Why are bees so important?

Big parts of our ecosystem and biodiversity depend on bees. The bees need the flowers for food, and the flowers need the bees to reproduce.

Bees are key pollinators. They help plants to grow, breed and produce food by transferring pollen. Most fruits, vegetables, nuts and plants like sunflowers, cocoa beans, coffee and tea, as well as cotton need bees to increase their yield and quality.

Bees are also key to maintain biodiversity by pollinating plants that grow seeds, fruits and berries that will be eaten by other animals, and maintain the food chain.

Unfortunately, bees population is in strong decline.

This is due to climate change and temperatures rising, pesticides used in agriculture and gardening and habitat loss. This will put at risk the balance in our ecosystem, and could trigger food shortages.

What can we do to help the bees?

Don’t use chemicals and pesticides to treat your garden.

Keep a small basin of fresh water outside your home because the bees are thirsty.

Buy local, organic food. Organic food fields contain less pesticides and toxic chemicals.

Remember: bees are not here to sting you! Just let them do their job

What about wasps?

Wasps have such a bad reputation compared with bees. They are the enemies of picnickers, always want to eat your food, and people think they are aggressive and sting all the time. But are they actually that bad? Read our article on wasps, and see how they compare with bees.