In recent years, the news about bees has been grim. “Colony Collapse Disorder” and bee “die-offs”, etc.is alarming to hear, and rightfully so, especially considering bees are key to growing much of the foods we eat. There are a variety of factors that may be contributing to the decline of bee populations, including stressors such as pesticide application, monoculture, mites, and climate change.
There are various actions (large-scale and small-scale) we can take to help the bees. A large-scale solution would be to eliminate pesticides that are harmful to bees (neonicotinoid ban - yes!). Another solution would be to restore the biodiverse habitats that we have transformed to monocultures (one crop) or simply destroyed. A smaller-scale solution is to eliminate pesticide, fungicide, and herbicide use from our own gardens. We can also prioritize planting native and bee-friendly plants in our gardens.
Backyard bee-keeping is an exciting opportunity to support vulnerable bee populations by providing them with a safe home. This month, learn all about bees and bee-keeping at our upcoming workshop, “What's The Buzz: Backyard Beekeeping“. On, Thursday, February 21st, an expert from the Mt. Diablo Beekeepers' Association, will teach us about bee biology, equipment, installation, seasonal management, bee-friendly gardens, and much more! Register here.
Sources:
National Geographic, “The Plight of the Honeybee”
GreenPeace,"Save the Bees"
New York Bee Sanctuary, "10 Ways You Can Help Save the Bees"
Photo by Danika Perkinson on Unsplash
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