If You Like to Eat... Give Bees A Treat
Plant a bee-friendly garden or become a backyard beekeeper so you can nourish and nurture local bees in your area. One of every three bites of natural food you enjoy is thanks to the bees, according to the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
There are many hazards affecting the wellbeing and even the survival of bees. Diseases caused by mites, habitat loss, deadly pesticides, unpredictable weather, monocultures, Asian giant hornets, all contribute to the fact that 40% of bee species are vulnerable to extinction, and more than 20% of US native bees have declined. These are statistics that cannot continue if we all hope to eat in the not-so-distant future.
It is only a matter of time before food production and supplies are at risk.
This unrelated 3:39-minute video by Fuller Farm shows making a bee meadow:
Are you willing to plant a bee-friendly garden? Are you interested in becoming a beekeeper? Both contribute to the wellbeing of bees.
The easier of the two is to plant a bee-friendly garden or potted plants on your balcony. Beekeeping is not for everyone, and it is a big commitment. It is always better to talk to a beekeeper first, and maybe get permission to observe them interacting with their bees before you invest time and money in it. Some beekeeping associations also offer beginner’s beekeeping courses, and they are a good place to meet beekeepers that can share useful information.
Lack of food leading to starvation, mite infestations, and toxic nerve damage are causes of death for many bees.
If you are planting that bee-friendly garden, remember that bees love purple. Borage, lavender, flax, and bluebeard are just a few ideal flowers to consider but there are many more.
Plant flowers that blossom at different times of the year so there is at least one type of flower in bloom every month in your garden to supply pollen and nectar. Cluster plants together, for instance in a 4 x 4 square patch.
Lastly, bees need an abundant water supply as well as food, so make sure there is one in your bee oasis.
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