The crucial importance of bees and the significant impact their decline has on the world is brought to the attention of the public through an interactive sculpture at the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina.

Inspired by entomology, Maltese artist Matthew Pandolfino has created a kinetic sculpture from recycled metal which visitors can interact with by turning a large wheel, thus making the bee ‘fly around’.

Mankind’s existence prospers from the honey bee’s delicate industrious life as many of the crops we consume are pollinated by honey bees.

As the honey bee winnows every plant she touches, she is necessary to our environment and to our supply for food.

However, due to a growing number of pesticides, loss of habitat, malnutrition and other concerning factors, honey bees seem to be disappearing at an increasing rate.

The Dead Bee represents the worldwide epidemic of our dying honey bees and is an ode to their nourishing life, to encourage us to wake up to their needs and their necessity to us.

The four-metre-high sculpture magnifies the honey bee’s fascinating structure and bodily architecture. From her antennae to the pollen brushes on her hind legs, the honey bee’s body is built to work while adapting to the world around her.

The statue is on display in the front courtyard of the museum until the end of December.