Bees, although are very small creatures that have a distinctive black and golden striped furry body with small translucent wings, but are extremely important for human beings, the ecosystem; all in all the existence of this little world is dependent on these tiny creatures. Surprised! Right?

The bees are responsible for 1/3rd of our food. For this we must surely be thankful to the bees. More than that the bees play a major role in the vegetation and plantation of this earth. Bees also produce the yummy and extremely beneficial golden liquid, commonly known as honey to be consumed by humans and other animals.
Sadly the bees are dying and it is high time that the humans take some serious steps to protect and save these bees from dying.

12 easy ways to save the bees

Although the bees are dying quickly, it is still not too late to take some action to save the bees. It is imperative that awareness be created to help save the bees. A world without bees would not be able to survive. This is because bees play such a vital role in pollinating numerous plants and agricultural crops. Elimination of bees from the world will result in a domino effect and will disturb and bring down the entire ecosystem.

Almost 80% of pollination is done through bees. This means that absence of bees will result in a serious decline of crop and vegetation growth. Many plants only rely on bee pollination for their growth and producing food, while some plants use different pollinators for this purpose. Such plants that only rely on bee pollination will eventually become extinct affecting the natural habitat and food chain for many animals, insects and humans.

The crops and plants that rely on other pollinators as well will have a decrease in their production, resulting in a shortage of food for all living organisms. The bees itself are a part of the food chain and many larger insects and birds feed on bees to survive. No bees would mean no food for these animals and they would eventually die off hunger.

For humans, no bees would mean very high prices for some basic food items because without bees, humans will have to implement expensive and time consuming methods for pollination. This will eventually increase the production time and price of the crop depriving many from utilizing it.

Gladly, many organizations and countries have understood the importance of bees in agriculture and food production and the need to take action to save the bees. You can also save the bees with #BeeNecklace and taking some basic and easy initiatives yourself. Here are 12 ways that can be implemented and considered to save the bees and in fact save the world:

1. Plantation:

Bees need plantations to do their job. Help them do their job by planting more bee friendly plants and flowers like zinnias, Lilac so that the bees can suck on the nectar, do their job and grow themselves. This is quite an easy task and does not require much time, energy or money. You can easily utilize your garden space to plant more flowers and plants to attract bees.

Even if you do not have a garden, you can still contribute to saving the bees by planting Blue Borage, Lavendar, Abelia and Crocus in your balconies or road sides. You can also contact your local government body responsible for plantation or any organization doing this job and help them physically or by donating to trees and bushes like Mojaram, Pussy Willow and Monarda.

With increased urbanization, plantation has decreased considerably which means lack of habitat for the bees. Of course, no living organism can survive for long without a proper habitat. Increasing the plantation would increase their habitat and hence, help them to survive and flourish.

2. Placing bee houses:

Like all living organisms, bees need a place where they can hibernate during winters and nest and reproduce. If your house or neighborhood lacks trees or plants where the bees can build their hive, then you can build up a shelter yourself or purchase a readymade bee house and place it in a nice, shady spot for the bees to build their hive. This will really help the bees to protect themselves from the many dangers, reproduce and grow.

3. Minimize the use of pesticides and insecticides:

Modern agricultural methods incorporate the use of many harmful and dangerous insecticides, herbicides and pesticides to protect their crops from insects that can harm or destroy their crops. They also use different types of fertilizers to help the plant to grow and increase their production. These insecticides and fertilizers may be useful for the crops but are extremely dangerous for the bees. In fact they can kill the bees.

The thing that can be done to save your crops, promote their growth and at the same time save the bees is to use organic pesticides that will be safe for the bees. If you cannot find organic pesticides, you can use inorganic pesticides but make sure the ingredients are not from the neonicotinoid family. You should opt to spray pesticides and insecticides at night; this is because at this hour, the bees are inactive and so they will be not harmed at all. Moreover, you can make use of insects like ladybugs and praying mantis to get rid of unwanted pests in your crops. This is in fact the safest option for the bees.

