Why are honeybees important?
That is a great question! Honeybees are one of our most important pollinators of the fruits and vegetables that we eat. There are many different pollinators in our world, but the honeybee is one of the most effective and efficient of them all. Honeybees are not native to the U.S., and were imported by the early settlers to pollinate the crops that they brought with them. Many of the fruits and vegetables that we enjoy were not native to the U.S., and the pollinators that were present here naturally did a poor job of pollinating these new species of plants the settlers brought with them. If not for honeybees, the produce department of the largest grocery store would be about 75% smaller! Apples, almonds, watermelon, cucumber, oranges, peaches, cherries, and cranberries are just a few of the many fruits and vegetables that rely on honeybees for proper pollination. I am allergic to bees, and one sting will kill me! My response to such a statement is “Have you ever been stung by a honeybee
