The bee is in great danger because of the chemical agriculture which sprays the land with neonicotinoid pesticides. And if the risk of disappearance is a disaster for biodiversity, it is also one for Man. Indeed, this threat of disappearance weighs on 65% of agricultural plants, that is to say 35% of our food!
Thus, it is the role of each one to invest to save these cute small vital pollinators. And we reassure you: fighting against the decline of the various species of bees and the collapse of colonies is not very complicated… So, if the disappearance of foraging bees concerns you, here is how to lend them a hand and protect them.
Contents
1) Eat more honey and choose it well
One of the simplest ways to help bees is to eat the sweet nectar that is honey. Moreover, we know how good it is for our health and can cure all our ailments when we choose it well! But be careful: we choose organic, local and beekeeper’s honey to support them in their approach to protect these animals. Moreover, French honey follows strict regulations that guarantee its purity and quality. Since this is not the case outside of France, it is better to avoid honeys whose origin is unknown such as mixtures of “honeys from the EU and outside the EU”. At least, we are sure of what we consume and of the taste with the regional producers…
The trick: conventional agriculture is pointed out for the suffering of these insects. Thus, adopting an organic food is the best way to carry a message and to be coherent in this approach of rescue and protection of the bees.
2) Grow the plants that bees love
Plants are an important resource for bees, so growing them will help. Plus, you don’t have to have a big garden to do it! Some species of melliferous (bee-pollinated) plants do well in a window box or pot on the balcony. In any case, remember to use organic seeds for the plants you sow in your soil.
In autumn, we strongly recommend crocus, which provides them with food for the winter. On a dry or calcareous soil, we will opt for the yellow reseda, the oregano, the camelina, the poppies, the cardoons, the yellow reseda. On the other hand, goldenrod, chicory, burdock, viperine or phacelia are preferred on wet or cool soil. Here is a non-exhaustive list of other bee-friendly plants: blueberries, lavender, daisies, thyme, corn salad, clover, mallow, nerine, creeping bugle, centaury, lily, dahlia, Abyssinian gladiolus, etc. In two words, the choice is wide and gardeners will be able to enjoy themselves!
3) To have a hospitable garden, let nature take its course… and respect it!
If bees love wild plant varieties, they also love gardens where nature has reclaimed some of its rights. For example, don’t cut your grass too much, let the dandelions they love to grow and forget insecticide pesticides in favor of more natural solutions! Between the use of garden auxiliaries, hand pulling or homemade solutions, there is no lack of ideas. In short, let the garden live a little naturally without controlling every millimeter. Also, you can leave a corner of the garden wilder to make it hospitable for all animal species, including other pollinating species (bumblebees, butterflies, etc.). The only exception is the Asian hornets, whose nests you should report to the town hall so that it can drive out these enemies of bees!
4) To save the bees, offer them shelter!
To go further, there is nothing to stop you from having your own hive. After a training course, you may discover your beekeeping talents. Otherwise, a simple bee house or the purchase of a kit to create a refuge should be more than enough to make them happy. Add to this a shallow watering place with a few small stones to avoid drowning. In a garden or on a small balcony, this watering hole will be a big plus for these buzzing insects.
5) Sponsor bees
Even without outdoor space, you can still help bees! First of all, you should know that it is possible to help a beekeeper thanks to participative financing. But above all, different associations allow you to sponsor bees. Thus, the donations make it possible to support the beekeepers, in particular to maintain the hives and the swarms which live in them. The little extra is that the sponsors of these associations often have pots of delicious honey in exchange and can visit the apiary. In the same vein, nothing prevents you from financing the seeding of flower fields!
