Guest writer: Christy Erickson (savingourbees.org)
While the buzzing of bees might make you cringe a little with fear, bees play a vital role in the world. Thanks to their ability to pollinate, bees are responsible for the growth and health of many of the crops we eat and rely on, including squash, tomatoes, nuts, cotton, and alfalfa (which is grown to feed livestock). Roughly one in every three bites of food we consume in the United States is thanks to bees, which equates to an economical value of up to $18 billion. Unfortunately, bees are dying off in alarming numbers. The good news is that people can help save the bees in many ways.
Disappearing Act
Since the 1940s, honeybee colonies have decreased from 5 million to 2.5 million. For perspective, the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers an annual loss above 19 percent to be economically unsustainable. We are suffering losses that are more than double that, and native bees, which also play an important role in pollination, have also faced drastic declines.
Researchers say there could be many reasons for the decline. Parasites and bacteria that infect bees and their hives are partially to blame. An increase in pesticide use in agricultural and urban areas is also at fault. Additionally, a change in land use has killed habits. Whether it’s habitat destruction for neighborhoods or for vast fields of identical crops, it has eliminated the biodiversity of food that bees require and lead to limited nesting resources.
Supporting Others
You don’t have to become a beekeeper to get involved, although that is one option! An easy way to help is to buy locally grown organic fruits, vegetables, and honey, which supports the local beekeepers in your area. Also, organically grown foods skip pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers, which are harmful to bees.
The Pollinator Partnership is the world’s largest nonprofit organization that’s dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems. You can make a donation to help them help the bees. If you have a garden in your yard, whether it’s big or small, register it to be included on the Pollinator Partnership’s database and map, called SHARE.
In Your Yard
You can also provide support from your own yard. Help pollinators stay healthy and thriving by skipping on chemicals. During bee season, provide bare ground, wild spaces, and bee houses for nesting sites. Provide habitat resources in the winter by cutting back your perennials in the early spring instead of the late fall. Don’t forget to provide a fresh water source, as bees need water as well.
When creating a garden, grow with pollinators in mind. Create diversity in your garden, which is a vital requirement. Plants need to be in bloom from early spring through the late fall, so choose at least three plants of different species that bloom in each season. Opt for native plants whenever possible. Also, consider the color of the flowers. Bees are more attracted to flowers that are blue, purple, yellow, and white. Avoid hybrids because they produce very little pollen or nectar for bees.
If you live in an apartment or have a small yard, you can still create a small but diverse bee-friendly environment. Choose native plants that provide both nectar and pollen. A great choice is an anise hyssop, which has a long bloom time and provides ample amounts of nectar and pollen.
Gardening Tips
Gardening doesn’t just help bees. It’s also a great form of exercise that’s just as good for you as jogging or swimming. Almost all gardening tasks – including using a lawn mower, digging holes, and pulling weeds – use muscle groups all over the body. Furthermore, researchers have found that people are more likely to stick with gardening than traditional exercise routines.
Growing a garden with your kids provides them with firsthand exposure to science. They can learn about soil, rainfall, plants, and more. They’ll also learn about responsibility.
Bees are in a crisis, and humans are at least partially to blame. The disappearance of bees would be devastating to our food supply and economy, and, more importantly, the Earth’s ecosystem as a whole. Humans can step in and help the bees by buying local, organic food and supporting nonprofits that help bees. The most important impact people can have is eliminating chemical use and growing a pollinator-friendly garden.