Thought-provoking images reveal what a picnic would look like in a world with no bees

Shocking photos show the stark reality of a world without bees – and the bleak, colourless picnics we would experience.

It is difficult to imagine a summer where burgers lack lettuce, tomato, onion, relish and ketchup, or a glass of Pimms without a couple of strawberries and a sprig of mint. 

So, honey manufacturer Rowse has created a series of thought-provoking images, which depict a pollinator-free outdoor hamper, in a bid to highlight the important part bees play in the food we consume every day. 

Without the buzzing workforce, Brits would not be able to consume some of their favourite summertime food and drinks. 

Instead of picnic baskets filled with a rainbow of nourishing treats, we would be faced with the prospect of bland looking food, or worse, none of our must-have items. 

Gone would be the days we could enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice with our fruit salad or avocado breakfast, while the top three favourite British summertime foods and drinks – ice cream sundaes, strawberries with cream, and cider – would not exist.

Many people are unaware of the crucial role the miniature heroes play in our diets, with a staggering three-quarters of food crops reliant on pollinators. 

Well-pollinated plants produce larger, more uniformed and tastier fruit and vegetables. 

In comparison, those with inadequate plant pollination can result in crops being misshapen or bland – or none at all. 

Even meat and dairy products benefit from bee pollination, as cattle often rely on insect pollinated plants, like clover.  

Without bees, plates would be beige and tasteless – dishing up bread, mushrooms and potatoes alongside meat or fish.  

Popular seasonal traditions would look completely different, with afternoon tea off the menu too. 

Bees pollinate tirelessly to help create our delicious plates of food every day.

For instance, a honey bee typically has a foraging radius of three miles —  venturing far away from home every day for work. 

They are so dedicated, it takes as many as 12 honey bees’ entire lifetimes to produce just one teaspoon of honey.  

The number of British beehives has declined by nearly 75 per cent over the last century, and the UK is missing nearly 40 per cent of the beehives needed to future-proof honey sustainability..  

In order to protect the tireless workers, Rowse is recruiting a new generation of British bee farmers through its ‘Bee a Bee Farmer’ apprenticeship to create a more sustainable future for the creatures.