World Bee Day is a global reminder that our food, landscapes, and local ecosystems all depend on healthy bees and pollinators.

It’s also a natural reflection of what we practice every day at Black Barn Apiary, where every jar of honey—whether it’s a silky crème honey, a seasonal varietal, or a special prairie blend—is a byproduct of a thriving Midwestern landscape and careful stewardship of our bees. The honey we harvest is our way of sharing the flavor of our Wisconsin prairie with you, never a reason to compromise on how we care for our hives or our land. 

This year, World Bee Day feels especially close to home as we welcome a new group of Carniolan honeybees to the apiary. In late April, I set out to bring them home, driving through a landscape shaped by swollen rivers, saturated soil, and an early spring bloom. It’s the kind of spring that raises as many questions as it does hopes—what will such a wet start mean for nectar flow, forage timing, for the rhythm of the season ahead? 

But before any of that can unfold, there is the quiet, essential work of arrival. Gently introducing the bees into their hives, we watch and wait, hoping they quickly accept their queen, orient themselves, and begin their first tentative flights - small arcs in the air as they learn the shape of their new home and the prairie that surrounds it.  After picking up the bees, while driving back to Black Barn Apiary, I found myself making them a simple promise: to do everything within my power to keep them safe, healthy, and thriving. That is the mission, on World Bee Day, and every day that follows. 

How World Bee Day Began 

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World Bee Day is observed each year on May 20 in honor of the birthday of the 18th century Slovenian beekeeper, Anton Janša, (May 20,1732 - Sept. 13, 1773), who is considered a pioneer of modern beekeeping. The day was established after Slovenia proposed the idea to the global community, and eventually, the United Nations formally declared May 20 as World Bee Day in 2017, to acknowledge the essential role of bees  and other pollinators in the ecosystem and to draw attention to the threats facing bees and other pollinators worldwide. By dedicating a specific day on the international calendar, the world recognizes just how vital bees are for agriculture, biodiversity, and food security—and how urgent it is to protect them. 

Why Bees and Pollinators Matter 

Bees and other pollinators are responsible for pollinating a large share of the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds global populations rely on every day. Many flowering plants and crops simply cannot reproduce or produce abundant yields without pollinators moving pollen from blossom to blossom. Beyond food, pollinators help maintain plant diversity, support wildlife habitat, and keep ecosystems resilient in the face of climate and land‑use changes. When pollinators decline, it’s not just honey that’s at risk; it’s the stability of food systems, the health of wild landscapes, and the balance of entire ecosystems. 

How World Bee Day Aligns With Our Work