“According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.” But they do. And these busy bees are doing more than just flying. Through pollination, bees provide us with nearly one-third of all the foods we eat. Unbelievable, right?

But the real buzz about bees is that there has been a drastic decline in the bee population in recent years. This appears to be due to Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon where adult honeybees are disappearing from their hives. CCD is a complex problem with no single cause. Some contributors to this problem are loss of habitat, fungal diseases, mite infestations, and a class of insecticides chemically related to nicotine called neonicotinoids.

Without the bee population, let’s BEE honest here, life as we know it would change. You couldn’t eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away, or make lemonade since life won’t be giving us lemons because bees pollinate apples, cucumbers, lemons, onions, oranges and so many more. ‘Orange’ you glad that the world has bees.

These little pollinators really are the bee’s knees and saving the bees can start with you. Planting native flowers, placing a “bee bath” outside with water and pebbles, using little to no pesticides in your gardens, being knowledgeable on the importance of bees, and spreading awareness are small steps you can take to make a big impact.

If you’re just buzzing to start helping the bee population, the time is now because bees are keepers and without them, it’s a sting to all of us.