Every year on May 20, we celebrate World Bee Day - a day dedicated to the most industrious and at the same time most endangered insects on our planet. The initiative comes from the United Nations and aims to raise awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinators. And that is sorely needed, because: Without bees, it would be hard to imagine our everyday lives.

Why are bees so important?

Bees are not just sweet summer messengers or honey suppliers - they play a key role in our ecosystem. Around 80 percent of all native plants depend on pollination by insects - and wild bees and honeybees make the lion's share of this. Without them, there would be significantly less fruit, vegetables, nuts and even cotton.

Imagine a breakfast table without strawberries, apples, tomatoes, almonds or coffee - sad, isn't it? In fact, around a third of our food depends directly or indirectly on pollination by bees.

How do bees live?

There are over 560 species of wild bees in Germany, many of which are solitary - they do not live in colonies like honey bees, but build their nests in soil, dead wood or cracks in walls. Their way of life is fascinating and diverse: some only fly to a single plant species, others have adapted to very specific habitats.

But it is precisely this diversity that is under threat. Almost half of all wild bee species are considered endangered according to the Red List. Sealed surfaces, pesticides, monocultures and climate change are making life difficult for the small pollinators.

What can we do for bees?

The good news is that each and every one of us can help - even with small gestures! Here are a few simple tips:

• 🌼 Create a variety of flowers: whether in the garden, on the balcony or by the roadside - native, unfilled flowering plants are real bee magnets.
• 🐝 Give wild bees a home: Habitats can be created with homemade nesting aids or small areas of sand in the garden.
• 🚫 Do not use pesticides: Many products on the garden market are harmful to insects - it's better to use organic alternatives.
• 🌾 Shop regionally and seasonally: this way you support diverse agriculture and indirectly also the bees.

But we don't just want to talk about bees, we also want to get active ourselves - so we've dug out an older but effective DIY project for wild bees. It shows how easy it can be to create habitats, even if you only have a balcony or a small corner of your garden.

Want to do something too? Then take a look at our DIY reel on Instagram - where we show you step by step how you can make a nesting aid for wild bees with just a few materials. Or you can follow the step-by-step instructions in this blog post: This way!

Perfect for copying with family or friends! 🐝💛