World Bee Day

World Bee Day History

World Bee Day is an international observance intended to raise awareness about the critical role of bees in maintaining global biodiversity, ecosystems, and food security. The day emphasizes the importance of protecting bees and their habitats, promoting sustainable beekeeping practices, and supporting scientific research to better understand the challenges and threats facing these species. Bees play a vital role in pollinating plants, including those that produce many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that form the basis of our diets.

The observance of World Bee Day was officially adopted by the United Nations in 2017, following the initiative of Slovenia, a country with a strong beekeeping tradition. In New Zealand, this day holds particular significance given the unique native bee species, the role of honeybees in pollinating the country's agricultural crops, and the thriving honey industry based on the internationally renowned manuka honey. Honeybees and native bees, as well as other pollinators, contribute significantly to New Zealand's agricultural production and local biodiversity, highlighting the importance of this international observance in raising awareness and spurring action to protect these insect populations.

To celebrate World Bee Day in New Zealand, communities and organizations host various events and activities to engage people in learning about bees and their importance. World Bee Day is observed annually on May 20th, providing an opportunity for New Zealanders to engage and connect with the vital work of bees and their role in supporting the nation's agriculture, industry, and natural ecosystems.

Top 8 Facts for 2026 World Bee Day in NZ

• The global theme for the 2026 observance is Bee Together for People and the Planet - A partnership that sustains us all, which emphasizes the millennial-long symbiotic relationship between human communities and pollinators.
• New Zealand is home to 28 species of native bees, such as those from the Leioproctus genus, which are often solitary ground-dwellers that do not produce honey and can be easily mistaken for small flies or wasps.
• Recent findings from the New Zealand Colony Loss Survey indicate that the varroa mite remains the single greatest threat to local hives, accounting for more winter losses than all other causes combined, including starvation and wasp attacks.
• The economic contribution of bees to the New Zealand economy is estimated at approximately $5 billion annually, largely driven by their essential role in pollinating high-value export crops like kiwifruit and avocados, as well as the production of world-renowned Mānuka honey.
• In Auckland, the Harbour Grounds event space is expected to host interactive demonstrations including live honey extraction and workshops on creating wildflower seed bombs to support urban pollinator corridors.
• While honey bees were introduced to Aotearoa in 1839 to aid English settlers, our native bees have uniquely short tongues specifically evolved to pollinate the small flowers of indigenous plants like mānuka and kānuka.
• Sustainable beekeeping practices are a major focus for 2026, as the number of registered hives in the country has recently dipped below 500,000 due to rising production costs and the ongoing "insidious creep" of parasitic pests.
• Public awareness efforts often highlight that many native bees are at risk because they nest in the ground, making them vulnerable to garden disturbances and the accidental use of boiling water by residents who misidentify their burrows as pest holes.

In the News and Trending in NZ for World Bee Day

Top things to do in NZ for World Bee Day

• Do what you can to help bees! Plant native plants and flowers, avoid using pesticides or herbicides, and purchase honey from local farmers.
• Explore a collection of poems about bees and their importance.
• Watch a movie about bees in New Zealand today. Here are our top picks:
  1. Keeper of the Bees (2015)
  2. Urban Beekeeping in New Zealand (2014)
  3. The Kiwi Bee Man (2014)
• Take part in a pollinator-friendly gardening initiative today. This is an opportunity to promote plants native to New Zealand that support bees and encourage the reduction of pesticide use.