WHAT CAN WE ALL DO TO HELP BEES?
The wonderful thing about creating a bee garden is that it welcomes all kinds of amazing and beneficial insects – so you’re supporting nature in general. Here are some helpful hints of my own, and here is a link to a website that is just wonderful – a company called Bee Harmony Honey (they sell the most amazing raw honey from all over the US) – and have an entire page dedicated to creating a pollinator garden. Click on this link https://www.beesponsible.com/do/gardening and if you want to support them and buy their honey, their website is https://www.beesponsible.com/about/our-honey (they don’t sponsor me, I just love their honey and how they are so focused on helping bees and other insects).
This section isn’t only about creating a bee and/or butterfly garden – but it’s about other things we can ALL do to help our little pollinator friends. I have 16 helpful tips below.
People tend to think of honey bees when think of pollinators, forgetting about moths, wasps, hornets, some flies, humming birds, bats, butterflies, many different types of bees including honey bees, bumble bees, sweat bees, mason bees, leaf cutter bees, even Shining Oil Digger Bees (what a great name!). Here in Florida alone we have over 300 species of bee, with about 4,000 in the USA and worlwide over 20,000. And yes, I’m a beekeeper and people also think that unless they become beekeepers, there’s not much they can do to help honey bees and other vital pollinators. They could not be more wrong – because EVERYONE can do something to help bees and pollinators – especially if you have a garden (even a tiny one) – so let’s get into it. Just so you know, I don’t use AI for ANY of my writing – I’m sure if I did it would be so much better and more succinct, but I prefer to drone on and on using my own words and sentence structures (occasionally putting people to sleep). Very infrequently though, I’ll use an AI generated picture as part of my workshops and classes but always disclose it.
16 WAYS TO HELP OUR POLLINATORS
STEP ONE: GO WILD! Dedicate an area in your garden to letting it grow wild: SET IT AND FORGET IT! Even if it’s just a few square feet, stop trimming and mowing – just let it grow. When the weeds peep through and clover smiles out – that’s the happiest time for bees and insects – they LOVE the clover. When you see (maybe) an untidy, overgrown section of garden, bees see “ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET!” – so GO WILD.
STEP TWO: Lengthen the time between mowing. For the area around my beehives, I often go for two to three months without mowing or trimming – and when my husband is away on business (sometimes for many weeks) – I “forget” to mow large sections of the lawn. Of course, I have to get it done before my husband gets back, but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. If you can, instead of mowing twice a month, try every two or three weeks or even once a month – weeds and clover are bees’ favorite nectar and pollen sources – ESPECIALLY helpful in early spring (also known down here as “swarm season” when the bees are swarming and desperate to build up honey and pollen stores.
STEP THREE – MOST LIKELY THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: GO CHEMICAL FREE. Pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and neonicotinoids are harmful to bees – and they get into your soil, into the water table and affect everything, including butterflies, bees, insects, mammals etc. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE avoid treating your garden and green spaces with synthetics. ALL YOUR LAWN NEEDS IS WATER! I hear people say “Oh, I don’t spray my lawn – the only spray I ever have is when the exterminator is spraying around the outside of my house for roaches and ants…” and I have to say PLEASE don’t let them do that – that fine mist (the spray) floats SO easily on the slightest breeze, coating your grass and flowers with toxic spray – that the bees and pollinators will ingest and suffer from. If you HAVE to treat, then use granules that won’t float on the wind. I’ve come out to my beehives and seen THOUSANDS of dead bees – they’ve been exposed to something harmfull, most likely a trusted foraging area that has suddenly been sprayed – they return home and die, in their thousands. When you examine a tiny bee body and the tongue is hanging out like this, this is a classic sign of poisoning and exposure to some kind of harmful spray, chemical, or sprayed flowers.
STEP FOUR: DROWNING BEES: If you see bees struggling in your pool or pond, scoop them out WITH A SCOOP OR A LEAF OR FROND OR BRANCH – DO NOT USE YOUR HANDS. Disoriented and panicking bees may sting out of reflex and then you’ll regret trying to save them and won’t do it again. Bees need water for their nests / hives (they take it back home and fan it with their wings to keep their brood areas at 94 degrees), so they will try to get it however they can, often ending in their own death by drowning. You’ll find them in your pool, in the canal, in bird bath etc. So by all means, rescue them – but lift them out with a scoop or leave, set them on the ground and leave them be to recover in their own time.
