For many years, bees were among New Atlas readers' favorite animals. But then things went south, and you guys switched off from learning about these fuzzy little flyers. Maybe it was tall poppy syndrome – since bees are quite obsessed with these nectar treasure chests – but they're staging a comeback framed around World Bee Day.
Since we’ve moved out of "Mom and Dad’s house" (the wonderful New Atlas) and have BEEn (sorry) working hard to establish our own identity and audience with Refractor, focusing on science that had been neglected for much of 2026, we feel we also need to bring back the bees. Figuratively at least.
So, since May 20 is officially World Bee Day, we think it's critical to seek research that's 100% bee positive. I acutely know that scientists and the media can hyperfocus on doomy discoveries – which is one reason we're not that fun at parties – but it's important to understand others and how they work.
It's pretty challenging even studying insects due to size and how morphologically removed they are from mammals like us. However, there's movement afoot to make us think about our insect preconceptions.
And I am certainly guilty of forgetting how important it is to celebrate the wins that help us understand the world of these vastly varied little guys when it comes to their intelligence, resourcefulness, teamwork, complex decision-making, and resilience in challenging environmental times like these.
After all, these animals have many talents we know from studying them – and besides that, they possess the kind of work ethic and community spirit we should recognize in their greatness. But hey, whatever makes you buzz, who are we to judge?
In January, stingless bees became the poster-bugs for the rights of insects when several Peruvian officials made a monumental move to recognize the world's most maligned animals, insects, campaigning for us to give them agency and respect.
"Stingless bees (Meliponini spp.) are now recognized as legal entities in the municipalities of Satipo and Nauta-Loreto, Peru," scientists, including long-time bee researcher Abebe Jenberie Wubie from Bahir Dar University, wrote in a letter in Nature. "They are the first insects in the world to hold legal rights, marking a turning point in environmental jurisprudence. Legislation grants native stingless bees the right to exist, thrive, and be represented in court."
As The Guardian noted earlier, stingless bees – cultivated by Indigenous peoples from those areas since pre-Columbian times – are now believed to be key rainforest pollinators that shield biodiversity loss and bolster ecosystem health. But like most bees, stingless or otherwise, have been under a lot of both external pressures and battles with other insects for resources.
"This ordinance marks a turning point in our relationship with nature: it makes stingless bees visible, recognises them as rights-bearing subjects, and affirms their essential role in preserving ecosystems," says Constanza Prieto, Latin American director at the Earth Law Center. "And that they appear to play a key role in the pollination of about 80% of tropical plants. This includes cacao (chocolate), coffee, and avocados."
Whether lip service or something that could put a fissure in the hive mind of their haters, it's a massive step in seeing them as living creatures – all with one life like our own – and encourages a new level of respect for both these Peruvian stingless species and other insects too.
I'd be remiss for not mentioning again that we wouldn’t be alive without their silent - and yes, often not so silent – work, be it pollinating flowering plants or being tasty snacks at the bottom of important trophic chains. And in the case of bees, giving us honey that scientists have found may have huge impacts on human disease and infection.
Spending years studying the incredible world of evolutionary biology and animal communication – and the myriad ways different species survive in a complex ecosystem with many humans who would rather they all be wiped off the planet.
For some people, however, bees and their fellow insects aren't "real" animals, but as "pests" to be wiped out – which all really comes down to perception.
And let's be honest, you can be a self-proclaimed animal lover that tears up over WWF content, but we bet you can't name every known insect (just kidding, but there are about 1.4 billion insects for every person on Earth, and scientists believe that even though we only know a million by name, the likely diversity is 10 times that.)
To all the queens and their tireless people (sorry, bees), happy World Bee Day this week. Why not spend an hour or two in the park or yard counting how many insects you can see, or learn about a single species of bee you've never heard of? Their visibility is not just important to their (and our) survival, but you might gain an appreciation for these animals.
If you have any bee stories or news to share with us today or anytime, we’d love to hear from you. Just give us a buzz. (Again, sorry.) Meanwhile, address any stinging comments to me …
Source: Nature
