Pic! Angelina Jolie Gets Covered in Bees for National Geographic

Angelina Jolie has teamed up with National Geographic to draw attention to World Bee Day.

Jolie took part in a stunning photo shoot that was inspired by the Richard Avedon portrait of beekeeper Ronald Fischer of Davis, California, shot 40 years ago this month.

For the shoot, Jolie — in a Gabriela Hearst dress — is covered in bees.

Jolie said about the importance of protecting bees, “With so much we are worried about around the world and so many people feeling overwhelmed with bad news and the reality of what is collapsing and what is happening, this is one [issue] that we can manage. We can certainly all step in and do our part, and we can do much better and anybody can.”

Jolie was recently named the “godmother” of Women for Bees, a program that aims to train and support women beekeeper entrepreneurs. Next month, she’ll be taking part in the first “10 Women for Bees,” at which she’ll get training in beekeeping.

As for why it is important to involve women in beekeeping, Jolie said, “Women are so capable. And there are many women in areas that have not had opportunities. But they are hungry to learn, they have great business instincts. To have a network, learning how to be the best beekeepers with all the latest science and methods, and having something they can make and sell. It’s not just about going around teaching women, it's about learning from women all around the world who have different practices.”

Jolie is concerned about more than just bees! She stressed, “When we're losing species, animal or plant, it is destroying something. It is breaking apart the fabric of all the things that we depend on. We're all smart enough to know that these pieces are very, very interconnected and very crucial. I know it seems like I'm now working on bees, but really, to me, the bee and the pollination and the respect for the environment, it's all interconnected to women’s livelihoods, [and to] displacement from climate change.”