World Bee Day History
World Bee Day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of bees. Bees are important insects that help preserve balance within ecosystems. They play an important role as they help pollinate flowers and agricultural plants. According to worldbeeday.org, 1/3 of all food produced in the world depends on pollination. Unfortunately, bee populations have been decreasing due to climate change, pollution, and intensive agriculture. This day aims to encourage new solutions to prevent bee populations from declining.
World Bee Day was established in 2017 by the UN General Assembly. It is observed annually on May 20th, the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer in modern beekeeping.
Insects are the largest and most diverse group of arthropods. Approximately one million species of insects have been named, described and classified.
This represents more than half of all known organisms on Earth. Common insects include beetles, flies, bees, grasshoppers and butterflies.
The defining characteristics of insects include an exoskeleton, a body divided into three segments, three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae.
In the life cycle of most insects, the young do not resemble their parents. As the young grow and mature, they undergo changes in body form – a process known as metamorphosis. As young insects grow, they usually go through a series of molts whereby they shed their exoskeleton and form a new one.
Let's look at the parts and function of the body parts of an insect by looking at a bee.
Head: The head of an insect holds its sense organs which include eyes and antennae. The head also contains the insect’s mouth parts which are adapted and suited to the types of food it eats.
Thorax: The center body part of insects is the thorax. It holds three pairs of legs and in mature, flying insects, also holds one or two pairs of wings.
Abdomen: The abdomen is located behind the thorax. At the rear of the abdomen is the anus, which is the rear opening of the digestive system where wastes are removed. In some insects, such as bees and wasps, the abdomen also contains a stinging organ.
Antennae: Antennae are sense organs usually located at the front of the head. They often contain smell receptors which allow insects to detect smells. In some insects, the antennae can also detect changes in humidity – the amount of water vapor in the air.
Compound Eyes: Most insects have compound eyes. Compound eyes consist of thousands of tiny light receptors that work together to enable insects to see.
Wings: Insects are the only arthropods with wings. Most insects have two pairs of wings. The outer wings are often used for protection and the inner wings used for flight.
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