Bee populations around the world are in trouble, and that spells danger for us, too.
Bees are widely recognized for their importance as pollinators. However, in Cambodia, native bee populations are declining. Although Cambodia's native bees are not currently in danger of extinction, a recent study found that the populations are diminishing.
What's happening?
As Mongabay notes, worldwide problems such as rising global temperatures, parasites, and the use of insecticides compound with local challenges such as habitat loss, unsustainable honey processes, and bee brood consumption — all of which put the bees in a precarious situation.
"We may lose local [bee] populations," the study's lead author, Eric Guerin, told Mongabay. "Though there is still time to change that."
The study doesn't provide a detailed survey of bee population numbers, but it does highlight threats to bees in Cambodia that put the populations at risk.
In 1948, historical accounts detail how a single tree could have dozens of colonies of bees nesting in it. These bee colony clusters do not occur today.
Bee populations are diminishing across the globe. According to researchers at Penn State University, in the United States, "beekeepers have lost about 30% of their colonies every year since 2006." From June 2024 to February 2025, the United States lost 1.1 million colonies.
Why are bees important?
Bee populations face many challenges. One is our warming climate.
As temperatures rise around the globe, bees are struggling to regulate the temperatures in their hives. A paper in Frontiers in Bee Science found that bees will struggle to survive if temperature ranges begin to exceed 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
Losing bees means losing our food security. Bees are pollinators that play an important role in the production of fruits, vegetables, and some nuts. If pollinator populations continue to decline, food will become more scarce and more expensive.
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Definitely 😭 Beyond food crops, bees play an important role in all sorts of plant pollination. This means that even if we aren't eating from the plants bees pollinate, their work still contributes to biodiversity and ensures rich ecosystems.
What's being done about bee populations?
Natapot Warrit, an assistant biology professor at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, told Mongabay: "Southeast Asia is the cradle of honeybee diversity." It's no surprise that Guerin's study calls for greater attention to bee populations in this important region.
If you want to do your part to help bees, you can make your yard more friendly for pollinators. This includes planting native plants and having a wide variety of plant diversity in your yard.
You can also opt for chemical-free pest control. Making your outdoor spaces more hospitable to bees is a great step in preserving these crucial creatures.
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