Both wild and managed pollinators have globally significant roles in crop pollination (Potts et al. 2016). Wild bees are equally or even more important pollinators than honey bees (Ollerton J et al. 2012) but habitat destruction, loss of flower resources, and increased use of pesticides (neonicotinoids and others) account for the well-documented decline in their abundance and diversity (Biesmeijer et al. 2006; Potts et al. 2010; Potts et al. 2015; Carvalheiro et al. 2013; Goulson et al. 2015; Woodcock et al. 2016). At the same time, honey bees are not declining and despite beekeepers’ loss due to diseases and pesticides, the total number of managed honey bees worldwide has risen by 45 percent over the last half century, driven by economic factors (Aizen and Harder 2009). Additionally, honey bees may be a factor contributing to wild pollinator decline, helping diseases to spread between species Hatfield et al. 2012; Graystock et al. 2016). It is a fact known for years that agricultural products worth more than $200 billion annually is in hazard due to pollinators’ decline (FAO 2017). But pollinators’ decline is dangerous for wild plants and biodiversity too. A large proportion of endangered and medicinal plants depend on wild bees and other insects for their survival (Stefanaki et al. 2015; Kozuharova et al. 2020). Thus, pollinators are fundamental to maintaining both agricultural productivity and biodiversity.

In the Anthropocene biodiversity conservation depends on the human factor. This process requires proper decisions and adequate awareness. Most people have heard that pollinators are in trouble. Some are skeptical, others are aware of the facts. Since the problem in general is of anthropogenic origin society must be well-informed and educated so that adequate actions can be taken (Sabbahi et al. 2024). This is valid particularly for the future generation. “Education is essential for the sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity and its conservation. It is also crucial for mainstreaming biodiversity” (UNESCO 2022).

Media literacy is a modern and innovate approach in the educational efforts of the 21^st Century (Livingstone 2004; Danov 2017; Danov 2020a; Danov 2020b). They can be used as powerful tools in education about biodiversity conservation. The starting point for the most efficient design of educational programs for wild bees’ conservation is to ascertain the basic knowledge of children on this topic.

The aim of this pilot study in Bulgaria is to investigate:

1. the knowledge of children about the bees and their role in the ecosystems and
2. where they get information about the topic and how they check its credibility.

We followed the standard methodology (Danov 2020a, Danov 2020b). An interview was performed with 60 children (36 girls and 24 boys) of age between 6 and 12 from the town of Sofia, Dobrinishte and Dragalevtzi villages. We consulted bee specialist Nicolas Vereeken, (ULB), Belgium.

The questions were adapted to the age of the target groups having on mind the initial level of knowledge on ecological phenomena and interactions (Suppl. material 1). Children were probed about their knowledge concerning common facts and attitude with the following questions: What is the bee to you? (multiple choice), Why are bees useful in nature? (multiple choice), Why can't plants do without bees? (multiple choice), Did you know that in addition to honey bees, there are also many types of wild bees? Who are they and where do they live? (open), Where will you look for information to answer the above question? multiple choice), When you find information on the Internet, how do you know if it is true? (open). The data are analyzed with the descriptive statistics methods.

The study reveals that knowledge of facts about bees is restricted. Although most children know that bees are “useful and necessary” (42 children or 70.0%, Fig. 1a) and “plants need bees” (47 kids or 78.3%, Fig. 1b) many do not understand their role in the ecosystems. Almost half of respondents (43,3%, Fig. 1c) either do not know why plants need bees or they chose the option “bees feed the plants”. Even those who have previously chosen “plant need bees” are not completely sure why they do so – 3.6% do not know why plants need bees, 21.3% think “bees feed the plants” and 61.7% are aware that they are necessary for the fruit formation. The fact that “plants cannot produce fruits without bees” is known to 56,7% of all respondents, (Fig. 1c). In addition, children do not know much about wild bees (only 36.7% have given answers demonstrating middle or high level of awareness about wild bees, Fig. 1d).

a

b

c

d

Figure 1.

