World Bee Day 2024

Why do we need bees?

• Bees and other pollinators affect 35% of global agricultural land.
• We rely on bees to pollinate plants, rainforests, and diverse food crops.
• Bees ensure biodiversity, which is crucial in adapting to climate change.
• There are over 25,000 species of bees.
• The world’s most important pollinators are honey bees, but other important pollinators include flies, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths, mosquitoes, birds, bats, insects and small mammals. 
• The black and white ruffed lemur, native to Madagascar, is the world’s largest pollinator by size. It is the only animal strong and nimble enough to extract and distribute pollen from native palms, typically growing up to 40 feet high.
• Without bees, there would be no coffee and no chocolate.

How can we help?

• Avoid using pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides in our garden.
• Buy raw honey from local farmers and producers.
• Plant a diverse mix of native plants which flower at different times of the year.
• Plant more hedgerows and wildflowers or leave a section of lawn unmown.
• Sponsor a beehive, just like us. More details on adopting a beehive can be found at www.sponsorabeehive.uk or through our chosen apiary, www.swhoneyfarms.com .