World Bee Day is an internationally recognised day observed annually on May 20th. It’s a day dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinators for the planet’s ecosystems and food security. This day also highlights the threats that bees face and promotes actions to protect them.
Bees play a vital role in the environment and in our food systems, including pollinating plants and helping biodiversity, ensuring food security of many crops, as well as providing stability of ecosystems and economic stability. As such, bees are indispensable for the health of our environment and our well-being as humans.
Sadly, bees (and other pollinators, crucial for the health and stability of our ecosystems) face many threats, such as habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and invasive species. World Bee Day raises awareness of these problems and hopes to provide suggestions for solutions we can adopt to ensure the health of these amazing species.
Below, we wanted to share with you some of the ways you can help protect bees (as well as other pollinators), both within your garden and outside.
In your garden:
- Plant bee-friendly flowers: Choose a variety of flowering plants that bloom at different times throughout the year to provide a continuous source of nectar and pollen. Focus on native plants, as they are best adapted to your local climate and bees are more likely to use them. Look for plants with single, open flowers – these are easier for bees to access than double or densely packed flowers. Examples include sunflowers, lavender, coneflowers, salvia, borage, bee balm, and goldenrod.
- Avoid pesticides: Pesticides, even those marketed as “bee-friendly,” can harm bees. Opt for organic gardening methods, using natural pest control techniques like companion planting or insecticidal soaps as alternatives.
- Provide a water source: Bees need water, especially during hot and dry periods. Provide a shallow dish of water with pebbles or marbles for them to land on – this prevents them from drowning.
- Leave some areas wild and Don’t mow too often: Allow flowers to go to seed to provide a food source for bees and other insects throughout the year. Don’t be afraid to let some parts of your yard grow a bit wild. Patches of wildflowers and unmowed areas provide valuable habitat for bees and other pollinators. Consider creating a small “bee meadow.” You can find more suggestions on how to rewild your garden in our post here.
- Build a bee hotel (or bee house): These structures provide nesting sites for solitary bees, which don’t live in hives. There are many tutorials online for building them, using materials like bamboo, hollow stems, and wood blocks.
Beyond Your Garden:
- Support local beekeepers: Buy local honey and support businesses that prioritise sustainable beekeeping practices.
- Advocate for pollinator protection: Contact your elected officials and urge them to support policies that protect bees and their habitat. This includes advocating for restrictions on pesticide use and the preservation of natural habitats.
- Educate others: Spread the word about the importance of bees and how everyone can help protect them. You can share information and knowledge you have learned in this post, or in the resources section provided below, with others to raise awareness.
- Reduce your carbon footprint: Climate change is a major threat to bees. Reducing your carbon emissions helps mitigate the effects of climate change and protects bee habitats.
- Avoid buying plants with neon-colored dyes: These dyes often contain harmful chemicals that can be toxic to bees.
Remember, even small actions can make a big difference in helping bees thrive. By creating a bee-friendly environment in your own backyard and advocating for broader change, you can contribute to the health of these vital pollinators.
Further reading/helpful resources:
BBC World Bee Day 2024: What’s all the buzz about?