Do you like my wings? Aren’t they Bee-utiful? Today is World Bee Day, the day that we celebrate Bees and other pollinators from around the world.
Pollinators move pollen within a flower or carry pollen from flower to flower. Their work is called pollination. Three-quarters, or 75% of the world’s crops depend on the work of pollinators to produce a healthy harvest. Can you think of pollinators other than bees? If you said bats, birds or butterflies, you are right!
The world is home to more than 20,000 species of bees. There are mason bees, leaf-cutter bees, sweat bees and carpenter bees just to name a few. Bees are pollinators. Bees wiggle and waggle and dance on flowering trees and plants. As they dance, they transfer pollen from one flower to the next.
Most bees don’t make honey. They make something called bee bread or pollen loaf, but that is another story! And maybe another recipe. It is the honey bee who gathers nectar from flowers to make honey. Honey is the only food made by insects that is loved by humans around the world. So, if you love honey, thank a honey bee!
Some crops like almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, pears, pumpkins and strawberries depend on honey bees for pollination. Without help from the honey bees, these crops would bear little or no fruit!
Has anyone ever called you a Busy Bee? Take that as a compliment. Worker bees are fast! Their wings can beat 250 times per second allowing them to fly as far as 15 miles in an hour. Honey bees must visit five million flowers to make just one pint of honey.
How can you help the bees? Bee supportive!
- Buy honey from local suppliers. When you support local beekeepers, you support the bees who live in your neighborhood. Bee a good neighbor!
- Plant a bee garden. Bees like colorful flowers to dance on as they sip nectar.
- Make a bee bath! When you leave a bowl of water outside, it’s like giving the bees their own little drinking fountain. Make sure you provide clean water every day.
Today, you can make this bee-utiful StrawBee-ry Salad! https://carltoncooks.com/world-bee-day-recipes/
You may have noticed the green onions and lettuce in the picture above. Did you know that you can regrow green onions and romaine lettuce by placing their ends in fresh water?
And I know how much you like ranch dressing. I like it, too. But as I always say, it is good to try new things. Today I have a new thing I think you will love. Honey Bee Salad Dressing! Made with real honey that was made by real bees. Just like ranch, you can use it on everything and you just can’t bee-t it! Try Honey Bee Salad Dressing at home. Email me and tell me what you like to eat it with. I like mine on fruit, salads, and as a dip for my potato chips!