Adopt a 3Bee nectariferous tree and regenerate biodiversity

3Bee's aim has always been to protect and regenerate biodiversity. As with the Adopt-a-Hive project, supported by Hive - Tech technology, which can be used to monitor the health of the hive and thus enable beekeepers to take better care of their bee families, data and technology come into play for Adopt-a-Tree. Once a tree is adopted it will be entrusted to an experienced grower who will take care of it and thanks to ESA satellites and our technology it will soon be possible to track its growth.

This choice arose from the need to expand the grazing area required for bees to be able to harvest nectar and thus have sufficient sources of nourishment for their survival. Due to the consequences of climate change and monocultures, grazing areas for bees are undergoing a constant depletion and continuous reduction. This not only threatens their survival, but also that of numerous plant species. It also reduces our ability to feed ourselves on the foods we love most and which are a key component in the food pyramid. On the process of pollination depends the survival of 90% of wild plants and 70% of food crops.. It is hard to imagine a world where we cannot season pasta or pizza with classic sauce, or have to give up our favourite fruit in summer: strawberries, cherries, raspberries. Even the production of chocolate and coffee depends on bees.

Nectar is a liquid substance produced by angiosperms. It is able to attract pollinators, who will also collect pollen, which is then spread around the plant during flight. In this way the angiosperms are able to reproduce. This nectar is called nuptial or floral nectar because it is produced by glands present at the base of the flowers and therefore protected from rain. To date there are about 250,000 species of angiosperms, some of which produce nectar extrinsically or extra-florally, i.e. through stems, leaves or buds. It is composed mainly of water and sugar, but also contains mineral salts, vitamins, enzymes and essential oils. We are talking about a complete and balanced meal for bees. It is important to remember that not all types of nectar contain the same amounts of nutrients, which is why it is better to have different species of angiosperms in a given area. This waybees will live healthy.

In addition to nectar, angiosperms produce the pollen, also called the pollen granule. In gymnosperms it is produced by the male cones, in angiosperms it is produced in the anthers. Pollen transport carries the male gamete to the female gamete, which always remains fixed on the trees. Bees, on the other hand, need pollen as a protein source to be supplied to the larvae that will then become the future bees. An interesting curiosity, which once again highlights the perfect mechanism of the bee and the whole hive, is the way bees manage to transport pollen, namely through the hair covering them and the brushes of stiff hair they have on their legs. If you look closely at worker bees flying outside the hive, you can often see baskets of pollen right on their hind legs.

We have compiled a list of plants with high nectariferous potential and identified the best places to plant them. On our site you can then choose a nectariferous plant from your place of origin, or simply the one that inspires you most. The most famous, especially when thinking of the honey that is then produced from it, is the Lime, easily recognisable in spring by its very fragrant yellow flowers. Or the multifaceted cherries, wild apple trees, chestnut trees, blackthorn trees and medlar trees, which also bear fruit. Lovers of colourful flowers will be able to choose between the paulownia, all dressed in lilac, or the Juda tree, with its bright fuchsia blossom.