I’m sure you’ve heard before just how important bees are. And not just because of the honey they produce. Bees help to pollinate flowers. So all the beautiful flowers in bloom at the moment wouldn’t be here without bees. Read here how you can help the bees.
Protect the bees
Did you know that, of the 360 species of bee, more than half are threatened with extinction? So we really need to act now to give them a helping hand. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start by planting flowers that they like, taking part in a bee count, building an insect hotel or providing an area with lots of nooks and crannies in your garden. It’s a good idea to avoid pesticides that can be harmful to bees as well.
Build a Bee & Bee
Bees love a comfortable place to sleep. So why not offer them an overnight stay in their very own Bee & Bee? It’s easy to build one using little pieces of bamboo, twigs, sawdust, roof tiles, bits of wood, pinecones and canes. Place the Bee & Bee in a sunny spot in your garden and your hotel will be fully booked in no time.
Rent a beehive
Want to do more to help bees but don’t want to commit to keeping your own beehive? These days, beehives are available to rent too. The bees are looked after by a beekeeper, you get some of the honey, and all you have to do is pay a small fee. Why not find out whether there’s a beekeeper offering something like this near you?
Make a drinking bowl
Did you know that bees drink water? Drinking water from a pond can be dangerous for bees though, as they can end up drowning. Help the bees out by providing them with a bowl filled half with stones and half with moss. Top the bowl up with water, ideally rainwater.
Plant flowers
Bees love flowers. The nectar they make is a real treat for bees. When you’re choosing a planting scheme for your garden, try to include some of
their favourites. They will be really happy to find lungwort, with those lovely pink flowers, purple bellflower and lupins in all sorts of different
colours. They like lavender too. And not forgetting buddleia, of course!
