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Good morning As a I stood in my garden last week the first thing I noticed was the buzzing of bees as they busily and diligently moved from flower to flower. For me the sight of bees marks the time to shed the winter blues and look forward to the warmer weather ahead. Bees are so vital to our ecosystem, yet they and other pollinators, are increasingly under threat from human activities. Habitat loss, parasites, diseases and climate change have all contributed to their decline. The UK government’s National Bee Unit this month put out a bulletin to beekeepers that: “Bee inspectors across England and Wales have observed a decline in food stores for some colonies of bees following the recent wet weather which meant bees were unable to collect pollen, leaving them weak after the winter.” Friends of the Earth reports that the UK has already lost 13 bee species, with another 35 at risk. To raise awareness of pollinators’ importance and the threats they face, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day, aiming to protect pollinators and their habitats for environmental sustainability and food security, particularly in developing countries. Since ancient times, bees have been featured in many religious scriptures. In the Guru Granth Sahib, references to bees are made to highlight interconnectedness and living in harmony with the Eternal and all aspects of creation since the Creator manifests within all forms of life. As Guru Nanak says: ‘’You Yourself are the bumble bee, the flower, the fruit and the tree. You Yourself are the water, the desert, the ocean and the pool. You Yourself are the great fish, the tortoise, the Cause of causes; Your form cannot be known.’ Bees symbolize the importance of harmony within nature. Just as bees diligently gather nectar to sustain their hive, Sikhs are encouraged to work tirelessly for the betterment of their community and the world at large. The hive represents the collective consciousness, where each individual plays a vital role in the greater whole. Just as the Guru Granth Sahib teaches respect for all creatures, including bees, Sikhs are reminded of their duty to protect and nurture the environment, recognizing it as a sacred gift from the divine. There are things we as individuals can do to help bees and other pollinators such as planting bee friendly flowers and avoiding the use of pesticides in our gardens. It may also need Governments and farmers to take action and hopefully together we can work towards restoring and protecting the world’s bees, and ultimately improving food security, benefiting both human populations and our fragile eco system.