The Park Needs Bees too
Yesterday, was World Bee Day. The rangers and I took some time in the morning to sit under the big raintree near our office and listen intently to the ‘hum’ above us.
The ‘hum’ was the collective beatings of the little wings of the many bees that were visiting the bright yellow flowers of the creeping vines in the canopy of the raintree. It’s an eerie humming sound that really fills your ears when you immerse yourself in it. It made me think of a squadron of World War II fighter planes flying in unison in the sky.
I shared that thought with the rangers, but they looked at me strangely. Perhaps they didn’t see the connection I made. So, I dropped it and focussed on the purpose of bringing them outside under the raintree.
They weren’t aware that Friday was World Bee Day. They were preoccupied with our last-minute planning for International Day of Biological Diversity (World Biodiversity Day), which is on Sunday, May 22, 2022. To get them into the bee mood, I said: “Listen to that humming sound above you and remember this always ‘No bees, No Biodiversity Day. And frankly, No Humans to celebrate any day’.”
The rangers chuckled a bit, but I kept my facial expression serious. And Ranger Justin gently asked: “You are serious?”
And that lead me into my morning sermon on World Bee Day.
LIFE WITH THE BEES
We need bees. There is no two ways about it. These little ‘himmers’ and many other pollinators make life on our planet possible. They buzz from flower to flower and are meticulous in what they do, collecting pollen and nectar for their own food and of course, beginning pollination.
From that simple visit to a flower, multitudes of humans, animals, and plants benefit. And the bees have been doing this environmental service (free of charge) for a very long time.
I know a few things about bees. I have experienced them growing up and now every day at work. I’ve seen them visiting countless flowers. I’ve been stung by them a few times whilst intruding on their secret nesting spots.
I’ve seen a Vanikoro Broadbill (a feisty little bird) swoop down and pick a bee right off my office window screen. I’ve seen bees by the sea hovering over the flowers of the Half-flower shrubs and the sinuous Morning Glory creepers. They are literally everywhere in the park. And like the rest of the world, the park needs bees too.
World Bee Day is celebrated on 20 May. It’s a recent addition to the many international days approved by the United Nation, and it’s an important one too. It’s a day we get to:
■ draw the attention of the world’s public and political decision-makers to the importance of protecting bees;
■ remind us that we depend on bees and other pollinators;
■ protect bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries; and
■ halt the further loss of biodi
versity and degradation of ecosystems, and thereby contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Bees are keystone species that play a vital role in preserving our ecosystem health. By providing the essential pollination services for plants, they help maintain plant diversity, which in turns support other essential ecosystem services, including helping to regulate climate, purify air and water, build soil, and recycle nutrients. In other words, without bees, our ecosystems are at risk, our biodiversity is at risk and our food security is at risk.
For such a tiny creature, their disappearance would sap the thrill out of existence. We shouldn’t be taking them for granted. They deserve our utmost respect. And they need our help to continue thriving, because
we are one of the biggest threats to them. So, here are some ways we can help our bee family.
We all can start by planting nectarbearing flowers for decorative purposes on our balconies, terraces, and gardens. We can educate our children on the importance of bees and give support to local beekeepers. We can preserve old meadows – which feature a more diverse array of flowers – and sow nectar-bearing plants. We can also offer suitable farming locations for the temporary or permanent settlement of bees so that they have suitable pasture; consequently, they will pollinate our plants, which will thereby bear more fruit. And mostly, we should use pesticides that do not harm bees, and be mindful of how and when we use them.
For me, the biggest support we can accord bees is to remember that they exist and that we should always be vigilant with our human actions on the world around us. We have had the biggest impact on the world and already, a few warning bells have been rung. To find solutions to the problems we face, it’s up to all of us to grow wiser and connect to the reality we really belong to.
The onus now lies on us mending our relationship with the planet because our children, grandchildren and great great grandchildren’s lives depend upon us doing so.
Yesterday’s World Bee Day theme was “Bee engaged: Build back better for Bees”. It’s a good thing to remember that the planet is carrying us.
HAPPY WORLD BEE DAY!