I’m all about the bees, ‘bout those bees, and Honey

Here at Me & the Bees, we are all about the bees. They are the reason we get to enjoy so many delicious things, including my lemonade! Every day I learn new things about our littlest and biggest links in our food chain. 

In celebration of National Honey Bee Day, I am sharing fun facts about the honey bees and even a few fun activities. Just like me, if you’re looking for something to do to celebrate the honey bees, look no further. I encourage you to share one of the fun facts below, learn how to save the bees, or purchase a bottle of Me & the Bees... Buy a bottle save a bee.   

Here are a few fun facts!

Sweet pollination! Honey bees are involved in the production of over 70 percent of global crops.  Did you realize a single bee that pollinates blueberries is worth about $20 of produce alone? Bees are hard workers, but their ability to work together as a team makes a huge difference!  In order to produce 1 pound of honey, a hive of bees must fly 55,000 miles and visit over 2 million flowers!  

Bee Cool. In warm weather, the bees collect water and line up in a circle around the hive entrance. Using their wings, the bees fan the water so that it evaporates into the air. They then fan the cool air so that it circulates around the hive as a sort of central air conditioning. Bees make their own AC! How cool is that? 

What’s the ‘bee’ deal? The bees are the greatest pollinating machine when it comes to agriculture. Their large perennial colonies can be moved to wherever they are needed and they can communicate direction and distance from the hive to nectar sources. Honey bees also practice flower fidelity which makes them very efficient pollinators. Flower fidelity is the habit of concentrating on one specific species of flower when gathering and transferring pollen even though the insect is attracted to a large variety of flowers. 

Did you know that bees are officially an endangered species? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the first bees as endangered (specifically seven bee species from Hawaii) in 2016. Recently the first bumble bee (the rusty-patched bumble bee) was added to the list. Once this busy bee buzzed throughout 28 states, and since the 90’s the entire population has declined by 87%! The world as we know it would not exist if there were no bees to pollinate the earth’s 250,000 flowering plants. Buzzzzy, busy bees! 

 So what can you do to help the bees?  

1. Bee-informed: Read and share as much as you can about honey bees and other pollinators!  
2. Buy local honey: The backyard beekeeping movement is here to say! Support local bee-keepers by shopping local. 
3. Mix it up: Plant bee-friendly flowers with different colors, shapes and bloom times.  
4. Don’t spray it! Avoid using herbicides or pesticides in the garden. Ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantises will naturally keep pest populations in check. 
5. Bee A Sweet Friend: Did you know that I donate money from the sale of my lemonade to organizations fighting hard to save the honey bees. Visit my Where to Buy Page and Buy a Bottle, Save a Bee!  
6. Share the Buzz. Bee-friend me on Facebook and Instagram. Share my facts, stories and videos. Social media is an awesome way to raise awareness and share information on saving the bees!