STEP FIVE: PROVIDE WATER SOURCES FOR BEES: BEES NEED WATER!!! Not just to drink, but to keep the hive cool – CREATE A BEE BATH FROM A BIRD BATH OR PLANT POT SAUCER OR ANYTHING SHALLOW THAT CAN CONTAIN WATER – AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS: make sure you have marbles, fronds, or pebbles THAT BREAK THE SURFACE so that if a bee falls in, she won’t drown. There are products on the market called Bee Ladders, Bee Floats, and Bee Islands – they’re great for bird baths as they float and allow bees to collect the water. I have bee floats and rocks in my birdbaths and I see bees in there all the time. ALSO IMPORTANT: change your water whenever you can so the bees (and birds and other creatures) have fresh clean water. Whenever I take a shower, I collect the initial cold water into a bucket (you’d be amazed at how much it takes to warm up the water!) – and then top up my bird baths with it every day. Buckets are super cheap $1.25 at the Dollar Store – and you’re making fantastic use of precious water that would otherwise just be wasted.
STEP SIX: insist on LIVE BEE REMOVALS ONLY (ESPECIALLY DURING BEE SEASON WHEN SWARMS ARE COMMON). Never exterminate. EVER. Even if the supposed bee expert tries to scare you by telling you they’re Africanized bees (i.e. highly defensive) and must be exterminated – NEVER EXTERMINATE. If the bees are Africanized or African derived, once removed, the queen can be swapped out for a gentle mated (purchased) queen from a queen breeder, and in two months, the entire colony will be gentle. Exterminators charge a fortune, they’re done in 20 minutes leaving tens of thousands of dead bees behind and contaminated honey – may not have access to clean up so rats, mice, roaches, ants, so you’re left with a mess, very often. These poor bees don’t deserve this as they’ve done nothing wrong. If you know of ANYONE who needs bees removing, ENCOURAGE LIVE REMOVALS ONLY AND NOT EXTERMINATING!!! YOU ARE NOT ONLY KILLING INNOCENT BEES BUT DESTROYING OUR BEST FRIENDS AND POLLINATORS WHO POLLINATE OUR OWN FOOD! SO WE’RE BASICALLY KILLING OURSELVES! If you’re in south Florica, I recommend two people: a) BRIAN SCHAFER (9 5 4) 6 1 2 – 3 6 6 2 and b) JAKE DUDAS of DUDAS FARMS (8 1 3) 7 7 7 – 3 8 8 0 because they are both highly experienced bee removal experts and very competitively priced – and most importantly, they’ll do the removals the RIGHT WAY. I vouch for both of them.
IF YOU SEE A SWARM IN A TREE THAT’S JUST ARRIVED, DON’T PANIC – WAIT A FEW HOURS OR A COUPLE OF DAYS – MOST LIKELY IT WILL MOVE AWAY AS IT’S JUST LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME AND IS AT ITS MOST GENTLE – otherwise, if you see comb being built, get it removed ALIVE. Beware: lots of “bee removal” people will just exterminate! DO YOUR HOMEWORK! A “swarm” indicates that a nearby beehive or nest is full (overcrowded) and the queen, with half the bees, has left in a “swarm” and settled in a tree or bush or somewhere else while waiting for the “scout” (realtor) bees to find them a new home. Just be patient – most likely they WILL move off of their own accord.
This is what a swarm looks like as they are leaving or arriving
They settled here (below) on a branch
STEP SEVEN: IF YOU SEE BEES GATHERING ON YOUR OUTSIDE LIGHTS (PORCH LIGHTS, TREE LIGHTS) ETC. – and if that bothers you – swap out those bulbs for RED bulbs because bees don’t see the color red. They don’t see red light – so that’s why, when we remove bees at night, we always carry red bulb flashlights (NEVER white) – otherwise, just turn off your outside lights and the bees won’t be there in the morning. They fly to white light.
STEP EIGHT: SAVING A BEE’S LIFE. HOW TO HELP A TIRED BEE: What do you do if you see a tired bee (or honey bee or butterfly) on the sidewalk or somewhere on the ground? MIX WHITE SUGAR 1:1 RATIO AND PUT A DROP NEAR HER TO GIVE HER ENERGY. DON’T GIVE HER HONEY UNLESS YOUR HONEY IS FROM A TRUSTED LOCAL SOURCE, RAW AND COMPLETELY UNTREATED (as in this photo). Don’t put a lot of honey or sugar syrup down – that can attract a bee feeding frenzy, just a tiny drop to give her energy to fly home. ALTERNATIVELY GET A BEE REVIVAL KIT FROM BEEVIVE – THE ONLY COMPANY I RECOMMEND from their website https://beevive.com/ (based in the UK). This is a small glass vial that you attach to your key chain – it contains sugar syrup so that wherever you are, if you see a tired bee or butterfly, you have your “revival kit” handy to save its life. There are now cheap knockoffs available of course, but I wouldn’t trust them as I don’t know what their sugar syrup is actually made of – I only trust BEEVIVE. I always keep a few in stock, so contact me if you’re interested.
