Conservation and Biodiversity
The Birds and the Bees: Rekindling Romance in a Changing Climate
May 20, 2025
It’s World Bee Day! May 20th was chosen by the UN to honor Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern beekeeping who was born on May 20, 1734, in Slovenia, where beekeeping is a long-standing tradition. But bee day is all about life, regeneration and love.
The delicate deep dive between the hummingbird and the flower. The rhythmic pulsing of the bumblebee. Cardinal couples building nests and bonding. Spring has sprung, and the birds and the bees are truly hard at work. Beneath the pollen-dusted romance is a sweet reminder that even the tiniest acts of love can have the biggest impact on our planet.
Stimulated by the flowery aromas, warm soil, and vibrant hues, the intimate exchange known as pollination begins. It is the transfer of pollen from the male anther of a flower, part of the stamen, to the female stigma, part of the pistil. This quiet act is the first step toward fertilization, which leads to the creation of seeds for the next generation of plants with the goal of reproducing seeds for the next generation of plants.
As pollinators like honey bees, butterflies, carpenter bees, moths, seek the sweet, nutrient-rich nectar tucked inside each bloom, they become dusted in golden pollen. Unknowingly, they deliver this microscopic cargo from blossom to blossom, enabling plants to reproduce. It’s a beautiful form of mutualism—pollinators get the fuel they need, and flowers get the chance to pass on life.
The Power of Pollination
While birds and bees get most of the attention, they are not the only players in this love story. Over 350,000 species of animal and insect pollinators including flies, beetles, wasps, bats, and small lizards play a part in this natural magic vital to both food production and ecological survival.
In fact, nearly 80% of crop plants that produce our food, medicines and industrial products rely on pollination by these creatures.
The United States Department Agriculture (USDA) estimates pollination-dependent crops contribute nearly $20 billion annually to the U.S. agricultural economy. Juicy strawberries, plump figs, creamy avocados, sweet mangos, rich chocolates, every bite of pollinated pleasure is owed to them. You might say the more pollinators the juicier the fruit.
Climate Change is Killing the Mood
Climate change is disrupting nature’s biggest lovefest. The cues that once synchronized pollinators with blooming flowers are becoming misaligned. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and extreme events disrupt the fragile timing of flowering and foraging, leading to missed connections in the pollination process.
Agriculture intensification has further complicated matters. Expanding monocultures and overuse of toxic insect killing pesticides reduces the diversity of flowering plants and harms insects and birds alike.
Toxic insect-killing pesticides, especially those in the neonicotinoid class like imidacloprid and fipronil, have been shown to wreak havoc not only on their intended targets but also on beneficial insects and broader ecosystems.
Research reveals that these chemicals can impair pollinators such as honey bees by disrupting their navigation, reproduction, and immune systems—ultimately contributing to colony collapse. Even at sub-lethal levels, pesticides can alter the behavior of beneficial species like predatory beetles and butterflies. In agricultural settings, studies comparing chemical-intensive and organic farms found stark differences in insect populations, with chemical use linked to significantly lower numbers of beneficial insects. Alarmingly, pesticide residues have even been detected in pet fur used by birds to line nests, which has been associated with increased chick mortality in songbird populations!
Over reliance on chemicals in farming can also degrade the habitats pollinators rely on for nesting and nourishment. In these floral deserts, bees are often left with limited, low-quality food options, leading to widespread malnutrition, a silent threat that weakens immune systems and makes entire colonies more vulnerable to disease and collapse.
These disruptions have real consequences. Nearly 1,600 species of pollinators essential for reproduction of flowering plants in North America are at an elevated risk of extinction. Their decline threatens food security, biodiversity, and the very flavors that make spring so delightful.
Let’s Bring Back the Spark & Stand up for Bees!
The good news? Romance isn’t dead. We can rekindle the love by ditching pesticides and creating pollinator-friendly habitats with native plants. Connect with nature by slowing down and savoring the world around you — perhaps with a garden date this season — and nurture yourself with locally grown produce and sustainable choices that benefit both you and the planet. These simple rituals remind us that love, in all its forms, begins with care.
Want to keep the love alive? World Bee Day is the perfect time to celebrate the sweet connection between humans and pollinators. Find out how you can support bees using our Bee Conservation Toolkit and educate your self on the king of pollinators with some Bee Facts.
If you want to go further, remember bees need trees – so help us plant the seeds for a greener future by donating to The Canopy Project and grow forests that feed our pollinators and our planet.
So go ahead, love the Earth. One flower, one choice and one sweet bee supporting act at a time. Go bees!
