Save the Bees

Honey is the oldest source of sweetness known to mankind. Ever since we started exploring its benefits, honey has played a major part in food and medicines. The presence of honey was first discovered in Spain in the cave of Valencia. In the cave the honey seeker was portrayed on an 8000 year old cave painting at Arana Caves in Spain. This ancient painting shows a person extracting honey from wild beehive, which indicates that humans have been practicing honey harvesting for as long as 5000 BC. Today with all these years of experience and knowledge, there is new technology and better ways to harvest honey. Yet, the question lingers, are the ways of honey harvesting ethical?

According to NASA, Earth’s average temperature has risen almost two degrees since 1880. That might not seem like much on paper, but the effects of this seemingly small climate change can be seen in the weather, sea levels, and the health of our global bee populations. In fact, the impact of changing temperatures on both native and introduced pollinators has many experts believing slowing climate change may be the only way to save the bees. So how can we help slow climate change and its damaging effects? And what else can we do to help save the bees?

Bees do more to save the world than we could ever do, as they are an integral part of our ecosystem and work to keep the planet healthy. It might also surprise you that there are over 20,000 species of bees that we know about in the UK. From bumblebees, honeybees and solitary bees, each species contributes a lot to the UK's environmental balance and the planet's wellbeing. Let’s take a look at why bees are important.

Challenges that make the survival of bees difficult have largely been identified. Efforts to address them are being made in different countries by various government agencies, organizations and individuals. This article looks at the threats facing bees and possible solutions to save the bees. Being highly independent and resilient insects, bees fly many miles to forage for food, defend against attacks and survive harsh weather including winter. But even then, there are basic requirements for the survival of bees.

Beekeepers benefit by harvesting honey, beeswax and other products from beehives, which they can then sell for a profit. However, there are some beekeepers that are in it solely for conservation purposes. The question sometimes pops up, is it morally wrong to take honey from bees? Have you ever asked yourself, is harvesting honey bad for bees? Well, if those questions have been on your mind, then this article will explore a few ethical issues about beekeeping.