Bees have inhabited our planet long before the advent of man and still play a huge role in the entire ecosystem. They produce honey, which they are happy to share with humans, but their importance is much greater. Albert Einstein once said that when the bees disappear, humanity will survive for a maximum of four more years. Although this is quite a bold statement, the role that these insects play within all our lives should not be diminished.
The role of bees in the ecosystem is fundamental yet, unfortunately, still underestimated. We all know that thanks to bees we can eat delicious honey, but that is not all they do for us. These industrious insects are responsible for pollinating almost 80% of the plants that provide food for humans and other animals.

What do bees do for people?

There is a reason why the Polish saying ‘hardworking as a bee’ exists. Bees work constantly and share the results of this work - bee products - with humans. Man gets not only honey from bees, but also pollen, propolis, feather and wax. We take almost every element of the hive to use it later as food, cosmetics, an element of aromatherapy or part of an object (e.g. beeswax candles).
However, bees also provide us with other food. Thanks to pollination, vegetables and fruit yield more, are bigger, prettier and tastier. Here it is also worth mentioning wild bees, because it is not only honey bees that are involved in pollination. 
Farmers also appreciate bees for more mundane reasons. A lack of bees or too few of them in agricultural areas results in a reduction in income for the farmer. The global economic value of bee pollination is estimated in millions of euros.

The influence of bees on the ecosystem

Still too few people understand the great impact bees have on nature. Pollination is important not only because it provides us with food. It is extremely important for the whole ecosystem because it makes it possible to maintain biodiversity, which is particularly important now, when many plant and animal species are dying. 
Bees are also irreplaceable in preserving insect-pollinated plant species. They have a trait called ‘flower fidelity’, which means that they collect food from one species of plant for as long as it flowers. Bees also pollinate plants in early spring, which is particularly important as there are not many other pollinating insects around then.

Why are bees indispensable?

Most of the world’s plants depend on the work of beneficial bees. If they were to disappear, there would be a huge gap in the ecosystem, even if humans took over as pollinators. Without bees, even more species would die and the human diet would become poor and very expensive. In other words, if the bees die out, we face a massive ecological disaster.
That is why it is so important to protect bees, because they are already threatened with extinction as a result of man’s destructive activities. We can help these little insects by planting plants which the bees like in the garden or on the balcony. It is a small gesture which will help save not only the bee population, but also the entire natural world around us.