Bees are those ever-feared-by-children, flying cousins of wasps and ants. They are the great pollinators. They buzz from flower to flower feeding on pollen and nectar. The above bumblebee is working away on a giant sunflower in the Triad. Bumblebees play an important role as wild pollinators. Since bumblebees are at risk of extinction, in 2006 the Bumblebee Conservation Trust was established and In 2011, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature set up a group to review the threatened status of bumbleebees (reference). 

Bees haven’t always been around. The history of the evolution of bees is really interesting* There are over 20,000 species. It is hard to imagine the world without bees. However, their extinction is a possible scenario. For our young students interested in pursuing degrees in science, melittology  and apiology are branches of entomology that could use researchers.

As for Greensboro, we can help by promoting ecological farming and trying to avoid pesticides. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our Round 15 letter “B”, “B” is for BEE! Follow our whole S.T.E.A.M. ABC Wednesday series,  here.

* read the Wiki entry, here.