World Bee Day is celebrated every year on May 20, the birthday of the founder of rational beekeeping, the Polish priest Jan Dziejąc. The main goal of this day is to draw attention to the role of pollinators in sustaining life on Earth, as well as to the serious threats these insects face.
The idea for establishing World Bee Day belongs entirely to Slovenia – a country with exceptionally deep traditions in beekeeping, where the famous Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) is bred and protected.
Why the world cannot exist without pollination?
Over 75% of the world’s cultivated crops reproduce through pollination, which is carried out mostly by bees. Not only honey, but nearly 33% of the world’s food depends directly on their activity. These two key statistics prove that the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world depend directly on the existence of this insect.
Our dietary diversity also depends on bees. Without them, most fruits, vegetables, and nuts would not exist, and we would consume primarily wind-pollinated crops such as wheat, rice, and corn. This, in turn, would lead to a severe global deficit of vitamins and nutrients.
Even for crops that can self-pollinate, bee pollination significantly increases:
Yields and crop size;
The proper shape of the fruit;
The shelf life of the fruit after harvest.
The value of global crop production that depends directly on pollinators is estimated at hundreds of billions of euros annually. Without bees, hand-pollination (which is already practiced in some regions of China due to the extinction of insects) would drive up the cost of food production to levels entirely unaffordable for the average consumer.
The unique gifts of the hive
In addition to their vital ecological role, bees provide us with unique biological products that have absolutely no artificial equivalent. Among them are:
Bee propolis (propolis): A potent natural antibiotic.
Royal jelly: Actively used to stimulate the immune system and in cosmetics.
Beeswax and bee pollen: Key raw materials for pharmacy, medicine, and the food industry.
How can we help? Initiatives in Varna
In support of this important cause, the Environmental Association for Ecology and Sustainable Development (EAESD) in Varna organizes and leads the campaigns “Get to Know Bees, Protect Your Future.”
In defense of bees, various educational visits and demonstrations are held:
“The Bees’ Garden” – an initiative that demonstrates in an accessible way why these insects are vital to us;
On-site demonstration lessons – hands-on activities that introduce children and adults to the unfamiliar and exciting world of bees.
Furthermore, EAESD offers high-quality “Linden and Acacia” honey, while their special “Get to Know Bees” kit also includes “Sunflower and Steppe Vegetation Bouquet” honey. To complete the experience, the same kit also features herbal tea and a handmade beeswax candle.
All of this has been created with one primary goal – to visually demonstrate that bees are much more than mere honey producers, a role in which people, unfortunately, all too often underestimate them.
