We bet you already love honey bees

Their work ethic, artistry, loyalty, professionalism, gentle nature, and dedication to the very survival of us humans. Here’s a closer look at nine reasons to love and protect honeybees.

1. They work like dogs. According to the National Honey Board, a bee may visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just one pound of honey. Thus, bees are associated with hard work and diligence.

2. The better to hear you with. Іn fоlk mеdісіnе, bееswах еаr саndlеs аrе usеd fоr еаr wах rеmоvаl. Тhеу аrе bеlіеvеd tо bе аblе tо hеаl еаr іnfесtіоn аnd іmрrоvе hеаrіng bу rеmоvіng thе wах іnsіdе thе еаr. Оrіgіnаtіng frоm mаnу соuntrіеs suсh аs Сhіnа, Сzесhоslоvаkіа, Мехісо аnd Іtаlу, thіs аnсіеnt аrt іs knоwn аs еаr саndlіng.

3. They produce amazing stuff. Raw honey is said to be an effective substance to treat infected wounds, as it accelerates healing, reduces redness and inflammation, and can help treat bacterial infections. Raw honey acts like an antibiotic, and is also credited for treating eye infections known as infective conjunctivitis. It is effective in reducing discharge and swelling, as well as speeding up the healing process

4. We can’t live without ‘em. Pollination: it’s vital to life on Earth, but largely unseen by the human eye. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with gorgeous high-speed images from his film “Wings of Life,” inspired by the vanishing of one of nature’s primary pollinators, the honeybee.

5. They feed us. Bees are the only insect in the world that make food for humans. Sweet!

6. They’re gentle creatures. Honeybees are not aggressive by nature, and will not sting unless protecting their hive from an intruder or are unduly provoked.

7. They stick together. The 60,000 or so bees in a beehive may collectively travel as much as 55,000 miles and visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just a pound of honey!

8. Bees are sensitive creatures. People wishing to add plants to their garden in hopes of attracting and aiding bees should consider the source of the plant carefully before introducing it to their yard and be conscious of potential chemical contamination.

9. They work for free. As the field bees forage for nectar, pollen sticks to the fuzzy hairs which cover their bodies or are collected in their pollen basket. Some of this pollen rubs off on the next flower they visit, fertilizing the flower and resulting in better fruit production. Some plants will not produce fruit at all without the help of honeybees. In the United States alone, it is estimated that honeybees accomplish 1/4 of the pollination needed for all fruit produced for human consumption – an estimated $10 billion worth of work each year!

Oh, Wait .. Here’s a Bonus Reason!

10. Honeybees dance. One of the few non-human animals to communicate symbolically, they dance to explain the location of food to their fellows. Bee people use such metaphors, but admit they don’t quite capture these complex, fascinating creatures and their ultra-organized communities. With a population of up to 80,000, a beehive is like a small human city.

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