It"s World Bee Day, and we"re doffing our caps in thanks to the world"s lesser known "essential workers." According to the UN, three out of four crops across the globe producing fruits or seeds for use as human food depend, at least in part, on bees and other pollinators. And tens of thousands of flowering plants, like the crocuses in today"s photo, would not exist if it weren"t for the little buzzers. A quote often misattributed to Albert Einstein suggests humans would have only four years left to live if the bees go extinct. No matter who said it, the message is clear: Our livelihood is intimately tied to the survival of bees. And that connection is of critical importance now, as bee colonies continue to struggle after more than 20 years of mass die-offs, a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder.
World Bee Day
Today in History
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Stuben am Arlberg, Austria
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San Blas Islands, Panama
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Everest s shadow on the Himalayas
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Bohemian Switzerland
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Seonam Temple, South Korea
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Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
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National Park Week: Olympic National Park, Washington
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Cheetah mother and cub
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Village of Labro, Italy
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Sunburst at Angkor
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Lake Peipus, Estonia
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Monarch butterflies migrate south
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An improbable tribute for Towel Day
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Berlin Festival of Lights
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A Bengal tiger in Ranthambore National Park, India
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Farmers Day
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Beware the Ides of March
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Sand dunes in the Sahara, Algeria
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My my, it s Syttende Mai
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An island hopper s paradise
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Night of the ‘Cold Moon’
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Presidents Day
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Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
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Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
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Spring blooms in the Netherlands
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A wild and scenic scene
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Brotherly cubs
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Patriot Day
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In celebration of cats
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Haaga Rhododendron Park