Any beekeeper can easily spend hours explaining to you why beekeeping is important to them, and with good reason. Honeybees truly are such awesome creatures… But beekeeping matters not just to us beekeepers; it can impact the lives of each one of us in one way or another!
Honeybees are crucial to agricultural and food systems worldwide. Their help with pollination supports a huge portion of the world’s food supply and aids in maintaining plant biodiversity. Even beekeeping that’s not done commercially or agriculturally can help support this by helping to maintain healthy bee populations. Additionally, beekeeping regulations that apply to hobbyists and commercial beekeepers alike are important to conservation efforts, too, by monitoring the health of colonies.
Beyond pollination, worker bees who are out foraging support the ecosystems around their bee yard in other ways, too. Their contributions to the pollination of wild plants promote biodiversity, which benefits various species by sustaining food sources and providing shelter for other pollinators. Beekeepers who pay close attention to their bees’ activities are often the first to notice that something has changed, but also that they can take action to make it better, too. Just another reason that beekeeping matters – not just to us or the bees, but to the entire ecosystem!
Beekeeping has been considered to have economic benefits for hundreds of years due to the various bee by-products honeybee colonies may be able to share with their beekeepers. Products like honey, propolis, and beeswax have a wide variety of uses and are quite popular in various economic markets, making beekeeping economically significant, too.
Because honeybee populations face so many threats, it’s imperative for beekeepers to support their health and growth. Given honeybees’ impact on the world, being a responsible beekeeper can make a big difference far beyond the boundaries of your bee yard. Sharing what you’ve learned with others, especially kids, can help promote awareness of the importance of honeybee conservation and introduce them to the beautiful art of beekeeping.
Read More
The Incredible Diversity of Bees
Exploring the Process of Pollination
Thoughts on Responsible Beekeeping *
Myths for the New Beekeeper to Question *
Contrarian Positions for New Beekeepers to Consider *
* Colony Member-Only Content
