Most folks designate The Dog as humankind’s best friend. Stories abound that tell of dog loyalty, usefulness, bravery, and intelligence. Dogs pull sleds in the North, guide the blind, guard perimeters, detect seizures in humans before they happen, help children learn to read, and lick the hands of hospice patients. The least clever dog, who hasn’t a smidgen of agility, can change the course of a child’s life just by loving her.
Cats rank second in popularity in the U.S., but they give dogs a run for their money by starring in legions of YouTube videos. Cats rid barns and basements of rodents, purr against our necks, and remind us to put away our clean laundry.
Horses have their partisans. The Percheron crowd brag that their breed built young America. Horses have fulfilled all kinds of roles dating back to ancient times. Artists, photographers, and videographers never tire of trying to capture their beauty.
Oxen, sheep, cattle, hogs, poultry, and fish supply us with food. Yaks, water buffalo, camels, and elephants play vital roles in various cultures. Reptiles and amphibians also impact human communities. Birds enchant us when they sing, and inspire us when they soar.
Because she is small, and a bug, the bee does not come to mind when we think about close, nonhuman allies. But we cannot do without her. Bees pollinate our key food crops, from delicious fruits to healthful vegetables and nuts. Even dairy producers depend on bees, because cows eat nourishing alfalfa.
Bees share honey with us. While tasting great, honey also has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Studies continually find more ways that honey helps combat illnesses and ailments.
We enjoy the variety, beauty, and fragrance of flowers and trees that bees pollinate.
I am not suggesting we knock dogs off their pedestals as humankind’s Best Friend. But when we list True Friends, bees ought to be in the Top Five.
Most of us want to do right by our friends. And bees are dying in droves.
Two things nearly anyone can do for bees:
1. Find online the NRDC petition that asks the EPA to ban neonics, a family of harmful chemicals that wreak havoc on bees. Some of these chemicals are 5 to 10 thousand times more toxic to bees that DDT was, and they pose a threat to us, also. The EU and other countries have banned them. Or, find a petition against Bayer, their producer, or send Bayer a letter.
2. Nourish bees. Even if you have just a window box, plant flowers that bees love.
1000 Reasons to Love Bees 