The Pollinator Issue

Pollinators are the unseen force behind nearly a third of the food we eat. Without bumblebees, honeybees, bats, beetles, birds, flies, wasps and even mosquitoes, our dinner plates would look dismal. But to our own misfortune, we often mislabel these species as a nuisance, rather than seeing them for the incredible beings they are.

It’s sometimes difficult to see some of these creatures as interesting or worthwhile. Wasps seemingly attack for no reason, bats come across as creepy, flies irritate us as they buzz about in the heat of summer. But each of these thousands of species plays a fascinating role in our world: Wasps are single mothers fighting for every bite they provide their young; bats are specialists in pest control; flies contribute significantly to pollination in your home garden. Even the most heinous critters often fill a crucial role in our food system and our environment as a whole.

While I am dedicated to pollinators, my heart lies with honeybees. Honeybees embody what we should all aspire to be: hardworking, community-driven and motivated by the sweet things in life. A single honeybee will drive itself to the grave within six weeks to bring home a mere one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey. However, it is the dedication of millions of these bees that fills the hive with gallons of honey—for their young, for their beekeepers and, ultimately, for all us honey lovers.

My admiration for honeybees goes unreciprocated. I am often the target of merciless attacks without any instigation on my part. During the creation of this issue of Edible Idaho I was stung in the face by a rogue honeybee while photographing an apiary in Pine. Being a witness to pollinator behavior is often a risky endeavor, but also proves time and time again to be worth the pain.

Edible Idaho is pleased to explore the relationship between our pollinators and Idaho food culture through this special Pollinator Issue. In these pages you will witness the intricacies of meadmaking, tour the lovely pollinator gardens of Idaho, examine the flower industry from a pollinator perspective and delve into the mysterious world of bee sex. As you read, please consider the sacrifices we writers have made to create this issue—such as two or three days icing a bee sting to the face.

Courtnie Dawson | Social Media Editor | @courtniedoodle