World Bee Day - May 20, 2025

On this occasion of World Bee Day, celebrated annually on May 20th, we, the Asian Apicultural Association (AAA), urge all member countries to unite in global efforts to protect pollinators, safeguard food security, preserve biodiversity, and enhance human health. This day serves as a global reminder of the indispensable role bees and other pollinators play in sustaining life on Earth, and it calls upon us to redouble our efforts in safeguarding their future.

Bees are the unsung heroes of our ecosystems and economies. They pollinate over 75% of the world’s leading food crops and 90% of wild plants, ensuring biodiversity, food security, and livelihoods for millions. In Asia, a region rich in agricultural diversity, the contributions of bees are even more pronounced—from the rice paddies of Southeast Asia to the apple orchards of the Himalayas, their labor underpins our food systems and cultural heritage.

Yet, bees today face unprecedented threats. Climate change, habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and disease outbreaks are pushing pollinator populations to the brink. In Asia, rapid urbanization, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices exacerbate these challenges. As stewards of this vital resource, the Asian Apicultural Association stands committed to fostering collaboration, innovation, and awareness to reverse these trends.

This year’s World Bee Day theme, let's following the United Nations & FAO “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all” to take decisive action.

We call on AAA member countries to:Organize Public Events: Host workshops, school programs, and community activities to raise awareness about bees’ critical role.

Advancing Research & Education: Supporting studies on pollinator health and sharing best practices across borders.
Promoting Sustainable Beekeeping: Empowering beekeepers with tools to adapt to climate shifts and market demands.
Advocating for Policy Change: Engaging governments to prioritize pollinator-friendly agriculture and reduce harmful pesticide use.
Raising Public Awareness: Inspiring communities, especially youth, to become champions for bees through education and outreach.
Celebrate Local Beekeepers: Highlight their contributions to food systems and economic resilience.
......
Let us lead by example:Plant wildflowers, create green corridors, and reduce plastic waste.
Collaborate across borders to share knowledge and resources.

Engage youth to inspire future stewards of pollinators.

Together, we can turn awareness into action. By protecting bees, we protect our food, our health, and our planet.

Join us, join UN & FAO in making World Bee Day 2025 a catalyst for change!
For resources, partnerships, or support, contact the AAA Secretariat at AAA office.

Act now—for the bees, for Asia, for the world.

Key Themes Highlighted:Urgency of pollinator protection in Asia.

Link to food security, biodiversity, and health.
Tangible actions for member countries.
Collaboration and youth engagement.

Let’s bee the change! 🌍🐝

Customization Tips:Add country-specific examples (e.g., "In [Country], bees pollinate [local crop]...").
Include AAA logos or links to campaign materials.

Adjust deadlines or event formats to suit regional contexts.

To our beekeepers, researchers, and enthusiasts: thank you for your tireless dedication. Your work is not just a vocation—it is a legacy for future generations.

Let us use this World Bee Day to reaffirm our commitment. Together, we can ensure that bees thrive, ecosystems flourish, and communities prosper. The time to act is now.

We’d love to hear from you 🌍🐝Let us know how you plan to celebrate World Bee Day in your country. 🌍🐝

Please don't forget to check the attachment: Speech from President Prof. Siriwat on WBD.
Happy World Bee Day! 🌍🐝

Warm regards,

Lihong
Secretary-General
Asian Apicultural Associaton (AAA)

Low-dose Bee Venom as a Potential Therapeutic Agent Against Human Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia Cells

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Bee venom is secreted by a gland in the abdominal cavity of bees. The venom, especially that of honeybees, contains certain enzymes and peptides that, when administered in high doses, are effective against various diseases. Peptides such as melittin and phospholipase A2 can target various cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative effects of administering low-dose bee venom in K-562 chronic myeloid leukaemia cells. Our proteomic study revealed regional variation of the content of bee venom and high levels of melittin, apamin and secapin, as well as phospholipase A2 and hyaluronidase. In addition, eight new, previously unidentified proteins were identified. The effects of bee venom on cell viability and drug–cell interaction were investigated at 24, 48 and 72 h. According to the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) results, the bee venom decreased K-562 cell viability dose-dependently at all time points. Cell viability decreased 48 and 72 h after bee venom administration but increased in the control group left untreated for 72 h. The inhibition percentages for the highest bee venom concentration (0.4 µM) at 24, 48 and 72 h were 55%, 80% and 92%, respectively. The cell–drug interactions indicated that the cell surfaces, which were smooth and clear before drug application, gradually deteriorated and started to shrink after the application. In conclusion, at increasing doses, bee venom was found to have a strong antiproliferative effect in K-562 chronic myeloid leukaemia cell lines.

