I've been reading again about the alarming demise of our wonderful bees. So what can we do to help save them?
Plenty it would seem. But first I think we need to try and understand the problem. Not straightforward. The experts can't tell us the exact reason why the bees are dying out, but we do know of some factors that may be contributing to the empty hives. Bees are facing a multiple onslaught on their very existence. They are susceptible to viruses and mites and even funghi, but would these alone account for the widespread devastation?
Man is compounding their problem. As our hedgerows and wildflowers disappear, and we continue to use pesticides, the bee population continues to be a major concern. Man and nature have long co-existed on this planet but it is a fragile balance. Bees contribute positively to mankind by pollination, which has huge implications for our diet. Two recent studies have concluded that the use of neonicotinoid pesticides could be having a clear negative effect on the bee population. Read what the experts have to say here.
So what can we do to help the hard-working bee? Help Save Bees is a wonderful site set up by Damian Grounds who, after reading an article about the dwindling bee population and the potential devastating effect it could have on our lives, decided to get up and do something about it. His site raises awareness and aims to inform us about little things we can all do that could come together to make a big difference. Damian suggests 10 things we can do including stopping our use of insecticides and planting bee- friendly plants. Another thing on the list is to sign a petition...
Neals Yard Remedies are running a campaign to help save our lovely bees. They are raising awareness of the bees' plight and encouraging people to create a bee habitat. There is a petition on their website so Bee lovely and help save the Bees. Please.
Our back wall in summer, is always buzzing with the wings of bees who seem attracted to the Virginia Creeper. I hope they'll be back in abundance this year. In the meantime, I've planted another couple of lavender bushes and will take advice from our local nursery on the best plants to buy. Meanwhile I'm going to work my way through the 10 things on Damian's list.
Let's all try and do our bit.
Image used from wakeup-world.com. - another good article on here.
