It’s the season for giving thanks while enjoy a tasty meal. As you make your list of the people and things you’re thankful for, don’t forget to add bees. You may be surprised to find that bees helped make your favorite holiday dishes. Check out which Thanksgiving dishes bees help bring to your table.
Pumpkin Pie
Who says you can’t start a meal with dessert first? Pumpkin pie would be absent from the table if it weren’t for bees. Pumpkins can’t self-pollinate, which means they rely on pollinators to produce fruit. Squash bees help us out and make it possible to enjoy this tasty Thanksgiving treat.
Stuffing
Stuffing just wouldn’t be the same without a few key ingredients that bees help supply. Bees help to produce the seeds of onions as well as a variety of herbs and spice plants. One important holiday spice is nutmeg, which is often added to stuffing in the form of poultry seasoning.
Cranberries
Whether you prefer them tart or sweet, cranberries are a Thanksgiving staple. Like pumpkins, cranberries can’t self-pollinate. Bees just happen to be one of their main pollinators. They have to visit the plant multiple times to guarantee you get the best cranberries possible.
Roasted Vegetables
Many people add a variety of roasted vegetables to their holiday feast. Without the help of bees, your options would be limited. Bees help pollinate Brussel sprouts, squash, broccoli, and even herbs like parsley.
Turkey
It’s hard to imagine Thanksgiving without the star of the day. Bees indirectly help bring turkey to your table. Turkeys feed on different seeds, fruits, plants, and insects. If bees didn’t help pollinate fruit and seeds, turkeys would have a limited food supply, which could lead to a turkey-free Thanksgiving.
Bees play an important role in the production of many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Without them, your meals wouldn’t be the same. We’re thankful for the work bees do, which is why our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective Pest Control products don’t contain neonicotinoids, which are known to be harmful to bees. Unless sprayed directly, bees will only be repelled by our natural plant-based insecticides.