The extinction of honeybees is damaging the world’s economy, agriculture, plant life. It is important that solutions are found to keep bees from becoming extinct. There are five ways to help bees avoid distinction: Plant things that bees like, provide bee habitats, eliminate garden pesticides, let your veggies bolt (seed) and support your bee keepers.
Plant Things that Bees like:
Plants and flowers that bees like are easy to grow. Scatter a variety of plants throughout the yard so that it will provide a good supply of pollen during the warm months. Bees prefer certain colors such as blue, purple, or yellow. Clovers are a great choice of plants to grow. Other good plants to grow for bees are Sage, Salvia, Oregano, Lavender, Ironweed, Yarrow, Yellow, Hyssop, Alfalfa, Honeywort, Dragonhead, and Echinacea. Flowering trees also attract bees like Tulip, Poplars, Tupelos, Oranges, and Sourwoods. In addition, bees need sources of shallow water to thrive.
Provide Bee Habitats
Honeybees make use of many kinds of shelter such as abandoned animal burrows, dead trees and branches, and underground nest tunnels. With protected habitats bees will be able to survive.
Eliminate Garden Pesticides
Pesticides are bad for humans but they are worst for bees. Use organic and natural pest control methods. Chemical-free plants and gardens are good for wild bees. Instead of using pesticides, do it manually which, keeps wanted insects from the plants and keeps the bees from dying off.
Let your Veggies Bolt
Allow a little bit of leafy vegetables in your garden to “bolt”, or go to seed, after harvest. Seeding plants are the bees’ best chance to pile up on food before winter. With out the veggie bolt, the bees would not be able to survive and they will die of starvation.
Call your Beekeeper if Bees are Swarming
If a number of bees are flying around your house, do not spray them with harmful toxins. Bees swarm because they are looking for a new home. They are not harmful and will not sting someone. Call a local beekeeper so they can come and take the bees away. This will allow bees to live and make a new home at the bee farm.
Support your Local Beekeepers
Beekeeping is a hobby for some people; however, it has been declining slowly in recent years. Commercial pressures such as, not being able to advertise and unstable bee populations made raising bees less attractive. However, people still rely on domesticated honey bees to pollinate crops and gardens. Try to find local beekeepers and buy their honey; supporting the small beekeeping business will help keep them in business.
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