STEP NINE: PLANT FLOWERS (TO MAKE YOUR BEE GARDEN): where and what do I buy?
- MOST IMPORTANT: TRY TO GET PLANTS THAT FLOWER AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SO BEES ALWAYS HAVE OPTIONS.
- Choose a NO SPRAY NURSERY to buy your blooms (like Jesse Durko) – CALL THEM AND ASK “DO YOU SPRAY?” You most likely will be surprised (and disappointed) at the answers. DON’T ASSUME – GET CLARITY! Many people I know buy from various nurseries and tell me proudly “oh, they don’t spray”. And I say, “Are you sure? Call them and find out.” and almost ALWAYS they find out that wow, “YES THEY SPRAY! I HAD NO IDEA!”
- WHAT FLOWERS SHOULD YOU GET? WHAT FLOWERS SHOULD YOU GET? I was always told, oh, bees like this flower or that flower – and when I go to the nursery and look at those flowers – there are no bees in sight! So what I do is wander around the nursery to see where the bees are hanging out! You’ll be so surprised. There may be one or two different flowers/blooms that are PACKED with bees – so they are the flowers I want! Go back in a month or two and repeat – see where the bees are hanging out then too. It’s like driving down a street full of restaurants – you drive past empty restaurant after empty restaurant, no patrons to be seen – and then suddenly you come across a couple of PACKED restaurants – people dining, having fun – clearly the food there is great. So where are YOU going to eat? One of the empty restaurants? Or where the people are? Yup, same thought process when choosing flowers for your bee garden. GO SEE WHERE THE BEES ARE HANGING OUT! In my garden I have some Black Eyed Susans, LOTS of Mexican Sunflowers (the bees go NUTS for them when they bloom), and firebush and firespike bushes. I see hummingbirds and butterflies and bees on them all the time. I get several different types of bee as well, including the Shining Oil Digger Bee (love that name). I also have a Ponytail Palm tree that blooms/blossoms once a year for about 5 days and honestly, the number of insects visiting is astounding – it’s COVERED from sunrise to sunset with all types of wonderful pollinators.
STEP TEN: PLANT A TREE IF YOU CAN: Bees get most of their nectar from trees – deforestation and development, trees that bees need are disappearing from the planet. When a tree blooms, it provides hundreds — if not thousands — of blossoms to feed from. Trees are not only a great food source for bees, but also an essential habitat – bees are designed to live in trees – empty dry cavity with small holes as exits that they can defend, and high up, away from intruders. Tree leaves and resin provide nesting material and propolis for bees, while natural wood cavities make excellent shelters.
STEP ELEVEN: EDUCATION – Spread the word! Try to spread the word as much as you can, about how important bees are to us and how we need to look after them – especially talk to children – they’re our future and the bees’ future! Honey bees pollinate over one third of ALL our food crops – without them, we’d be doomed. By looking out for THEM, we’re looking out for ourselves. They are our UNPAID EMPLOYEES, working tirelessly for US – we need to look after them!
