The buzzing honeybee on flowers is one of the most charitable creatures on this planet.

On their own, without wages and without a tea party or voice other than their meager buzz, honeybees contribute billions of dollars to this country's national economy.

"Day for Honey Bees" was observed Aug. 16 at Wildlands Conservancy, Emmaus, as part of National Honey Bee Day.

The free event was sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Beekeepers Association.

Youngsters of all ages experienced role playing inside and outside the beehive in the fun and educational game "Imagine Me…A Busy, Busy Honey Bee."

Children received honey sticks and coloring books.

Highlighting the celebration was the 2014 Pennsylvania Honey Queen, Kaylee Kilgore, a beekeeper who is a student at Lehigh University where she recently assisted in establishing an apiary on campus along with assistance from area beekeepers.

Visitors saw a working observation hive with the queen bee going about her business laying eggs.

In other stations, local beekeepers explained their equipment, took visitors on a tour to an apiary and demonstrated the extraction of raw honey from the hive. Raw honey from the extractor and other honey by-products were available for sale.

Honeybees have sustained farming and gardening for at least 4,500 years, their by-products have helped to save the lives of soldiers; with health issues from a sore throat to the trauma of burn victims; and in salves used for people and animal health.

While honeybees are very, very charitable by providing pollination which it is estimated directly or indirectly affects 50 to 80 percent of the world's food supply, their short life of six to eight weeks is not without the everyday turmoil of predators, diseases and the lifestyle of human beings.

Honeybees are a perfect gauge of the health of our environment. Sensitivity to pesticides is deadly to honey bees at a minute level of only several parts per billions in contamination.

It may be wise to consider chemicals used to have the best garden and most beautiful lawn in the neighborhood may likewise be detrimental to family pets or the children enjoying a barefooted romp.

With the bee industry so vital to all agriculture and gardening from the small family organic plot to the largest commercial growers feeding much of the world, reality is 98 percent of all who keep honeybees are backyard beekeepers living in towns, cities and suburban areas and not on larger traditional farms.

The Lehigh Valley Beekeepers Association was founded in 1921 and has a membership of more than 175 beekeepers and gardeners.

The association holds classes for beginning beekeepers each winter at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville.

Monthly meetings are open to the public. Learn more by visiting Lehighvalleybeekeepers.org.