Nature’s Blessing: Agricultural & Medical Power of Honey Bee

Tanzila Rahman , UAO, Ramu, Coxs Bazar

Tanzila Rahman

In agriculture, pollinators play a critical role in increasing crop yields thereby supporting the global food supply. Among the pollinators, honey bees are the most vital and efficient. Yet, these indispensable insects are facing a global decline due to habitat loss, pesticide exposure, diseases, and climate change.

Recognizing the gravity of this issue, the University of Reading in the United Kingdom has been conducting groundbreaking research for over a decade to understand the causes behind bee population decline. This long-term study is expected to yield invaluable insights, helping to protect pollinators and secure the future of agriculture. This author sincerely wishes success for this vital research venture.

Pollination and Agriculture: A Buzzing Partnership

Today, more than 90 commercial crops globally—including almonds, apples, blueberries, and cucumbers—depend on bee pollination. Among the 3,600 bee species in the U.S. alone, the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most commonly used species in modern agriculture due to its efficiency, manageability, and ability to pollinate a wide range of plants.

In Bangladesh, honey bees play a crucial role in pollinating crops like mustard, litchi, guava, sunflower, and watermelon. Native species such as Apis cerana and Apis dorsata, as well as introduced Apis mellifera, are essential in boosting yields. However, similar to global trends, bee populations in Bangladesh are also under threat. Irrational use of harmful pesticides, deforestation, and unplanned urban expansion has significantly reduced bee habitats.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and various non-governmental organizations are actively promoting apiculture to improve agricultural productivity and provide supplementary income to rural families.

Healing from the Hive: Honeybee Venom and Cancer Treatment

In an extraordinary breakthrough, scientists have discovered that honeybee venom can destroy aggressive breast cancer cells. The venom contains a powerful compound called melittin, which has shown the ability to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Melittin is a toxic peptide found in bee venom, particularly from the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. Melittin is known for its membrane-disrupting and hemolytic (red blood cell-destroying) properties. However, melittin in honeybee venom has the potential to act as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agent.

This discovery underscores the healing power of nature, revealing that even a tiny creature like the honey bee can hold the key to treating some of humanity’s most devastating illnesses. It also reminds us of the deep interconnectedness between humans and the natural world—where balance, harmony, and respect for biodiversity can lead to life-saving innovations.

Many spiritual traditions have link healing with balance--just as bees bring balance to ecosystems through pollination, their venom now offers a new path to healing and transformation in medicine.

Conclusion: A Shared Responsibility From pollinating crops to producing honey, supporting biodiversity, and now offering hope for cancer treatment, honey bees are more than just insects—they are guardians of life.

Their decline is a call to action. Through research, conservation, and eco-friendly agricultural practices, we can protect these precious pollinators.

Whether in a mustard field in Bangladesh or a lab in the UK, the efforts to preserve honey bees is ultimately a global mission—one that bridges science, agriculture, medicine, and the very future of human well-being.

(Tanzila Rahman is an agricultural professional who is currently working with the DAE as Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO, Ramu, Cox’s Bazar)