STEP TWELVE: SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BEEKEEPERS! Try to buy honey from a local beekeeper. Ask them questions about their bees – we LOVE to talk about them! (if you hadn’t already noticed). Don’t know where your nearest beekeeper is? Look no further. It is required by LAW that all beekeepers register their apiaries (beehives) with FDACS, so all beekeepers SHOULD be on this list: FLORIDA BEEKEEPERS OR https://plantpay.fdacs.gov/Active-Beekeepers. I also sell raw honey – email me if you’re interested in purchasing. [email protected] and please note, I sell my honey in both BPA free REUSABLE food grade squeezy bottles (you reuse them for salad dressings or oils afterwards) AND glass – I create my own labels, which are always different AND I do custom labels in case you’re interested in party favors or special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, or just any occasion you want)
WHEREVER YOU BUY YOUR HONEY (FARMER’S MARKET, BEEKEEPER ETC.) ALWAYS MAKE SURE IT IS LABELLED – BY LAW WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE CERTAIN THINGS ON THE LABELS – SO IF THERE IS NO LABEL, DO NOT BUY IT. YOU HAVE NO WAY TO TRACE THE HONEY TO THE BEEKEEPER OR HONEY PRODUCER (IF THERE’S A PROBLEM) – SO CONTACT INFO IS ESSENTIAL – as well as other things required by law
STEP THIRTEEN: GET INVOLVED: CONSIDER BECOMING A BEEKEEPER. Become a beekeeper and/or join a beekeeping association: if you’re interested in becoming a beekeeper, that’s the best way to get hands on experience – wearing a bee suit (don’t underestimate the summer HEAT!) ONLINE COURSES AVAILABLE TOO – I can give you several different resources. One of my neighbor’s children was fascinated by the fact that I had bees and was so eager to visit them – here he is, loving the experience. Such a smart young man (about 4 years old). I have of course blurred out his face.
Here are some links to some courses if you’re interested in beekeeping:
https://www.beekeepingfornewbies.com
Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association
All Florida beekeeping associations: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/honey-bee/extension/beekeeper-associations/
STEP FOURTEEN: VOLUNTEER SOME LAND! DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF LAND? Talk to local beekeepers and see if they want to install beehives on your land, that THEY will manage and care for. Bees will pollinate your flowers and trees, and you’re helping the bee and beekeeping communities
STEP FIFTEEN: SUPPORT OTHER BEES AND INSECTS
Not only honey bees need help, but other insects do too – like ORCHID BEES – GET AN ORCHID BEE POD TO HELP ORCHID BEES ATTRACT THE LADIES! WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF ORCHID BEES.
Orchid bees, like the metallic green Euglossa dilemma, are not native to Florida but have become established in the state since their introduction around 2003. They thrive in the southern half of Florida, using various flowers, including native ones, and can even be found nesting in aboveground cavities. Male orchid bees are unique for collecting fragrant oils from orchids and other sources, which they store in their hind legs. They LOVE clove oil, so I soak cotton balls with clove oil (the NOW brand is best), put them in my Orchid Bee feeders, and watch the males come and rub it on their legs to attract the ladies.
Unique Orchid bee pods and clubs available for sale – contact me or visit my website https://saveourhoneybees.com/orchid-bees/ or of course you can email me to purchase at [email protected] – these are UNIQUE, I have them custom printed in the UK, they are not available anywhere else.
Consider helping SOLITARY BEES – visit Crownbees.com – experts and specialists they make wonderful INSECT HOTELS/BEE HOTELS
STEP SIXTEEN: GET YOUR GARDEN HABITAT CERTIFIED!! through the NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION – certify your habitat https://www.nwf.org/garden
The website explains everything but here’s a summary: This means your habitat provides the following:
Food
Your habitat needs to provide a minimum of three natural food sources for wildlife. Native plants, Seeds, Host Plants for Caterpillars, Nectar and Pollen, Nuts/Cones, Foliage/Twigs, Fallen Leaf Layer, Berries/Fruits, Insects
Water
Your habitat needs one of the following to provide clean water for wildlife to drink and bathe. If an existing water source is visible from and adjacent to your property, that can count for this requirement. E.g. Bird Bath, Butterfly Puddling Area, Lake, Seasonal Pond, Rain or Water Garden, River or Stream, Year-Round Pond, Spring, Ocean
Cover
Your habitat needs at least two places for wildlife to find shelter from the weather and predators. Mature Trees, Evergreens, Pond or Water Garden, Bramble Patch, Brush or Log Pile, Animal Burrow, Groundcover, Dense Shrubs/Thicket, Leaving dead perennial stems 12-18 inches for overwintering insects *WE HAVE A WOODEN DECK WITH TONS OF SPACE UNDERNEATH – OPOSSUMS!*
Places to Raise Young
Your habitat needs at least two places for wildlife to engage in courtship behavior, mate, ***DUCK STORY*** and then bear and raise their young.
Sustainable Practices You need to employ 2 of these practices : Soil and Water Conservation,
Controlling Non-Native Species • Use Native Plants • Reduce Lawn Space, Eliminate chemical pesticides • Eliminate chemical fertilizers • **Turn off outdoor lights at night*** or replace with RED OR AMBER COLORED BULBS, Eliminate or replace gas mowers and garden tools with electric or hand powered tools, Reduce/Reuse/Recycle,