Why are bees so important for biodiversity?

Imagine a world without bees. There would obviously be a lack of honey. You’d probably enjoy your summer picnic without the worry of a sting. And Beyonce would likely have to change the name of her iconic fan base.

But that would barely scratch the surface of life in a bee-free society.

Bees play a key role in maintaining biodiversity through pollination – the act of transferring pollen grains between plants for fertilization and the production of seeds.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, food security, nutrition and the health of the environment depend on pollination. Bees and other pollinators contribute to 35 percent of the world’s total crop production, pollinating 87 of 115 leading food crops worldwide. Pollination is responsible for nearly 90 percent of wildflower plants and 75 percent of edible plantation.

Worryingly, in many areas, the number of bees, pollinators and other insects are decreasing. Present species extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impact.

Before you go rummaging your local grocery store to bulk up your honey supply in case of a shortage, it’s important to understand that less than 4 percent of the known 20,000 bee species produce honey. The other 96 percent are known as bumblebees or solitary bees.

In fact, honeybees aren’t ultimately at risk of disappearing and might actually be hurting other native wild bee populations.

Native to Europe, Africa and parts of Asia, the honeybee, or Apis mellifera, was adopted for agricultural pollination in the early 20th century. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, it is estimated that there are more honeybees on the planet now than at any other time in human history.

So have we been fighting to save the wrong types of bees?

Although we can thank honeybees for the tasty sweetener they produce, bumblebee and solitary species do more to enhance biodiversity and agriculture.

Bumblebees, for example, are better pollinators due to their messier method. Known as “buzz pollination,” bumblebees and even some solitary bees rapidly vibrate and carry pollen all over their bodies, which increases the success rate of pollination.

What’s more, according to the World Wildlife Foundation, the non-honey bunch are unsung environmental heroes. In wetlands, bees help to pollinate a variety of wildflower species. One such example exists within the relationship between the nude yellow loosestrife bee and the fringed loosestrife plant. The floral oils from the plant taken during pollination are used to line the bees’ nests as well as feed their larvae. The bees are uniquely adapted to only feed on this plant species. Without unique relationships such as this between flowering plants and specific bee species, these diverse ecosystems, where 40 percent of all the world’s species call home, could become threatened.

Despite the hive mentality we associate with bees, 90 percent are solo endeavors (think freelancers, if you will). While some of these solitary bees live in twigs or stone walls, the vast majority nest within soil, which aids in aeration. Of course, the main way bees help soil is through the plants they pollinate. This in turn, leads nutrient-rich root systems. Healthy soil means a healthy ecosystem.

No sting in the tail

Contrary to popular belief, not all bees are out to sting you. In fact, the Atlantic Forest where the Zurich Forest Project is located is also home to several species of stingless bees. These busy bees are responsible for pollinating approximately 90 percent of the trees in the Atlantic Forest.

In environmental restoration and ecosystem recovery programs, stingless bees play a vital role as pollination agents of a wide variety of plant species. The team at Instituto Terra factors this into their activities with the presence of a bee nursery, or meliponary, on site.

“The bees are absolutely essential as they help to pollinate the trees in the forest,” says Pieter Jan van der Veld, who has been environmental technical adviser at Instituto Terra for the past several years. “These are the same trees that produce fruits, with seeds, that are then used to make new seedlings.”

An integral part of Instituto Terra’s environmental education program is teaching students and the community about the role of stingless bees and their importance in maintaining a biodiverse environment.

Kayla Maria Alves Fagiole, nicknamed Queen Bee, is an educational assistant at Instituto Terra responsible for the Meliponary School, and says the native bees are fierce allies of the Atlantic Forest and consequently to Instituto Terra. “We need to spread awareness and engage others in caring for our planet,” she says. “It’s a very rewarding experience, being able to help with the preservation of such a rich biome – and with the bees native to Brazil.”

What can you do to give bees a chance?

Every year on May 20, the UN celebrates World Bee Day. Here are some of their suggestions for calls to action you can take:

• Plant a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year.
• Buy honey and other hive products from local farmers.
• Avoid using pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in gardens.
• Educate others as to the importance of bees.
• Sponsor a hive.