The diligence of the bees is proverbial, but it is also reflected in hard economic facts. Because in addition to honey production – like these two hobby beekeepers in their garden near Kaufbeuren – the honey bee fulfills a second, much more important function according to Bund Naturschutz (BN): pollinating flowers and trees. Around 80 percent of all plant species depend on cross-pollination, and of these around 80 percent could potentially be pollinated by honey bees. The wild bees are even more important for the natural balance, since they cover a much larger spectrum in the pollination of flowers, shrubs and trees due to their abundance of species. Two billion euros – that’s how high the conservationists estimate the monetary value that bees in this country bring in every year through pollination. In any case, many plants are completely dependent on bees for pollination. But the same applies: Conversely, about a third of all native nest-building wild bees are specialized in very specific flowers and cannot exist without them.
Hard workers in God’s garden – Bavaria
