Bees are not just the chunky little balls of fuzz that sometimes want to come by you and say hello; bees are a lifeline to humanity. But did you know that bees are endangered? You might have noticed fewer of them flying around, and some of you might actually be happy about that, but a lack of bees definitely isn’t good for the earth. Food supply, nature, and our entire ecosystem are at risk because of the increasingly worrying lack of bees. Their one simple job is to pollenate the earth, and without their superpower, we wouldn’t have the vast array of plants we do today.
Their importance extends to other areas of culture, too, namely religion. Many religions refer to their importance. Judaism, in particular, holds bees in high regard because of honey, a kosher food. During Rosh Hashanah, honey will be placed in a bowl or on a plate – it could be a special sterling silver honey dish or something more every-day – with cut apples available to dip into the honey, which symbolizes the hope for the coming year to be sweet.
There’s plenty you can do to protect the bees in your backyard and, in turn, protect our entire ecosystem from falling. Read on to find out more.
Plant Your Own Bee Garden
Your own bee garden is the perfect way to attract bees and keep them thriving and safe. The issue is that many plants are sprayed with harsh chemicals that either kill or cause severe illness for bees – your own personal plant garden will give them a safe haven to pollenate to their heart’s content. Bees are attracted to pollen, which is technically sweet, but to draw as many in as possible, you could use a plate with a drizzle of honey in to give them a sweeter scent to follow.
The trick is to fill it with plants rich in pollen and nectar – sunflowers, spring blossom, hellebores, and heathers are all perfect examples.
Plant Trees For Bees
There’s a common misconception that bees are most attracted to plants, but it’s trees that bees get the most nectar from. A well-blossomed tree can produce up to thousands of blossoms for bees to feed on, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big tree. A beautiful blossom tree will not only look stunning next to your bee garden but will help attract hundreds of bees each year.
Create A Refreshing Bee Bath
Bees are like the rest of us hardworking people – sometimes it’s nice to take a seat and have a long, refreshing drink. The only issue is that bees find it harder to find a place to have a bath and a long drink, especially during the height of the summer when rainfall is lower. All you need to do is lay down a bowl, fill it with fresh, clean water, pop some stones in there so that they break the surface, and wait for the bees to come along and take a perch.
Build Your Bees A Home
Every bee needs a home, and while 70% of solitary bees live underground, many of them need an above-ground place to reside after a busy day of working. All you need to do is provide a safe place for a bee, and they’ll do the rest of the work. You can also buy bee condos online, which have small tube compartments perfect for a bee to make their home.
Bees are one of the most underrated creatures. Yes, sometimes that can cause a panic, and sometimes they can fly around you when you don’t want them to, but generally speaking, we wouldn’t be where we are today without bees. There’s plenty you can do to protect the ones in your backyard.
