Honeybees, an insect that played an innovative role in plant reproduction, began to disappear in a chain in the United States in 2006. The U.S. named the disappearance a ‘honeycomb colony collapse.’ Likewise, 8 billion honeybees died in Korea from November 2021 to March this year. This is a global phenomenon as well as Korea. This global phenomenon is more surprising as the honeybee bodies disappear without a trace.
There are many factors relating to the disappearance of honeybees. The indiscriminate use of pesticides is believed to have had the most significant impact. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 87 of the 124 major global crops need pollination from honeybees. Neonicotinoid pesticides have been blamed for honeybee deaths, and Korea has stopped using them since July. The EU has already banned its use since 2018.
So, each country started installing bee gardens to preserve bee populations worldwide. In the Netherlands, honeybee gardens, hotels, highways, and bus stops were introduced to steadily increase and maintain the bee population in cities in recent years.
The 'bee stop’ was also set up in the United Kingdom last year to feed bees with flowering plants such as wild strawberries, poppies, and pansies that easily carry pollen. Bee stops are easy to manage as they help absorb rainwater and alleviate the heat island phenomenon. Joe Smith, CEO of the Derbyshire Wildlife Foundation, said “If you add all the honeybee stops, the area itself is small, but just existing in the city center, which lacks green space, they play a major role.”
In Korea, the ‘K-Bee Urban Bee Farm’ project was implemented on the roof of Kookmin Bank’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and a bee hotel was installed. Sejong National Arboretum also established the Pollinators Garden, using eco-friendly materials such as trees. They also created an insect hotel where insects such as bees and butterflies can stay.
The public also paid attention to each country’s projects to preserve bee populations. If you participate in projects for the future and the environment, it will be a good world to live in with insects.
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