Why should we help the Honey Bee?


In simple terms, the answer seems very obvious; the bees are one of the most important pollinators in the world.

We rely on honey bees for one-third of our food supply, so when honey bees are in danger, we’re all in danger. The facts in this section will help you educate others on what’s happening with our honey bees.

The honey bee is responsible for $15 billion in U.S. agricultural crops each year. Bees fly approximately 10 to 15 miles per hour and visit about 50—100 flowers in each pollination trip. To produce one pound of honey, honey bees must visit two million flowers and fly 55,000 miles. When a honey bee returns to the hive after finding a good pollen source, it gives out samples of the flower’s nectar to its hive mates and performs a dance that details the distance, direction, quality and quantity of the food supply. The richer the food source, the longer and more vigorous dance.

Why should we care about honey bees? Bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion in added crop value, particularly for specialty crops such as almonds and other nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. About one mouthful in three in our diet directly or indirectly benefits from honey bee pollination.