The month of August was turned out to be the rainiest season of the year in 2019. It rained very heavily in Pune and some areas around Pune like Mulashi even had to face the flood-like situations. Bridges like Z-bridge were broken due to the severe intensity of the rainwater. Many old houses and buildings also got damaged.
This beehive shown in the picture too was fallen on the ground in our backyard during that heavy rainfall period. It is the hive of Florea honey bees (Apis florea) which was fallen from the tall tree due to harsh wind followed by the force of heavy rain. These florea bees are typical garden bees. Wherever there are flowering plants, this beautiful small-sized bee surely visits the flowers, and thereby cross-pollination takes place. We were privileged to have the nest (i.e.hive) of these bees in our backyard. And though it was fallen due to rains, the entire bee colony must have been swarmed to another safe place. I just like this ‘Never Say Die’ spirit of these dwarf honey bees and of all other honey bees as well.
Oh, why I am writing all this here? Because today is Saturday 21st August 2021 which is declared by the USA as the ‘National Honey Bee Day and celebrated almost all over the world for spreading awareness about honey bees. And I just want to let you know the die-hard spirit of these bees. So, isn’t it a good lesson to learn from these adorable little friends? Today let’s decide not to destroy unnecessarily the hives of these dwarf bees from our gardens out of fear. These wild bees are pretty quiet in nature and do not attack humans unnecessarily. Furthermore, these native bees are powerful enough to face natural phenomena like rains, etc. But these poor bees can’t face man-made cunning and destructive mechanisms like acute toxic chemical pest control methods adopted to destroy hives.
Florea bees are mistaken with Rock bees in urban areas and hence, city dwellers destroy its hives out of fear. Bee Basket saves these hives along with entire bee colonies residing inside these hives by relocating the hives to a safer place. People who don’t want these hives contact Bee Basket helpline no.8308300008. And then the Bee Basket team remove these hives by charging the service fees and place those removed hives at the organic gardens or farms of the people who want florea hives for pollination purposes.
Let’s become sensitive towards other creatures. On this national honey bee day, let’s become friends of honey bees and follow the ‘Live and Let Live’ philosophy.
Wish You All A Very Happy National Honey Bee Day 2021!
Written By Priya Phulambrikar
Member of Team Bee Basket
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