European honeybees in Sheffield, England

© Deborah Vernon/Alam

The buzz about World Bee Day. World Bee Day

As flowers start to bloom, you'll hear the soft hum of bees buzzing between them, drinking nectar, and gathering pollen to take back to their hives. Some pollen grains on their bodies get carried between flowering plants, helping them to reproduce, yield better crops, and support other species. The UN proclaimed May 20 as World Bee Day to highlight the importance of these pollinators and the threats they face, including habitat loss, climate change, and pesticide use. Busy bees attend to over 90% of the world’s top 107 crops and are vital to our food supply, but populations worldwide have declined. So today, let's support our industrious friends to help them go about their important work in peace.