4. Plant trees:

Small plantations and flowers help the bees a lot but they also need trees. In fact, bees are really fond of trees. Trees are large and therefore have many flowers; this becomes a great source of food for many bees. Many bees can feed from a single tree. Tree not only provides food for the bees but is also a great habitat for the bees. The wood cavities serve as great shelter for the bees whereas, leaves, branches and resin help the bees with nesting. Planting a single tree can do wonders for the bee colony and help them survive.

5. Go local:

Scientists have found that the survival of bees is highly dependent on planting local plants and flowers. The major decline in bee population has been linked to the increased use of other plants and flowers instead of the plants and flowers that grow locally. It is quite logical that the bees will be more acquainted and attracted towards local flowers and plants and hence better bee pollination can take place.

6. Avoid building lawn:

While promoting and encouraging to increase greenery, it may sound a little surprising to say that try to avoid planting lawns. Lawns are not at all bee friendly. They only inhabit numerous insects and wild plants that are not of concern for the bees. Try to plant a bee-friendly garden with plants and flowers that help bees.

7. Setting up a water sink:

Even a small water bath will do the job. Bees get tired after long flights and move from flower to flower to suck up the nectar. They need a little water to pump up their energy and get them going again. A small water area with some pebbles and stones for the bees to sit on will be perfect for the tired bees to gain back their energy. You can even add a bit of sugar in the water to make it an energy drink for the bees. Make sure that the water bath has some floating corks, and stones to prevent the bee from drowning.

8. Shop sensibly, shop local:

A great way to support bees and small farms that are working hard to save the bees is to go for local produce only. Always prefer to buy local farm honey; this honey will not only be pure and highly beneficial but will also help to support the local beekeepers. These bee keepers work really hard and play a major role in helping the bees to survive. The bee keepers may have many other products as well like royal jelly, beeswax, soaps, lotions and balms. Purchasing these products will also be a great help for the beekeepers as well as the bees.

Buying local produce like vegetables and fruits also helps to save the bees. Bees play a major role in producing these fruits and vegetables on the farm. Buying these local produce will be beneficial for the farmers and will eventually be helpful for the bees. Buying local produce and honey can make a huge difference in saving the bees.

9. Educating and creating awareness:

Knowledge makes a great difference. Try to educate and provide information to your family, friends, relatives and local community regarding the importance of bees and the role that they can play in order to save the bees. You can become a bee ambassador and help support the mission of saving bees. You can raise funds in your local community, encourage people to grow trees and bee friendly gardens and practice ways that can help support bees instead of putting their lives in danger.

10. Follow the seasons:

The bees belong to nature and therefore they will operate with nature’s call. You cannot expect that the bees will wait for you to plant at any time of the year to do their job. Bees are highly active from early spring to late fall so it is imperative that the plantations must be done accordingly. If the bees do not find flowers at the right time, the bees will not wait for those flowers and instead move on to some other place to find their flowers. This will obviously affect the entire ecosystem.

11. Avoid using barriers for weed:

Generally people use fabric or plastic to protect their crops and fields from weed. This way they can protect their farms but this is really harmful for the bees as the bees cannot break these barriers and reach the flowers and crops. Try to use barriers that can be breached by the bees so that they do not have to suffer. A good option is to cover the area with newspaper; using newspaper will not stop the bees from coming because it is biodegradable and will vanish away after some time.

12. Don’t clean all the mess:

It is not essential that your garden or field be completely free from dead leaves and twigs. Nature’s doing are for a cause. Nature made these dead leaves fall to ground and provide the digger bees with excellent camouflage to build their homes and be safe. Cleaning up all the dead leaves will have no hiding place for the digger bees which means they will have no place to live and who can survive without a home. So it is better to leave a small piece of land with dead leaves to provide a natural habitat for the digger bees.

Why are bees important for us?