Tanzanians urged to adopt bee venom as a natural alternative for boosting immunity

GEITA: TheTanzania Forestry Service (TFS) has urged Tanzanians to adopt bee venom as a natural alternative for boosting immunity against both infectious and non-infectious diseases.

TFS Senior Conservator from the Silayo Tree Plantation in Geita District, Mr Juma Mdoe made the recommendations recently in an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News.’

Mr Mdoe said that scientific research has shown that bee venom contains various compounds that, when introduced into the human body, can help strengthen the immune system.

“Some major components of bee venom are melittin, apamin, hyaluronidase, phospholipase and histamine.

“When bee venom compounds are injected into the body, may stimulate, activate and boost the immune, which helps to fight diseases,” he said.

Manuka Honey May Help in the Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer

Medical Dialogues.

Video: Understanding apitherapy or bee venom therapy and how it works

 

NTV Kenya

Propolis Alleviates Acute Lung Injury Induced by Heat-Inactivated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus via Regulating Inflammatory Mediators, Gut Microbiota and Serum Metabolites

Propolis has potential anti-inflammatory properties, but little is known about its efficacy against inflammatory reactions caused by drug-resistant bacteria, and the difference in efficacy between propolis and tree gum is also unclear. Here, an in vivo study was performed to study the effects of ethanol extract from poplar propolis (EEP) and poplar tree gum (EEG) against heat-inactivated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Pre-treatment with EEP and EEG (100 mg/kg, p.o.) resulted in significant protective effects on ALI in mice, and EEP exerted stronger activity to alleviate lung tissue lesions and ALI scores compared with that of EEG. Furthermore, EEP significantly suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators in the lung, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that both EEP and EEG could modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, enhance the abundance of beneficial microbiota and reduce the harmful ones, and partly restore the levels of short-chain fatty acids. EEP could modulate more serum metabolites and showed a more robust correlation between serum metabolites and gut microbiota. Overall, these results support the anti-inflammatory effects of propolis in the treatment of ALI, and the necessity of the quality control of propolis.

Bee Venom Therapy in Mexico

NACO, Sonora, Mexico — The throngs of people waiting to get stung by bees here outside Jose Miguel Sobarzo’s home office are buzzing with anticipation.

The patients — or clients — come from his hometown here in Naco, Sonora, from as far away as California and Colorado for the chance to get a bee placed on their back, neck or arm so they can feel the relief released from the insect’s toxins.

Sobarzo’s patients swear by the ancient therapy. They say it helps with everything from arthritis, to diabetes, to lack of memory and energy.

Honey Has Protective Effect in Cerebrovascular Diseases

Apitherapy in Post-Ischemic Brain Neurodegeneration of Alzheimer’s Disease Proteinopathy: Focus on Honey and Its Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids

Molecules 2023, 28(15), 5624

Neurodegeneration of the brain after ischemia is a major cause of severe, long-term disability, dementia, and mortality, which is a global problem. These phenomena are attributed to excitotoxicity, changes in the blood–brain barrier, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, vasoconstriction, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and ultimately neuronal death. In addition, genetic factors such as post-ischemic changes in genetic programming in the expression of amyloid protein precursor, β-secretase, presenilin-1 and -2, and tau protein play an important role in the irreversible progression of post-ischemic neurodegeneration. Since current treatment is aimed at preventing symptoms such as dementia and disability, the search for causative therapy that would be helpful in preventing and treating post-ischemic neurodegeneration of Alzheimer’s disease proteinopathy is ongoing. Numerous studies have shown that the high contents of flavonoids and phenolic acids in honey have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-amyloid, anti-tau protein, anticholinesterase, serotonergic, and AMPAK activities, influencing signal transmission and neuroprotective effects. Notably, in many preclinical studies, flavonoids and phenolic acids, the main components of honey, were also effective when administered after ischemia, suggesting their possible use in promoting recovery in stroke patients. This review provides new insight into honey’s potential to prevent brain ischemia as well as to ameliorate damage in advanced post-ischemic brain neurodegeneration.

