What does “Save the Bees” really mean?

by The Group Hug June 18, 2019, 5:57 pm 1.9k Views

The phrase “save the bees” is creating a buzz with the ever-increasing concerns surrounding our environment.

Yet do we really know why we need to save the bees? What will happen if we don’t save them? And how can we individually go about preventing the decrease in the bee population?

‘Since 1900 the UK has lost 13 species of bee, and a further 35 are considered under threat of extinction.’
Friends of the Earth

One reason this is a topic worth writing about is because, after some brief research into the issue myself and those around me I realised how little we know about the significance bees have on our lives. One statistic that I continued to read was that between 70-80% of the produce we eat rely on bee pollination. This means that without the bee population we can say goodbye to most fruits, vegetables, nuts and so much more. This amounts to a third of the food that humans eat not being available without bees.

How can you help?

So what can we do to help? There’s lots of information online discussing the threats that pesticides pose to bees and ways to create places for bees to live. However, a relatively new way to help maintain the livelihood of bees in your garden surrounds providing them with a water supply on a hot day. This may seem as simple as having a bird bath or puddle of water in a container, however bees can be eaten by the birds and other animals or even drown in large pools of water.

The Group Hug Tip: How about investing in this pack of two bee houses? What a fabulous kids gift? Very original for a children’s birthday party! You could even buy a pack of two and separate them, gifting them with a jar of honey for a child’s birthday present? How original is that (and easy on the purse-strings too!) It’s amazing that bees are naturally attracted to the holes in the wood which are becoming more rare in our tidy gardens. Or give them out as environmentally friendly party-bag gifts instead of the “norm” plastic junk?

Instead, by placing stones or even marbles into a container or bird bath the bees can use the supply whilst sitting at a safe distance. This is not only an easy way to join the “save the bees” movement in your back garden, but also creates a miniature water feature.

We found a great deal on marbles on amazon.

Click the link below to take a look.

The marvellous marbles bath

However, there is still some maintenance needed to ensure the safety of these bees. One potentially harmful myth is that bees require sugar water, when in reality this reduces pollination as the bees use the water instead of visiting flowers.

By using the marble water bath, the only requirement is to change the water regularly to prevent mosquitos laying eggs, and empty the water levels after heavy rainfall. But other than this the process surrounds filling a dish of water with marbles and watching the bees visit your garden.

If you’re interested in doing more to help save the bees, or just want some more information on how important they are to us there are some links to other articles below:

https://thehoneybeeconservancy.org/how-to-save-the-bees/

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees/20-facts-you-need-know-about-bees

We have a fabulous economical birthday cake idea here too. Read our blog Mum! I want a party!