The latest National Trust magazine has an interesting article about bees. There has been a lot of talk lately about the reduction in the number of bees and the potential impact on terrestrial ecosystems. the article points out that Britain has 27 species of Bumblebee, 240 species of wild solitary bees and the honeybee (which may be wild or domesticated).
Man has collected honey from wild bees for at least 15,000 years and the value of bees as pollinators of commercial fruit and vegetables has been estimated at more than £200 million a year.
In 2007 a strange phenomenon, called Colony Collapse Disorder, which was first noted in the USA spread to Europe. It results in honeybees deserting their hives and leaving previously healthy hives empty.
Unlike the honeybee, some bees are extremely specialised – the female of the mining bee Macropis europaea only gathers pollen from one plant – the Yellow Loosestrife.
Around 40% of the food we eat depends on plants being pollinated by insects – including bees.
A bee would need to fly the equivalent of twice round the world to produce one jar of honey.
A bee can carry half its weight in pollen.
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Bees are, without doubt, one of my favourite creatures.
ReplyDeleteThese are grand photos of a special insect.
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