Cologne, Germany (AP) – 8th Annual “World Bee Day” The bees appeared oblivious.
They should pay attention.
Bees and other pollinators have been declining for years, as experts point to a mix of issues, including pesticides, parasites, diseases, climate change, and insufficient food diversity. A considerable portion of the human diet relies on plants that are pollinated not only by honeybees but also by hundreds of species of lesser-known wild bees.
In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly established the inaugural “World Bee Day.” Be mindful of bees. Simple actions, such as planting pollinator gardens and purchasing raw honey from local farmers, were encouraged.
May 20th was selected to align with the birthday of Anton Janscha, the 18th-century pioneer of modern beekeeping techniques from Slovenia.
In Germany, bees contribute €2 billion ($2.3 billion) to the economy, playing a vital role in pollinating the iconic yellow rapeseed fields that blanket the countryside each spring.
On Tuesday, around 400,000 honeybees (in the flowering yellow fields) within a hive atop a western Cologne rooftop were diligently producing honey.
They seemed oblivious to the dangers threatening their survival. On this World Bee Day, scientists like Matthias Ross, president of the Cologne Beekeepers Association, and bee specialists hope to raise awareness.
For Ross, protecting both bees and the hive on his roof is crucial. His organization established the hive box with the intention of aiding solitary bees that don’t form hives, but Ross worries it may not suffice.
“We must care for nature,” Ross stated on Tuesday. “Cities detach us from nature, and we need to look after wild bees, especially in urban areas.”
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Fannie Brodersen contributed from Berlin, while Michael Probst reported from Welheim, Germany. Kerstin Sopke and Stefanie Dazio also contributed to this report from Berlin.
Source: apnews.com