These tiny, extremely hardworking invertebrates have been present in the world for millions of years, playing their part to keep this world alive and functioning. Plantation, crops, and all the greenery you can see requires much more than just good fertilized soil, water and sunlight. The female part of the flower must receive the pollen from the male part in order to germinate. Who do you think are better pollinators than bees? The major role of bees is pollination, which is vital for a thriving ecosystem.

Bees are often seen in parks, woods or wherever there is plantation buzzing around, flower to flower picking up the wonderful nectar and carrying away pollen wherever they fly. This may apparently, seem not much important and to be honest, the buzzing sound is often very annoying but, the reality behind this is that, these bees help to maintain a balance in the ecosystem and regulate the food supply.

Most of the delicious fruits and vegetables you like to eat throughout the year are only available because these bees did their job well. Imagine, if these bees were to vanish, all these plants will eventually die and humans will have nothing to eat.
Not only bees play their part in growing fruits and vegetables, but they are equally essential for growth of wild plantations.

Promoting wild plantation growth helps to provide habitat to many insects and animals both small and large. They also help to produce a large variety of nuts, seeds and berries which are a source of food for many animals as well as humans.

Pollination may seem a small and easy task but this process of pollination helps to build up temperate and tropical forests and savannas. Many trees will not exist if the bees would not pollinate. Vanishing trees would mean that many animals will be left without food or shelter which would in turn endanger their life; in this way the whole ecosystem would go topsy-turvy if the bees were to die.

Moreover, one of the most common species of bees- honey bee is responsible for producing the nutritious, healthy, sweet golden colored liquid, commonly known as honey. Honey is an extremely healthy food source for animals as well as humans and has numerous incomparable benefits.

Our world would be in grave danger in absence of these amazing creatures. And sadly, pollution and other factors have caused a serious decline in the number of bees all across the world. In fact the numbers have decreased to the point that some species of the bees are starting to be considered endangered. It has been determined that in the U.S. alone, the bee population has decreased by 30% in the recent years and is continuously decreasing. This is indeed a very alarming situation.

What’s Killing the Bees – Lets Find it Out

Bees are facing threats from various sources. These sources are rapidly killing the bees and that to in very large numbers. The deaths due to the various reasons is gradually becoming an alarming situation and everyone should start to worry about this situation.

Bees are really important for humans and for the balance of the ecosystem. It is really sad to know that although bees are doing so much for us, we humans are not all thanking them for their contribution. In fact our actions are killing these innocent, hardworking and devoted living things. Here are some of the reasons that are causing the bees to die in large numbers:

1. Change in the climate:

Climate is changing constantly and this is only because of humans. Humans are the main reason behind the drastic change in the climate which is not only adversely affecting other living organisms on these planets, but the humans as well and generally the whole planet.

Change in the climate has affected the timings of vegetation and plant flowering. This change in the timing has caused loss of synchronization between the plant production and the activity of the bee. Bees need nectar from the flowers to survive; the shift in flower blooming has resulted in the flowers to bloom in vain because it is not synchronized with the bee activity. The bees are not getting their food and no pollination is happening which means no more blooming flowers and fresh fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed.

Global warming is not only melting polar caps but is also bringing about great changes all across the globe. Some of the animals have adapted themselves to the increasing temperatures in order to survive. But, sadly, bees have not been able to cope up with the increasing temperature and are dying.

2. Pesticides and insecticides:

Modern agricultural practices incorporate excessive use of pesticides and insecticides to get rid of pests and other harmful insects that can destroy crops. Many of these insecticides are composed of neonicotinoid which are basically poison for the bees. This dangerous chemical is responsible for the collapse of honey bee colonies.

Moreover, farmers are also using a great amount of fertilizers which is again harmful for the bees and is resulting in their deaths.

3. Air pollution:

Pollution is nothing new. Different types of pollution have already caused severe damage to our planet and the ecosystem. Land, water and air pollution are some of the common types of pollution that are being caused by humans and are badly affecting the animals and other living organisms on the planet.

