The bee with its flower! A love story that has lasted for millennia and is fundamental for the survival of our planet and mankind
Among the many great loves that exist on our planet, one of the strongest and most lasting is the one among the bees and flowers. A special couple who, as we know, are now in serious danger.
Have you ever thought about it? The oldest love story in history is the one between the bee and the flower. It began more than 100 million years ago when nature devised a more efficient way than winds for plants to continue growing and spreading across the earth. To make this "romantic" observation, just on the occasion of the feast of lovers, is Allison Benjamin on the pages of the Guardian.
About 80% of plant species currently use the help of insects or other animals to transport pollen grains from the male to the female part of the plant. And the plants, for their part, are really skilled suitors: thanks to their flowers, colorful, fragrant and sweet nectar, they are able to attract pollinating insects just like a love potion would. Nature has made them perfect within an equally perfect mechanism.
Over time, some 25.000 bee species have evolved globally to play cupid with flowering plants and trees. Every time they visit their "lovers" they supply themselves with nectar, collect pollen to feed their little ones and thus become real messengers of love.
But these very special lovers of the natural world are now going through a very critical time. And, as we know, even for our own survival, is very important instead may this age-old love story persist: the growth of most fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, spices, etc. depends on bees. we eat, but also the growth of plants useful in medicine as well as fibers such as cotton and the same trees that are the green lungs of our planet.
Several species of bees are in sharp decline in numbers and among them there are also bumblebees, another species essential for pollination. Last week, a study reported a decline over a 115-year period that is "consistent with a mass extinction within a few decades" in areas where temperatures are getting warmer. It is just the latest in a long list of scientific articles that testify to the plight of bees and other pollinating insects.
The underlying problem as we know is the reckless actions of man, including monocultures and the use of pesticides in agriculture (we recently told you about the death of bees in California caused by almond crops).
As consumers, we must ask growers and retailers to adopt bee-friendly methods and also be prepared to pay something to deal with this change. As citizens, then, we must press for farmers to be subsidized to work with, not against, nature. Otherwise this love story, so fragile today, on which our survival depends, is destined to end.
We look forward to continuing on instead to see, for centuries and centuries, the magical kiss between the bee and its flower!
Source: The Guardian
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