Celebrating World Bee Day

Did you know that Australian Native Bees are vital for our food supply and are responsible for the pollination of approximately 80% of the food we eat!  Not only that, they also pollinate  one third of the World’s flowers.  That’s why this World Bee Day we are just buzzing with excitement to help spread the word about how important our Bees are!

What is World Bee Day?

In 2018 the United Nations nominated 20th of May each year as World Bee Day because they wanted to highlight what an important role our Bees have in keeping us all fed.  They are an essential part of our ecosystem and play a key role in agriculture.  Without bees, there would be no fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, legumes, herbs, spices, flowers, or, dare I say it, chocolate! 

Fun Facts about Bees

Here are some fun facts about Bees that you might not know!

  • Bees pollinate one third of the world’s flowering plants
  • Their ‘buzzing’ sound comes from them beating their wings 11,400 times per minute
  • Worker bees communicate through a series of dance moves, known as the ‘waggle dance’
  • Only female bees can sting and once they have stung, will die
  • Bees have a total of 5 eyes – Two large ones on each side of their head and three very small ones, located between the two larger eyes
  • Each bee produces approximately half a teaspoon of honey in their lifetime
  • A Queen bee can lay twice its bodyweight in eggs each day
  • As you can see, bees are amazing and our world would not be the same without them.  On World Bee Day, we should celebrate them by learning about their importance and supporting
  • bee keeping practices.  Here are a few of our favourite Australian-made bee products. 

Below you will find some of our Australian Made Designers and Producers who are passionate about bees and their conservation:

8 Frame Honey
8 Frame Honey operates on the northern outskirts of Canberra. Beekeeper Ben has a passion for teaching people about what’s involved in becoming a backyard beekeeper and runs beekeeping courses from October through to March. Ben is focused on teaching people about the importance of bees and making beekeeping accessible to people with physical limitations. He also grows lavender on his farm for his bees, which he harvests to create beautiful eye pillows and lavender bags.  
ShortHive Honey World Bee Day
Shorthive Honey create a range of delicious gourmet infused honeys in flavours such as chocolate , espresso and chilli.  Perfect for the adventurous honey lover, their honeys are thick and decadent and perfect for drizzling on pancakes or icecream!
Honey & Glow Body Balm
Honey & Glow make a range of products from the hive. If you’re all about switching up the products in your home for their sustainable, no-tox, hand made, 100% natural alternatives then Honey & Glow have you covered.  Their all-Australian beeswax based body products are kind to your skin, kind to the environment and kind to our all-important bees.
Honeys Plant Climbers Pollen Design
After searching high and low for a functional trellis for her climbing indoor plants, Eliza from Honeys Plant Climbers designed and perfected the first laser cut acrylic plant climber on the market. Each plant trellis that has been designed has a plant in mind and allows you to have a stylish trellis to match your indoor decor. But why stop there!? Eliza loves to talk all things bees, so has also created some plant stakes that are perfect to show your love for these little pollinators.
Beeswax Wraps Australia Sustainable Wax Wraps
Beeswax Wraps Australia make homemade wraps with love, and are organically produced in Rosebery NSW. By using solar heat and ONLY ACO-certified Australian beeswax and GOTS-certified cotton, they ensure that the bees are treated with ethical practices and that there is no effect on the planet. They source their ingredients in the most sustainable way.
Craft Make Do Bee Embroidery Kit
Embrace your creative side with a Craft Make Do DIY craft kit with a delightful bee design. Step away from the rush of everyday life and take some me-time with one of their slow stitching kits or create some fabulous earrings with their jewellery kits. They make modern cross stitch, embroidery and jewellery kits that are perfect for beginners and experienced makers alike.

So why not buzz on over to the Handmade Directory to check out our amazing designers and their bee-related products!