On the eighth celebration of “World Bee Day,” the bees appeared unperturbed.
They should be.
For several years, bee populations and other pollinators have been decreasing, with specialists attributing this trend to multiple causes including pesticides, pests, diseases, shifts in climatic conditions, and insufficient variety in their nutrition sources. A substantial portion of what we eat relies on these plant types that depend on bees for reproduction—this includes both familiar honeybees as well as numerous less recognized wild bee varieties, many facing extinction risks.
In 2018, the U.N. General Assembly initiated the inaugural “World Bee Day” with the aim of raising awareness about the challenges faced by bee populations. Simple actions like cultivating a pollinator-friendly garden or purchasing raw honey directly from local producers were promoted.
May 20 was selected for “World Bee Day” because it coincides with the birth anniversary of Anton Janša, who was a trailblazer in contemporary apiculture practices in his homeland of Slovenia during the 18th century.
In Germany, where bees provide €2 billion ($2.3 billion) worth of economic value, they play an essential role in pollinating the vast yellow rapeseed fields that blanket the landscape during springtime.
On Tuesday, approximately 400,000 bees in urban rooftop hives in the western city of Cologne — known for its golden flowering fields — were actively engaged in producing honey.
They appeared unaware of the dangers threatening their existence. Experts such as Matthias Roth, who heads the Cologne Beekeepers Association, along with scientists, believe that World Bee Day could help increase public consciousness about these issues.
For Roth, safeguarding both honey bees – such as those in his rooftop colonies – and wild species is essential. His group has installed nest boxes aiming to assist solitary bees, which do not live in hives. However, Roth worries that this measure may be insufficient.
On Tuesday, Roth emphasized, ‘It’s crucial that we look after nature. We’ve grown distant from it, particularly in urban areas, and we should pay special attention to protecting wild bees.’
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