How Can I Help Save Bees?

Today in various newspapers and online portals you will find mention of bees in danger from pesticides and the developing climate crisis. While all of them will talk about the problem, seldom do we read about ways that could help us save them. But don’t you worry, we at Iamrenew will not leave you hanging.

Here are simple ways to save Bees which you could adopt in your day to day lives:

1. Leave Your Garden Alone: If you have a garden with plants or a terrace space adorned with potted plants, say no to pesticides like DDT instead use Neem, Salt Spray, Citrus Oil & Cayenne Pepper, Orange Citrus Oil, & Water, Eucalyptus Oil or Onion & Garlic Spray. Ask your gardener to come up with natural alternatives or buy them from your local nursery. Don’t forget supporting nurseries too can help pollinators.

   

2. Plant Seasonal Flowers: You don’t have to buy expensive exotic flowers to help bees. Opt for local varieties that flower all year round or seasonal flowering plants that require little space and effort for upkeep. In no time, bees will start visiting your flower garden in search of sweet nectar of these flowers. Here are some pointers:

• Avoid hybrid flowers, which may be sterile and have little or no nectar or pollen
• Skip the double flowers, which lack pollen
• Make sure you’ll have blooms for bees year round.
• Plant flowers in patches – bees like to focus on one flower type at a time
• Leave an undisturbed plot for ground-nesting bees

3. Water: Yes, much like every other living organism, bees too need hydration. Sudden temperature rises like the heat waves in India can decimate entire colonies. But remember deep vessels that our moms keep on our balconies for birds are often very dangerous for insects like bees. When thirsty, attracted by the water they can drown and die in them. So, simply choose shallow dishes preferable made up of mud clay. This will quench thirst of bird and bees alike and the water will also stay cooler in the summertime. Or you could throw some twigs or corks in shallow dishes so that bees can perch and drink water. Don’t forget to clean the vessel with a bit of vinegar and water so that no animal gets any waterborne disease.  Please avoid the Lines
4. Choose Organic: While living in cities, many of us will not have the luxury of open spaces for plants or water dispense of birds or bees; we can contribute too. Always prefer organic brands for your groceries. This could be a gradual transition too, for example, choose organic jams, toothbrushes, fruits, and vegetables. When you buy responsible, you create a demand for such products. The businesses get a boost and organic farmers get paid. These organic farms, in turn, help our pollinators live longer, thus saving our food sources for the future.

   

5. Bee Involved: If you find any local beekeeper or organic honey harvester, become their customer. Inform your family and friends to buy from people who collect locally harvested honey. Insist on buying the honey from a honeycomb that needed uprooting for safety reasons. Ask them to not use insecticides or toxic fumigants when they remove any hive. Remember alive bees can swarm elsewhere but dead ones can’t. You can use summer holidays to learn more about these fascinating creatures through documentaries on various channels like Discovery, Nat Geo or if you have a subscription of Netflix go search for documentaries on bees. You can easily find a lot more on YouTube which by the way is free.