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Why are bees important? What bees do for us, and what they need from us
Bees are some of the hardest-working animals on Earth. Here's how they keep our food, gardens and wild places alive, what's putting them at risk, and the simple things that help.
Bees help feed the world
When a bee visits a flower for nectar, pollen sticks to her fuzzy body and rubs off on the next flower. That's pollination, and it's how many plants make fruit and seeds. The USDA says about one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators like bees.
Apples, blueberries, cherries, almonds, pumpkins, cucumbers and many more depend on pollinators. So do crops like alfalfa and clover that feed the cows behind our milk and cheese.
bites of food exist because of animal pollinators.
Source: USDA
native bee species live in the United States alone.
Source: USDA Forest Service
Bees keep wild places alive
Native bees pollinate the wildflowers, shrubs and trees that birds, butterflies and many other animals rely on for food and shelter. When bees thrive, whole ecosystems thrive with them. Because bees forage across the land around their nests, their health also tells scientists a lot about the health of the environment.
What's putting bees at risk
There isn't one single cause. Bees face a mix of stresses that add up:
Lost habitat
Lawns, pavement and single-crop farms leave fewer wildflowers and fewer places for native bees to nest.
Varroa mites and disease
Tiny mites feed on honey bees and spread viruses. The USDA tracks them as one of the top stressors on U.S. colonies.
Pesticides
Some insecticides can harm or kill bees, especially when sprayed on plants in bloom.
Poor nutrition
Bees need many kinds of pollen through the year. Big fields of a single crop are a feast for a few weeks, then a food desert.
Extreme weather
Heat waves, droughts, early springs and storms throw off the timing between flowers and the bees that need them.
U.S. honey bee colony numbers rose going into 2026, but beekeepers still report heavy losses every year, and many wild bee species are declining.
How you can help today
- Plant flowers that bloom from spring to fall. Native plants are best. See our bee garden guide.
- Skip pesticides, especially on plants in flower.
- Leave a little wild space: bare soil and old stems are homes for native bees.
- Buy local honey and support local beekeepers.
- Share what you know. People protect what they understand.
Frequently asked questions
Why are bees important to humans?
Bees pollinate many of the fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds we eat, and the crops that feed farm animals. The USDA says about one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators like bees.
What would happen if bees disappeared?
Many foods would become scarce and expensive, and plants that depend on bees would struggle to make seeds, which affects the animals that eat them. Wind-pollinated staples like wheat and rice would remain, but meals would be far less varied and nutritious.
Are bees still declining?
Beekeepers still lose many colonies each year to mites, disease, poor nutrition, pesticides and weather. U.S. colony numbers rose going into 2026, but losses remain heavy, and many wild bee species are in decline.
What is the biggest threat to bees?
There isn't just one. Scientists point to a mix of stresses that add up: habitat loss, the varroa mite and the viruses it spreads, pesticides, poor nutrition and extreme weather.
Sources
- USDA, pollinators and "one out of three bites of food"
- USDA Forest Service and Pollinator Partnership, Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees
- USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Honey Bee Colonies (August 2026)
- USGS, The Bee Lab