Maybe you’ve read many times over how important it is to save the bees.
If you are one of those people and you already care about doing your part to keep us fed and the planet pretty, then please scroll to ‘How can I help save the bees?’.
Maybe you haven’t – a few brief pointers about a global issue…
– Bees pollinate around 80% of wildflowers in Europe and support the continued survival of more than three quarters of the world’s food crops. Pollinators are worth a staggering £690 million per year to the UKs economy.
– Bee populations have been a concern in recent years as they decline in reaction to climate changes, loss of habitat, pesticides and loss of food supply, and other environmental stress factors. They help us, lets help them!
– We need to intervene and provide support to bee populations and refrain from underestimating their importance to our planet and our survival.
Types of bees…
While there are 270 different species of bee found in the UK, world wide there are over 20 000, known species!
35 UK bees species are under threat of extinction.
In the east of England 17 species of bee have already gone extinct.
Friends of the earth provide this guide to assist in bee identification. Using this guide should help you to better identify the species and therefore the needs of the bees in your region.
It is time to take action.
How can I help save the bees?
Helping the bees is EASY and March is a really great month to join in! Just a few small actions will help to improve survival chances of one of our most necessary (and pretty) insects trying to survive severe weather. Who doesn’t want to save their sweet little lives?
The WWF provide information on how you can be more bee friendly!
Below are some ideas found around the web and in gardening books
- Plant cottage flowers, Wild flowers and bee friendly crops like sweet pea wigwams in your garden.
- Consider making an insect hotel in a long grassy area or near bee friendly flowers.
- Provide sugar diluted in water to tired bees
(2 granulated white sugar : 1 water) - Buy sustain-ably farmed honey from local bee farmers
- Consider donating to campaigns and getting involved
Friends of the Earth have compiled a box of supplies to help you support bee populations for a donation.
Your donation goes towards; Awareness raising, non-harmful to bees pesticides, government influence, and habitat provision for bees.
I donated and ordered my save the bees box on 05/03/20
It should be here within 10 days.
It arrived 07/03/20
We will update our progress as the flowers grow and the bees take interest.
Please do not hesitate to share your own bee conservation efforts.
Tag @OnceUnchained and use #SaveTheBees2020 and lets do all we can this year to spread awareness and support the bees.
Wishing your efforts success,
OnceUnchained
Unchained Literature 