Bees and the food we eat

Did you know that today, bees are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat.

The most important thing that bees do is pollinate. Pollination is needed for plants to reproduce, and so many plants depend on bees or other insects, including butterflies, as pollinators.

When a bee collects nectar and pollen from the flower of a plant, some pollen from the stamens—the male reproductive organ of the flower—sticks to the hairs of her body. When she visits the next flower, some of this pollen is rubbed off onto the stigma, or tip of the pistil—the female reproductive organ of the flower. When this happens, fertilization is possible, and a fruit, carrying seeds, can develop.

Many of the foods and crops we rely on need or, at the very least, benefit from bee pollination. The loss of bees could have devastating effect on agriculture and our food supply. Imagine what could happen as the bee population is disappearing - there would be far-reaching implications for our agricultural food supply.

Today's painting features empty jam jars and a dead bee to raise awareness of the environmental imbalance that is occurring. Jam is but a symbol of the impact.

Have a great Canada Day and week,

Danielle