Over the last few decades, scientists and farmers have noticed a dramatic decline in the bee population. In the US, honeybee colonies have declined by 90 percent per hectare since 1962.
Our world is losing bees due to climatic changes, intensive farming methods such as the use of insecticides, and the overall destruction of natural bees' habitats.
But some people love nature and are fighting tooth and nail to save bees. The beloved Morgan Freeman, an actor, film director, and philanthropist, is one of these people.
Morgan Freeman is Converting His Ranch in Mississippi into a Bee Sanctuary, to Halt the Decrease in Bee Population
Freeman's venture into beekeeping began in 2014, as a hobby, after a massive bee decline in the US. Between 2015 and 2016 alone, honeybees declined by a catastrophic 44 percent in the United States, as reported by Livekindly CEO, Jodi Monelle.
Monelle said:
"Bees may be small, but they are extremely hard-working creatures, and if that tiny two percent is lost, 80 percent of our food from crop cultivation will also disappear."
Since 2014, Freeman has imported over 26 beehives from Arkansas and installed them in his 124-acre ranch in Mississippi. The farm has now turned into a bees' paradise, with magnolia trees, cloves, and lavender.
He has now joined the global movement in support of bee conservation, where he continues to raise awareness and enlightening people about the importance of keeping bees alive.
During an appearance on "The Tonight Show," Freeman told Jimmy Fallon:
"I have not ever used the beekeeping hat with my bees. They haven't stung me yet, as right now I am not trying to harvest honey or anything, but I just feed them… I also think that they understand, 'Hey, don't bother this guy, he's got sugar water here.'"
Freeman added:
"There is a concerted effort for bringing bees back onto the planet … We do not realize that they are the foundation, I think, of the growth of the planet, the vegetation … I have a lot of flowering things, and I have a gardener too."
Why Is It Important to Help Bees Survive?
Both domestic and wild bees perform over 80 percent of plant pollination. For instance, one bee colony can pollinate up to 300 million flowers a day.
Bees are important to nearly every living thing. They pollinate the majority of nuts, fruits, vegetables, and humans will be put on the verge of extinction without them.
Everyone Has a Role to Play in Saving These Precious Insects
To fight global bee decline, some of the crucial steps include banning bee-killing pesticides and preserving bees' habitats. However, there are other things that all of us can do.
One effective way is planting flowers that attract bees in our gardens and yards. For instance, planting crocus, echinacea, calendula, and hyacinth, among others.
These are just a few ideas on how to save bees on our planet. We look forward to seeing you all taking part and being the solution, advocacy for bee survival.