The knowledge of children about bees and their role in ecosystems.

A good sign in this research is, that at the age 6 to 12 years, many children who admit “I do not know” are open to learn (13.3-15.0% have specified so, Fig. 1b, c, d). Only few children do not care (1.7-3.3%, Fig. 1a, b, c). The main sources of information remain adults (for 50.0% of the children, namely parents for 25.0% or teachers for 18.3% of the children), followed by Internet (for 31.7 % of the children) and last but not least – books (for 25.0% of the children). The important result is that 26.3% of the children, who rely on the information from Internet, respond that they do not know how to verify its credibility. Only 21.1% are aware on how to do that on the Internet. The rest of them rely on books or parents’ and teachers’ knowledge.

Children are born curious (Hodgkin 1976; Schwartz 1977; Engel 2013; Gurholt and Sanderud 2016). This way they get to know their environment. Curiosity is actually a broader biological principle and many non-human animals show exploratory behaviors which fulfill the following criteria:

1. the subject is willing to sacrifice reward to obtain information,
2. the information provides no immediate instrumental or strategic benefit, and
3. the amount the subject is willing to pay depends systematically on the amount of information available (Wang and Hayden 2019).

Our results show that at age of 6 to 12 years very few children reply “I do not care” (Fig. 1) and a sufficiently large proprtion are open to learn when their knowledge is insufficient. Curiosity may be an important, yet under-recognized contributor to academic achievement. Fostering curiosity may optimize academic achievement at kindergarten, especially for children of low socioeconomic status (Shah et al. 2018). It is crucial to preserve their curiosity. Furthermore, it should be cultivated in schools, although this often is almost completely absent from classrooms. Since this curiosity is a powerful elixir for learning and the idea that as children age their curiosity requires more nurturing, it's clear teachers should pay serious attention to helping students acquire or retain a thirst to find out about the world. Easy to say; harder to do. Calling on well-established research and more recent studies, Engel argues that interactions between teachers and students can foster or inhibit children's curiosity (Engel 2011).

There are several books available in Bulgarian, but, according to the Editor of Children Publishing House Fiut, most parents do not like to buy books about “bugs”, meaning insects sensu lato (Hristova, personal communication). Although reliable professional resources on wild bees are available online (IDmyBee 2025Gogala 2023Rasmont 2023), there are no specialized sources designed and adapted specifically for children.

According to Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning (Bloom and Krathwohl 1956), “one is considered to really know something when it has gone through the deepest level of learning which is when it has taken part of one’s system of beliefs and attitude towards the knowledge about a certain topic”. Media literacy focuses on educational values. The student should relate to the importance of the learning subject on a personal level. Media literacy can integrate an ecological way of thinking in children because it combines all the six levels of learning - knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Media literacy, which is defined as a 21st century approach to education (Baker 2011, Gjerazi 2024), can be used as a tool to involve children on a personal level by having an active position and well-informed opinions on ecology topics. The ecological way of thinking and biodiversity conservation must take the prevailing part of the children‘s personal value system. Children should be prepared to filter the true from fake information available on the media. The locals usually play a key part whеn faced with еnvironmental problеms. Citizеn sciencе is incrеasingly one of thе forms of pаrticipation in which people takе аction to help solve environmentаl problems thаt concern them (Suman et al. 2023).

Education, and in particular adopting an ecological way of thinking, is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Researchers and educators must unite their efforts in the challenging task of presenting information about bees, and their irreplaceable role in the plants’ life, in such a way that it is comprehensible and accessiblle to younger children. Emphasis should be on wild bees in relation to biodiversity conservation. In the current situation characterized by the huge information pool available on the Internet (some true but some fake) media literacy becomes a powerful tool in efforts to extend appropriate education regarding biodiversity conservation. Children should be prepared to filter true from fake information. In the future, they must be capable of advocating a convincing case for biodiversity protection in policy making.

The author is grateful to Prof. L. Penev for his valuable advice and support.