VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Take a second to imagine a world without fragrant flowers, apples, or almonds.
Unfortunately, experts say that could be the case if we don’t work to help our most precious pollinator: bees.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, bee populations are declining at an unprecedented rate.
We often hear people advocating to, "Save the bees!" But what does that really mean? What do we need to do to save them?
News 3 anchor Pari Cruz wanted to learn more, so she spoke to some of the best beekeepers in the area to find out what all the buzz is about.
Beekeepers say something to be mindful of is not swatting away a bee, or even smashing one, when it's buzzing away in your vicinity.
“They don’t want to sting you,” said Dave Kvello, a beekeeper.
Kvello also explained where swarms of bees are usually headed. As he worked on catching a swarm of bees, he said they swarm when they've outgrown their old colony and want to form a new one.
“More than likely they're going to fly around for a couple minutes,” said Kvello. “If this all works... most of them are dropping in the bucket.”
Kvello is part of the Virginia Beach Bee Club. The guest speaker at the club's monthly meeting was Virginia’s State Apiarist Keith Tignor from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Tignor has been working with honeybees for the last 40 years and says there are about 80 crops grown in Virginia that require insect pollination.
“Honeybees are a primary agricultural pollinator,” said Tignor. “We call them our ‘angels of agriculture.’”
But honey isn't the only sweet thing bees are known for. When we work to save the bees, we're also saving the environment and the food we eat.
“To agriculture, honeybees are almost essential. I mean... think of our fruits and vegetables, nuts, that require pollination, primarily insect pollination, and honeybees are a primary insect pollinator,” said Tignor.
The USDA says honeybee populations have been declining for years. This is especially true for wild bees, who are facing threats from parasites, pesticides and the loss of habitat.
“We love gardening,” said Dr. Tarek Zaki, another beekeeper at the Virginia Beach Bee Club. “And we felt like it's something to do to help nature.”
An orthodontist by trade, Dr. Zaki says beekeeping is his favorite hobby and loves that he can provide his bees with a garden oasis. He showed Pari his garden, filled with beautiful fruit, veggies, and flowers within reach.
Some he has for the bees, others he has the bees for.
“One out of every three bites we eat has to do with pollination. One out of every three bites, whether it's sweet, you know, fruit, vegetables, one out of every three bites produce. So that's so very important,” said Dr. Zaki.
He says by providing his garden for the bees, he’s giving them the space they need to flourish. And like his fellow bee club members, he’s passionate about helping restore the bee populations.
“These are such vital, you know, insects, and they're so beneficial for humankind that we need to pay attention to them," Dr. Zaki said.
You can “bee” the change you wish to see! If you’d like to help save the bees, you can start small and even do it in your own backyard by planting bee and pollinator-friendly plants and flowers.
For more information on the Virginia Beach Bee Club, click here.
