Wanting to participate in the “Save the Bees” effort and being a newcomer to the subject, I decided to inquire with my favorite beekeepers, Ana and João Oliveira da Bees In Tubes.
Along with some more information available on the net, I have compiled this list of the simplest tips to implement. For the most curious it includes all the links to more detailed information.
1- Create a Natural Habitat (garden, flower boxes or pots)
“There are a multitude of flowers / plants that we can plant / sow in our home gardens. What really matters is that our bees have, nectar, pollen for them and can help with pollination !!”
Ana and João Oliveira of Bees In Tubes
– Plant and sow a “bee-friendly” garden with a good diversity of flowers.
Bees need a wide variety of flowers where they get nectar and pollen.
Nectar is a source of energy that bees use to make honey.
Pollen is a protein-rich food.
– There must also be bare parts of the soil as some native bees make nests in the soil.
In: Campanha das Abelhas
If you are curious to know exactly which are the most bee-friendly plants,
ECOA.ORG tells us which are the favorite plants and herbs of bees.
2- Create a Bees Bath
Bees are among the most hardworking creatures on the planet. Help them with the task by creating a drinking fountain in their garden, balcony or window. You can use one of those animal water dispensers, a simple shallow bowl, or get creative and build one from scratch.
📌 There is only one very important point to bear in mind: bees can drown easily if there is nothing to cling to near their source of water; therefore, place several stones in the container, above the water level. Our tireless workers thank you for your attention.
In: My Planet.pt
3- Say NO to Pesticides e Insecticides
According to beekeeper Ana Oliveira, from Bees In Tubes, the use of herbicides, whether biological or conventional, is always harmful to bees and all other pollinators/insects.
Use organic products and natural solutions like compost to help with soil health and add beneficial insects that keep pests away, such as ladybugs and mantis.
In: The Bee Conservancy
4- Support Local Beekeepers
Local beekeepers work hard to nourish their bees and the local community. The easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy honey and locally made beeswax products. In addition, local honey is not only delicious – it is made with local flora and can help with seasonal allergies!
In: The Bee Conservancy
Many beekeepers use products from their hives to create various innovative products. Bees In Tubes, a project born in the Algarve, in addition to traditional honey, honey water and pollen also produce waxed cloths and bags by hand.
These reusable Bees Wraps and Bees Bag are used to protect food and replace the traditional plastic film.
5- Provide Trees for Bees
When a tree blooms, it provides hundreds or even thousands of flowers that bees can feed on. And, in addition to being a source of food, trees are also an essential habitat: leaves and resin provide nesting material for bees, while natural wood cavities are excellent shelters. In winter, for example, when bees struggle with food shortages, eucalyptus forests represent an advantage for these pollinators, since it is at this time that flowering takes place.
In: My Planet.pt
6- Build Bee Shelters
It looks complicated, but it’s super simple. It can even be a fun weekend project with the kids.
What material to use?
– In theory, there are no limits to the type of materials you can use.
Pruning remains, bricks, old hoses, leaves, burlap, rolled cardboard, ropes, pieces of clay pots, straw, reeds, logs, bamboo, dried pine cones, perforated wood, branches, bark, old wood, etc.
📌 Do not use chemical-treated wood.
How to build?
– You can build your insect shelter with various geometries and dimensions. If you don’t want to build a box from scratch, you always have the possibility to recycle old wooden boxes, pallets, old birdhouses, wooden fruit crates, wine bottle boxes etc.
In: Hortas Biológicas
7) Sign Petitions for Stopping the Use of Pesticidas
Express the will for a future with sustainable agriculture.
Join in, add your name and be part of these initiatives.
🐝 Save Bees and Farmers. Org
🐝 Sum Of Us. Org
Thank you Mother Nature
És Poderosa
Share with us your doubts, experiences and suggestions for future posts.
Leave your comment below.
Thanks!