Green Living 09.07.21
5 Tips on how to Bee friendly
5 Tips on how to Bee friendly
Bees are so important to our ecosystem. They pollinate plants from our gardens to the countryside, and help ensure we have enough fruit and vegetables. Worryingly, bees are under a huge threat and without them so is our environment, food and economy. Here's 5 things you can do to help!
Research shows that since 1900, the UK has lost 13 bee species, and a further 35 are under threat of extinction. Across Europe alone nearly 1 in 10 wild bee species face extinction. That's almost 20,000 species of bee. The current known causes of bee decline are farming practices, changes in land use, habitat loss, pesticides, pollution and climate change.
Wildflower meadows are prime pollinator habitat, but we’ve lost 97% of them since the 1930s
But why should I worry about bees? Bees are extremely crucial to our economy – without them it would cost UK farmers £1.8 billion a year to pollinate the crops. Money aside, they provide us with the fruit and vegetables we eat thanks to their expert pollinating abilities. Yet sadly the outlook for bees is bleak and their dropping numbers is a sign that the natural world as a whole isn't doing well. We often undervalue nature and what it does for us, so here's 5 things you can do to help out.
Over 20,000 species of bee face extinction
1
Plant bee friendly plants
Planting flowers all year round that are rich in nectar helps bees find the food they need! Here's some you can try: lavender for summer, honeysuckle for autumn, mahonia for winter, apple for spring
2
Let your grass grow
Bees like the shelter! So as much as we all want that tidy lawn, let it grow wild every now and then.
3
If you see a tired bee, offer them sugar water
Bee's spend so much time in flight, and searching for the right necture is a tiring job. So if you're looking down you might find a tired bee at your toes. If so, just mix some water and sugar and place it on a plate, leaf or paper towel. Then place it under the bee if you can or just so its feet are touching / nearby. Then let the bee have a well deserved drink!
4
If choosing to eat Honey at all, opt for local British honey!
Choosing local British honey gives support to our honey bees and their beekeepers. Some honey from overseas is mass produced and watered down to keep up with the demand. This has a knock on effect on the local bee population in many ways. Not only do the manufacturing warehouses take up land and remove habitats, but they also reduce the demand for naturally produced local honey, which in turn means there are less resources to support the bees.
5
Donate to a charity supporting bees
There are many charities and organisations that are doing such great work to save the bees, but they need are help to keep going. Here's a few of our top choices: The British Bee Keeper Association, Friends of the Earth, Bumblebee Association and The Wildlife Trusts.
