World Bee Day
World Bee Day is an annual holiday observed on May 20th to raise awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators to our planet’s ecosystem. The holiday was first observed in 2018 after the United Nations officially designated it.
The idea for World Bee Day came from Slovenia, where Beekeeper’s Day has been celebrated since 2011. Slovenia is known for its strong beekeeping tradition and has long recognized the importance of bees to its economy and culture. In 2017, Slovenia proposed that the United Nations designate May 20th as World Bee Day, and the proposal was adopted later that year.
World Bee Day aims to raise awareness about bees’ vital role in pollinating crops and maintaining biodiversity. Bees and other pollinators pollinate approximately one-third of global food crops. Without these important insects, many of the foods we rely on, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts, would not exist.
On World Bee Day, events and activities take place worldwide to celebrate bees and other pollinators and promote their protection and conservation. These events may include educational programs, beekeeping workshops, and public awareness campaigns.
See also: Easy Tips to Create a Thriving Ecosystem in Your Garden.
Overall, World Bee Day is an important holiday highlighting the crucial role bees and other pollinators play in our planet’s ecosystem. By raising awareness about the issue and encouraging people to take action to protect bees and other pollinators, we can help ensure a healthy and sustainable future for ourselves and for generations to come.
How to Celebrate:
- Visit a beekeeper.
- Set up a pollinator farm on your balcony, terrace or garden.
- Use pesticides that do not harm bees.
- Buy honey and other hive products from your nearest local beekeeper.
- Cut grass on meadows only after the nectar-bearing plants have finished blooming.
- Donate to a charity that helps toward bee conservation.
Fun Facts:
- Pollinators, such as bees, birds, and bats, affect 35 percent of the world’s crop production.
- There are over 20 000 species of bees in the world.
- The practice of beekeeping dates back to 4500 years.
- A honey bee will visit 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.
- Bees communicate by dancing.
- May is the ideal time to celebrate this day because in the northern hemisphere, the need for pollination is greatest at this time, and in the southern hemisphere, it is a time for harvesting honey and bee products.
#WorldBeeDay
