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Saving & Protecting Bees
Their Importance and How to Help
Saving and Protecting Bees: Their Importance and How to Help
Have you recently eaten any nuts, apples, strawberries, or watermelons? What about broccoli, cucumbers, or asparagus? You were able to enjoy all of these foods because of pollination from bees, as well as other native Hymenopterans, such as wasps, sawflies, and other pollinators. The beef and dairy industries also rely on bees, as bees pollinate alfalfa, which is used to feed livestock.
In addition to pollinating about one-third of everything we eat, bees also pollinate one-sixth of the flowering plant species, which beautifies the planet and creates habitats and food for other wildlife. Sadly, the bees and other Hymenopterans are facing severe population declines, which will drastically affect not only humans, but also the entire planet. Read on for insight from Joshie's Dragons on how the bee population is affected, and what you can do to help!
For What It’s Worth
A report from The Royal Society suggests that declining bee populations are limiting blueberry production in British Columbia. The disappearance of Hymenopterans like bees and hornets not only affects our food, but also our economy, especially the agricultural industry. Unfortunately, that very same industry has played a major role in the decline of bee populations.
Insecticide
Insecticides are used for pest control, but they don’t discriminate; they harm all insects, even the bees that are necessary for maintaining the crops. Furthermore, agriculture uses monoculture crop methods, which means only one type of plant is grown across huge acres of fields. This provides a poor diet for honeybees and results in the loss of habitat for wild flowers, which negatively affects the diet and habitats of wild bees. So try out some bee-friendly pest control options, such as using traps, plants that deter Japanese beetles, and picking the insects off the plants.
Mites
Beesource notes that humans brought parasitic mites to U.S. bee colonies, which has continually devastated honeybee populations since in the 1980s. Farmers now need to rent bees from beekeepers to efficiently pollinate crops, but this only intensifies the problem. First, you have a huge population of bees in one setting, making it easy for diseases and mites to spread. Also, moving the hives from farm to farm spreads the diseases to colonies that weren’t previously infected.
Other Concerns
The agricultural industry isn’t the only one to blame. Air pollution makes it harder for bees to find plants, and urbanization has replaced their habitats with parking lots and buildings. Homeowners are also partially to blame. Many homeowners see dandelions, Creeping Charlie, and clover as weeds and remove them from their lawns, but those are often the first foods that bees feed on in the spring. Homeowners also believe that grass should be mowed down regularly, and they treat gardens with pesticides. All of these actions create a hostile environment for pollinators.
Stepping Into Beekeeping
You may want to try your hand at beekeeping. You can even potentially start selling honey and making a side business out of it! The business part doesn't have to be a major undertaking. You’ll want to develop a business plan and a marketing strategy, but there are plenty of easy-to-use tools and resources that can help you get started. You’ll also need to choose the business structure that works best for you.
Bee-come a Bees Superhost with Landscaping Upgrades
You don’t have to ditch mowing your lawn altogether to help bees and other Hymenopterans. One option is to keep your front lawn short and tidy, but create a bee lawn in the backyard. The grass should be no shorter than three or four inches, and some legumes (such as alfalfa, clover, and sainfoin), daffodils, and other wildflowers should be left to grow. Also, skip on the chemicals and use natural ways to keep out unwanted pests, such as putting up a fence around your garden that will keep out smaller animals. And make sure you keep those receipts, since these kinds of home upgrades also raise your home’s appraisal value.
Creating a pollinator garden is also a great way to help bees in your yard. Bees tend to focus on one species of plant at a time when feeding, so rather than spreading one type of flower across the yard or garden, plant them in bundles. Choose a diversity of plants that bloom at different times of the year to create a “season-long feast.” Bees are especially attracted to white, blue, and yellow flowers. About 70 percent of native bees nest in the ground rather than hives by digging little burrows, so leave a bare spot of earth near your garden for wild bees to nest.
Native bees and other Hymenopterans are vital pollinators that need our help in increasing their food supplies and habitats. Our economy and diets would suffer immensely without bees, as well as the diets and habitats of other wildlife. Considering humans have played such a huge role in the decline of bee populations, it seems right that we step in and help reverse the damage. Something as simple as allowing daffodils to grow can help, but you can make an even bigger impact by growing a pollinator-friendly lawn and garden. You can even start your own colony as a way to contribute.
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