Photo/Illutration A honeybee on a field mustard flower (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

I received feedback from a dear reader after writing in this column in July a few years ago: “The rising mercury spells the arrival of a seasonal hiatus in the blooming of flowering trees and shrubs.”

The reader pointed out that this is not the case as quite a few flowering plants do bloom in summer, not the least of which being cucumbers.

The reader is right. We certainly don’t have many trees that blossom during this time of the year, but we do have flowering summer vegetables.

I always catch sight of visiting bees whenever I turn my eyes to the yellow flowers of cucumbers and “goya” bitter gourds that grow in my yard.

It pains me just to think about their sting, but the way they suck nectar looks so cute and lovely. They also appear so dutiful as they move from one flower to the next in faithful succession.

My thoughts go to “The Drifting Classroom,” a science fiction manga by Kazuo Umezu.

It features an elementary school that is sent away, its buildings and all, into a dilapidated future. With food running out, children rejoice at the sight of peach blossoms in the schoolyard, pinning hopes on the fruits they will bear.

It takes no time, however, before they find out, with terror, that the world they are in has no wind, bees or butterflies. They realize the schoolyard plants could bear no fruits at all unless they were pollinated by humans.

The work of fiction from the 1970s not only tackled environmental pollution, a major issue of the time, but also had a far-reaching eye toward climate change.

Bees are likely worn down sometimes by unreasonable weather in the real world as well.

One cherry-producing area in Akita Prefecture harvested only 30 percent of the average-year crop volume this summer. Officials of a local agricultural cooperative said a sustained spell of chilly weather kept bees inactive in late April, when cherry trees were blooming there.

Oh, how the insects would have wanted to make a “beeline” to the blossoms.

Experts both in Japan and abroad have warned that agrochemicals could also be decimating bee populations.

“Bees are the unsung benefactors behind the fruits of the earth,” I said to myself as I watched how they fluttered their wings.

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 22

* * *

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

Related News