We humans have been sharing a sweet partnership with them for a long time. In Spain, a neolithic cave painting shows that people were collecting honey at least 7,000 years ago. Egyptians were managing beehives 4,500 years ago. Throughout the ancient world, there is plenty of evidence that bees were often regarded as sacred, and honey and wax were used in ceremonies. Likely, honey was one of the sweetest substances people had, and Romans and Greeks considered bees a symbol of good fortune, life and abundance. Today, these beautiful, gift-giving little creatures need our loving attention!

Bees are a natural barometer mirroring the health of our environment. In recent decades, due to intensive monoculture growing practices, the use of toxic pesticides, changes in climate and degradation of their habitats, bees and their colonies have been dying at alarming rates. While this is certainly distressing, the good news is, there is a lot we can do and our efforts to heal and support the environment, in the long run, will benefit us as well!