Air pollution is a major culprit that is making many animals endangered. Bees have also become a victim to air pollution. Air pollution is caused by harmful carbon emissions from vehicles and factories. The harmful emissions not only contain dangerous chemicals that can be poison for the bees but also have a bad odor. The bad odor causes the scent of the flowers to diminish, distracting the bees from them. The bees are unable to track their paths to the flowers and therefore get lost in the heavy smoke and air pollution.

The bees are unable to get to their food source and therefore are left to die. Moreover, the poisonous chemicals in the air also cause the bees to die.

4. Loss of habitat:

Urbanization in many parts of the globe have greatly affected the habitat of many animals. Many animals have lost their habitat to the process of urbanization. Without a proper place to live and nest no animal can survive for long. The process of urbanization requires large land areas. The land areas are obtained by chopping of trees and clearing the land completely.

Trees are the natural habitat for bees. Bees like to build their hives in trees. The trees not only provide them with shelter but also food and a nesting place. No trees means no place for the bees to live and nest. Without a place to live, the bees eventually are dying.

Other than urbanization, small multi crop farms are being replaced with huge farms that to for a single crop only. This causes a decrease in the ecological diversity and therefore endangers the survival of the bee.

5. Parasitic mites:

Collapse of honey bee colonies have become quite common in recent years. In this, the majority of the worker bees just vanish away from the hive leaving behind the queen, few nurses and some immature bees. Without the worker bees, the colony collapses. These mites feed on the blood from the bees and introduce diseases in the bees. The disease causes the bee to die.

Protecting bee habitat

It is imperative that the bee habitat must be protected from getting destroyed. Trees must not be cut down in order to protect bee habitat. If in case, cutting down of trees is extremely essential, then alternate shelter must be provided. You can either build up bee houses or purchase ready-made bee houses and place them in a nice shady spot so that the bees can get comfortable and survive.

Moreover, planting of trees should be encouraged and promoted through different organizations. Planting trees is not only beneficial for the bees but in general for the entire planet. Therefore, more and more trees should be planted so that the bees can enjoy their natural habitat.

Supporting the Cause

Bee necklace have been ardent on the cause of supporting bees. They are working to create awareness among the people regarding the importance of bees and the ways in which they can contribute to save the bees. They also support local farms and encourage people to buy local produce which will indirectly help the bees to survive.

Bee Necklace has a beautiful collection of intricately crafted necklaces that help support the cause of saving the bees. The necklaces are available in beautiful designs in Gold, Silver, Rhinestone, Zirconia and honeycomb. The Bumble bee necklaces are a beautiful collection and worth the while. You can too support in saving honey bees, while wearing this amazing honey bee necklaces collection.

Frequently Asked Questions For Saving bees

How to save the Bees?

Immediate and appropriate action can save the bees. Actions that can be done to save the bees include protecting their habitat from being destroyed, providing them with suitable shelter, decreasing the use of pesticides and insecticides, trying to reduce air pollution, building bee-friendly gardens and planting trees.

Why should we have the Bees?

Bees are extremely important for humans, the agricultural industry and for the balance of the ecosystem. Bees are the most important pollinators and help to transfer pollen for the production of fruits and vegetables. They also produce the amazing golden liquid honey as a great food source. Learn here in more depth about the honey making process.

What the U.S. can learn from Europe about saving the Bees?

Europe has carried out extensive research to find out the causes of bees death and are working really hard to find ways in which they can protect the bees and help them survive. Europe has taken a great initiative to stop the use of harmful inorganic pesticides while the U.S. is still supporting neonicotinoid pesticides which is poison for the bees.

How to support the Bees?

You can support the bees by growing bee-friendly gardens and trees, creating awareness among the people on the importance of bees and how to save them. Raising up funds to help support organizations working in the interest of saving bees. Most importantly, opting for local produce.

What is the importance of Bees in nature?

Bees are the key pollinators of nature. More than half of the agricultural industry depends on bee pollination for production of fruits and vegetables. Bee pollination is also very important for building up temperate and tropical forests and providing habitat and food source to numerus living creatures.