National Honeybee Day
It's National Honeybee Day!
Honeybees have a huge impact on humans - they pollinate about a third of our food. However, due to various factors like pesticides, pollution, and land development, honeybees have seen a 45% decrease in their population in the past year.
If you've never taken the time to find out how important honeybees are to us, keep reading. It's important to bring awareness to these amazing insects and find out just how much they actually do for us.
- Just as their name implies, honeybees are the only animal that can produce honey. Honey can be beneficial to your overall health by helping to heal wounds and fight bacteria.
- It can also be beneficial when used in your skincare routine. Honey contains anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties to help reduce inflammation, relieve acne, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- More than 157 million pounds of honey is produced in the country every year.
- Almost 90% of plant species rely on pollinators to reproduce. While there are other pollinators in the world (birds, bats, moths, etc.), they aren't as efficient as bees. Bees, on average, can visit over 2,000 flowers in just one day, which greatly increases the chance of many plants reproducing.
- When bees pollinate plants, they also create habitats for other animals by providing food and shelter.
- Many people have a job because of honeybees. Bee farms are a major source of employment. Even though a considerable amount of people are employed directly on the farms, there are other service providers that deal with all things bees. Honey can be found in many different products, from cosmetics to candles.
You can help these amazing insects by avoiding pesticides and herbicides, planting a bee garden, or simply shopping responsibly by supporting local growers and farmers.