Let’s raise a spoonful of honey (or a Gold Rush cocktail) to our hardworking local bees.
“How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flower!”
So begins a poem by Issac Watts (1674-1748), an ode to the hardworking bee. But Watts’s praise is justified; more than 80 percent of the flowering plants in the world and at least a third of the world’s crops depend on animal pollinators, primarily bees.
Honeybees, which are not native to the United States, get a lot of credit for their role in agriculture (in fact, “National Honey Bee Day” is August 17) but there are more than 500 native bee species in North Carolina that also play vital roles.
Honeybees arrived on English ships in the early 1600s and spread quickly; in the 1800s North Carolina led the nation in production of beeswax, and the state’s annual honey production eventually topped 2.5 million pounds. The honeybee was named North Carolina’s state insect in 1973.
But our native bumblebees also play an important role in agriculture; thank a bumblebee the next time you enjoy blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, zucchini, yellow squash, or onions.
The bumblebee is an outstanding pollinator due to its ability to “buzz,” resulting in sound waves that help dislodge a plant’s pollen, which is collected on the bumble bees’ fuzz.
And of course, our native bees contribute aesthetically as well, as pollinators that facilitate reproduction for the stunning flowering trees and wildflowers that blanket our area.
Unfortunately, scientists have reported massive declines in the populations of wild bees and other pollinators over the past two decades.
The Rusty Patched Bumblebee, once common in Western North Carolina, is feared to be almost extinct. The causes include use of pesticides, loss of habitat, climate change, and disease.
Want to help? Curtailing use of pesticides is the most important step. As is letting some of your garden go a bit “wild,” as bees love a more natural habitat, preferably one full of native wildflowers.
So how will you celebrate National Honeybee Day?
If creating a new wildflower garden sounds like too much work for today, go to your favorite establishment and order a Gold Rush (bourbon, lemon juice, and, of course, a simple syrup made from honey – you’re welcome!) and offer a toast of health and prosperity to not only honey bees, but also our hardworking native bee species.
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is committed to preserving our natural resources, including pollinator habitats. For more information go to hcltnc.org.