Australian Beekeepers Look to Untapped Health Potential of Propolis - #ABCNewsAustralia

ABC News

A by-product of honey production largely discarded in Australia could provide an alternative income source for beekeepers across the country.

Hidden within the walls of their hives, bees blend up a unique mix of materials that scientists believe holds untapped potential in Australia.

Propolis is a sticky, resinous substance that's sometimes referred to as "bee glue."

UK Launches First Apitherapy Center

The UK’s first ‘bee therapy’ retreat just launched in Perthshire, with sounds, vibrations and aromas to help visitors de-stress and chill out. I was buzzing to check it out. Here’s how I got on.

The Courier.

Oxymel Honey-Vinegar Combo Boosts Wound Healing

Oxymel: Scientists say honey and vinegar is a wound-healing power couple

BODY+SOUL

A combination of honey and vinegar has shown promise as a treatment for wound infections, researchers in the UK have discovered.

Our ancestors were onto something when they used honey and vinegar to heal and clean wounds.

Like so many things, these remedies got lots amongst modern practices, but now Warwick University in the UK has discovered the true power behind these natural foods as topical medicines.

In the university’s Sweet and Sour Synergy study, researchers underwent the first comprehensive study of its kind, and what they found was that yes, elements of honey and vinegar have incredible wound healing properties, but when combined in low doses, are even more powerful. This combination is called oxymel.

Video: Bee Venom Therapy Popular in Kenya

Murang'a residents turn to apitherapy; testify to being healed after getting stings

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Propolis and its constituents exhibit anti-obesity, anti-hypertension, anti-dyslipidemic, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-diabetic effects

Propolis and its constituents against cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and dyslipidemia: A comprehensive review

Review Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2023;26(8):853-871

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are some of the major causes of death worldwide. The modern lifestyle elevates the risk of CVDs. CVDs have several risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. 

Using herbal and natural products plays a pivotal role in the treatment of different diseases such as CVDs, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Propolis, a natural resinous mixture, is made by honey bees. Its main components are phenolics and terpenoid compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester, chrysin, and quercetin. 

In this review, multiple studies regarding the pharmacological impacts of propolis and its constituents with their related mechanisms of action against mentioned CVD risk factors have been discussed in detail. Here, we used electronic databases or search engines such as Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Google Scholar without time limitations. 

The primary components of propolis are phenolics and terpenoid compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester, chrysin and quercetin. Propolis and its constituents have been found to exhibit anti-obesity, anti-hypertension, anti-dyslipidemic, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-diabetic effects. 

The vast majority of studies discussed in this review demonstrate that propolis and its constituents could have therapeutic effects against mentioned CVD risk factors via several mechanisms such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, reducing adipogenesis, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory effect, inhibition of the ACE, increasing insulin secretion, NO level, etc.

Bee Air (Bienenluft) Therapy Part of Apitherapy Trend in Europe

Good vibrations can leave you buzzing at first bee therapy retreat

Saturday May 20 2023, The Times

Pet therapy, cat cafés and emotional support animals have all sought to enhance the bond between humans and nature for those in need of a bit of unconditional love. As therapy crazes go, insects have yet to be embraced.

However, tranquillity seekers are now being offered an hour cocooned with 60,000 honey bees whose wing vibrations create “a positive energising effect which calms and relaxes”, according to a new treatment centre.

The bees come and go beneath a wooden triangular structure, known as an apipod, in which clients lie on beds, taking in the pollen aromas and sound of activity from the six hives without fear of being stung.

Guests can relax, or even fall asleep, surrounded by the aromas of honey, propolis, nectar and pollen

The practice, known as apitherapy, is a fast-growing trend in eastern Europe....

Video: Some Syrians are Turning to Bee Venom Therapy as Alternative Medicine

 

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