The humble honeybee plays a vital role in New Zealand’s growing horticultural industry, currently valued at $7.54 billion.

And this September, Apiculture New Zealand is celebrating the pollination power of the honeybee.

Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos said that beekeepers were seeing increasing demand for pollination hives, particularly as the horticulture sector continues to expand.

“The quality of pollination can make a big difference for many crops, including increased fruit yield and improvement in the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.

“We need a healthy bee population to sustain that growth.”

September’s Bee Aware Month is the opportunity to celebrate the hard-working bees and beekeepers as the new season gets under way.

Bee Aware Month is a national educational campaign initiated and co-ordinated by Apiculture NZ.

Beekeeping clubs and supporters around the country will be visiting schools and running events.

Educational resources produced for schools, community groups and families to use are available on the Apiculture New Zealand website: https://apinz.org.nz/bee-aware-month/

To learn more about honeybees and Bee Aware Month activities happening across the country, follow social media pages throughout September. (Facebook - @beeawarenz, Instagram - @beeawaremonthnz)

Interesting pollinator facts:

Honey bees were introduced to New Zealand to help pollinate clover for farm animals to eat.

One third of the food we eat comes from pollination due to honey bees

At least 75% of all flowering plants depend on pollinators for fertilisation.