The Species Collection

The Economic Value of Honeybees

• Incredible Work Rate: Honeybees are industrious pollinators. If compensated at minimum wage, a single jar of honey would astonishingly cost over $180,000 due to their hard work.

Critical Pollinators

• Essential for Agriculture: Honeybees are the world’s leading pollinators, crucial for the production of over a third of our food through their pollination activities.
• Facing Threats: Globally, honeybees are declining at alarming rates due to pesticides, parasites, habitat loss, and insufficient nutrition. In the U.S., 44% of honeybee populations were lost in 2016 alone.

Amazing Bee Facts

• Lifetime Production: A single honeybee produces only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. However, collectively, a hive can produce upwards of 80 pounds of honey in a few months.
• Queen Bee’s Role: The queen bee can live up to five years, spending her summers laying up to 2,500 eggs per day to strengthen the hive.
• Travel and Efficiency: To produce 16 ounces of honey, 1,152 bees travel 112,000 miles and visit approximately 4.5 million flowers.
• Economic Contribution: Honeybees add $8-10 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
• Flight Speed: Honeybees can fly at speeds up to 15 miles per hour.
• Ancient Practice: Beekeeping dates back to the Stone Age, as evidenced by ancient cave paintings.

How You Can Help Bees

• Plant Pollinator-Friendly Gardens: Create an environment supportive of pollinators by planting diverse, nectar-rich flowers.
• Support Local Beekeepers: Buy locally produced honey to help sustain beekeeper efforts.
• Build Bee Hotels: Provide solitary bees with nesting sites to support their population.
• Visit Local Farmers Markets: Support agriculture practices that are beneficial for bees.
• Become a Beekeeper: Join a local bee club and learn how to maintain your own hives.
• Educate Others: Raise awareness about the critical role of pollinators and how to protect them