The Essential Role of Beehives in Biodiversity and Agriculture
At Evergreen Botany , we recognize the invaluable contribution of honey bees to our ecosystems and agriculture. These industrious pollinators live in structured beehives , forming large social colonies within wax-based nests. While there were historically 11 recognized species of honey bees, today only 8 species remain, with 43 subspecies in existence. Despite their small numbers, honey bees are part of a much larger network, representing a mere fraction of the 20,000 bee species worldwide. The Global Importance of Bees Found on every continent except Antarctica , bees play a critical role in maintaining biodiversity . They support plant reproduction by pollinating flowering plants , ensuring the health and sustainability of countless ecosystems. Honey bees, in particular, rely on nectar for energy and pollen for nutrients — both of which are essential for feeding their larvae and sustaining their colonies. Th...