Bees are extremely important to the ecosystem due to their fantastic method of pollination. Bees vibrate at 440 Hz to cause pollen to come loose from flowers. They then move from flower to flower doing this helping spread genetic material around from female flowers to male flowers allowing the production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. These then allow the plant to continue its species. This in turn gives us humans more food that is healthy and safe to eat.
These wonderful little workers also produce a classic favorite sweetener and that Honey. A product that has a long shelf life due and tastes so good. Many people choose local honey due to it containing pollen strains from local plants; thus aiding in a person’s allergies. These little workaholics also produce Beeswax, a common ingredient in modern items from Chapstick, to lotion, to candles; there are many uses of this soft malleable product. One last by product made by bees is propolis or Bee glue. It can be used for medicinal purposes for anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties and it can be applied to wounds to assist with inflammation and infection. These are just how the bees benefit us humans but they have even more important roles in our amazing ecosystem.
To reiterate they help in the reproduction of plants to produce the fruits, vegetables, and nuts. They also help non fruiting plants reproduce in creating the necessary means to reproduce whether it be burs, gliders, or any variation of seed spreading the plants have. Without the bees that plants would not produce like they should and we would watch as our ecosystem died off without reproduction until the lands are bare. Yes there are other insects that pollinate like mosquitos, wasps, ants, butterflies, moths, and many other of our Arthropoda friends. Their assistance in the reproduction of many species of plants allowing biodiversity.
Biodiversity: the diversity of life in our ecosystem is greatly thanks to bees. They allow many plants to grow that may not be able to grow without pollinators. These little busy bodies help our gardens blossom beautiful flowers, help our farmers and gardeners grow delicious food. Our trees would not be able to continue their lineage of tall, beautiful, and shady ways. Without biodiversity we couldn’t have a self sustaining ecosystem of different plants that can help each other with growth. An example is per native American tradition the three sisters.
Corn, Squash, and beans; these 3 plants all assist each other in growth, one providing nitrogen to the soil, one allowing the other to grow on it, and the other providing shade acting like a mulch. These three plants help each other grow big and strong; however, this would all be wasted without bees. Without bees the tree sisters would struggle to produce their beautiful bountiful of vegetables and legumes. Without the native Americans may not have survived the harsh south west. Assisting with the biodiversity meaning many plants can grow means habitats for other species.
Habitats are crucial for survival trees providing shade and shelter from the sun and weather. This also provides resources such as wood for shelter. This also provides a healthy habitat for rodents, birds, and other insects to have food and shelter.
This means this provides food hunters like birds of prey, carnivorous mammals, and humans. Without bees these habitats would die off the rodent, birds, and insects would leave and die. The creatures further up the food chain would suffer due to lack of food source. In the end, we owe bees our lives and we need to start taking better care of our little buzzing buddies.
