Bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles — there is something these animals from different classes all have in common: they are all pollinators and they perform an essential ecosystem service.

For over 130 million years, pollinating animals — originally just flies and beetles — have been helping flowers expand their range and reproduce. Plants, for their part, have evolved in parallel with animals, developing enticing scents and colours and storing pollen in the "right container" for the animal that will carry it.

To mark the importance of these animals and raise awareness among authorities and the general public about the rapid decline of pollinator populations, Pollinator Week was established. The initiative, which began on 16 June and runs until the 22nd, was set up in 2007 by the non-profit organisation Pollinator Partnership, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture.

The celebration, initially confined to the United States, has since spread around the world — the problem of declining bee populations affects the entire planet. The main threats facing pollinating animals are habitat loss and the harmful effects of pesticides. A study funded by the European Union found that the annual economic value of pollination amounts to 153 billion euros for the main crops that feed humanity. The disappearance of pollinators would put an end to the agricultural world as we know it today.

Since pesticides are the primary antagonists of pollinating insects, organic farming represents a valuable resource for their protection. Organic crops resist damage caused by insects by avoiding large monocultures and preserving biodiversity. The growing concern for pollinating animals is a sign of progress, but concrete action must be taken for their conservation and, by extension, for our own survival.