Save the Bees

What do bees do and why are they so important?

Bees are essential for us humans and our environment. They produce products such as honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis, beeswax, and honey bee venom. They work as pollinators for our flowers and crops. They play a huge role in biodiversity, which we depend on for survival. They do this buy picking up pollen and spreading it which allows plants, aka our crops, to reproduce. About 1 out of every 3 bites of food are pollinated by bees, so without them a majority of the foods we know and love will no longer be available for us and a number of other animals that rely on these plants as well.

Crops that almost completely rely on bee pollination

70 out of 100 human crops rely on bees

Almonds Apples

Avocado Cranberries

Cherries Blueberries

Kiwi Carrots

Cucumbers Sunflowers

and so much more…

Why are bees disappearing?

Bee Killing Insecticides

Pesticides are designed to prevent or kill unwanted pests and weeds. The neonicotinoid class is especially harmful to bees because it paralyzes the neural system of the bee. This can cause impaired movement and death. This class of pesticides seeps into the pollen, nectar, and the leaves. You can imagine why this would be a huge threat to bees because they pick up the pollen, bring it back to the hive, and spread it to the rest of the bees. This is the leading cause of the decline of pollinators.

Climate Change

Climate change has been a growing issue for our environment. It has caused drastic changes in temperature which disrupts the ecosystems. It can cause flowering plants to start growing more north, leaving the pollinators behind and making it hard for them to find food and shelter. Remember this does not just affect the animals, it affects us humans as well.

Habitat Loss

With human development expanding, many habitats have been destroyed. These natural environments provide food, water, and shelter for animals and pollinators.

Bee diseases and parasites

These factors have led to non-native parasites inhabitating and new diseases forming. The #1 parasite that is killing honey bees is called varroa mites. Nosema bombi fungus is also responsible for the decline of honeybees.

Electromagnetic Radiation

Electromagnetic radiation disrupts bees navigation system which may cause them to not know how to return home. The leading cause of electromagnetic radiation is cell phone towers.

Invasive Plant Species

When a non-native plant species is introduced into a new environment, it can cause an imbalance in that ecosystem. It may begin to take over, leaving bees with less food because their diets have evolved to feed on local plant life.

What can you do to help?

1.) Go Chemical Free

Try to avoid using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers such as the neonicotinoids. Instead try to treat your yard or garden with organic products or natural solutions. Use compost to aid soil health. Add insects that benefit your garden and deter other pests. Use boiling water, vinegar, or salt to kill weeds.

2.) Plant a bee garden and provide trees

Because of habitat loss, bees lack a safe environment to build their homes and find food sources. Planting a bee garden can provide a great habitat that is rich in pollen and nectar. Bees love plants like thyme, sage, mint, rosemary, yarrow, sunflowers, bee balm, chives, and lavender. When trees bloom, they provide thousands of blossoms to feed from and they make for a great place to make a hive!

3.) Create a bee bath

Bees need a safe place to stop and drink some water from time to time. Get a shallow ird bath or bowl, fill it with clean water and arrange some pebbles and stones inside that come out of the water slightly. The stones will provide a place for the bee to land and drink.

4.) Create a home for the bees or sponsor a hive

With the exception of honey bees, most bees are solitary creatures. You can make “bee condos” for them to take shelter in, which are created using small tubes. You can keep your own honey bees or provide your nearby school a hive. There is a Sponsor a Hive program and you can find more information about that at this link: https://thebeeconservancy.org/sponsor-a-hive-eligibility/

5.) Support local bee keepers and organizatons

Beekeepers work hard to nurture the bees and collect their products. The easiest thing you can do to show your support is buy their honey and other bee products. They can make soaps, lotions, and candles out of their products. Local honey is delicious and can be used in so many drinks and meals. It is made from local flora, therefore it can help with seasonal allergies. Honey has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Some people take honey orally to treat coughs and also put it on top of burns to promote wound healing.

6.) Teach your friends, family, and those around you about bees

The more people know about how amazing bees are and what harms them, the better it can be for them, us, and our environment. There are resources everywhere that can teach you more about everything I am telling you and hopefully you can inspire some others to help the cause.

7.) Call for bee hive removal, dont kill

There are people you can call that can remove a hive while keeping all the bees inside safe. The Save the Bees foundation provides free swarm removal.

savethebees.com/swamremoval

Swarm Hotline: +1 (800) 456-2789

8.) Donate!

Donate to organizations and people who are helping the bees. Donate to my page where I will give to various different bee organizations like Save the Bees and The Bee Conservancy. Donate to your local beekeeper or to your local school so they can buy resources to create a hive and garden. Donate to bee research so we can learn more about these fascinating creatures.

Please consider donating, you will find my donation link below. Anything helps! I will always keep a look out for new organizations that I can donate to, but for now I will be splitting the donations between Save the Bees and The Bee Conservancy. You can always donate directly to these websites or any other that you find. If you do find any, send me a message and I will look into that as well. Thank you so much for your support in helping our bees!!

LINK COMING SOON

Sources

Comb Honey (no date) Save The Bees. Available at: https://savethebees.com/ (Accessed: January 18, 2023).

Honey bee colony collapse disorder – sgp.fas.org (no date). Available at: https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL33938.pdf (Accessed: January 18, 2023).

June 19, 2018 (2022) Without bees, the foods we love will be lost, NRDC. Available at: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/without-bees-foods-we-love-will-be-lost#:~:text=Bees%2C%20which%20pollinate%20crops%20like,the%20overuse%20of%20neonic%20pesticides. (Accessed: January 18, 2023).

Why bees are essential to people and planet (no date) UNEP. Available at: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-bees-are-essential-people-and-planet (Accessed: January 18, 2023).

Why bees? (2022) The Bee Conservancy. Available at: https://thebeeconservancy.org/why-bees/ (Accessed: January 18, 2023).