Few creatures on Earth labor harder than the bee. They are born to labor. For the first three weeks of their adult lives, the workers confine their labors to building the honeycomb, cleaning and polishing the cells, feeding the young and the queen, controlling the temperature, evaporating the water from the nectar until it thickens as honey, and many other miscellaneous tasks. At the end of this period, they function as field bees and defenders of the colony. The workers that develop early in the season live extremely busy lives, which, from egg to death, last about six weeks.
Honey bees have become the primary source of pollination for approximately one-fourth of all crops produced in the United States and some other countries. The value of the crops that rely on such pollination has been estimated as high as $10 billion annually in the United States.
Many species of wild pollinators have disappeared from the land as their habitats have been destroyed or altered by humans. The honey bee has taken over as pollinator of many of the wild plants that remain; its ecological value in this regard is tremendous.
Honey bees are the sole source of honey and beeswax. They also produce propolis, a gummy substance made from tree sap that has antibacterial properties, and royal jelly and pollen for human consumption. Honey bee venom is extracted for the production of antivenom therapy and is being investigated as a treatment for several serious diseases of the muscles, connective tissue, and immune system, including multiple sclerosis and arthritis
So next time you see a Honey Bee, tell him "Thank you". I can think of very few creatures on Earth that labor as hard as he does. And without him, the world as we know would likely cease to exist.
Now, head on over to Erin Norman Photography's Blog and check out her interpretation of this week's P52 theme, "labor". Be sure to follow the link in her blog to see other interpretations as well....
Have a happy and safe Labor Day!
If you are a photographer,
thanks for visitng,
Leah Nicole
What great macros! Beautiful detail.
ReplyDeletesuch pretty macro shots!! i guess i shouldn't complain about being so tired...geesh, they are hard workers!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! The colors are soft and lovely... great macro shots!
ReplyDeleteWow awesome macros and I love the colors too.
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ReplyDeleteYour macro images are amazing! Love the colors. I did not know all that about bees ~ guess I will thank one :)
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