Honeybees just experienced one of the deadliest winters yet, and wild bees are seeing devastating losses at the same time.
Over the last eight months, hundreds of millions of honeybees have died, a rate of decline that has shocked beekeepers and raised alarm bells for the future of the smallest, hardest-working pollinators.
One of the best ways to help save the bees is to get rid of the worst bee-killing pesticides. We’re working to give bees the chance they need to survive.
Wild bees are in danger
Honeybees aren’t the only pollinators in trouble. Our country is also home to thousands of species of wild bees.
And more than 700 of these native pollinator species are inching toward extinction.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are a widespread problem for native bees and honeybees alike, affecting their central nervous systems and killing them after repeat exposure.
That’s why we’re working to expand key protections for pollinator habitat and limit the widespread use of neonics.
Thanks to our national network, more than 1 in 4 Americans now lives in a state with some restriction on bee-killing pesticides.
Why we’re working to protect the bees this Earth Day
Bees may be some of our smallest, easiest to overlook wildlife, but the truth is, their hard work shows up in our day-to-day lives almost more than any other creature — in your morning cup of coffee, or the apple you had for an afternoon snack, or the bright wildflower blossoms popping up in your backyard.
When bees can thrive, our natural world can thrive. As nature blooms all around us in preparation for another vibrant summer, Earth Day is the perfect time of year to recommit to the work it will take to ensure bees have the chance they need to survive.
The American landscape has become increasingly toxic to bees. But we can keep making progress toward a future where bees can safely buzz through gardens and fields without encountering deadly pesticides.
We’re dedicated to protecting America’s bees, but you make this work possible.
