The Importance of Bees

Did you know that bees are crucial to our food security? They’re behind most of the food we eat, including most fruit and vegetables. Without bees, it would cost UK farmers 1.8 billion per year to pollinate our crops. Our food would cost a lot more to produce if we didn’t have bees! They pollinate more than 3 quarters of the UK’s wildflower, as well as the plants in our gardens, parks, and the wider countryside.

Did you know that honey has different flavours due to the expression of the flora of the area the bees live in? How incredible!
As well as honey’s taste being dependent on the flora, different bees have different personalities! We have over 270 species within the UK. Honey Bees and Bumblebees live socially, and are lead by a queen, whilst Solitary bees are smaller and their family unit is made of a single pair.

Since 1900, the UK has lost 13 species of bee, and 35 more are under threat. This is due to changes in the land use, habitat loss, farming practices, pesticides, pollution, and climate change to name a few!

How Can You Help?

Stop using pesticides and try to buy organic and chemical free produce where possible!
Plant bee friendly flowers – Plant flowers rich in nectar such as bluebells, primroses, and crocus. Purple flowers such as lavender, alliums and buddleja are said to attract bees the most, as bees can see purple mostly.