🐝 Buzzing with Excitement This World Bee Day 🍯

🐝  Buzzing with Excitement This World Bee Day 🍯

This World Bee Day, we’re excited to share some sweet news from our Farm Shop — we now have our very own beehives on site. That means in the near future, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious, local honey produced right here at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm.

But more importantly, World Bee Day is a chance to shine a spotlight on these incredible pollinators and the vital role they play in our environment.

Why Bees Matter

Bees are among the most important pollinators on the planet. Around 75% of the world’s flowering plants and roughly 35% of the crops we eat rely, at least in part, on pollination by animals — and bees do the bulk of this work.

In the UK alone, bees contribute hundreds of millions of pounds to the economy through the pollination of crops like apples, beans, and soft fruits. Without bees, not only would our diets become much more limited, but many wild plants would struggle to reproduce, impacting entire ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them.

Bees also serve as key indicators of a healthy environment. A thriving bee population often signals rich biodiversity and a balanced ecosystem. Unfortunately, habitat loss, pesticide use, disease, and climate change have caused alarming declines in bee numbers worldwide.

Over 250 Species — Just in the UK

When we think of bees, the image of a fluffy honeybee might come to mind — but the UK is actually home to over 250 species of bees! These include solitary bees and bumblebees. Each species plays a unique role in pollination and biodiversity, and all are worth protecting.

A New Hive on at The Farm Shop

With our new beehives now in place near the Farm Shop, we’re not only hoping to harvest honey in the coming months — we’re also proud to be contributing to the conservation of these essential insects. Providing safe, managed hives gives bees a place to thrive, and also offers a wonderful opportunity to educate visitors about their importance.

We’ll be keeping our community updated as our bees get to work. And soon, you’ll be able to pick up a jar of honey made right here on the farm — a true taste of nature.

What You Can Do to Help

• Plant bee-friendly flowers like lavender, foxglove, and wild marjoram.
• Avoid using pesticides in your garden.
• Leave areas of your garden wild to provide shelter for solitary bees.
• Support local beekeepers and buy local honey.
• Learn more about pollinators and spread the word.

This World Bee Day, we invite you to join us in celebrating and supporting these tiny, tireless workers. They may be small, but their impact is enormous — and worth every effort to protect.