Where Are All Our Bees Going?
Imagine how scared you would feel if you were trapped in a room with a swarm of bees! But do you know what is even scarier? Living in a world with no bees.
If you haven’t heard the buzz, our bees are disappearing! Researches have found that since 2006, the percentage of bees has diminished yearly at a rate of 30% (Source: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/where-are-all-the-bees-going). Not only is this a huge decrease in the bee population in recent years, the big question that has left many scientists baffled is: Where have all the bees gone?
There are many theories as to why bee populations are diminishing each year. Some blame the use of pesticides while other scientists believe the colder winters are to blame. Then you get your free thinkers who believe they have made a lost island their home, never to return to the part of the world defiled by humans.
Whatever the reasoning behind their disappearance, it’s a problem, quite a big one in fact. We can survive without a dollop of honey in our tea, but can we live without fruit and nuts and all things delicious and nutritious? Nope, not very easily. We need bees to pollinate plants, so that they can bear fruit and provide the human race with food. Yes, there are other insects and animals that assist with the pollination process, but if we continue to lose more bees, there will be a significant decrease in plants pollinated, which means there will be a whole lot less food!
Let’s be proactive. What can we do to encourage bees to hang around and multiply?
First of all, grow yourself some green fingers. Plant things that bees are extremely attracted to, like fruit trees, herbs and wildflowers. Prevent the use of pesticides and water your plants often to keep them healthy and attractive to bees. Last but not least, purchase honey from local farmers instead of bottles that are mass-produced. This way you encourage the trade and farming choice, and the more farmers there are to farm bees, the more bees there will be!
It would be a very sad thing if our future generations do not get to see these black and yellow creatures buzzing busily in the yard. Being stung by a bee is a right of passage and many kids remember the first time they were pierced by the bum of these “frenemies”. Not to mention the taste of pure honey, can you imagine your children not enjoying that sweet delight?
Don’t BEE a hater, protect our bees! Grow plants wherever you are and if you must use pesticides, keep them natural and bee-friendly! Please, for me!
You are absolutely right. We can't live without our bees. That is why we have included bees in our homestead plans for the future. We are planting more and more fruit tees and flowering plants to attract the bees. Then we will be ready for the hives!
I have a fear of bees and wish they wouldn't buzz around me when I'm out in the garden, but I have a great deal of respect for them too. I understand how the ecosystem works with pollination. SO when outside and the bees come around, I am patient and wait. They do their job.. so I can continue doing mine (gardening and feeding my household).
So right @sweetpea, a world without these small creatures would be quite devastating! They love our lavender flowers, would love to taste that honey! We get honey from a local beekeeper, awesome stuff.
We still get hives and swarms in my area, as we are adjacent to farmland. I think they like our warm stone walls, but I have noticed the definite decline in their numbers over the years.
@sweetpea
Thanks dear for sharing this awesome post, its very educative. We honestly need bee to pollinate our plant in order to increase our farm produce and not only that, availability of honey becomes low in the absent of bees so, its better we adopt a method that will encourage the existence of bees around us.
Just like sweetpea said, if we must use pesticides, we must keep them natural and bee-friendly.
Followed you.
We have engineered our honey and made the bees into our slaves...
They don’t wanna be treated like workers for anybody other than their queen.
I feel like when local governments spray for mosquitoes they are causing massive collateral damage with the chemicals they are spraying. I hope we can reverse the damage we have done - or we will never forgive ourselves.
Let's save the bees and the earth by planting trees