Wasp or Bee? You tell me.
Make sure you’re aware of the differing characteristics between cute little honeybees and their dangerously aggressive cousins. All jokes aside, the two insects are quite the contrast of one another, especially in what they contribute to the world. While swatting down a stray wasp in your house this summer may not ruffle any feathers, do your best to be positive you’re not harming one of our precious pollinating friends by mistake.
While all forms of these insects may be a little scary as they buzz past your ear on a summer day, trust me when I tell you that these fuzzy flying bugs are much more important to us than you may have thought before.
The pollinators (includes the familiar and adorable honeybees and bumble bees) have been disappearing from our planet at an alarming rate over the past fifty years.
Wondering why you should you care? If you didn’t know that bees were important until now – here’s your reality check. About one out of every three mouthfuls of food we consume is available at least partially thanks to bees. Nope, they don’t just make honey.
If they didn’t exist anymore? Well, at the worst, our world food supply could drop to critical levels. Sure, we’d still have food if the bees all died out, but be assured that what would be available would include much less variety with a much higher price tag.
Not only are bees important in the creation of the food we need in order to survive – their help is also necessary for many everyday items and products, including body piercing maintenance! For example, our Hold Fast Ear Stretching Balm, which helps to maintain healthy stretched lobes, contains beeswax in its ingredients.
So, why is there a decline in the bee population in the first place? Well, yeah, you already probably guessed it – mostly because of the existence of the human species. Pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change are among the top three contributing factors to the plight of the wild bee colonies. Don’t you think we owe it to the bees to try and do our part to save them from extinction? We might even save ourselves from a worldwide food crisis in the process.
How can you help? Here are three easy ways for you to get started:
- PLANT
You don’t have to have a green thumb to help out our honeybee pals! Planting species that are enticing to pollinating insects and animals is one of the easiest ways you can play your part in helping out the bee dilemma. See this Fish and Wildlife Service page for all the information you’ll need to start you own pollinator garden!
- SUPPORT
Whether it be celebrating and encouraging bee-friendly practices, thanking your local beekeeper, or buying goods from local organic farmers, it doesn’t take much to support the cause of saving our honeybees, especially when we have the fruits of their labor as our incentive. And hey – when you help out a beekeeper or farmer, you’re helping out more than just the bees’ quality of life!
- ADVOCATE
Even something just as simple as signing a petition, writing to local government, or spreading the word can do a lot for any cause. Pledging your support in a cause like saving our bee population means advocating and working for a sustainable and fruitful future. You can even get involved in both grassroots and well-established organizations that are already fighting hard to protect our bees.
Another way to spread awareness? Well – we can help you out in the way we know best – with bee-themed body jewelry and accessories!
