stop to smell some
flowers and you see a bee nearby, don’t freak out. They are just doing their
job and most likely will stay out of your way.
