shades fills you in

In 2008, scientists sounded the alarm: Bees are dying! People responded by getting into beekeeping, even in urban areas. It’s led to a beekeeping boom -- Beepods.com

But an Op from Scientific American explains that keeping bees actually does nothing to help protect wild bees, the species under real threat. It can even be harmful -- honeybees compete with wild bees and “destabilize natural ecosystems”

The conversation: “It’s the equivalent of farming chickens to save wild birds”

There are other compelling reasons to get into it though, writes Morningchores.com. They’ll help your garden grow, give you beeswax, and of course, delicious honey!

Beekeeping gave this NYT writer a new perspective on the world. She started seeing things she’d never noticed before

And it’s great for kids, explains Completebeehives.com. It helps them learn about nature and conquer their fears

Almanac.com says there are definitely some downsides though, like getting stung and the bees getting sick. It can also be kind of expensive

Plus your neighbors might not like it, notes Perfectbee.com. Not everyone wants bees flying around their yard, especially if they’re allergic

Wanna give it a go? Beebuilt.com says the first step is to learn as much as you can about bees and your local environment