Why Bees Matter

When most people think of bees, they think of honey or perhaps of a painful sting. Yet bees play a far more important role in nature than many of us 1—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use. As they fly from flower to flower collecting nectar, they carry pollen from one plant to another. This process, called pollination, allows many plants to 2—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use fruit and seeds.

Much of the food we eat 3—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use on this tiny insect. Apples, strawberries, almonds, and many other crops would be difficult to grow without bees. In fact, some farmers 4—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use rent beehives and place them in their fields when their trees are in bloom.

In many parts of the world, however, bee populations have been 5—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use. Scientists believe there are several causes rather than a single one. The loss of wild flowers and natural 6—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use leaves bees with less food and fewer places to live. Certain chemicals used to kill 7—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use insects on farms can also harm bees, and changes in climate may make the situation even worse.

The good news is that ordinary people can help. Planting flowers in a garden or even on a 8—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use can give bees a place to feed. Some cities have also started to 9—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use fewer chemicals in parks and along roads. Protecting bees is not only about saving one kind of insect; it is also about protecting the food 10—A balconyB decliningC dependsD evenE habitatsF harmfulG imagineH produceI supplyJ use that all of us rely on.