20th May: World Bee Day

World Bee Day

Bees are an indicator species, meaning that their presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition.  Bees, as pollinators, play an important role for humankind in terms of providing nutritional food, medicines and sustainable agriculture.  Honey and Bee wax are widely used as medicines.  Unfortunately, in recent years bees have been facing increasing threats. Increase in population, climate change and technology very much disturbing their habitat.

Recently, I learnt how the mobile rays are affecting their communication and navigation.  Entertaining movies like Bee Movie effectively created awareness about the importance of Bees.   Raising public awareness of the importance of bees is need of the hour. Having realized this, Slovenia took initiative to declare May 20 as World Bee Day and it was acknowledged by UN nations in 2017 and the world celebrated its first World Bee Day in 20th May 2018.

Slovenia, one of the smallest countries in Europe,  is emotionally attached to bees.  Around four people out every thousand citizens of Slovenia are beekeepers, which is unique in the world.  Their beekeeper's association is more than 140 years old.  

Slovenia born Anton Janša is known as a pioneer of modern apiculture.  He was employed as a teacher of apiculture at the Habsburg court in Vienna.  His exact birth date is not known, however, he was baptised on 20 May 1734.  His birthday is celebrated as World Bee Day.

The below Bee Miniature sheet was issued by Jersey Post.