A Bee Attitude of Gratitude

As we draw to the end of 2025 and look ahead to 2026, it is a good time to realign with an attitude of gratitude for our bees and what they contribute to our environment and the world. The Twelve Days of Christmas song offers a prized gift of a partridge in a pear tree, which is relevant because, without bees, there wouldn’t be pear trees in the first place. So, even though bees may not be at the forefront of our holiday thoughts, or the subject in our Christmas carols in the next few weeks, there are plenty of things to be grateful for that these amazing pollinators do for us without being asked.

Beekeeping for a Healthy Mind

Although not everybody becomes a beekeeper, those who do would never turn back from the mental health benefits of caring for these fascinating pollinators, who tirelessly spend their days creating the things we get to consume. Beekeeping used to be exclusive to large beekeeping businesses or to those with plenty of space on their property. Today, the opportunity to care for something that directly connects to the state of our environment and ecosystem is something many want to be a part of, and we can be grateful for the genuine care given to bees through beekeeping and humane treatment by live bee removal companies.

Bees Make Everything Beautiful

Bees are not only cute to look at (especially chubby and fluffy bumble bees), but they also play a significant role in the beauty of our environment. Bees transferring pollen from plant to plant and flower to flower give us the beautiful landscape we enjoy in Southern California. The wildflowers in the fields, the different plant species on Batiquitos Lagoon, trails through Temecula and other natural preserves, and the flowers and plants beachside allow our bees to make Southern California even more beautiful with their generous pollen spread.

Bees Surviving the Winter Months in Southern California

It is the middle of winter in some parts of the nation, but locations like Southern California may still see a surprising amount of bee activity. In winter weather, bees will hibernate, but in many areas of California, they won't need to do so and can continue to forage as long as there are enough food and water sources for them to draw from, which is where our local gardeners come into play. Diversifying gardens with year-round blooms and planting native species gives our bees the best chance to survive even short winter weather spurts, including rain and freezing temperatures. If you mow your lawn, skip it in December so bees can have some easy access to food - the grass isn't growing that much in cooler months anyway!

Gratitude for Bee Intelligence

Bees are smart and work in a hive mentality, which is resourceful, effective, and essential to their survival. Bees use a waddle dance to communicate with their hive and can remember the route from the hive to the forage source by flying backwards. The more bees are studied, the more we marvel at their efficiencies and contributions to nature.

Bees build space for their baby bees in perfect hexagonal shapes, which is one of the most efficient shapes because there is no wasted space. Bees use beeswax for their hives, and humans get to enjoy the fruits of their labor in salves, balms, and candles.

Sweet Gratitude

If you can’t think of any other reason to be grateful for bees this season, remember honey and how it is the natural sweetener for tea, coffee, and many desserts that will adorn tables everywhere over the next month. Honey has been used for thousands of years in medical and beauty, as well as cooking and baking. Everyone has something to be grateful for about bees this holiday season.